Blog
Subscribe to RSS FeedSafety should always be at the forefront of your farming operations, and harvest is no different. When operating large equipment such as combines and grain carts, overhead power lines pose an increased risk to farm safety. An average of 62 people each year are electrocuted when their farm...
Erin Hodgson
September 16, 2021 7:52 AM
I got invited to SERF (ISU Southeastern Research Farm) field day last week to highlight corn rootworm management. I was easily distracted when it wasn't my stop and started walking around soybean plots looking for insects. [this is a common occurrence with entomologists!] Soybean was in...
Rebecca Vittetoe
September 15, 2021 9:50 AM
While the rains the end of August have helped to improve the dry conditions some across the state, the rains also brought along some strong winds and hail that caused some significant crop damage in parts of NE, EC, and SE...
Alison Robertson
September 14, 2021 7:14 AM
As the 2021 growing season comes to a close, what should you be thinking about in terms of corn disease and how that might impact your harvest plans?
As harvest starts to ramp up across Iowa, many people will be evaluating their crop scouting activities from 2021 and starting to make plans for 2022. In a ...
With harvest quickly approaching, it’s time to make sure your combine is prepped and ready for the field. This article published in fall of 2020 has some good tips for...
Although I am retired, I still am passionate about weeds and decided to continue my Labor Day Tour of the first known infestations of Palmer amaranth in Iowa. I started this ‘survey’ in 2014, links to earlier reports are found at the end of this article. My efforts do not involve a systematic...
Meaghan Anderson
September 6, 2021 9:12 PM
Anytime after R3 (milk stage) has traditionally been a great time to do yield checks in corn. After R3, kernel abortion is less likely and plant stress will result in reduced kernel size or fill rather than kernel loss. In addition to performing a yield check, walking late reproductive corn...
With the recent storms rolling through northern Iowa, many growers are experiencing field conditions similar to those seen across the state after the 2020 derecho. To help ensure a safe and productive harvest, we’ve rounded up some tips and information that were developed after the derecho last...
Rebecca Vittetoe
August 31, 2021 10:27 PM
Meaghan Anderson
August 31, 2021 10:27 PM
Angie Rieck-Hinz
August 31, 2021 10:27 PM
Clarabell Probasco
August 31, 2021 10:27 PM
Joel DeJong
August 31, 2021 10:27 PM
Mark your calendars for our upcoming fall field days. Below is a list of the upcoming field days that will take place in early September and topics featured at each field day. All field days are free and open to the public. We hope you can join us!
Sept. 7, 2021 – Annual Forage...
Rebecca Vittetoe
August 24, 2021 10:38 PM
The drier and warm conditions have really pushed crops along across the state. In addition to the drought concerns and issues related to the drought, other common observations made in fields across the state include more sightings of tar spot, sudden death syndrome and/or brown stem rot in...
Joel DeJong
August 23, 2021 2:45 PM
Antonio Mallarino
August 23, 2021 2:45 PM
As we enter the harvest season, we know we need to be looking forward to the next growing season at the same time. Having plans in place for your 2022 fertilization program before harvest starts is a good idea. Making these plans is tougher this year due to variable yields across the state due...
Choosing the best crop variety to maximize yield and profitability while still staying within budget is vital to any farm, whether its 100 acres or 100,000. It is also a driving objective for plant breeders that develop these varieties for farmers.
Plant phenotyping is an important part...
Angie Rieck-Hinz
August 20, 2021 8:10 AM
Joshua Michel
August 20, 2021 8:10 AM
Historically, corn silage harvest starts within the next two weeks. However, harvest has started early in some droughty areas with light soils. Corn is a high yielding, high energy, low protein forage that is commonly used for growing and finishing beef cattle, in cow-calf production systems,...
Erin Hodgson
August 19, 2021 7:56 AM
My lab has been driving all over western Iowa looking for soybean gall midge. They stop by 3-6 fields in each county and scout for larvae along field edges. This is part of a larger effort funded by the North Central Soybean Research Program to better understand the current distribution of this...
Daren S Mueller
August 17, 2021 12:40 PM
I have seen yellow patches in Iowa soybean fields this past week. Plants within these patches have foliar symptoms that appear to be caused by sudden death syndrome (Figure 1; SDS). When...
Rebecca Vittetoe
August 10, 2021 12:25 PM
With parts of northern Iowa now being in a D3 or extreme drought and other areas on the drought monitor expanding, the drier conditions are a concern with what impact they are having on the crops as well as forage...
Elizabeth Danielson
August 9, 2021 8:25 AM
A new Aerial Application Manual (CS 26) is now available for individuals planning to take the aerial applicator exam to become certified or renew their certification. This manual will assist aerial applicators and aerial applicator consultants in preparing to take the commercial pesticide...
Daren S Mueller
August 4, 2021 4:44 PM
Ed Zaworski
August 4, 2021 4:44 PM
The “I See Dead Plants” podcast, a new offering from the Iowa State University Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program, is now open to listeners interested in learning how plant science research impacts everyday life.
Crop management experts are interviewed to share findings about plant...
Rebecca Vittetoe
August 4, 2021 10:05 AM
Corn rootworms, spider mites, soybean gall midge, and the hot and dry conditions were common questions or issues received or observed by ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomists this past week. Read on for more specifics about what’s happening around the state.
Northwest Iowa...
Rebecca Vittetoe
July 28, 2021 11:05 AM
The hot and dry conditions this past week resulted in crops showing more signs of stress, especially in the drier parts of the state. Drought stress, spider mites, corn rootworms, and questions regarding fungicide applications were the big questions or issues observed by ISU Extension field...
In October 2020, EPA approved five-year registrations (until 2025) for dicamba products including XtendiMax (Bayer), Engenia (BASF) and Tavium (Syngenta) for over-the-top use in Xtend and XtendFlex soybeans. These new dicamba product registrations included national cutoff dates (June 30 in most...
Alison Robertson
July 21, 2021 4:37 PM
If you listen carefully, you can hear corn tassels rattling in the breeze, and occasionally the hum of a crop sprayer.
This growing season started off exceptionally dry, apart from southeast Iowa. The moisture that arrived in July and hung around for a couple of weeks was welcomed by...
Ashley Dean
July 21, 2021 7:09 AM
Erin Hodgson
July 21, 2021 7:09 AM
Rebecca Vittetoe
July 21, 2021 7:09 AM
Last week, a team of us met up at the Iowa State University Southeast Research Farm (SERF) to evaluate root injury in a small trial for corn rootworm management. The trial had four treatments replicated eight times. The treatments included no management (glyphosate-tolerant only; no Bt traits or...
Rebecca Vittetoe
July 20, 2021 9:52 PM
Corn started pollinating within the last week, and soybeans range from full flowering (R2) to beginning pod (R2). The hot topics this past week across the state included foliar fungicide decisions, corn rootworms, and herbicide injury in soybeans. Read on for more specifics on what ISU Extension...