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Corn & Soybean Production

Chart of Nebraska corn yields trends from 1971 to 1917.

Soybean and Corn Yield and Acreage Trends

Nebraska soybean and corn yields have steadily increased from 1971 to 2017 in both irrigated and rainfed production systems. Nebraska irrigated soybean increased at a linear linear rate of 0.68 bu/ac, and irrigated corn increased at a rate of 2.17 bu/ac.

Justin McMechan, Nebraska Extension crop protection and cropping systems specialist, shows growers how to identify different species of aphids that can be found on late season corn. (Photo by Deloris Pittman)

Soybean & Corn Clinics: Learn from Examining a Season in a Day

Examine and work with corn and soybean plants from early vegetative to maturity growth stages at Nebraska Extension’s Midwest Soybean and Corn Production Clinics Aug. 22-23. Register now to get hands-on field experience with crop scientists.

Figure 1. A view of all four treatments of a corn residue and cover crop experiment at the South Central Agricultural Laboratory near Clay Center. Top left is cereal rye with 60% corn residue removal; top right is cereal with corn residue. Bottom left is no cereal rye with 60% corn residue removal; bottom right is corn residue and no cover crop (control). — Figure 1. A view of all four treatments from a corn residue and cover crop experiment at the South Central Agricultural Laboratory near Clay Center. Top left is cereal rye with 60% corn residue removal; top right is cereal with corn residue. Bottom left is no cereal rye with 60% corn residue removal; bottom right is corn residue and no cover crop (control).

Cover Crop and Crop Residue Management: How Does it Affect Soil Water in the Short and Long Term?

How you manage your soil today impacts its productivity tomorrow. This article focuses on how plant residue management and cover crop use affect water infiltration and plant available water.

Diseases Confirmed in Corn and Soybean July 26-Aug. 15

Corn and soybean diseases confirmed by the university's Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic from July 26 to August 16.

Manure Management

Odor plumes from land application of manure

Timing Manure Application to Avoid Neighbor Nuisances

Roughly half of all neighbor complaints of livestock odors originate from land application of manure. This article outlines the weather conditions to consider when planning a manure application.

Field Days

Figure 1. Each year more than 100 research trials are conducted at the South Central Agriculture Laboratory near Harvard. The Aug. 29 SCAL Field Day invites the public to view and learn about the most recent research from UNL and USDA scientists.

View Latest Crop and Pest Research at South Central Ag Lab Aug. 29

Tour field trials focused on irrigation and water management, soil fertility, entomology, weed science, cropping systems, and disease management at this year's South Central Ag Lab Field Day Aug. 29.

Farmers examine a field or irrigated sorghum at a Sorghum Field Day near Trenton in 2017. This year field days will be held near Trenton and Farwell. — Farmers get out into the field to get a closer look at the hybrids entered in the 2017 Irrigated Plot on the Mike Baker farm at Trenton. Baker, plot coordinator, outlines his agronomic data and responds to producer questions. (Photos by Barbara Kliment)

Sorghum Field Days to be at Trenton and Farwell

Sorghum Field Days will be held Sept. 5-6 with opportunities for growers to compare commercial hybrids in the field, talk with industry and research experts, and hear about what's new in sorghum agronomics and markets.

Soil water measuring guage. — Wouldn’t it be great if our crops had a soil water gauge on them like the fuel tank? We could use them to help us directly determine when we need to irrigate and how much water the soil will hold. Soil water monitoring equipment can be the next best thing.

Field Days to Feature Irrigation Scheduling Equipment Demos

Two field days Aug. 27-28 will feature in-field demonstrations of soil water measuring tools designed to provide growers key data for irrigation management. Five of the systems were installed earlier this summer and users can view and compare data and displays online.

Farm Management

Pie chart showing entities responsible for maintaining irrigation systems as part of cash leases

2018 Cash Lease Adjustments on Irrigation Equipment for Cropland Rental Arrangements in Nebraska

How are landlords and tenants managing the costs for irrigation systems as part of their cash lease arrangements? Using data from the 2017-2018 Nebraska Farm Real Estate Survey, ag economists explore the options and discounts reported in this Cornhusker Economics.

Gold Star Negotiations — Three Types of Yes

When negotiating, listening for the true interests of both parties can be essential to achieving a win-win. Here's how one negotiation was opened up by broadening the discussion.

Crop Reports & AgNews

Hailed corn in Howard County Aug. 16, 2018

Photo Report of Hail Damage in Howard County

Photos by Extension Educator Troy Ingram of extensive hail and storm damage after an Aug. 16 storm in Howard County. Includes video on benefits of planting cover crops into fields devastated by late-season hail.

Agronomy and precision farming students at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis

Forbes: NCTA Among Top 25 US Trade Schools

A national spotlight shines brightly for students arriving this weekend to the campus of the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis. On Thursday a Forbes news article ranked NCTA as 16^th among the nation’s top 25 Trade Schools.

Pasture Management

Use Shredding, Grazing to Manage Pasture Weed Flushes

Extra rain this summer has made many pastures greener than they've been in a long time, but unfortunately, some of that green is likely to be weeds. At this point in the season shredding and grazing may be more effective than applying a herbicide.