Integrated Crop Management News

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Managing Hail Damaged Alfalfa

December 23, 2008
Image of alfalfa terminal bud damage

Thunderstorms and hail are a normal occurrence across the Midwest U.S. during the growing season.  Hail and wind damage to alfalfa fields leads to questions regarding harvest management of the forage crops, especially related to the stage of growth when damaged and the time proximity to the next planned harvest. Hail damaged fields vary in degree of severity, ranging from some terminal bud and leaf damage to completely defoliated plants. Stands may also be lodged by accompanying wind and rain.


Soybean cyst nematode confirmed in Ida County in 2008

December 10, 2008
Map of all Iowan counties in which SCN has been found, Dec. 2008

By Greg Tylka, Department of Plant Pathology


The soybean cyst nematode has been known to exist in Iowa since 1978.  The first Iowa finding was in Winnebago County.  In the 1980s and 1990s, SCN was found for the first time in many different Iowa counties.  By 2000, SCN had not yet been found in only nine Iowa counties. By the end of 2007, it had not yet been found or officially confirmed in only three Iowa counties – Allamakee, Ida, and Lyon County.  Earlier in 2008, SCN was confirmed to be present in Lyon County.


Soil Sample Results Can Reveal if SCN Management is Working

December 1, 2008
Graphic of sampling areas according to the agronomic features of the field

By Greg Tylka, Department of Plant Pathology
Fall soil sampling has been promoted for many years as an effective way to detect the soybean cyst nematode (SCN) in fields.  But many Midwestern soybean producers already know which fields are infested with SCN and have been growing SCN-resistant soybean varieties for numerous years to manage SCN population densities.  The key to profitable long-term soybean production in SCN-infested fields is to prevent SCN population densities (numbers) from increasing.

Aerate Grain NOW

November 21, 2008
Table of maximum storage time for corn and soybeans

By Charles Hurburgh, Department Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

The current cold weather provides some relief from the wet grain issues that have plagued farmers in 2008.  There is considerable corn in storage over 18 percent moisture, with some over 20 percent. And there is still wet corn in the field that likely will not dry any more.

Fall and Winter Management of Alfalfa

November 11, 2008

Steve Barnhart, Department of Agronomy

Rain in May and early June this year put most alfalfa producers behind two to three weeks for their first, and correspondingly their second, third, and sometimes forth cuttings. Now in mid-November, producers can look back on the season, determine if there are still some management decisions to make and guess about winter survival.

Corn Breakage Increases with More Drying

November 6, 2008

By Charles Hurburgh, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

As we observed a few weeks ago, the 2008 corn crop is wetter and lower in test weight than average corn. Long, cool growing seasons produce high yields but the corn is wet and soft, with more soft white starch. This means lower test weight, and reduced storability as mold can invade the softer textured kernels more rapidly. It also takes more energy to remove water from softer corn.

A Weather Summary for the 2008 Growing Season

October 30, 2008
Graph of base 50 degree F degree days vs. degree day departure from normal

By Rich Pope, Department of Plant Pathology
Wet and cold! That is how many people will recall the 2008 growing season. 

And in a general sense that is a good description, as the Iowa statewide accumulation of crop growth degree days was about 130 behind the 30 year average, and rainfall was more than 7 inches above normal. But when we examine each by crop reporting district through the season, the story gets a bit more complex, depending on where you are looking.

Corn Quality Issues in 2008 – Field Molds

October 24, 2008
Image of Gibberella ear rot symptoms

By Charles Hurburgh, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering; Alison Robertson, Department of Plant Pathology; Roger Elmore, Department of Agronomy


Fall weather has allowed late planted corn to mature, increasing grain yields expectations - the USDA October yield estimate is 172 bushels per acre in Iowa. Although high grain yields are expected, reports of quality issues are surfacing.


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