By Doug Cooper, Extension Communications and External Relations
Doug Cooper's April 20 crop and weather report guests this week are Extension climatologist Elwynn Taylor, integrated pest management specialist Rich Pope and soybean agronomist Palle Pedersen.
Taylor talks of La Niña's continued comeback having reached the SOI category, considered a significant weather phenomenon. Planting weather looks good for Iowa the next couple of weeks, but the Eastern Corn Belt may not be as fortunate.
Rich Pope says field agronomists from around the state estimate about ten percent of the state's corn has been planted. That compares to six percent (through April 19) in the latest Iowa Crops and Weather Report from USDA's National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS).
Palle Pedersen reminds listeners that remembering and heeding the ideal planting times for soybean are important in order to achieve maximum yield potential. He says ISU Extension's recommendations remain the same — April 25 for the southern two-thirds of the state and May 1 for the northern one-third of Iowa.
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