Soil Moisture Conditions and Crop Water Use
Soil texture, tillage practices, residue cover, drainage and weed control can play a significant role in soil moisture availability.
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Soil texture, tillage practices, residue cover, drainage and weed control can play a significant role in soil moisture availability.
By Alison Robertson, Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology
In the past 5 years, Goss’s wilt and leaf blight has become increasingly prevalent in Iowa. This growing season, the disease has already been reported from several fields. Consequently many agronomists and scouts have been checking fields and some agronomists have been making use of the immunostrip test from AgDia.
What symptoms should you be looking for?
By Jim Fawcett and John Holmes, Extension Field Agronomists, and Greg Walston, Extension Program Director
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host two tours of residue management plots in July.
Now that western bean cutworm moths have been reported in Iowa, producers should review county trap data to determine the need to scout a location.
There have been few foliar problems on corn and soybeans this spring. When applying foliar fungicides in the absence of significant disease, selecting the right product is important.
Weeds have survived early-season control tactics this year, and many producers want to take action. But many rescue treatment have little chance of providing effective control. Carefully evaluate the risks with applications made at this time and use this year's experiences to develop a more consistent weed control program for next year.
Producers may wonder whether plant growth is affected by nutrient deficiency or if climatic and soil factors are causing the problem. This article summarizes key points to consider with plant analysis.
By Andy Lenssen, Department of Agronomy
Although drought typically is an infrequent occurrence in Iowa, 2012 has been an exception to the rule. Winter, spring and early summer precipitation has been below long-term average, and soybeans in some areas of the state are experiencing periodic water stress due to inadequate available water content in upper soil depths. Farmers have asked whether drought stress early in the season can influence yield if precipitation levels approach long-term average later in the season.
Goss's wilt was found recently on plants in Iowa and Nebraska. If you are scouting for Goss's wilt, focus your attention on fields that are planted to susceptible hybrids, have a history of the disease, have surface corn residue, and have been recently injured by sever weather.