2009 CropWatch News Archive

December 17, 2009-January 4, 2010

Crop Production: Review of 2009 crop season in west central Nebraska; Nebraska weather update
Soil Fertility: Fertilizer bargains for 2010
Weed Control: New herbicides and product changes
Extension Programs: Professional Development Opportunities in Agronomy; Market Journal: Look to February to Market Wheat; Fremont Corn Expo; 2010 No-Till Programs; NeATA Conference Jan. 27-28; 2010 Prescribed Burn Schools; Pesticide Applicator Training; field updates; USDA Conservation Cost-Share Application Ranking Begins Feb. 1; USDA: Nebraska Weather and Crop Report

November 20-December 4

Harvest & Grain Storage: Market Journal special broadcast on harvest and grain storage issues; grain drying 101; temporary grain storage; drying times for binned soybeans and binned corn with natural aeration; estimating drying times with heated air for binned corn; drying grain in the bin (including soybean recommendations), audio
Corn Production: Ear rot and grain mold diseases of corn; concerns about mycotoxins in the 2009 corn crop tillage; long-term no-till continues to out yield tilled comparisons; USDA soil scientists to study the effects of tillage on soil quality
Irrigation: USDA: Nebraska irrigators reduce water use from wells, off-farm sources
Forage Production: Check hay quality; adjust feeding accordingly
Crop Reports: Field updates; Nebraska crop conditions
Farm Management: Crop insurance deadline for this period Dec. 10; year-end tax planning recommendations
Extension Programs and Resources: Seminar on Water Use by Invasive Plants; 2009-2010 Farmers and Ranchers College; Limited Irrigation Clinic Canceled; Bioeconomy Virtual Conference; Growing Corn and Soybeans to Fuel Nebraska Workshops; 2009 Nebraska Soybean Day and Machinery Expo; Organic Wheat and Sustainable Crops and Livestock Conference; Returning to the Farm Workshop; 2010 Crop Production Clinics; Winter Farm Management Meetings

October 23

Harvest & Grain Storage: University offers call-in Q&A program on harvest 2009 issues; planning for temporary grain storage
Corn Production:  Ear rots, grain molds and mycotoxins in corn; farmer Q&A on cutting height for tall corn and how to aid breakdown of residue
Forages: Counting cool-season invaders in warm-season pastures; heavy graze pastures before adding legumes
Weather:  Weather pattern suggests continued harvest delays
Crop Reports:  USDA and Extension educator field reports; cattle on feed
Programs & Resources: Multi-state crop insurance workshop; Market Journal on grain markets, grain drying and CropWatch; university ag economist to speak on ag subsidies

October 9

Harvest & Grain Storage: Moisture, cool temperatures slowing harvest; answers to your grain drying questions; take harvest notes now for a smoother season next year; assessing hail damage
Forages: Fall thistle control
Crop Reports: USDA Nebraska Crop Report; Nebraska Field Updates; Nebraska Old Corn Stocks up 18%
Ag Programs & AgNews: Market Journal on corn and soybean markets and pricing corn stover; environment, animal care, and social media on Ag at the Crossroads agenda; limited irrigation clinic Dec. 2-3 in Sterling, Colo.; Kohl to speak at Farmers and Ranchers College Dec. 2; new Conservation Stewardship Program; Wilson receives national award for soybean cyst nematode program; 3 to receive national award for service to agriculture.

September 25

Corn Production: Managing corn residue; stalk rot problems; risk factors for stalk rots; selling corn stover
Wheat Production: Controlling Winter Annual Broadleafs and Grasses in Winter Wheat
Alfalfa & Forage Production: White Grubs Killing Smooth Bromes; Preparing CRP for Pasture and Hay Production; Soil Test Now for Next Year's Forages
Water Resources: Water Monitoring Network Grows, Looks for New Participants
Crop Reports: USDA weekly update
Extension Resources: Market Journal shows on selling corn stover and risk management 

September 11

Crop Reports: Record corn harvest predicted; crop condition report; quality issues related to hail damaged crops
Weather & Forecasts: Frost-free prediction; Alert: freeze Possible Sept. 24-29
Wheat Production: Heavy grasshopper presence warrants caution for winter wheat planting
Soybean Production: 2nd generation bean leaf beetles; harvest soybeans at 13% moisture (save $11.48/acre)
Organic Production: USDA to provide more cost-share funds for Nebraska organic industry
Forage & Alfalfa: Harvesting alfalfa during the winterizing period; cover crops after early bean and corn harvests
Extension Programs: Soil fertility specialist joins WCREC; 2009 Soybean Production Practices Tour Sept. 14

