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Warren Pierson
May 19, 2020 10:54 AM
Ethan Stoetzer
May 19, 2020 10:54 AM
Check out our most recent Vlog from the Field Extension Education Lab (FEEL), where we discuss soil temperature, hypocotyls, radicles and cotyledons.
Guest starring in this episode is Meaghan Anderson, field agronomist in central Iowa and an extension field specialist at Iowa State....
Warren Pierson
May 14, 2020 10:27 AM
Ethan Stoetzer
May 14, 2020 10:27 AM
As we on the Iowa State Extension Crops Team have been adjusting our programming and schedules to ensure we're still able to provide quality resources throughout COVID-19, we'd like to introduce you to one new resource: The Field Extension Education Laboratory (FEEL) Vlog series.
While we...
Ashley Dean
May 13, 2020 3:57 PM
Even with some cooler temperatures last week, moths were still being reported around the state. True armyworm (TAW) activity was lower during Week 6 than in previous weeks with a total of 40 TAW moths reported across the state. However, black cutworm (BCW) captures increased dramatically last...
Joel DeJong
May 13, 2020 10:41 AM
Years like this, when corn-planting progress is ahead of normal and we get really optimistic about it, frost raises its ugly head. In the NW corner of Iowa, about a third of the years will include a frost in May. About ten percent of the time it is after May 10. Watching the recovery of emerged...
Rebecca Vittetoe
May 12, 2020 8:53 PM
What a difference the year makes! According to the May 11th USDA Crop Progress Report, 91% of the expected corn crop and 71% of the expected...
Bob Hartzler
May 11, 2020 10:23 AM
Although most crop fields have not reached the stage for regularly planned POST herbicide applications, there likely are situations where people would like to get weeds controlled prior to the rain forecast later this week. The question is what impact will this weekend’s frost have on herbicide...
Sotirios Archontoulis
May 8, 2020 11:07 AM
Mark Licht
May 8, 2020 11:07 AM
Zachary Clemens
May 8, 2020 11:07 AM
The Forecasting and Assessment of Cropping Systems (FACTS) from Iowa State Extension and Outreach results as of May 5 extrapolate that Iowa soils a bit drier than neighboring Illinois or Indiana, but shouldn’t be an issue moving forward:
...
Ashley Dean
May 6, 2020 1:53 PM
Moth activity continues in Iowa. During Week 5, April 27 had the most true armyworm (TAW) moths reported across the state. Black cutworm (BCW) flights were a bit spread out throughout the week. In total, 78 BCW moths were reported across the state, which is the highest weekly total of the year...
Erin Hodgson
May 6, 2020 1:27 PM
Thin Lizzy predicted it in 1976. Actually, the boys and girls are back in town. Over the weekend, the first painted lady butterflies were spotted in Iowa. Why care about this beautiful butterfly? It seems like a distant memory, but remember the thistle caterpillar bonanza on soybean last summer...
Mark Licht
May 6, 2020 12:58 PM
Friday and Saturday night will have cold temperatures reach into northern Iowa and maybe even southern Iowa. Below is a National Weather Service low temperature prediction (https://digital.weather.gov) for Saturday, May 9. Notice that north of Interstate...
Rebecca Vittetoe
May 5, 2020 1:49 PM
Last week provided another big window for planting and other field activities across the state. According to the May 4th USDA Crop Progress Report...
Ed Zaworski
May 4, 2020 1:42 PM
Ethan Stoetzer
May 4, 2020 1:42 PM
Clinic update
As the time for crop germination approaches, the staff of the Plant and Diagnostic Clinic (PIDC) want to reiterate that while the clinic is running at a reduced capacity, physical samples will still be accepted this season. Staff still request that interactions with the...
Justin Glisan
May 4, 2020 8:26 AM
Meaghan Anderson
May 4, 2020 8:26 AM
Rebecca Vittetoe
May 4, 2020 8:26 AM
Late last week, Dr. Justin Glisan, State Climatologist of Iowa for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, wrote some really interesting comments about the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center monthly outlooks. We’ve...
Bob Hartzler
May 1, 2020 8:49 AM
Planting occurred at a near record pace in much of Iowa due to lack of rain in late April. This string of dry weather also allowed most herbicide applications to be made in a timely fashion, but now there is concern about herbicide performance after prolonged time on the soil surface.
...
Ashley Dean
April 30, 2020 9:41 AM
Black cutworm (BCW) and true armyworm (TAW) moths continue to be active in Iowa. Last week, our cooperators in southern Iowa reported 37 total TAW moths. April 24 seemed to be the date with the largest flights: 14 TAW moths were caught around the state on that day alone. BCW moths were more...
Rebecca Vittetoe
April 28, 2020 1:38 PM
The past week provided a big window for fieldwork ranging from tillage and fertilizer applications to spraying and planting across the state. According to the...
If you missed the live version, a recorded version of the April 22 “Stored grain handling and management webinar” is now available by going to this link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/1109044800007797249....
Ashley Dean
April 24, 2020 10:12 AM
Despite the cold weather last week (April 12-18), moths were active throughout Iowa. April 13 had the most reports. Our cooperators around the state reported a total of 24 black cutworm (BCW) and 12 true armyworm (TAW) moths on that day alone. Figures 1 and 2 show the total moth captures in each...
Ashley Dean
April 24, 2020 9:24 AM
Moth trapping in Iowa is underway. Each year, we monitor field crop pests to help inform scouting activities in Iowa. In 2020, our moth trapping network includes black cutworm (BCW) and true armyworm (TAW; Figure 1). Both of these pests are migratory, making it difficult to predict where...
Angie Rieck-Hinz
April 24, 2020 8:10 AM
Passage of the 2018 Farm Bill in December of 2018 and passage of Senate File 599 in Iowa have paved the road to the legalization of growing hemp in Iowa. The permitting process is currently open in Iowa. The application deadline for the 2020 outdoor growing season is May 15, 2020. Listed below...
Sotirios Archontoulis
April 23, 2020 3:41 PM
Mark Licht
April 23, 2020 3:41 PM
Zachary Clemens
April 23, 2020 3:41 PM
The Forecasting and Assessment of Cropping Systems (FACTS) project is up and running with accurate, recent data to inform decision making for a variety of industry professionals. FACTS is an ongoing project developed to forecast and evaluate in...
Ryan W Bergman
April 22, 2020 4:12 PM
This week has been the start of planting for many in Iowa. After the recent cold spell, conditions are favorable to start fieldwork back up again. It’s likely a significant portion of crop ground in Iowa will get planted this week, with the majority of the weather forecast being supportive of...
Rebecca Vittetoe
April 21, 2020 12:01 PM
While the cooler and snowy weather may have limited field activities last week, farmers are getting back to the fields across the state this week, with many getting started on planting. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach field agronomists share reports on what they are seeing and...
With quite a bit of grain getting put into storage last fall that was wetter than normal, this could lead to some potential issues with quality, handling, and safety issues this spring and summer.
To help address these potential issues, there will be a “Stored Grain Handling and...
Mark Licht
April 14, 2020 6:25 PM
Farmers in Iowa have been experimenting with very early soybean planting dates, from late March to mid-April. Based on reviews of the yield data, there is not a consistent yield benefit to planting early as opposed to planting the first week of May. But one benefit of very early planting is that...