April 3, 2020

Weed Management

Burndown and Pre-emergence Herbicides for Weed Control in Corn and Soybean

Profitable crop production starts with a weed control program that includes pre-plant and/or pre-emergence herbicides to deliver long-lasting, residual weed control. A spring burndown program in corn and soybean provides effective weed control to prepare for planting and helps to decrease the seedbank during the season.

How Temperature and Rain Can Affect Burndown Herbicides

Finding a good time for burndown herbicide applications has been a little tricky this spring, given the below-normal temperatures the first half of April and intermittent snow and rain, all of which can decrease herbicide efficacy. Checking the forecast can help identify an optimal window for application.

Cover Crops

Farmer Input Sought for 2020 National Cover Crop Survey

These surveys have provided valuable information about the use of cover crops and their impact on crop production and soil health including information that helped frame policy with the USDA agencies NRCS and FSA.

Soybean Production

Irrigated soybean in Perkins County, NE (2019).

Seeding Practices and Nitrogen Management for Western Nebraska Soybean: What Matters and Why

Continuous corn is the most common irrigated crop sequence in southwest Nebraska. Although rotating to other crops, such as soybeans, can mitigate some production issues of continuous corn and often boost the next year’s corn yield, larger adoption of soybeans has not readily occurred in this area.

Weather & Climate

Weather Ready Farms Pilot Program

The Nebraska Extension Weather Ready Farms (WRF) program team created a self-assessment checklist to provide producers with cropping system-related recommendations for practices that reduce the risk of losses on farms from weather events.

Crop Reports

NASS: Nebraska Wheat 79% Good to Excellent

March 30, 2020 USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) report for Nebraska wheat.

Crop Diseases - CPC Proceedings

Corn Disease Update

In 2019, wet weather during the growing season favored the development of numerous corn diseases including Physoderma brown spot, bacterial leaf streak, stalk rot diseases, and ear rot diseases. This update highlights these diseases, the environmental factors that favor their development, and their management.

Soybean Disease Update

Plants under stress due to environmental factors, such as extreme temperature and moisture are more susceptible to disease, and many were under stress due to the unique environmental conditions in 2019.

Wheat Disease Update

In 2019, wet weather during the growing season favored the development of wheat diseases including Fusarium head blight, leaf rust, stripe rust, bacterial streak, and take-all. This update highlights these diseases, the environmental factors that favor their development, and their management.

Young lesion of Cercospora leaf spot on sugar beet leaf

Specialty Crops Disease Update - 2019

The incidence and distribution of crop diseases in western Nebraska have long been known to be influenced based on environmental conditions experienced during that particular year.