August 21

Wheat Production: Black point incidence up; why you need to plant fungicide-treated wheat seed; selecting wheat varieties to fit your growing conditions; wheat varieties virtual tour a selection resource; heavy grasshopper presence warrants caution for winter wheat planting
Corn Production: Goss's wilt expanding; late season corn aphid infestations
Soybean Production: Sudden death syndrome; soybean stem borer
Dry Edible Bean Production: Elongated harvest expected
Ag Weather: Weather update for precip, temps, freeze risk; 30- and 90-day forecasts

August 7

Weed Management: Volunteer corn problems, goats for weed control
Grain Storage: Clean and treat bins
Forage: Planting oats, using downed corn, cane hay
Insect Management: Grasshoppers in alfalfa

July 31

Corn:  Eyespot, gray leaf spot and disease lesion mimic plant diseases
Soybean: Phytophthora
Wheat:  Seed fungicide treatments

July 24

Corn: Using rootworm scouting numbers for 2010
Wheat: Controlling volunteer wheat in stubble; wheat variety test results
Soybean: Soybean defoliating insects
Sunflower: Stem canker

July 10

Wheat: Gray leaf spot severe; post-harvest weeds in wheat; wheat disease update, seeding forages into wheat
Soybean: Nebraska Crop Surveillance Network for soybeans
Insect Management: Managing grasshoppers, potato leafhoppers, and western bean cutworms
Tillage: Benefits of no-till for water resource management

June 26 - July 1

Nutrient Management: Nutrient deficiency key for corn; Using fertigation for efficient nitrogen application
Soybean: Scouting and treating for soybean aphids; postemergence weeds in soybeans
Pesticide Safety: Avoiding pesticide runoff; disposing of carbofuran by deadline; glyphosates and generics
Tillage: How Roundup Ready crops affect tillage; no-till bus tour report
Forage: Summer grasses in alfalfa; hay moisture testers; too much sweet clover
Wildlife Management: Bat protection tips

June 19

Corn: Bacterial diseases in corn; 1st generation corn borers
Wheat: Planting options after winter wheat; sunflower rust
Irrigation: Irrigation efficiency
Weed Management: Managing spray drift; glyphosate user research; flaming organic crops; managing buckbrush and red cedar
Forage: Window disease in alfalfa; postemergence weed control in alfalfa

June 12

Weather: Crop damage reports
Corn: Factors to consider with hail- or flood-damaged corn; replant options following corn pre-emergence herbicide applications; rable of replant intervals for common corn pre- and postemergence herbicides
Soybean: Assessing post-storm soybean stands
Wheat: Wheat survey reveals low disease and insect levels; assessing wheat damage
Forage: Controlling potato leafhoppers in alfalfa; replanting with forages; planting forage after wheat

June 5

Wheat:  Wheat leaf rust and scab found
Corn: Dry conditions lead to ammonia root burn on corn
Weather: Nebraska precipitation levels flip: west above normal, east below; May weather record

May 29

Wheat: Loose smut in wheat; Fusarium head blight
Sorghum: Skip-row planting sorghum
Soybean: volunteer corn in soybean; ranking weed competitiveness in soybean
Forage: Raise cutting height when first alfalfa harvest is delayed; pasture grubs; countering heat damage to moist hay; controlling hoary vervain and western ragweed
Resource Management: Cold weather likely cause of cedar deaths

May 22

Soybean: Soil crusting in soybean
Wheat: Wheat disease update; pre-harvest intervals for wheat; CSI on slow-to-grow wheat
Corn: Corn leaf burn from sidedressing anhydrous ammonia; evaluating corn stands
Forage: Scouting for alfalfa weevils

May 15

Wheat: Wheat disease update; Regional wheat variety tours in mid-June
Weed Management: Timing postemergence weed control in corn; narrow row spacing in soybeans aids velvetleaf control; controlling common mullein
Forage: Alfalfa weevil feeding forecast; fertilize warm-season grasses; tips for hastening hay dry-down; using grazing to control early season pasture weeds
Pesticides: Recommended steps for washing pesticide-contaminated clothing

