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Regional Crop Update: May 22 - June 6, 2023

June 6, 2023 10:38 PM
Blog Post

Spotty rainfall and dry conditions, replanting/filling in soybean stands, weed management/herbicide application considerations, and fertilizer burn on corn roots were some of the more common concerns or questions ISU Extension Field Agronomists received over the last two weeks. Read on for more specifics about what is happening and being seen in fields across the state.

Northwest Iowa

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Online Tool Helps Farmers Harvest Alfalfa at the Right Time

May 10, 2023
Alfalfa measurement.

Alfalfa growth has been slow this spring due to cooler than normal weather. This is a good reminder that using a calendar date to determine when to harvest the first crop of alfalfa may not be the best method. A better way to make harvest decisions is the PEAQ method (Predictive Equations for Alfalfa Quality) which takes several factors into account to roughly estimate the relative feed value (RFV) of standing alfalfa in the field.

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Regional Update: Cooler Temperatures and Recent Precipitation Slow Field Activities

April 25, 2023 12:41 PM
Blog Post

While there was quite a bit of field activity two weeks ago across the state, this last week’s cooler temperatures and rainfall across the state have resulted in minimal field activity. ISU Extension and Outreach Field Agronomists share what they are hearing and seeing in their respective regions across the state. 

Northwest Iowa

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Regional Update: May 2 - May 10, 2022

May 10, 2022 2:22 PM
Blog Post

While not much planting progress was made last week (again), the warmer and drier weather this week should provide more favorable conditions for fieldwork and planting. Some of the hot topics over the last week across the state included concerns about cover crop termination, seeding forages yet this spring, and planting progress. Read on to see what ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomists are hearing and seeing across the state.

Northwest Iowa

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When is it too Late to Seed Forages?

May 6, 2022
Young forages growing in field.

With the cool and wet spring in 2022, there haven’t been many opportunities to seed forages. Looking at the calendar date, is it getting too late to plant forages? The short answer is that there is still some time to seed forages this spring. While the typical planting window is late February (frost seeding) through late April, planting forages in May can still be successful. For areas south of I-80, agronomists suggest seeding by the middle of May, whereas north of I-80 could get by seeding even a little later in May.

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Estimating First Crop Alfalfa Harvest using PEAQ

May 6, 2022
alfalfa measurement against ruler

Alfalfa growth and development is affected by many factors, including temperature, soil moisture, stand age and even cultivar. Alfalfa growth has been slow this spring due to cooler than normal weather. This is a reminder that using the calendar date to determine when to harvest the first crop of alfalfa may not be the best method. In order to accurately predict the optimal time for the first cutting, the University of Wisconsin developed the Predictive Equations for Alfalfa Quality (PEAQ) method.

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