Input costs like fertilizer and limestone continue to be worrisome for farmers. Maximizing the plant availability of soil nutrients is crucial to optimizing crop production and nutrient supply to crops. One way in which to do this is by managing soil pH – actually it is one of the more important management practices. Soil pH is often overlooked when considering nutrient inputs.

Most of Iowa received some amount of rainfall this last week with totals ranging from a trace to over 4.5 inches in parts of southwest Iowa. Unfortunately, with that rain, there were also some strong winds, hail, and tornados. In addition to some crop damage from the storms, concerns about the drier conditions in northwest Iowa, late season weed flushes, corn aphids, rootworm beetles, and crop diseases were other topics of conversation this past week for ISU Extension field agronomists.

The hot and humid conditions last week really pushed the crops along. The week also brought heavy rainfall to parts of the state – including areas in central Iowa getting 12+ inches over a 3-day period. Corn fields are starting to tassel, and soybeans are fully in the reproductive stages now. Bacterial leaf streak, Goss’s wilt, weed escapes, Japanese beetles, and adult corn rootworm beetles emerging are some of the issues observed by ISU extension field agronomists this past week.

Regional Update: 

Another week with a similar pattern in rainfall with northwest and west-central Iowa getting lower amounts and heavier amounts in east-central and southeast Iowa. Both of these extremes are having an impact on crops. With corn getting into the mid-vegetative stages now and soybeans starting to reach the reproductive stages, ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomists share what they are hearing and seeing in their respective areas of the state.