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Flooding

Figure 1. Crop fields in a large area of south central Nebraska were flooded this week after heavy rains, causing growers to rexamine their options for fields already late-planted or taken as prevented-planting. (Photos by Sarah SIvits)

Crop Impacts and Options After Mid-Season Flooding

Earlier this week south-central and central Nebraska were hit by heavy rains leading to flooding. Now farmers are asking: How long will the crop survive in standing water and what does this mean for the rest of the growing season?

Diseases to Watch for in Flooded Crops

Producers, consultants, and agronomists should be alert to the potential for increased disease pressure in fields that experienced flooding in March or more recently. Here are some of the diseases you're most likely to see.

Corn & Soybean Pests

Painted Lady Butterflies Are Abundant In Many Areas—What Now?

Treatment is not recommended for the painted lady butterfly currently being seen in high numbers and could endanger beneficial insects. Treatment thresholds offer guidance for treating feeding caterpillars.

Western corn rootworm beetle feeding on a leaf of corn

Western Corn Rootworm Beetles Emerging, Time to Scout

Western corn rootworm beetles began emerging in southeast and south central Nebraska and will feed on corn leaves until silks, their favored food, emerge. Beetles will emerge somewhat later in northeast and western Nebraska.

Figure 1. Soybean plant showing signs of wilting from soybean gall midge infestation. (Photo by Justin McMechan)

Soybean Gall Midge: New Counties Infested and Second Generation Adults Emerging

Since June 30, low levels of adult emergence have been observed from east-central and northeast Nebraska counties from last year’s soybean fields. On July 2 and July 4 adults were found emerging from this year's soybeans in east-central Nebraska.

Help Identify Crop Insect Distribution in Nebraska

Have you seen these three insects in your fields? They are expanding their geographic range in Nebraska and we would like to identify where they can currently be found.

Corn and Soybean Production

Map of the Corn Belt showing locations for the 2019 Corn Yield Forecasts

2019 Corn Yield Forecasts: Approach and Interpretation of Results

Agronomists address how the Corn Yield Forecast Center develops yield forecasts, what to expect during the growing season, and how to use the forecasts to inform farm decisions. Tables detailing soil types and crop management for each of the 41 locations are included.

Nutrient Management Suggestions for Corn Updated in EC117

The Nebraska Extension Circular, Nutrient Management Suggestions for Corn (EC117), has been updated to account for residual soil nitrate-N and provide an alternative for determining fertilizer-P rates.

Q&A: Will Fertigation Now Endanger Corn Pollination?

After heavy rains in some areas created increased potential for nitrogen leaching, one farmer asks whether fertigating now will endanger pollination.

Wheat Production

KSU: Pre-harvest Weed Control in Wheat - Sharpen Update

A Kansas State University weed scientist discusses pre-harvest options for managing weeds in winter wheat, including advantages and disadvantages of various labeled herbicides.

Figure 1. Weeds that are cut off with the combine header will need to regrow before they can be controlled.

Controlling Weeds Post-Harvest in Winter Wheat

Wet weather this year made timely herbicide applications in winter wheat difficult, allowing substantial weed populations to get a foothold. The author discusses cultural and chemical options for weed management.

Figure 1. Figure 1. The wheat-mite-virus complex has extreme potential to impact yield the following year if high risk volunteer wheat situations are not managed well. (Photo by Gary Hein)

Why Control of Volunteer Wheat is Critical to Protecting 2020 Yields

Volunteer wheat can create a "green bridge," providing a route for mites to move to and infest emerging wheat. These mites can then transmit wheat streak mosaic virus, High Plains virus, and Triticum mosaic virus, or all of them to create a complex of infections.

Cover Crops

Cover Crop Use and Implications for Cropland Lease Arrangements in 2019

Cover crops were planted on almost 750,000 acres in Nebraska in 2017, the last year of the USDA Ag Census. A recent Cornhusker Economics reports cover crop acreage by county as well as how to consider their short-term costs and potential long-term benefits when negotiating crop land leases.

