Integrated Crop Management News

In a sudden turn of weather events, there have been several severe storms in the northeast and east central crop reporting districts of Iowa. These storms have created the potential for grain quality problems; of the most immediate need for action are those corn and soybean fields that have been flooded above the grain level. Fields with lodging will have more grain susceptible to flooding.

Since early August Iowa farmers have been reporting soybean fields or parts of fields with yellow or greenish-yellow leaves in the upper canopy which resemble early senescence and sometimes nitrogen (N) deficiency symptoms. The soybean growth stage is mainly R4 to R5. Several factors can cause these symptoms. Rainfall has been extremely variable this season in Iowa, with severe drought still persisting in some areas of the state. Yet, areas in southern and southeast Iowa have experienced normal to excessive rainfall.

Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate in the spring during the window for seeding forages. Thus, spring seeding may not have happened or stand establishment may be less than desired. Late summer provides an opportunity to establish forages or interseed into poor stands, assuming moisture is available. The recent rains may have some thinking about this, so below are some tips to consider helping a late summer seeding of forages be successful.   

Plan now

In the last decade, cover crops have grown in both interest and acres, yet there is still room for more adoption across Iowa and the region. It is obvious that cover crops require more management though and with that management there will undoubtedly be challenges. In just a few weeks the cycle for cover crop establishment, growth and termination will begin.