Blog

For a couple of years, some Iowa farmers have noticed lower yields along the southern and/or western edges of their fields. The low yields along the border tend to be prevalent when soybean, hay, or pasture are growing adjacently to the field on the southern or western edge. This phenomenon...

Since July 1 high humidity and temperatures have been scorching Iowa. Okay, maybe that is a little extreme. June has led to dry conditions across much of central and southwest Iowa. Heat and dry weather are not desired weather conditions in the 2 weeks before or after pollination. This four-week...

Limited rainfall and the warmer temperatures causing crop stress, herbicide injury in soybeans, soybean gall midge, and Japanese beetles were some of the common issues or concerns that ISU Extension field agronomists saw in fields across the state this last week. Read on to see what’s happening...

Nearly 20 years ago I summarized research from the University of Minnesota investigating factors that influence volatilization of dicamba (Behrens and Lueschen. 1979. Dicamba volatility. Weed Sci...

Lack of moisture in the western part of the state to excess moisture in the eastern part of the state, herbicide injury in soybeans, and bacterial leaf streak in corn were the common issues or concerns that ISU Extension field agronomists saw and heard about this past week. Read on to see what’s...

There have been a few fields where topramezone – the active ingredient in Impact and Armezon – carried over from an application last June – and is injuring this year’s soybean crop. Other agronomists have reported carryover of other Group 27 herbicides on soybean this year (mesotrione,...

Spotty rainfall across the state, herbicide drift, “Rapid Growth Syndrome” in corn, and shorter beans were common issues or concerns that ISU Extension Field Agronomists saw and heard about this past week. Read on for more specifics about what’s happening in different regions across the state....

Over the weekend there have been several reports of bacterial leaf streak (BLS) of corn in eastern Iowa.  The infections also appear to be quite severe (Figure 1).

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Temperature Inversions

It is never recommended to spray a pesticide when a temperature inversion exists, and many labels provide guidelines to follow in order to avoid applications during one. This blog will discuss what temperature inversions are, why they can be...

The growing season is in full swing, and as Iowa growers and gardeners move along toward the Fourth of July, it is important to remember that the COVID-19 precautions continue to alter operations at the Iowa State University Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic (PIDC).

The PIDC continues to...

Radiation is down up to June 1 according the latest FACTS extrapolations.

The springtime decreases in radiation—especially in May—could have caused yellowing corn leaves and slowed down leaf appearance rates (radiation and moisture play a role in phenology, even though temperature is the...

Sidedressing nitrogen, post emergence herbicide applications, and putting up hay were the main field activities that took place over this past week across the state. Some of the issues ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomists saw this past week ranged from dry conditions in the western part...