May 8

Corn: Corn planting progress; early season insects in corn
Weed Management: How insects influence weed management; controlling problem weeds in soybean with soil-applied herbicides; avoiding resistance management
Forage: Benefits of cutting alfalfa early; selecting summer annual forages; alfalfa weevils feeding; getting the most benefit from early season excess hay
Irrigation: Preseason irrigation checkup; 10 irrigation areas to check
Organic: University organic farms certified; $1.8 available in Nebraska for organic agriculture; NRCS project building organic network

May 1

Wheat: Wheat spindle streak mosaic virus confirmed; wheat fungicide update; scouting wheat for insects
Soybean: New soybean inoculants extend options, but often unnecessary; Scouting for bean leaf beetles
Forage: Assessing alfalfa winterkill; scouting for alfalfa and clover leaf weevils
Farm Management: How to estimate shared irrigation costs; Nebraska feral hogs

April 24

Weed Management: Winter annual impact and control; broadleaf weed control; Crop Production Clinics on-line
Soybean: Soybean rust sentinel plots being monitored; soybean planting populations, inoculant use
Forage: Spraying musk thistle; using teff grass

April 17

Corn: How corn planting date affects yield
Soybean: Adjusting maturity with early planted, rainfed soybeans
Wheat: A primer with photos on scouting wheat fields for early detection of disease
Soil Fertility: Q & A's on phosphorus fertilizers
Forage: Using forages to beat the drought; shortcuts for planting alfalfa
Insect Management: New insecticides and label changes for 2009
Conservation: Older windbreaks may need renovation

April 10

Soybean: Why soybean planting date does matter in Nebraska
Disease Management: Soilborne wheat mosaic virus confirmed
Soil Fertility: Spring nitrogen management for winter wheat; fertilizer prices coming down
Forage: Preparing CRP for pasture and hay use; 
Pest Management: Control ground squirrels as temperature warms; website offers wildlife damage information

April 3

Wheat: Western wheat suffers
Nutrient Management: Practices for reducing phosphorus costs; Giving credit to nutrient sources and eliminating unnecessary nutrient applications
Disease Management: Nebraska corn at moderate risk for Stewart's wilt
Farm Management: Fitting futures markets into your marketing plan; Information and tools to assess farm bill programs; long-term no-till out yields tilled comparisons – cover crops introduced into trial; getting the most out of your irrigation
Forage: Fertilizing pastures for maximum efficiency; using prescribed burning in pasture management
Pesticides: Protecting endangered species from pesticides

March 27

Nutrient Management: Maximizing nitrogen efficiency; Free slide rule for corn nitrogen rate; Instructions for using slide rule (EC 168)
Farm Management: Nebraska farmland values hit plateau
Conservation: Causes and treatments of gully erosion; Stabilizing repaired gullies with cover crops
Forage: Thickening old alfalfa stands; Preparing a firm seedbed for alfalfa planting

March 20

High Input Cost: Reduce soybean planting populations; eliminate soybean inoculant in fields with a history of beans
Grain Storage: Check stored grain condition now, aerate
Production: Using fuel price as a factor in tillage system selection; How plant populations affect yield
Risk Management: Analyzing USDA's new ACRE program
Weed Management: Controlling winter annual bromes during spring
Pesticides: Many carbofuran uses canceled
Nutrient Management: Corn fertilizer decisions for 2009: phosphorus, potassium, sulfur; Phosphorus increase indicated for continuous corn

March 6 - March 13

Insect Management: Western Nebraska rangeland at high risk for grasshopper damage; Corn growers reminded to follow refuge requirements
Weed Management: New herbicides and weed control options for 2009
Farm Management: Farmland leasing takes a turn in 2009
Forage: Try forages; Winter fixes: adjust hay conditioner for maximum drying; Frost seeding legumes into pastures and hay meadows

January 23 - February 13

Wheat: Winter tough on Panhandle wheat; Quick action needed if reseeding
Nutrient Management:  Soil testing more important than ever
Crop Production: Comparing the economics of Western Nebraska cropping options; Crop Production Clinic presentations now online
Resource Management: How to identify wellhead protection areas
Forage: Supplementing pastures with legumes; Selecting the right ryegrass; Biofuels Forum

January 23

Crop Production: Spring Seed Guide 2009 and how to use it
High Input Prices: Extension resources on managing input costs; skip-row corn provides improved drought tolerance; no-till farming in dryland cropping systems; how no-till and controlled wheel traffic save irrigation water; harvesting crop residue; developing a joint ownership agreement for machinery; economics of leasing vs buying ag machinery; using irrigation management tools to save water and energy; taking advantage of manure resources; corn fields offer cows less nutrition than a decade ago; Sainfoin