Soil Health

Farmer field testing two cover crop management options

Farmers Find Solutions Through Nebraska Soil Health Initiative

How can we manage cropland to improve soil health? To test and encourage adoption of soil health practices, the Soil Health Demonstration Initiative was launched as a collaborative effort of growers, UNL and NRCS. Now a network of farm research sites is providing valuable information from in-field studies.

Figure 1. Farmers, Nebraska Extension educators, and NRCS employees at the NRCS-Nebraska Extension Soil Health Initiative Meeting held in York earlier this year. (Photo by Laura Thompson)

Why Growers are Adopting Practices to Build Soil Health

Growers conducting on-farm demonstrations as part of the Nebraska Soil Health Initiative met with UNL and NRCS staff to share about what they were doing and learning on their farms. Their work offers valuable insights for other growers considering how they too can build soil health on their farms.

Irrigation

Soil Water Content- and Soil Matric Potential-Based Irrigation Trigger Values for Different Soil Types

Keeping a close eye on soil water content in individual fields can help optimize irrigation efficiency. This article explores how to use research-based trigger points for various soil types using soil water content-based sensors or soil matric potential-based sensors. Nebraska research has shown that having 25% more water than needed in the maize root-zone reduced grain yields as much as 15 bu/ac.

Crop Reports

Disease Reports from the UNL Diagnostic Clinic

Phytophthora root and stem rot in soybeans and bacterial leaf streak and common rust in corn were among the most common diseases reported in the last two weeks by the UNL Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic.

Fields in central Neraska faced a range of damage from heavy rains earlier this week, from being totally inundated by flood waters to plants being flattened by the storms and high winds. (Photo by Todd Whitney) — Fields in central Neraska faced a range of damage from heavy rains earlier this week, from being totally inundated by flood waters to crops being flattened by the storms and high winds. (Photo by Todd Whitney)

Extension Crop and Pest Reports (July 8-12, 2019)

Conditions were excessively wet in many counties in this week's Crop and Pest Reports from extension educators and specialists, although some areas were exceptionally dry and starting to see signs of stress. Increases in corn and soybean diseases were also reported.

Corn and Soybean Progress Lag, but Condition Good

Corn and soybean progress is behind normal, but crop condition continues mostly good to excellent, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service July 8 report for Nebraska.Corn silking was at 2%, behind the five-year average of 16%. Soybeans blooming was at 10%, well behind the average of 37%.

Nebraska Wheat Crop Forecast at 51.4 mil bu, up 4% from 2018

Nebraska wheat yield per acre and total production are estimated to be higher than in 2018, while the area to be harvested is down 4% from 2018. Oat production is forecast at 1.56 million bushels, up 3% from last year.

IANR & Nebraska Extension

Aerial view of field trials at the university's South Central Agricultural Lab near Clay Center. — Each year more than 100 applied field research trials are conducted at SCAL by Nebraska faculty and USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists.

View Latest Field Research at South Central Ag Lab Field Day

Research on cover crops, sensor-based nitrogen management, herbicide-resistant weeds, and the latest trials of insect, disease, and weed management will be in the spotlight Aug. 1 at the South Central Agricultural Lab Field Day. Multiple tours allow guests to focus on their interest areas.

Figure 1. Extension Educator Chuck Burr demonstrating to youth how a crop moisture sensor works in a field of corn.

Agronomy Youth Field Day August 7 in Curtis

Youth ages 9-18 years can participate in hands-on experiences to learn the science of agronomy and all about Nebraska crops at the 4th Annual Agronomy Youth Field Day August 7 in Curtis.

Good Farmer to Great Manager Record-Keeping Course at 2 Sites

The difference between a good farmer and a great manager often comes down to knowing the true financial position of a farm. Good records make it possible to track an operation’s financial position. Learn how to get your records in order at upcoming workshops in Lincoln and Bridgeport.