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Erin Hodgson
May 30, 2017 9:25 AM
Last summer, I wrote a blog about how the spring started off warm compared to most summers. I was curious to know about accumulated temperatures for 2017. According to the...
Mark Licht
May 25, 2017 1:05 PM
It is that time of year and with the weather conditions we’ve had the last 30 day we should expect to see purple corn, yellow corn, and maybe even some tattered leaves. Mostly the mosaic of corn color is a product of the weather; cooler and wetter. Over the last 30 days, rainfall has been 150 to...
Kelsey Fisher
May 23, 2017 1:07 PM
Erin Hodgson
May 23, 2017 1:07 PM
Monarch butterflies are an iconic species, known for their vibrant orange color and magnificent migration. Monarchs overwinter as adults in Central Mexico and fly to Texas and Oklahoma in the spring. Females lay eggs on milkweed plants, and the caterpillars feed on milkweed for about two weeks....
Rebecca Vittetoe
May 23, 2017 12:58 PM
Currently 92% of Iowa’s corn crop has been planted and 62% of the soybean crop according to Monday’s USDA Crop Progress Report. However,...
Adam Sisson
May 23, 2017 12:49 PM
Erin Hodgson
May 23, 2017 12:49 PM
In 2017, ISU is reporting black cutworm (BCW) peak flights by county and providing degree day resources for more personalized cutting prediction dates using actual accrued degree days for a specific location. We first reported on BCW peak flights in the...
Donald Lewis
May 22, 2017 2:49 PM
Laura Jesse Iles
May 22, 2017 2:49 PM
Recent requests for information has prompted us to share what we know about "jumping worms," another in a long list of invasive species that could have a negative impact on our landscapes and natural areas. In the words of Gilda Radner, "It's always something. If it isn't one thing – it's...
Alison Robertson
May 15, 2017 7:24 AM
Rebecca Vittetoe
May 15, 2017 7:24 AM
Cooler and wetter conditions can effect corn germination and emergence, but they can also provide a favorable environment for seedling diseases.
One research study being conducted by ISU is taking a closer look at seedling diseases in corn. The goals of the...
I decided to take advantage of the great weather and see if Palmer amaranth could be identified in CRP fields where it was introduced last year. I went to one field in Boone County and another in Story County. I was happy to find that both fields had good stands of forbs that will compete with...
Erin Hodgson
May 12, 2017 3:33 PM
You might not think insects would make great parents, and in general, you would be correct. Most species just drop eggs and keep moving. But there are a few species, particularly true bugs (Hemiptera), that do try to protect their young. Parental care ranges from hiding eggs, to providing food,...
Rebecca Vittetoe
May 10, 2017 8:43 AM
#Plant17 is progressing across Iowa. Following a period of cooler and wetter weather, most farmers have been able to get back in the fields over the weekend and either resume or start planting. According to Monday’s USDA Crop Progress report, Iowa had 52% corn planted and 19% of soybeans for the...
Erin Hodgson
May 9, 2017 8:37 AM
This week, a couple Iowa crop consultants reported grubs are easy to find this spring. I assume they are digging in crop soils to evaluate seed germination. Last...
Erin Hodgson
May 5, 2017 2:33 PM
The multicolored Asian lady beetle, also known as Harmonia axyridis, is a common insect in the ag landscape and...
The 2017 ISU Herbicide Research Program Field Day will be held on June 22 at the Curtiss Farm located on South State Street in Ames, IA.
Attendees will have the opportunity to review new herbicides, application techniques and other weed management strategies in corn and...
Mark Licht
May 3, 2017 9:11 AM
Sotirios Archontoulis
May 3, 2017 9:11 AM
The cold, rainy weather this past weekend has presented challenging conditions for corn fields that have already been planted. Now that the weather is improving it’s good to start thinking about what the consequences might be and what to look for. Heat unit accumulation has been negligible since...
Erin Hodgson
May 1, 2017 3:03 PM
The recent wet weather in Iowa has prompted people to ask me if insects can breathe under water. In short, most...
There are several challenges to controlling Palmer amaranth in CRP, including:
Clarke McGrath
April 30, 2017 11:59 AM
After a decent start to the planting season, cold and wet weather has put the brakes on field work for a while. As we look ahead into next week, or whenever it starts to dry out enough to get back in the field, growers are figuring on being able to spray a day or two before it is dry enough to...
Erin Hodgson
April 25, 2017 11:39 AM
A couple weeks ago, I posted an ICM News article talking about...
Mark Licht
April 24, 2017 1:48 PM
Planter starting rolling this weekend across a good portion of Iowa. Based on the calendar, this is right on target to hit the ideal corn planting window. Now if only the weather would cooperate. In much of the state soil temperature have reached 50oF. However, the forecast may cause...
Bob Hartzler
April 18, 2017 12:27 PM
Erin Hodgson
April 18, 2017 12:27 PM
Alison Robertson
April 18, 2017 12:27 PM
Laura Jesse Iles
April 18, 2017 12:27 PM
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is helping Iowa farmers manage weeds, insects and diseases in their fields.
Pest management is key to high yields and quality grain. ISU Extension and Outreach specialists are working to provide the tools and resources farmers need to manage...
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is offering a Field Scouting Basics Workshop on Tuesday, May 16, 2017, at the Field Extension Education Laboratory (FEEL) near Boone, Iowa.
A common question regarding cover crops is will interception of preemergence herbicides by the cover crop reduce the activity of the herbicides. If this was a consistent problem, it would make sense to apply the preemergence herbicide in a separate application from the burndown after much of the...
Two Canadian weed scientists1 recently published a paper ranking their top 10 herbicide-resistant weed management strategies. The following is my paraphrasing of their list:
10) Accurate recordkeeping
9) Strategic tillage
8) Site-specific weed management...
Mark Licht
April 11, 2017 1:03 PM
Corn planting season is almost upon. Okay, for some there is already corn in the ground. Planting is one of the most important, if not the most important, field operation of the year. Now is a good time to think about planting considerations. Often I get asked what planting date is the best. In...
Erin Hodgson
April 10, 2017 11:32 AM
I recently posted an ICM News article about how scouting for alfalfa weevils in southern Iowa. It doesn't take too many accumulated degree days for them to start moving around...