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Now that we’re within the time frames for planting to achieve optimal yields for corn and soybean, producers might be getting antsy with the cold, damp weather, and weighing the risks of a potential cold front that can cause damage to germinating seeds or seedlings.
For those that have...
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.
Under the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) as revised in 2015, there are specific requirements for handlers when pesticide labels require the use of a respirator. Handlers are employees, owners, and family members who apply, load, unload, rinse pesticide application equipment or do other tasks...
The Crop Protection Network (CPN) has published its fungicide efficacy tables for corn and soybean foliar diseases and soybean seedling diseases. These three publications can be found at the CPN...
University of Missouri's Kevin Bradley and Mandy Bish recently shared a tailored list on several principles that have been researched and verified regarding dicamba usage ahead of #Plant2019.
Bradley and Bish's list includes five principles to remember when communicating with producers...
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...
Hungry pests begin to emerge with warm spring weather and spread to favorite foraging spots such as trees, shrubs, gardens and even crop fields. To raise awareness of damaging pests, the United States Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued a proclamation making April 2019 “...
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...
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...
The fall of 2018 was challenging for most farmers. It started with rainfall beginning in early September as the corn and soybean crop was maturing. While a good portion of the crop was harvested, rain and cold temperatures limited fall tillage operations. This presents an opportunity to save...
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...
The IPM team at Iowa State University has been monitoring for field crop pests for a long time. The target pests have changed over the years, but the goal always remains the same: help inform farmers about pest activity in Iowa. One long-standing...
Welcome to ISU Biomass, led by the Heaton Lab at Iowa State University. Together with our partners, we work to integrate perennial crops into the annual crop landscape to improve economic, environmental, and social outcomes. One of our focus areas is the production and ecophysiology of giant...
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.
This cold and snowy weather hopefully has everyone dreaming of warmer days this spring. The 2019 growing season will be here before we know it, but now is a great time to plan for the year. While many farmers have already purchased pesticides for the growing season, it’s important to read the...
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...
Winter months often find us making lists of things we want to get done prior to spring field work and planting. Now is a good time to consider how to safely dispose of old pesticides and chemicals.
The easiest way to manage pesticides is to plan on not having any leftovers. If you hire...
Under the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) as revised in 2015, agricultural workers and pesticide handlers must be trained annually in pesticide safety.
Who needs to be trained?
Both agricultural workers (people employed to perform work activities related to the...
The Iowa Soybean Association has hosted a farmer-oriented research conference in February for many years. In 2019, the event is moving out into the state. The ISA Farmer Research Tour will be held at three locations in the first two weeks of February. This article contains the dates and...
Making sound soil fertility management decisions is an important part of successful crop production, on both an economic and environmental level. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will be offering a two-day short course focusing on principles of soils, soil fertility and nutrient...
This is the final article of a four-part series originally posted in 2016 on using multiple, effective herbicide sites of action (herbicide groups) at effective rates as part of a long-term weed management system. Read ...
While herbicide resistance is not a new issue, the rapid increase in multiple resistant biotypes in waterhemp, giant ragweed, and horseweed (marestail) is limiting herbicidal options. A waterhemp biotype resistant to six herbicide groups (2, 4, 5, 9, 14, and 27) was recently identified in...
This is part three of a four-part series originally posted in 2016 on using multiple, effective herbicide sites of action (herbicide groups) at effective rates as part of a long-term weed management system. Read ...