Blog

My colleagues at Purdue recently compiled weather data to determine how many hours would be available to apply the new dicamba products (e.g. Xtendimax with VaporGrip Technology, FeXapan with VaporGrip Technology, and Engenia...

As the 2017 growing season winds down, ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomists share how the crops are progressing and finishing out the season in their repressive regions across the state.   

Northwest Iowa

For the past four years (maybe five) I’ve visited the first three known infestations of Palmer amaranth in western Iowa to track the status of the populations in these fields.  Following is a brief summary of  my visits to Harrison, Fremont and Page Counties on September 3.

The economic threshold of 250 soybean aphids per plant, with more than 80% of plants infested and aphid populations increasing was published in 2007 to prevent populations from reaching the EIL. These values were determined by closely monitoring aphid populations in research...

The following article originally appeared on the ISU Weed Science Online website.  Current research is showing that the new formulations of dicamba (Xtendimax with Vapor Grip Technology and Engenia) have not solved the volatility problem associated with dicamba.  Since the fundamentals of...

For the first time in recent history, a contestant successfully defended their title in the Professional Division at the State Fair Weed ID Contest.  Cindy Recker of Peosta repeated as champion of the Professional Division, Karen Stiles of Des Moines won the General Division, and Henric Krause...

Seeding Cover Crops in Dry Conditions

We are quickly approaching the time of year when we aerially seed cover crops into standing corn and soybeans.  Earlier seeding allows for more growth and consequently more biomass to protect soils from erosion. It also allows the opportunity to...

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, most of Iowa is still considered abnormally dry. Twospotted spider mites are erratic pests in some corn and soybean fields right now, particularly in southern Iowa. I’ve been...

Observations across several counties in southeast and south central Iowa show that, despite some recent rain events and high humidity, twospotted spider mites are persisting in both corn and soybean fields across the area.  These insect-like pests can be very difficult to identify, so we’ve got...

As of February 2017, Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) had been found in 49 of Iowa’s 99 counties.  A native of the American southwest, Palmer amaranth is more competitive than common waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus), a pigweed native to Iowa.  These two species are two...

The spotty rain and dry weather saga continues in many parts of the state. The U.S. Drought Monitor has just over 47% of the state as abnormally dry and 16% of the state in a moderate drought.

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1) Develops in hot, dry weather conditions. Charcoal rot is a fungal disease that is most severe in years and areas experiencing hot, dry weather. However, this disease can also cause losses when ample moisture is present, making it a hidden threat to yield.

2)...