Blog

Mark Licht
June 8, 2021 8:51 AM

Rebecca Vittetoe
June 8, 2021 8:51 AM

The dry conditions are causing some to see what is known as “floppy” corn (aka rootless corn). Rootless corn is easy to diagnose – simply dig up plants that are not standing erect like they should be, then gently knock off the soil to get a look at the roots. With rootless corn you will see the...

Crop Production

Ashley Dean
June 3, 2021 11:16 AM

The trapping season for true armyworm (TAW) and black cutworm (BCW) has come to an end. We appreciate our cooperators for tirelessly checking traps the last two months and reporting their captures so we can provide the most accurate scouting information for these pests. To recap, we had 32...

Crop Production, Insects and Mites

Rebecca Vittetoe
June 2, 2021 4:56 PM

Frost damage, uneven corn, yellow looking crops, and volunteer corn becoming more prevalent were some of the more common issues observed in fields this past week. Read on for more specifics about what ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomists are hearing and seeing across the state.

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Crop Production

Ryan W Bergman
June 2, 2021 3:46 PM

Chris Murphy
June 2, 2021 3:46 PM

The use of aerial imagery in production agriculture has continued to grow and evolve over the last several years since its debut on the market. With significant changes in how imagery is captured and processed and the quality of images available, there are now many applications for this...

Equipment and Machinery

Rebecca Vittetoe
June 2, 2021 1:25 PM

Kristina TeBockhorst
June 2, 2021 1:25 PM

For those worried about the need for additional N this spring, one method in determining if additional N is needed is by doing the Late Spring Soil Nitrate Test (LSNT). This test measures the nitrate-N concentration in the top foot of soil. The measured N is a combination of nitrate residual...

Soil Fertility

Zachary Clemens
June 1, 2021 2:38 PM

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

Bob Hartzler
June 1, 2021 1:31 PM

The first ‘official’ finding of Palmer amaranth in Iowa was August 2013 in Harrison County. Shortly thereafter the weed was identified in Muscatine, Fremont and Page County. These infestations were likely due to Palmer amaranth seed being transported on equipment/trucks involved in crop...

Weeds

Paul Kassel
June 1, 2021 10:51 AM

Frost injury occurred Saturday May 29 across much of the area.  Radiational frost occurs when leaf temperatures actually reach lower temperatures than nearby recorded air temperatures.

 

Frost has occurred

            - along field edges - especially corn...

Crop Production

Rebecca Vittetoe
May 31, 2021 10:43 PM

Virgil Schmitt
May 31, 2021 10:43 PM

Carbon markets and weed management strategies in soybeans will be the featured topics at an upcoming Agronomy Workshop and Crop Advisor Training being offered from 8 AM to noon on June 16 at the Southeast Iowa Research and Demonstration Farm located near Crawfordsville.

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Crop Production

Ashley Dean
May 26, 2021 12:17 PM

For the first time during the 2021 moth trapping season, more total true armyworm moths were reported than black cutworm moths. During Week 8 of the Iowa Moth Trapping Network, our cooperators reported 109 total black cutworm (BCW) and 128 true armyworm (TAW) moths.

Week 8 report...

Crop Production, Insects and Mites

Rebecca Vittetoe
May 25, 2021 10:02 AM

While the rain may have limited fieldwork across the state this past week, it was much welcomed in many areas that have been on the drier side. Most of the corn and soybeans that have been planted are now emerged. Two of the more common issues seen in fields this past week included alfalfa...

Crop Production

Sotirios Archontoulis
May 24, 2021 2:43 PM

Mark Licht
May 24, 2021 2:43 PM

Mike Castellano
May 24, 2021 2:43 PM

Sandy to clay soils have different hydrological properties such as wilting point, field capacity, and saturation level (Fig 1a). Wilting point means no water is available to plants, field capacity means near optimum moisture for plant growth, and saturation means the soil pores are full of water...

