Integrated Crop Management News

Links to these articles are strongly encouraged. Articles may be republished without further permission if published as written and if credit is given to the author, Integrated Crop Management News, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. If articles are used in any other manner, permission from the author is required.

March 9 Crops and Weather Report

March 10, 2009

On March 9, Doug Cooper , Extension communications specialist, interviewed Iowa State University Extension climatologist Elwynn Taylor, integrated pest management specialist Rich Pope and soybean agronomist Palle Pedersen for the weekly crops and weather update.

Extension climatologist Elwynn Taylor tells Cooper the weather patterns are showing an increased risk of a wet spring this year--not unlike 2008. The summer weather could be dry depending on the status of La Niña.

Moving to No-tillage: Challenges and Opportunities

March 5, 2009
Image of soybeans planted in no-till

By Mahdi Al-Kaisi, Department of Agronomy


Wet conditions last fall and potential wet conditions this spring make this a good time to consider tillage choices. It is a good time to examine the value of no-till or strip-tillage, especially for producers that have not tried these methods. Before making tillage choices in the field, producers should consider their overall approach to tillage management.


March 2 Crops and Weather Report

March 3, 2009

Listen to Extension communication specialist Doug Cooper’s March 2 interviews with Iowa State University Extension climatologist Elwynn Taylor, integrated pest management specialist Rich Pope and corn agronomist Roger Elmore.

Taylor reports the National Weather Service (NWS) is looking at more favorable weather for the center of the country during the next few weeks. He says La Niña appears to be weakening, but right now is still impacting Iowa's late winter and early spring weather.

Anhydrous Ammonia Applicators Have New Safety Issue

March 2, 2009

By Mark Hanna, Department of Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering

High nitrogen fertilizer prices have producers and ag-input suppliers searching for ways to reduce costs and gain efficiency. Some anhydrous ammonia applicators have responded by modifying equipment to allow control of flow to individual sections of an applicator, or even to individual knives. These modifications are being made in order to avoid unwanted N application on overlapping rows, near field boundaries, or into waterways. 

February 23 Crops and Weather Report

February 26, 2009

By Doug Coooper, Extension Communications Specialist

Iowa State University Extension climatologist Elwynn Taylor, integrated pest management specialist Rich Pope, and economist Robert Wisner take a look at the 2009 growing season during the Extension crop and weather weekly interview segment with Doug Cooper, Extension communication specialist.

February 16 Crops and Weather Report

February 17, 2009

Iowa State University Extension climatologist Elwynn Taylor, integrated pest management specialist Rich Pope, corn agronomist Roger Elmore, and ag economist Chad Hart look ahead to the 2009 growing season during the weekly crops and weather interview with Doug Cooper, Extension communications specialist.

February 9 Crops and Weather Report

February 10, 2009

Iowa State University Extension climatologist Elwynn Taylor, integrated pest management specialist Rich Pope and soybean agronomist Palle Pedersen discuss the upcoming 2009 growing season during their weekly interview Feb. 9 with Doug Cooper, Extension communications specialist.

Extension climatologist Elwynn Taylor tells us the dry weather in Argentina and Australia are causing some crop losses. His early prediction for corn yields in Iowa is in two parts--with La Niña and without La Niña.

Yellow Corn, Wet Soils, and N Loss – Part 4

February 10, 2009

By John Sawyer, Department of Agronomy

Last summer I provided observations in three ICM News articles (June 19, June 26, and July 8, 2008) on corn growth and response to nitrogen (N) applied in an anhydrous ammonia study conducted at the Iowa State University research farm between Ames and Boone. This series of articles was written in response to the record wet conditions encountered in 2008. Following is a summary of the grain yield response to N timing and rate.

Time to Check and Make Decisions About 2008 Corn

February 6, 2009

Charles R. Hurburgh, Jr., Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

Last fall there were several Integrated Crop Management articles about the quality and handling of the 2008 corn crop. This type of corn has roughly half the storage life of normal corn under the same moisture and temperature conditions.

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