Mark Licht
Dr. Mark Licht is an associate professor and extension cropping systems specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. His extension, research and teaching program is focused on how to holistically manage Iowa cropping systems to achieve productivity, profitability and environmental goals. Research is centered around varied aspects of soybean, corn and cover crop management as well as agronomic implications of precision technologies.
Subscribe to RSS FeedUnfortunately, hail damage is not a rare occurrence in Iowa. Every year hail damage occurs; it is just a matter of how severe it is and how widespread it is. In most cases, hail damage results in varied levels of defoliation. Defoliation will have an impact on crop yield potential at a greater...
It is that time of year and with the weather conditions we’ve had the last 30 day we should expect to see purple corn, yellow corn, and maybe even some tattered leaves. Mostly the mosaic of corn color is a product of the weather; cooler and wetter. Over the last 30 days, rainfall has been 150 to...
The cold, rainy weather this past weekend has presented challenging conditions for corn fields that have already been planted. Now that the weather is improving it’s good to start thinking about what the consequences might be and what to look for. Heat unit accumulation has been negligible since...
Planter starting rolling this weekend across a good portion of Iowa. Based on the calendar, this is right on target to hit the ideal corn planting window. Now if only the weather would cooperate. In much of the state soil temperature have reached 50oF. However, the forecast may cause...
Corn planting season is almost upon. Okay, for some there is already corn in the ground. Planting is one of the most important, if not the most important, field operation of the year. Now is a good time to think about planting considerations. Often I get asked what planting date is the best. In...
If you grow soybean your help is needed. We are asking for yields and management information that is used for your soybean fields. The goal behind this project identify key factors that prohibit soybean farmers from obtaining yields that are potentially attainable on their respective farms. Or...
A new FACTS (Forecast and Assessment of Cropping sysTemS) forecast occurred on August 11, 2016. The forecast can be found here.
The weather this growing season continues to be the big story and can be characterized by two...
Temperature is the key for both corn and soybean. Temperature below 28oF for a couple of hours will be lethal to growing tissue that has emerged. Temperatures between 28oF and 32oF will result in definite frost injury to above ground tissue. And temperatures...
Replanting is something we hope we don’t have to do a lot of, but if we do, there are some good resources to use to help make those decisions.
Stand assessment and replant decisions are often (OK, almost always) agonizing. It is hard to leave a stand that is below...
Planting season is or soon will be underway. This presents an opportunity to talk about a few things; 1) ideal conditions for planting, 2) seeding depth, and 3) imbibitional chilling.
Planting conditions
Ideal planting conditions are when the soil temperature...
The deadline for farmers to submit data for the "Soybean Yield Benchmarking Project" has been extended to April 1, 2016.
The “Soybean Yield Benchmarking Project” is a collaborative effort and is funded by soybean checkoff funds through the North Central Soybean Research...
A new UNL Yield Forecast came out last Friday. The high probability of near- or above-average yields continues at all Iowa locations. The Sutherland and Kanawha locations still have considerable probability of below normal yields. The Lewis location has greater than a 99% probability of...
The new Yield Forecast came out from the UNL project on today. There is a high probability of near- or above-average yields at all six Iowa locations with 95% probability being near- or above average at all locations except northwest and north central Iowa. The range of yield potentials forecast...
It’s time for another Yield Forecast. A new Yield Forecast came out from the UNL project on July 29. For Iowa, this new forecast is similar to the July 15th forecast with the exception of northwest Iowa. Rains in northwest Iowa have increased yield potentials to 94% likelihood of being near or...
Summer is upon us with warmer temperatures, corn pollination underway, and corn grain fill beginning. That also means talk about estimating corn yields come fall. I’m involved in two yield forecasting projects. One is out of ISU and is led by Dr. Sotirios Archontoulis using the APSIM crop model...