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Wheat Diseases

Stripe Rust Confirmed in 11 Counties in Southeast and South-central Nebraska

While leaf rust was not observed in any surveyed wheat fields, stripe rust was confirmed in 11 counties this week in southeast and south-central Nebraska.

Cover Crops

Homemade interseeder — Figure 1. In 2019 in York County (left), the grower built his own interseeder and tested a nitrogen mix (4 lb/ac crimson clover, 3 lb/ac red clover, 2 lb/ac yellow sweet clover, 4 lb/ac Winterhawk annual ryegrass, 1.5 lb/ac impact forage collards, 1.5 lb/ac Trophy rapeseed) vs. diversity mix (2 lb/ac red clover, 2.5 lb/ac Hubam white seed clover, 4 lb/ac Winterhawk annual ryegrass, 1 lb/ac purple top turnip, 3 lb/ac golden flax, 0.5 lb/ac phacelia Angelia, 0.5 lb/ac chicory) interseeded at V5-V6 corn vs. check treatment. Seward County (right), a Hagie was used to broadcast interseed 10 lb/ac red clover and 5 lb/ac buckwheat into V6 corn vs. check treatment.

Results from Interseeding Cover Crops into Corn or Soybean

A summary of the studies conducted via Nebraska On-Farm Research and Soybean Management Field Days on interseeding cover crops into living corn and soybean.

Forage Production

Pasture and Forage Minute: Harvesting Small Grains, Fertilizing Hay Meadows and Selecting Summer Annual Grass

A review of strategies for harvesting small grains as hay or silage, plus fertilizing summer hay meadows for extra hay next winter and how to select the right summer annual grasses for your operation.

IANR & Extension

Applying Manure Management Concepts On-Farm

This year’s Land Application Recertification sessions, "Applying Manure Management Concepts On-Farm," will be in-person at many sites across the state in May and June.

Smith Falls on the Niobrara River, Cherry County, Nebraska. (Photo by Gary Stone)

Water Law 101: Part 6, Sharing Water with Other States and Water Use within the State

In the final installment of the series, Extension Educator Gary Stone discusses laws and regulations that govern water sharing between states.

Additional Gram-positive Bacterial Diseases in Nebraska Crop Production

A review of two lesser-known diseases caused by Gram-positive bacterial pathogens that have been observed in Nebraska — bacterial wilt of alfalfa and bacterial mosaic of wheat.

Wheat Variety Trial Field Tours June 8-17 Across Nebraska

The wheat variety trial field tours will be in seven locations across Nebraska, from Fairbury to Hemingford, from June 8-17.

FarmBits podcast episode banner — Hosted by Samantha Teten and Jackson Stansell — graduate students in UNL's Department of Biological Systems Engineering and Nebraska Extension Digital Agriculture team members — FarmBits Podcast is a weekly series highlighting new innovations and trends in digital agriculture through interviews with academic experts, farmers and industry specialists.

FarmBits Podcast: Nitrogen Roots

In this week’s episode, UNL Department of Agronomy and Horticulture professor Richard Ferguson reviews the evolution of nitrogen management and developments for precision technology currently underway.

Water for Agriculture Project Surveys Panhandle Residents on Local Water Issues

Residents of North Platte Valley will receive short surveys to share their views on local water and agricultural issues, to better identify the needs of western Nebraskans.

Follow the Weather Ready Farms Program on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

The Weather Ready Farms designation program is expanding its social media presence to reach more farms and ranchers in Nebraska, including new content on farm resiliency topics and features on Extension professionals.

Crop Reports

#NField Observations for May 2021

This week, Extension Educator Jerry Volesky chats about the best timing and herbicide products to control thistles, and Extension Educator Gary Lesoing updates on field conditions in southeast Nebraska.

Nebraska Corn Planting at 71%, Soybeans at 47%

For the week ending May 9, 2021, corn planted was 71%, soybeans planted was 47%, and sorghum planted was 6%.

USDA NASS Predicts 8% Increase for Winter Wheat Crop

Based on May 1 conditions, Nebraska's 2021 winter wheat crop is forecast at 36.7 million bushels, up 8% from last year's crop, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.