Crop Production

Sotirios Archontoulis
May 24, 2021 1:55 PM

Mark Licht
May 24, 2021 1:55 PM

Mike Castellano
May 24, 2021 1:55 PM

The Forecast and Assessment of Cropping sysTemS (FACTS) webpage is evolving. When it was launched in 2015, FACTS provided forecasts soil moisture, nitrogen, phenology, and crop yields at two Iowa locations. In 2016, it was expanded to six Iowa...

Crop Production

Ashley Dean
May 20, 2021 1:49 PM

Erin Hodgson
May 20, 2021 1:49 PM

Western and northern corn rootworms are serious corn pests in Iowa and the Corn Belt, primarily due to their feeding habits but also because they can overcome nearly all management tactics available to farmers. The larvae tunnel into and consume corn roots, thereby reducing nutrient and water...

Crop Production, Insects and Mites

Ashley Dean
May 20, 2021 11:59 AM

Reported captures for both species in the trapping network were down from previous weeks. During Week 7 of the Iowa Moth Trapping Network, our cooperators reported 60 total black cutworm (BCW) and 22 true armyworm (TAW) moths.

Week 7 report:

The TAW moths...

Crop Production, Insects and Mites

Rebecca Vittetoe
May 18, 2021 3:05 PM

Planting is starting to wrap up around the state for both corn and soybeans, and according to the May 17 NASS-USDA Crop Progress Report, 94% of the corn...

Crop Production

Levi Powell
May 17, 2021 3:26 PM

Ryan W Bergman
May 17, 2021 3:26 PM

As planting wraps up and crops begin to emerge across the state, data collected during planting can help you diagnose many issues in your field and determine if they were related to machine performance or agronomic factors. In this video, Program Specialist Levi Powell shows how to use spatially...

Equipment and Machinery

Aaron Saeugling
May 12, 2021 2:33 PM

The 2021 cropping year will be remembered for a long time as an unusual year in many respects. Corn and soybean growth are off like a turtle race in many locations this season. So, we may be driving around, doing some road scouting, and asking ourselves why this is taking so long. After all, the...

Crop Production

Ashley Dean
May 12, 2021 2:03 PM

Black cutworm remains the dominant moth species captured by cooperators in our trapping network. During Week 6 of the Iowa Moth Trapping Network, our cooperators reported 73 total black cutworm (BCW) and 34 true armyworm (TAW) moths.

Week 6 report:

The TAW moths...

Crop Production, Insects and Mites

Rebecca Vittetoe
May 11, 2021 10:34 PM

This past week brought some much needed and welcomed rain across the state. Planting is getting on the downhill slide with corn planting about 86% complete and soybean planting about 67% complete across the state according to the...

Crop Production

Angie Rieck-Hinz
May 11, 2021 7:46 PM

The May 10 USDA-NASS Iowa Crop Progress Report showed 86% of the Iowa corn crop is planted and 22% is emerged; soybeans are 67% planted and 6% emerged....

Crop Production

Erin Hodgson
May 11, 2021 1:03 PM

Meaghan Anderson
May 11, 2021 1:03 PM

Ashley Dean
May 11, 2021 1:03 PM

I am always surprised to find insect abundance and diversity when scouting in alfalfa. It never disappoints. At any point in the growing season, one is likely to find 20+ species of potential pests feeding on foliage. However, finding a lot of different insects at one time doesn’t necessarily...

Insects and Mites

Mark Licht
May 10, 2021 2:06 PM

Zachary Clemens
May 10, 2021 2:06 PM

Planting conditions in April were pretty good for planting. In fact, there were many reports of planting in early April. Unfortunately, April was much cooler and dryer than normal. Early planted corn and soybean took longer to germinate and emerge because of these cooler conditions. Additionally...

Crop Production

Ashley Dean
May 6, 2021 1:43 PM

The weather warmed up a bit during Week 5 (April 25 to May 1), and the moths were flying more than previous weeks. During Week 5 of the Iowa Moth Trapping Network, our cooperators reported 97 total black cutworm (BCW) and 33 true armyworm (TAW) moths.

Week 5 report:...

Crop Production, Insects and Mites

Rebecca Vittetoe
May 4, 2021 3:07 PM

A 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...

Crop Production

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