Aaron Nygren, Extension Crops Educator for Colfax, Cuming and Stanton Counties: Wednesday’s storm resulted in hail damage to parts of Cuming, Colfax, Platte and Stanton counties in addition to rains of 0.5 to 2.5 inches. Damage ranges in severity, so growers will need to evaluate fields next week for regrowth and make replant decisions. Information on assessing hail crop damage and determining next steps is available in the Hail Know section of CropWatch.

Megan Taylor, Extension Educator in Platte County: This was the week of bug damage. I saw bean leaf beetle in soybean fields south of Highway 91 in Platte County (Figure 1) and significant stinkbug damage near Lindsay and Humphrey (Figure 2). Last week’s storms brought some hail and wind damage that caused tattered leaves in corn (Figure 3). Some corn fields have 30% to 50% defoliation in the upper leaves, but the new growth is healthy and strong. There were several instances of herbicide injury in my area, but the new growth is strong and many plants have come out of the stress. Several growers are finished with the first round of hay cutting and baling. The biggest weed issues in my area are waterhemp and volunteer corn and some growers were out spraying this week. (6/6/18)