Rebecca Vittetoe
Rebecca Vittetoe is an extension field agronomist in east central Iowa. Educational programs are available for farmers, agribusiness, pesticide applicators, and certified crop advisors.
Areas of expertise include agronomy, field crop production and management of corn, soybeans, and IPM/crop scouting. Vittetoe joined Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in April of 2015.
Subscribe to the Southeast/South-central Iowa Crop Connection newsletter for current topics and agriculture events in the area.
Subscribe to RSS FeedA lot of planting progress was made for both corn and soybeans over the last week. According to the May 3 USDA-NASS Crop Progress Report, approximately...
It’s been an unusual spring with the cooler and drier conditions. While many would welcome a rain, the warmer conditions mean planting has gotten underway. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach field agronomists share reports on what they are seeing and hearing in their respected regions...
It’s hard not to be itching to get in the field and start planting, especially since we are past the April 11th crop insurance date for planting. However, the optimum planting date is dictated by soil conditions (moisture and temperature), the weather forecast, and the calendar date...
While it seems like most alfalfa fields are greening up quite nicely this spring, there have been a few reports of winter injury in alfalfa stands, especially if stands or parts of stands may have been covered by sheets of ice during the winter.
Take some time now to evaluate stands for...
Many pastures in Iowa were stressed in 2020 from the dry conditions, storm damage, or overgrazing. Consider improving pasture stands and forage production with either frost seeding or interseeding this spring. Proper planning and preparation are needed to successfully improve pastures, and this...
Farmers and crop advisers are invited to attend the Southeast Iowa Agricultural Research Association annual meeting, which will be held virtually this year via Zoom on Tuesday, March 4, at 8 a.m.
The annual meeting will feature the following topics and speakers: “A Review of the 2020...
CropsTV is entering week 10, the last week, however, there is still time to register. There are 3 live episodes this week to finish out CropsTV programming next week. You can still watch all 45 episodes on-demand through February. Learn more and ...
CropsTV is entering week 9, however, do not let this hold you back from registering. There are 3 live episodes this week and another 3 live episodes to finish out CropsTV programming next week. While there is only 6 live episodes left, you can still watch all 45 episodes on-demand through...
CropsTV is entering week 8. If you are not one of the more than 850 people already registered, do not be left out. You can still watch all 45 episodes of CropsTV. There are, 10 live episodes in the last 3 weeks of CropsTV and all 45 episodes will be available on-demand through February. Learn...
With only four weeks left, you can still get all 45 episodes of CropsTV, 12 of which you can catch live. Sign up today to catch this weeks episodes or binge watch the 26 already posted episodes. There are up to 45 CCA continuing education units all available for a $45 season pass. Learn more and...
There are only four weeks left to sign up for CropsTV and earn your CCA credits. Sign up today and you get 45 episodes (past episodes on-demand and new episodes coming for the next four weeks). Up to 45 CCA continuing education units all available for a $45 season pass. Learn more and ...
CropsTV is the right spot for CCA credits. Sign up today and you get 45 episodes (past episodes on-demand and new episodes coming for the next five weeks). Up to 45 CCA continuing education units all available for a $45 season pass. Learn more and ...
Don’t be left out, there is still time to register for CropsTV. Sign up today and you get 45 episodes (past episodes on-demand and new episodes coming for the next seven weeks). Up to 45 CCA continuing education units all available for a $45 season pass. Learn more and ...
Do you need CCA credits? CropsTV is the place to get them. Register today and you get 45 episodes (past episodes on-demand and new episodes coming for the next eight weeks). Up to 45 CCA continuing education units all available for a $45 season pass. Learn more and ...
Have you registered for CropsTV yet? It is the place to go if you need CCA credits. Register today and you get 45 episodes (past episodes on-demand and new episodes coming for the next nine weeks). Up to 45 CCA continuing education units all available for a $45 season pass. Learn more and ...
Registration for the 2020 Ag Chem Dealer Update meetings near Boone on Dec. 8 and Iowa City on Dec. 15 is now open online. Each location will have both a morning and afternoon session to accommodate as many attendees as possible while meeting social distancing requirements. In addition to insect...
After the drought this past year, some pastures may benefit from a renovation in 2021. Proper planning and preparation are needed to successfully improve pastures with either a late winter frost seeding or no-till renovation with interseeding next spring. This ICM Blog post will discuss what you...
This week is a welcome break from the fall chill, and it is a great opportunity to finish up any final fall weed management in pastures and no-till crop fields. Ideally, herbicide applications should be made when the sun is shining and daytime temperatures are above 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit....
When it comes to applying fall anhydrous ammonia or manure with a high ammonium N content (like liquid swine manure), we recommend that soil temperatures at a 4-inch depth are below 50° F and continue to trend cooler to help minimize nitrogen loss prior to the next growing season. While soil...
While drought is still widespread, rainfall blanketed most of the state last week, providing some welcome relief to pastures, hay fields, newly-seeded cover crops, and later maturing soybeans. The rainfall caused some standability concerns with corn. Other issues noted by field agronomists ...
Drought continues to expand across the state, and August 2020 came in as one of the driest Augusts since 1893 across the state. Crops appear to be racing toward maturity, with several reports of both corn and soybean very near harvest-ready. While...
Rainfall still eludes most of the state of Iowa, and drought has continued to envelope the state, with the driest areas expanding from the west central part of the state. Crops continue to go downhill in the...
While some rainfall has come to the droughty areas of the state, drought intensified to D3 (extreme) drought in parts of central and west central Iowa. Unfortunately, a large swath of the state is now facing...
Drought conditions persist in western Iowa and have expanded further into central and north central Iowa this week. Common issues reported by ISU Extension field agronomists this past week included poor grain fill and fast reproductive development in corn, increasing disease pressure in some...