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Brian Lang
October 10, 2019 1:24 PM
How late can you make the last cutting of alfalfa? Do you cut now or wait until a killing frost? This ICM Blog will provide some guidelines to help you determine when you should make that last cutting and other management considerations when taking the last cutting for the year.
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Charles R Hurburgh
October 9, 2019 3:55 PM
An Iowa farmer sent me an email in anticipation of the freeze this weekend and I suspect many farmers are in the similar position of having mature crops with replant that may not be mature yet. Read more about my thoughts on how to handle this situation below.
Question:...
Rebecca Vittetoe
October 8, 2019 1:29 PM
Harvest is off to a slow start across the state. High moisture grain, crop maturity, and ear rots and stalk rots are some of the topics ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomists have been focusing on. Read on for more about what’s happening in specific regions of the state.
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Mark Licht
October 7, 2019 3:25 PM
Charles R Hurburgh
October 7, 2019 3:25 PM
A portion of Iowa’s corn crop is likely to experience a frost before naturally reaching maturity as a result of cool temperatures later this week. Natural maturity is often determined when a black layer is formed at the kernel tip. At this timeframe grain moisture is typically 28–35% moisture....
Rebecca Vittetoe
October 4, 2019 8:30 AM
Meaghan Anderson
October 4, 2019 8:30 AM
Proper planning and preparation are needed to successfully improve pastures with either late winter frost seeding or no-till renovation with interseeding next spring. This ICM Blog post will discuss what you should be doing now to prepare for pasture renovations in 2020.
Meaghan Anderson
October 3, 2019 12:08 PM
Rebecca Vittetoe
October 3, 2019 12:08 PM
Fall is a great time to take soil samples. Soil testing is the only way to determine soil nutrient levels, and the results of these tests can help make critical management decisions for the next growing season. This article will discuss when to soil sample, different soil sampling methods, how...
Bob Hartzler
September 30, 2019 1:00 PM
Meaghan Anderson
September 30, 2019 1:00 PM
Prashant Jha
September 30, 2019 1:00 PM
The spread of multiple-resistant weeds threatens Iowa’s production system. In order to slow the expansion of resistance, greater diversity in weed management is necessary. An October 21 workshop will discuss one potential alternative weed management tool that is used in other parts of the world...
John Sawyer
September 25, 2019 3:40 PM
If you would like to learn more about current soil fertility issues and research being conducted at universities across the North Central region, then consider attending the 49th Annual North Central Extension-Industry Soil Fertility Conference to be held November 5-6, 2019, from 1:00 p.m. to...
Alison Robertson
September 23, 2019 5:59 PM
As corn fields start to reach maturity across the state of Iowa, we need to start thinking about stalk and ear rots, particularly in terms of scheduling harvest and grain storage. Read on for more details on stalk rots and ear rots and how to scout for them.
Stalk rots...
Meaghan Anderson
September 16, 2019 7:55 AM
Rebecca Vittetoe
September 16, 2019 7:55 AM
Harvest season will soon be here, and that will mean more equipment and slow-moving vehicles both on the farm and the road. This flurry of activity can result in an increased chance for farm and equipment-related accidents.
This week (September 15 – 21) is National Farm Safety and Health...
Mark Licht
September 9, 2019 9:39 PM
Sotirios Archontoulis
September 9, 2019 9:39 PM
One of the pressing questions this fall is when corn will reach maturity and if there is going to be enough time to dry down in the field. We have developed and released a corn grain dry down calculator that can help...
Erin Hodgson
September 6, 2019 8:21 AM
This week was my last field day of the summer – it’s always is a signal the season is ending. I noted plants are senescing fairly quickly on my drive to Kanawha. However, there are still a few insects active on field crops, and worth scouting for this weekend.
Ethan Stoetzer
September 4, 2019 10:35 AM
One plant disease to keep a lookout for when harvesting grains and grasses for animal and human consumption is ergot. The ergot pathogen generates toxic alkaloids that potentially could create problems with livestock feeding, and when trying to market a small grain crop. The Crop Protection...
John Sawyer
September 4, 2019 8:35 AM
Antonio Mallarino
September 4, 2019 8:35 AM
Sampling corn stalks this fall will likely be later than normal due to the delayed planting in many Iowa cornfields. The overall suggestion is to wait until crop maturity, and sample within 1-3 weeks after kernel black layer. This does not work well for silage corn, so the suggestion is to...
Bob Hartzler
September 4, 2019 7:55 AM
Sensing an impending lackluster performance by the Cyclone football team, I spent the Saturday of Labor Day weekend touring several Palmer amaranth infestations in western Iowa. This is the 6th year of this trek, the first stop is always Harrison County at the first reported Iowa...
Paul Kassel
August 29, 2019 3:12 PM
Thistle caterpillars, late season crops disease and crop development will highlight the September 5 fall field day at the ISU Northern Research and demonstration farm fall field day.
Registration and refreshments will begin at 9 a.m. A noon lunch will be available. The field day is open...
Erin Hodgson
August 29, 2019 7:33 AM
Yesterday, while waiting for my field day stop to begin at the ISU Northeast Research Farm, I noticed a bright green insect land on my leg. At first glance, I thought it was the threecornered alfalfa hopper (Photos 1 and 2). I’ve never seen one in real life and was surprised to see it in...
Joel DeJong
August 28, 2019 3:06 PM
Paul Kassel
August 28, 2019 3:06 PM
Check out what ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomists in NW Iowa are seeing and hearing in their areas regarding crop progress and issues showing up in crop fields.
Virgil Schmitt
August 28, 2019 10:06 AM
Joshua Michel
August 28, 2019 10:06 AM
Rebecca Vittetoe
August 28, 2019 10:06 AM
Check out what ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomists in EC, SE, and SC Iowa are seeing and hearing in their areas regarding crop progress and issues showing up in crop fields.
Join us for the fall field day at the Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm on September 5, 2019
Virgil Schmitt
August 28, 2019 9:27 AM
Joshua Michel
August 28, 2019 9:27 AM
Rebecca Vittetoe
August 28, 2019 9:27 AM
Mark your calendar for the September 5thFall Field Day at the Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Crawfordsville! The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a complimentary meal and registration. The tour starts at 6 p.m. and will feature the following topics:
Sotirios Archontoulis
August 22, 2019 3:02 PM
Mark Licht
August 22, 2019 3:02 PM
Update on crop and soil status across the I-states – August 21, 2019
This year the FACTS project is providing a suite of regional scale maps to assist decision making. The data provided is based on APSIM model simulations which are driven...
Paul Kassel
August 21, 2019 5:00 PM
Farmers and agribusiness are invited to the Allee Demonstration Farm for a field day on Tuesday August 27. Coffee and...
Sotirios Archontoulis
August 21, 2019 9:02 AM
Mark Licht
August 21, 2019 9:02 AM
According to the latest NASS report, the 2019 corn crop is about 2-weeks behind normal in terms of reaching dent stage. What are the implications of this delay in grain filling period and end of season yield? We address this question by examining two key weather variables; solar radiation and...
We've gone from being too wet to the other extreme of being dry in parts of the state. Below is a summary of the most recent US Drought Monitor (USDM) map for the state of Iowa and a brief explanation of what data goes into making the USDM.
Current Conditions in Iowa. ...
Rebecca Vittetoe
August 15, 2019 2:44 PM
Now is the time to be doing late summer seeding of forages. This ICM article Steve Barnhart, retired Extension forage specialist, wrote does a nice job providing basic information to successfully...