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Bob Hartzler
July 13, 2017 8:38 AM
While off-target movement of pesticides is not a new problem, the growth regulator herbicides create a unique situation due to their ability to induce easily observed symptoms at very low doses. Large scale drift problems were experienced when the phenoxy herbicides were introduced in the 1950s...
Rebecca Vittetoe
July 10, 2017 11:57 PM
Parts of the state are still quite dry and could use some much needed rain. Some of these areas did receive some much needed rain Monday night (July 10)/early Tuesday morning (July 11). Well some areas of the state are very dry other areas have been hit hard with storms, with the most recent...
Alison Robertson
July 10, 2017 1:45 PM
Bacterial leaf streak is a new disease of corn that was confirmed in the U.S. last year - as if we don't have enough spots to diagnose on corn! And, as you might expect, a lot of spots and streaks on corn can be misdiagnosed for bacterial leaf streak.
Over the winter, corn pathologists...
Jody Korthaus
July 7, 2017 12:05 PM
Daren Mueller
July 7, 2017 12:05 PM
While scouting corn and soybean fields this summer, farmers and agribusiness professionals are encouraged to tweet a photo with the name of the crop disease, county, and state to either @corndisease or...
Erin Hodgson
July 6, 2017 7:48 AM
A few of you with eagle eyes have been asking about this unique-looking caterpillar feeding in soybean. The green body and dark head capsule definitely make it stand out compared to other green caterpillars. It’s the obliquebanded leafroller (Choristoneura rosaceana), a tortricid moth....
Rebecca Vittetoe
June 28, 2017 9:12 PM
Meaghan Anderson
June 28, 2017 9:12 PM
Virgil Schmitt
June 28, 2017 9:12 PM
Farmers, ag retailers, and certified crop advisers gathered at the Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm on June 22 for the research farm association’s annual spring field day. Myron Rees, farm superintendent, kicked off the field day by sharing a farm and crop update with everyone. Some...
Rebecca Vittetoe
June 27, 2017 4:34 PM
Despite June typically being one of the wettest months of the year, it is ending to be much drier than normal across much of the state. Besides drier conditions, other common issues showing up in Iowa crop fields include weed management concerns, herbicide drift, nutrient deficiencies, and...
Clarke McGrath
June 26, 2017 12:57 PM
We are now past the Summer Solstice, which means daylight hours will be getting shorter and we will starting seeing more flowers on soybean plants in fields, which has triggered questions about when we have to stop using dicamba on Xtend beans.
There isn’t really a true “cutoff date” for...
Bob Hartzler
June 22, 2017 11:04 AM
The introduction and spread of Palmer amaranth in Iowa undoubtedly will have a significant impact on crop production and weed management in the future. However, since the first infestations were identified I've been intrigued by what seemed odd behavior for a plant with Palmer amaranth's...
Bob Hartzler
June 21, 2017 12:33 PM
The six weedy Amaranthus species at the weed garden have grown quite a bit, but I'm not sure how much easier it is to differentiate a few of the species. The six pigweeds are Palmer, Powell's and spiny amaranth, waterhemp, and redroot and tumble pigweed (not in that order!!). The...
Erin Hodgson
June 21, 2017 9:47 AM
Today while scouting a commercial field north of Ames, I was looking for soybean aphid. I didn't see one aphid (sniff, sniff), but I did see a handful of thistle caterpillars. The caterpillars web together soybean leaves and feed inside the temporary home. They also produce copious amounts of...
Rebecca Vittetoe
June 20, 2017 4:46 PM
Some much needed rain fell across parts of the state last week, but with the rain came some strong winds and hail in parts of the state. Other areas could still use some rain. Iowa State...
Paul Kassel
June 20, 2017 10:42 AM
Consider attending one of the Nitrogen and Water Week field days next week – June 27 to 29.
Our focus of these meetings is to have attendees ‘kick the tires’ on the tile drainage studies conducted by Iowa State University.
Nitrate in tile drainage water is on the mind of many...
Mark Licht
June 19, 2017 8:11 AM
Unfortunately, hail damage is not a rare occurrence in Iowa. Every year hail damage occurs; it is just a matter of how severe it is and how widespread it is. In most cases, hail damage results in varied levels of defoliation. Defoliation will have an impact on crop yield potential at a greater...
The Field Extension Education Lab has five clinics/workshops this summer in July and August. Below is a list of programming updates that correlate with current farmer concerns and this year’s crop issues:
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The seventh annual Iowa Crop Scouting Competition will take place on July 31, 2017 at the Field Extension Education Lab...
Rebecca Vittetoe
June 13, 2017 10:33 PM
The USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report showed that Iowa's corn crop is 96% emerged and gave Iowa’s corn crops a 77% good to excellent rating. Soybean...
Bob Hartzler
June 13, 2017 7:55 AM
This year at the ISU FEEL weed garden I've established a plot with nine weedy members of the Amaranthaceae family, including six pigweeds . The pigweeds were transplanted on June 9 and pictures taken on June 11. Species include redroot pigweed, tumble pigweed, Palmer amaranth, spiny amaranth,...
Bob Hartzler
June 8, 2017 2:19 PM
While searching for Palmer amaranth in a pollinator habitat planting I encountered a few musk thistles. As I always do when I see this weed, I examined flower heads for the presence of the musk thistle weevil. This insect was imported to North America as a biocontrol agent for musk thistle. ...
Rebecca Vittetoe
June 7, 2017 7:24 AM
The USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report showed that Iowa's corn crop is 90% emerged and gave Iowa’s corn crops a 77% good/excellent rating. Soybean planting...
Erin Hodgson
June 2, 2017 7:57 AM
This week, we finally got most of our plots in the ground. We've been patiently waiting for soil conditions to improve. This year, I have research in four locations around Iowa: NW Research Farm (Sutherland), Northern Research Farm (Kanawha), NE Research Farm (Nashua), and Johnson/Bruner...
Rebecca Vittetoe
May 31, 2017 8:50 AM
Armyworm feeding has been observed in several fields in northeast and southeast Iowa. Most of the fields with the feeding had cereal rye planted last fall and were terminated this spring.
Now is the time to be scouting for armyworms. Look for feeding on leaves....
The 2017 North Central Weed Science Society (NCWSS) Collegiate Weed Contest will be hosted by Iowa State University at the Field Extension Education Laboratory (FEEL) near Boone, IA on July 26-27, 2017. Undergraduate and graduate students from universities throughout the Midwestern United States...
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...