Blog

Gretchen Paluch
July 16, 2021 10:17 AM

Elizabeth Danielson
July 16, 2021 10:17 AM

If you have experienced a suspected dicamba incident contact the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) at 515-281-8591 to file a report. You may file an “Incident Report” or a “Documentary Report” with the IDALS Pesticide Bureau. 

Reporting dicamba incidents helps...

Pesticide Education

Erin Hodgson
July 14, 2021 2:49 PM

Soybean gall midge detections continue in western Iowa. As of this week, there are ten counties with infested soybean fields. These counties were previously infested with larvae. In some fields where we monitor activity a bit closer, we noticed first-generation adults were produced. These adults...

Crop Production, Insects and Mites

Chris Kick
July 14, 2021 2:40 PM

We’ve had two new members join the ISU Crops Team as field agronomists!

Clarabell Knapp, field agronomist for region 11 in south central and south eastern Iowa, began June 7; and Gentry Sorenson, field agronomist for region two in northwest Iowa, began July 6.

...

Crop Production

Rebecca Vittetoe
July 14, 2021 10:48 AM

The drier parts of the state finally received some much-needed rainfall, and unfortunately parts of southern Iowa that are pretty well saturated also received some more rain this past week. Herbicide injury in soybeans,...

Crop Production

Meaghan Anderson
July 11, 2021 10:33 AM

Antonio Mallarino
July 11, 2021 10:33 AM

A common sight across the state this summer has been yellow or white patches of soybean in otherwise green fields. This ICM Blog will review several possible causes of yellow soybean and provide resources regarding each phenomenon.

 

Iron Deficiency Chlorosis (IDC)...

Crop Production, Soils, Soil Fertility

Rebecca Vittetoe
July 7, 2021 1:20 PM

Herbicide drift, fungicide decisions, and iron deficiency chlorosis were common questions or issues received and/or observed by ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomists this past week. Read on to see what's happening in different regions across the state.

North Central Iowa...

Crop Production

Zachary Clemens
July 7, 2021 9:50 AM

Soybean research and Extension specialists from land-grant universities across the country welcome you to join the next monthly informal discussion on crop production topics that are timely and relevant. When you join the Notes from the Field webinar series, you will get highlights and current...

Crop Production

Rebecca Vittetoe
June 29, 2021 10:35 PM

While some much-needed rain did come this past week it seems that the drier areas continue to miss out or get minimal rainfall and the wetter parts of the state keep getting wetter. The rain also brought some hail, which caused some pretty significant damage not just to crops but property as...

Crop Production

Alison Robertson
June 29, 2021 2:12 PM

Despite the cooler conditions and precipitation (in some parts of Iowa) last week, the U.S. Drought Monitor categorizes most of Iowa in moderate to severe drought. As we approach tasseling, more and more questions around fungicides are being asked. 

 

All diseases managed by...

Plant Diseases

Erin Hodgson
June 29, 2021 7:25 AM

I’ve had a lot of questions about soybean gall midge over the winter and in the last few weeks. Most fields have plants with 4-7 trifoliates and I’ve even seen some flowers! If you are connected with the Soybean Gall Midge Alert Network, you know...

Crop Production, Insects and Mites

Richard Cirone
June 28, 2021 10:04 AM

Brian Hornbuckle
June 28, 2021 10:04 AM

The mass of water in corn follows a seasonal cycle. During the vegetative stages, corn is around 80% water. Corn water mass quickly accumulates during the vegetative stages. Maximum water mass occurs around 1830 Fahrenheit GDD after planting for many Iowa corn cultivars, aligning with the end of...

Crop Production

Rebecca Vittetoe
June 22, 2021 2:39 PM

The hot and dry conditions last week resulted in many fields showing signs of stress. Thankfully, a much-needed rain fell across a good part of the state late last week and on Sunday evening. Unfortunately, most of NW Iowa seemed to miss out on the rain. With the much-needed rain, there was also...

Crop Production

Rebecca Vittetoe
June 21, 2021 9:10 PM

While some areas received some much need precipitation later last week and over the weekend, there was some hail that came with it. Some fields have pretty minor hail damage and other fields had some pretty significant hail damage.

