Blog

Today, we will take a quick trip around the world to explore how other cultures have used miscanthus. East Asian cultures incorporated miscanthus into their everyday lives: paintings, toys, household items, rituals, and in some cases medicinal uses.

The Crop Protection Network (CPN) has published its 2019 fungicide efficacy tables for corn and soybean foliar diseases and soybean seedling diseases. These three publications can be found at the CPN website, under resources...

March more or less came in and went out like a lion. The below normal temperature trend we experienced in February continued through March, averaging 5.2 F below normal. Western and southern Iowa experienced wetter than average conditions in March while the rest of the state experienced below...

University of Illinois Extension Plant Pathologist Nathan Kleczewski recently conducted an interview through the Illinois Extension news service regarding pre-season management and preparation for tar spot in 2019.

While Iowa isn't as heavily impact as some counties in Illinois, the...

One benefit of planting cover crops is their contribution to weed management.  While several factors contribute to the inhibition of weeds by cover crops, the physical barrier of cover crop residue on the soil surface is most important.  Research has shown a strong relationship between the...

Old man winter seems to just be hanging around, but we have had some glimpses that spring will arrive eventually.

We’ve had below normal temperatures (averaged for December, January, and February was 20.8 degrees or 1.3 degrees below normal) and above normal precipitation (total...

Recent research at Kansas State University has confirmed farmers' claims of reduced herbicide efficacy in controlling Palmer amaranth in fields. According to the research, Palmer amaranth samples, collected from a long-term conservation tillage study, were identified as being resistant to 2,4-D...

These species, whether it be insects, weeds or pathogens have the power to drastically alter a landscape by feeding on, or out-competing, plants or other native species. Populations of invasive species are often large enough to kill large numbers of trees and plants, reduce soil quality and...

Farmers and crop advisors are invited to attend the Southeast Iowa Agricultural Research Association annual meeting at the Johnson County Extension office in Iowa City on Thursday, March 7, 2019 beginning at 10:00 a.m.

The day will feature an update on activities at the Iowa State...

The Crop Protection Network (CPN), a collective of multiple land grant universities across the region, published two new resources for Iowa farmers detailing tar spot in corn, caused by phyllachora maydis, and soybean seed quality for 2019.

With the rising popularity of cover crops we frequently receive questions from producers about how to grow and sell cover crop seed. Here’s some important information if you are interested in growing and selling cover crop seed.  

Frequently farmers wish to buy a small grain and plant it...

Recent text from an extension client:  
“Mark Licht is telling us to plant 120-140K soybeans.  Tells us why more isn’t cost effective. You tell us 160K 15” rows for weeds.  I wish you all would coordinate your story. The bottom line is net profit which is a holistic concept but every...