Extension Crop Report July 27-31

Strahinja Stepanovic, Cropping Systems Extension Educator in southwest Nebraska: Reference evapotranspiration (ET) in the Upper Republican NRD ranged from 1.70 inches in northern parts of Perkins County to 2.20 inches in southern Dundy County.  We received between 0 and 1.70 inches of rain in the last week. To more accurately estimate rain and crop water use on your farm, look at the map provided, obtain weekly reference ET value from the location closest to you and multiply that value by crop coefficient provided in the table.

It's time to control weeds in wheat stubble. New western Nebraska cropping systems specialist Cody Creech from the Panhandle Research and Extension Center suggests three steps:

1. Carefully identify the weeds present in your field.
2. Spray kochia, Palmer pigweed, pricly lettuce, Russian thistle and other tough-to-control summer annuals with a tank-mix of glyphosate, dicamba, and/or 2,4-D to prevent seed development.
3. Monitor for winter annual weeds like rye, marestail, and cheatgrass and plan timely herbicide application in fall and early spring. For more information search for recent articles in CropWatch.

Corn is at reproductive growth stage. Adults of western bean cutworm have been emerging in the past week and spraying has been done in the area. UNL's recommended threshold for insecticide application is when 5-8% of corn plants have egg masses and/or small larvae. Sunflowers are at V5 to butonization stage. Field peas harvest is done. Soybeans are at R2-R4 growth stage (setting pods). Milo is at boot stage. Potatoes are in tuberization stage. Dry beans are at 80%-full cover. Sugarbeets are at full cover.

For more information and photos visit the author's blog, www.agwithstrahinja.wordpress.com. (July 28, 2015)

Robert Tigner, Extension Educator in southwest Nebraska:  We received good general precipitation over several days, some in the form of hail (not widespread). Crops look pretty good in southwest Nebraska. Wheat yields averaged 20-30 bu/ac due to impact from stripe rust. Those who used fungicide early reported yields of 65 bu/ac. (July 28, 2015)

Charles Burr, Water Extension Educator, North Platte: Wheat harvest is pretty much over in this area. In the last week we only received spotty on rains (¼-1/2 inch) and some dryland corn is starting to suffer.(July 28, 2015)

Julie Peterson, Extension Entomologist, West Central REC, North Platte: Western bean cutworm moths are still flying and we're only just beginning to see a drop-off in our black light traps. (See insect light trap reports for west central, south central and northeast sites at bit.ly/1IsyL3S.) As of the weekend we were still seeing over 100 moths per night. A lot of people are treating and we treated research areas at the Stumpf Center.  The threshold is 5-8% western bean cutworm infestation for corn not protected by Bt traits, but we're seeing some with 20-30% infestations.  Western corn rootworm adults are still emerging and I have received one call about unexpected root damage. (July 28, 2015)

Gary Stone, Extension Educator, Panhandle REC, Scottsbluff:  We had storms Sunday night from Kimball into Cherry County near Gordon with some hail and heavy winds. Another storm moved through the valley Monday night, leaving just ½ inch of rain. These storms are making growers trying to harvest wheat and field peas a little nervous. Corn looks good and sugar beets look good. We have plenty of moisture and just need some heat. (July 28, 2015)

Ron Seymour, Extension Educator in Adams County: We got about 2 inches of rain and a lot of wind over the weekend. Crops look pretty good and growers have gotten a chance to catch up their weed control. Most of the wheat has been harvested and the second cutting of alfalfa is almost in. Some are cutting and baling grass hay. (July 28, 2015)

Todd Whitney, Extension Educator in Hamilton County: We got 1-3 inches over the weekend with winds up to 70 mph that cause damaged to outer edges of fields where there was some lodging. Crops look strong here and are still progressing well. Nearby counties have seen southern rust, but as of July 27 we hadn't had any reports.

Wayne Ohnesorg, Extension Educator in Madison County: We've been dry for the last nine days, except for sprinklings, and have been living off the three inches of rain we got last week. We will need moisture soon or dryland fields will be stressed, especially those on sandy soils. Corn is mostly tasseled out and the soybean canopy has closed. (July 28, 2015)

Gary Lesoing, Exension Educator in Nemaha County:  Pretty significant rain of 1-3 inches over the weekend. We don't have a lot of wheat, but what we do have didn't fare so well this year, and growers faced heavy docking at the elevator for disease. Most corn is past tasseling and crop dusters have been out. Soybeans have made a lot of progress in the last. The second cutting of alfalfa is in. (July 28, 2015)

Al Dutcher, State Climatologist: We're looking closely at spotty dryness in southwest Nebraska and might expect the Drought Monitor to reflect this deterioration.  (See July 28 Nebraska Drought Monitor.) Weather patterns over the Rockies and the Great Lakes next week will mean heat will build back in in this area for normal to slightly above normal temperatures and a potential for significant moisture over the northern half of Nebraska in the first half of next week. There are few days in the next 14 when we won't see some precipitation potential. The 30- and 90-day forecasts indicate above normal precipitation and below normal temperatures for the Great Plains. Temperatures are expected to stay close to normal over the next two weeks.  (July 28, 2015)

Monte Vandeveer, Extension Educator in Otoe County: We have received rains this past week that were needed; amounts varied widely across the county but most totals were close to 2 inches. Crop development also varies widely; a small share of corn is just now beginning to tassel, and some soybeans are still quite small.  Quality also varies, even within most fields. One can probably find a bare patch in perhaps a majority of fields. Wheat harvest has wrapped up, and grain quality was rather poor, with a few calls to the office about how to handle wheat with potential mycotoxin problems. (July 28, 2015)