...

Crop Production

Ashley Dean
June 18, 2021 4:42 PM

Erin Hodgson
June 18, 2021 4:42 PM

Today, our lab crew went to the Johnson Farm south of Ames, Iowa to evaluate a bean leaf beetle study. To our surprise, we found many V4-V6 plants with established soybean aphid colonies (Photo 1). It is not uncommon to find sporadic soybean aphids in June, but it is surprising to find a colony...

Crop Production, Insects and Mites

Rebecca Vittetoe
June 15, 2021 12:11 PM

While some areas did receive some much-needed rainfall across the state, most areas received very little to no rainfall this past week. Consequently, it wasn’t hard to see lot of corn fields with leaves rolling this past week across the state. Lots of POST herbicide applications, sidedressing,...

Crop Production

Erin Hodgson
June 14, 2021 2:25 PM

Over the last 5 days, I’ve been asked numerous times about a small butterfly roaming the gravel roads and wooded areas around Iowa. It’s a fast, skittish insect and tracking down a good photo has been really tough. They are described by entomologists as mercurial, or subject to sudden and...

Insects and Mites

Paul Kassel
June 14, 2021 12:56 PM

The following is a view of the moisture status for six locations in northwest Iowa where the soil was analyzed for spring subsoil moisture.  This discussion may or may not reflect the current soil moisture conditions in your area.  This article does attempt to account for stored soil moisture,...

Crop Production

Sotirios Archontoulis
June 14, 2021 12:32 PM

Mark Licht
June 14, 2021 12:32 PM

Across most of Iowa, corn is near V6 stage and much of Iowa is under some degree of drought stress. The exception being extreme southeast Iowa. Being at V6 stage means corn ear initiation is occurring and in the coming week the number of kernel rows on the ear will be determined. This is the...

Crop Production

Paul Kassel
June 14, 2021 11:36 AM

Micronutrients for soybean production, soybean cyst nematode management and white mold of soybean will highlight the summer field day at the Iowa State University Northern Research and Demonstration Farm near Kanawha.

The North Central Iowa Research Association will also announce a...

Crop Production

Ashley Dean
June 10, 2021 1:56 PM

Erin Hodgson
June 10, 2021 1:56 PM

For the second year in a row, we’ve been hearing multiple reports of fields with high grub activity in central Iowa, particularly between Ames and Ankeny. Typically, people were called out to the field for other reasons but found grubs once they started digging. In fact, a field I visited last...

Crop Production, Insects and Mites

Ashley Dean
June 10, 2021 1:36 PM

Erin Hodgson
June 10, 2021 1:36 PM

Most people are already finished with their first cutting of alfalfa throughout Iowa, but each of our 10 field agronomists reports that alfalfa weevil activity continues and has been much...

Crop Production, Insects and Mites

Prashant Jha
June 9, 2021 9:12 PM

Most herbicide labels caution against applications made under environmental stress such as prevailing hot and dry conditions in Iowa this year. This is because of increased risk of crop injury and/or decreased weed control. Weeds growing under hot, dry conditions are often difficult to control...

Weeds

Rebecca Vittetoe
June 8, 2021 10:26 PM

This past week brought a range of field activities from replanting and POST herbicide applications to putting up hay and sidedressing nitrogen. Herbicide injury and carryover, dry conditions, yellow corn, and alfalfa weevils have been some of the more common issues ISU Extension field...

Crop Production

Ryan W Bergman
June 8, 2021 3:36 PM

Levi Powell
June 8, 2021 3:36 PM

With technology advancing all the time, it’s hard to resist the appeal of new equipment. However, there are many upgrades available that can be added to your existing planter to achieve speed and efficiency next planting season. When we talk about upgrades to your planter system, there are three...

Equipment and Machinery

Terry Basol
June 8, 2021 11:26 AM

As we continue the postemerge herbicide applications for corn and begin this process for soybeans, it’s important to be on the lookout for temperature inversions, Photo 1.  This blog will discuss what temperature inversions are, why they can be dangerous for pesticide applications, and how to...

Pesticide Education

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