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Greg Tylka
November 12, 2021 10:30 AM
Farmers may be planning to grow soybeans in 2022 in fields cropped to soybeans in 2021 because of high prices and limited availability of inputs for corn production. Doing this in fields infested with the soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is always a risky proposition. But growing beans on beans in...
Zachary Clemens
November 8, 2021 1:18 PM
Mark Licht
November 8, 2021 1:18 PM
Cover crops can enhance soil health by capturing nutrients, slow erosion and can reduce the need for herbicides. Growers face many different decisions in the field, and the latest edition of the Cover Crop Field Guide will assist in some of those choices.
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Across Iowa, the forecasted average day/night temperatures are between 30 to 40 degrees F in the coming ten days, so the time is right to cool any grain that went into the bin at higher temperatures. Good harvest conditions and warm weather early this fall mean that there is on-farm grain that...
Erin Hodgson
October 28, 2021 12:41 PM
Following up on Meaghan’s blog post on October 5 about sap beetles in corn grain, I received a few more questions about infested bins. There are MANY insects that cause losses in stored grain and food...
The November and the meteorological winter (December-January-February) temperature and precipitation outlooks were recently released by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC). Below is a recap of what those outlooks are predicting and the potential impacts those outlooks could have on...
Zachary Clemens
October 19, 2021 11:54 AM
Mark Licht
October 19, 2021 11:54 AM
Corn Hybrids
Choosing corn hybrids is one of the most crucial crop management decisions to be made. There are a range of factors to consider, most notably the weather, which makes it difficult as this decision is typically made months in advance of the growing season....
Kristina TeBockhorst
October 14, 2021 10:28 AM
Joel DeJong
October 14, 2021 10:28 AM
Brian Dougherty
October 14, 2021 10:28 AM
With rising fertilizer prices, and concerns about possible shortages, it pays to time our applications of anhydrous ammonia and manure well. When the value is high, the focus on management is even more important.
Anhydrous costs are reported to have risen to $850 or more per ton.
...
Meaghan Anderson
October 5, 2021 8:19 AM
I have yet another weird insect situation to add to what feels like an already comprehensive list of issues for 2021. Last week, a farmer in central Iowa brought a grain sample into an ISU county extension office that was full of small, black beetles. These beetles had survived through the...
Joshua Michel
October 1, 2021 10:36 AM
Much of Iowa is currently abnormally dry or in some state of drought according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor. If dry field conditions persist, the potential for combine and field fires this fall could...
Virgil Schmitt
September 17, 2021 4:12 PM
2021 has been an unprecedented year for fall armyworms, not just here in Iowa but other states as well. There have been many questions regarding how to manage fall armyworms in hayfields and cover...
Mark Licht
September 16, 2021 12:21 PM
As corn has quickly reached maturity, the next hurdle of the 2021 growing season is harvest. Stalk quality will be a concern for fields across that state that experienced the stress of too much or not enough moisture. Alison Robertson recently wrote an...
Ben Covington
September 16, 2021 10:05 AM
Ryan W Bergman
September 16, 2021 10:05 AM
Safety should always be at the forefront of your farming operations, and harvest is no different. When operating large equipment such as combines and grain carts, overhead power lines pose an increased risk to farm safety. An average of 62 people each year are electrocuted when their farm...
Erin Hodgson
September 16, 2021 7:52 AM
I got invited to SERF (ISU Southeastern Research Farm) field day last week to highlight corn rootworm management. I was easily distracted when it wasn't my stop and started walking around soybean plots looking for insects. [this is a common occurrence with entomologists!] Soybean was in...
Rebecca Vittetoe
September 15, 2021 9:50 AM
While the rains the end of August have helped to improve the dry conditions some across the state, the rains also brought along some strong winds and hail that caused some significant crop damage in parts of NE, EC, and SE...
Alison Robertson
September 14, 2021 7:14 AM
As the 2021 growing season comes to a close, what should you be thinking about in terms of corn disease and how that might impact your harvest plans?
Ryan W Bergman
September 9, 2021 11:34 AM
Chris Murphy
September 9, 2021 11:34 AM
As harvest starts to ramp up across Iowa, many people will be evaluating their crop scouting activities from 2021 and starting to make plans for 2022. In a ...
Ryan W Bergman
September 7, 2021 3:30 PM
Matt Darr
September 7, 2021 3:30 PM
Levi Powell
September 7, 2021 3:30 PM
With harvest quickly approaching, it’s time to make sure your combine is prepped and ready for the field. This article published in fall of 2020 has some good tips for...
Although I am retired, I still am passionate about weeds and decided to continue my Labor Day Tour of the first known infestations of Palmer amaranth in Iowa. I started this ‘survey’ in 2014, links to earlier reports are found at the end of this article. My efforts do not involve a systematic...
Meaghan Anderson
September 6, 2021 9:12 PM
Anytime after R3 (milk stage) has traditionally been a great time to do yield checks in corn. After R3, kernel abortion is less likely and plant stress will result in reduced kernel size or fill rather than kernel loss. In addition to performing a yield check, walking late reproductive corn...
Ryan W Bergman
September 1, 2021 9:47 AM
With the recent storms rolling through northern Iowa, many growers are experiencing field conditions similar to those seen across the state after the 2020 derecho. To help ensure a safe and productive harvest, we’ve rounded up some tips and information that were developed after the derecho last...
Rebecca Vittetoe
August 31, 2021 10:27 PM
Meaghan Anderson
August 31, 2021 10:27 PM
Angie Rieck-Hinz
August 31, 2021 10:27 PM
Clarabell Probasco
August 31, 2021 10:27 PM
Joel DeJong
August 31, 2021 10:27 PM
Mark your calendars for our upcoming fall field days. Below is a list of the upcoming field days that will take place in early September and topics featured at each field day. All field days are free and open to the public. We hope you can join us!
Sept. 7, 2021 – Annual Forage...
Rebecca Vittetoe
August 24, 2021 10:38 PM
The drier and warm conditions have really pushed crops along across the state. In addition to the drought concerns and issues related to the drought, other common observations made in fields across the state include more sightings of tar spot, sudden death syndrome and/or brown stem rot in...
Joel DeJong
August 23, 2021 2:45 PM
Antonio Mallarino
August 23, 2021 2:45 PM
As we enter the harvest season, we know we need to be looking forward to the next growing season at the same time. Having plans in place for your 2022 fertilization program before harvest starts is a good idea. Making these plans is tougher this year due to variable yields across the state due...
Zachary Clemens
August 23, 2021 1:29 PM
Choosing the best crop variety to maximize yield and profitability while still staying within budget is vital to any farm, whether its 100 acres or 100,000. It is also a driving objective for plant breeders that develop these varieties for farmers.
Plant phenotyping is an important part...
Angie Rieck-Hinz
August 20, 2021 8:10 AM
Joshua Michel
August 20, 2021 8:10 AM
Historically, corn silage harvest starts within the next two weeks. However, harvest has started early in some droughty areas with light soils. Corn is a high yielding, high energy, low protein forage that is commonly used for growing and finishing beef cattle, in cow-calf production systems,...