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.

Webcasts Will Cover Water Quality Protection Issues

August 26, 2009

By Susan Brown, College of Agriculture

Water quality protection is the focus of two webcasts being made available by the Heartland Regional Water Coordination Initiative partners (Iowa State University, Kansas State University, University of Missouri, and University of Nebraska — Lincoln, the USDA and US EPA Region 7). Crop producers, resource managers and agency professionals can learn more about improving their practices to protect water quality by participating in the two 2-hour discussions, or later viewing the archived tapings of the sessions.

Weekly Crop and Weather Report

August 25, 2009

By Doug Cooper, Extension Communications

Iowa State University Extension climatologist Elwynn Taylor, integrated pest management specialist Rich Pope, and soybean agronomist Palle Pedersen are the Aug. 24 weekly crop and weather report guests.

Taylor says the ocean's temperature is reported to be the warmest since 1909 and that could lead to an increase in tropical storms. These are storms that could impact Midwest weather patterns.

Pope repeats his recent message - late season crop diseases are being reported and scouting is still recommended.

Degree Days - Entering the Stretch, Aiming for the Finish Line

August 25, 2009
Image of base 50 degree F degree days in regions of Iowa from May 1 to August 23, 2009

By Rich Pope, Department of Plant Pathology


Another week of cool but not too cold weather has positioned the Iowa grain crop well for the final run to harvest.  During the week of August 17 we lost a net 50 to 60 degree days to average, but favorable night temperatures allowed for crop condition to improve slightly. The August 24 USDA crop condition report assesses Iowa corn and soybean both at 79 percent good to excellent. Another two or three weeks of good weather and we will begin the final dry-down push to harvest.

Degree Days - Steady as She Goes

August 19, 2009
Image of base 50 degree F degree days in regions of Iowa from May 1 to August 16, 2009

By Rich Pope, Department of Plant Pathology


Another August week down and it was again a favorable week with nearly normal temperatures. What we need most now is to avoid extremes in temperatures throughout the next month, with periodic rainfall. Last week was actually the first in nearly two months that was, albeit slightly, above normal in heat accumulation.


degree days

Are Late-Season Soybean Aphid Treatments Worth It?

August 13, 2009
Graph of cumulative aphid days with different seed treatments

There is much evidence to show treating aphids when they exceed the economic threshold up to R5.5 will protect yield. But what happens if aphid populations are still increasing past seed set?

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