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Iowa State University’s IPM Team has monitored field crop pests for a long time. The pests have changed over the years, but our goal is the same: to help inform farmers about pest activity in Iowa. Our moth trapping efforts target migratory moths. Black cutworm monitoring is a long-standing...
Do you have plans for March 7th? If you’re already experiencing cabin fever, come do something productive with your day by attending the Field Crop Scout School hosted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Whether you’re an experienced scout or new, there’ll be something...
After a fairly long hiatus, a tweet from Corteva has earned a coveted spot in the HOS. This is a tough one since the company has used a farmer’s quote to disregard the principles of integrated weed management, rather than someone in marketing dreaming up an irresponsible advertisement.
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Initial February temperature and precipitation outlooks from the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) indicate elevated probabilities of colder than average conditions across much of the Midwest, including Iowa (not pictured). On the precipitation side, there’s a slightly elevated signal for drier...
This winter we will be hosting several soil fertility workshops around the state to help farmers better understand how to interpret soil test results and make soil fertility recommendations.
Join us for one of these workshops to:
- Learn how soil tests are done and what they...
Although ‘pure’ botanists often scoff at the use of common names for plants, common names are a useful tool when working with domesticated plants and weeds since the pool of species is relatively small. One problem with common names is they may vary from location to location. When I started...
Many producers put grain into their storage bins last fall at higher moisture contents than normal, due to late crop maturity and less in-field drying in 2019. For grain stored wetter than recommended for storage through the winter months (above 15% for corn and 13% for soybeans), it is...
The new crop season is just around the corner, and we want you to be prepared for the yield-reducing disease, insect and weed challenges affecting your fields. That's why the Iowa State Extension Store is making available, for a limited time, the ...
The Crop Protection Network (CPN) has added an additional publication series to its wealth of print and PDF resources. Beginning in 2020, CPN’s online library will feature annual Research Updates, highlighting advancements in crop-pest...
Passing a farm operation to the next generation is usually one of the biggest and most challenging decisions farm families will ever make.
Many things are at stake – money, emotions, goals and lifestyles – and farm families need to think critically about where they’re at today, and where...
Soybean seedling diseases are a major yield-reducing factor in soybean production. In 2017 alone, it was estimated that over 50 million bushels of grain were lost in the U.S. as a result of seedling diseases, and nearly 2 million bushels were lost in Ontario, Canada. As weather patterns — such...
Register for the University of Iowa Biomass Fuel Project Update Meeting!
Friday December 13th @ 10-11:30AM (public meeting)
Linn County Extension Office
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Update Note: This was first published November 13, 2019. As of November 19, 2019 we are expecting a few days of warm weather; dewpoints will get above freezing. It would be counterproductive to keep the fans on during this period.
The late planting has caused higher moisture corn...
The Crop Protection Network (CPN) recently launched its new “Field Crop Disease Loss Calculator” research tool, complete with years of historical data for estimated losses caused by disease in corn and soybeans in the U.S. and Ontario, Canada...
Waterhemp’s rise to the Cornbelt’s worst weed is one of the Cornbelt’s more fascinating weed-related events over the past 40 years. Waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) is native to the United States but is a relative newcomer to crop fields. Prior to waterhemp’s ascent, redroot pigweed...
As fields get harvested many farmers are making fall manure applications. Managed properly, manure can be an excellent source of valuable nutrients, but it can also pose risks to water quality when applied long before a crop is present to take up the nitrogen provided by manure. This ICM Blog...
The meteorological winter (December-January-February) temperature and precipitation outlooks were recently released by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC). In winter, the phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) climate signal typically influences temperature and precipitation...
With a growing number of cover crop acres across the state of Iowa, some producers are looking to cover crops to help extend their grazing season. While cover crops have the potential to be an extra forage source and reduce feed costs, there are challenges with using cover crops as a forage...
Recent reports have Iowa corn at about 40% harvested and Iowa soybeans about 66% harvested. The late crop has corn moistures running from around 19% in...
You may be in the thick of harvest, but don’t forget to cool stored grain. With forecast average day/night temperatures of 35 to 40 in the coming ten days, the time is right to cool any grain that went into the bin at higher temperatures. This article will review some tips and rules of thumb for...
It doesn’t happen every year, but it does occur – snow accumulation before harvest is complete. Here are some considerations and tips for dealing with this unique situation:
Did insects bug you and your crops this year? As the 2019 growing season winds down, ISU Extension field agronomists are seeking information from producers and retailers across the state regarding what the most problematic insect pests were this growing season.
Give us...
Combines are the most important seed dispersal mechanism for weeds in our cropping system. While a small amount of seed may leave the field with grain, most weed seed that enter the combine with the crop are either spread throughout the field or carried to other fields. Harvest weed seed...
Temperatures fell into the low 30’s and upper 20’s in most of Iowa over the weekend of October 11-13. Because of the very late planting season, some crops were immature enough to be injured by the freezing temperatures. This ICM Blog will address frost damage concerns to soybeans.
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