Meaghan Anderson
Meaghan Anderson is a field agronomist in central Iowa and an extension field specialist at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Educational programming is available for farmers, agribusinesses, pesticide applicators, certified crop advisors, and other individuals interested in crop production.
Areas of expertise include weed management, weed biology, cover crops, corn and soybean management, and integrated pest management.
Subscribe to the Central Iowa Crop Update for current topics and agriculture events in the area.
Subscribe to RSS FeedFarmers, ag retailers, and certified crop advisers gathered at the Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm on June 22 for the research farm association’s annual spring field day. Myron Rees, farm superintendent, kicked off the field day by sharing a farm and crop update with everyone. Some...
Fall is a great time to take soil samples and test the soil to see where the nutrient levels are. The results of soil tests can help make critical management decisions for the next growing season. Soil testing starts with the soil sample. The small sample of soil collected serves as the basis...
Palmer amaranth has been identified in newly-seeded conservation plantings in more than 30 Iowa counties, and we would not be surprised if the actual number is double that. The number of Palmer amaranth plants per acre has typically been low enough (<250 plants per acre) to make physical...
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach field agronomists report crop conditions in south central, southeast, and east central Iowa.
The first step in managing any pest is correct identification. For Palmer amaranth, we have stressed the need to examine the inflorescences of female plants for the presence of the large, sharp bracts. Farmers/agronomists are not accustomed to examining flowers since almost all weeds can be...
Most people are aware of the multiple findings of Palmer amaranth across Iowa this month. Palmer amaranth has been identified both in crop fields and in conservation plantings using native seed mixes. Early detection is essential in order to prevent the new weed from getting permanently...
Mark you your calendars for the Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm's Fall Field Day, which is set for September 8. Registration will begin at 1 p.m. with the tour starting at 1:30 p.m.
The featured stops for this year's field day include a presentation on...
Although rain moved us indoors, we had a great turnout for the 2016 Weed Identification Contest. This year's winner in the Professional Division is long-time participant Cindy Recker of Peosta, IA. Cindy, a member of ISU's Crop Judging Team when she was a student, correctly identified 37 of 40...
Storms hit eastern Iowa yesterday, bringing variable amounts of rainfall and enough wind to blow some corn down. The damage seems to extend across multiple counties, but I witnessed many fields with varying amounts of damage in Linn and Jones counties.
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After a busy week at a meeting in Michigan, Virgil Schmitt and I visited the Muscatine County farmer with Palmer amaranth to assess the population.
This farmer first discovered Palmer amaranth...
Several corn fields in southeast Iowa are having disease issues this spring. After visiting with several ag retailers and farmers, I had Alison Robertson and Tom Kaspar, a plant physiologist with the USDA-ARS, out yesterday to look at some fields with issues. When we put all the pieces together...
I received one report of a cereal rye control failure this week as temperatures warmed and rye growth resumed. Some follow-up questions and photos showed that concerns regarding burndown applications during cool, early-spring conditions have merit.
A southeast...
It seems that anhydrous ammonia (AA) applications and planting may fall very close together on the timeline of events this spring. This could be concerning with drying soils and lack of significant rainfall chances in the near future.
Important notes to remember:
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Spring seems to have sprung early this year with the beautiful weather and very warm temperatures. I like to take a lap around the office on the Johnson County Fairgrounds a few times during the...
This is fourth and final part of a series focused on using multiple, effective herbicide groups at effective rates as part of a long-term weed management system.
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This is part three of a four-part series on using multiple, effective herbicide groups at effective rates as part of a long-term weed management system.
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This is part two of a four-part series on using multiple, effective herbicide groups at effective rates as part of a long-term weed management system.
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This is part one of a four-part series on using multiple, effective herbicide sites of action (herbicide groups) at effective rates as part of a long-term weed management system.
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Last fall, I collected common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) seed to establish some plots on a farmer cooperator's land over the winter. My plan was to seed directly into a standing cool-season grass adjacent to a crop field and determine the effectiveness of this method for plant...
The annual ISU-Iowa State Fair Weed Identification Contest is this Friday, August 14, from 9:00 - 11:00 AM in front of the John Deere Agriculture Building. With three divisions (Future Agronomists, General, and Professional) it is indeed fun for the entire family. See how your weed ID skills...
Most agronomists are aware of the movement of Palmer amaranth into Iowa. Although known Iowa infestations are limited to five counties (Harrison, Fremont, Page, Lee and Muscatine) we are confident that it is present in many more counties. We are pleased by the number of people who have...