September 13, 2024

Irrigation Management

Weekly Irrigation Newsletter: Using Soil Water Tension Sensors to Schedule Irrigation in East-central Nebraska

In the final update for this year, three Nebraska growers share comprehensive irrigation data from their study fields throughout the 2024 growing season.

Research Updates

Nebraska Field Experiments Investigate Biochar Impact to Soil Health and Crop Yields

UNL researchers are utilizing biochar and cover crops in environmentally sensitive Nebraska soils to identify the conditions under which biochar may benefit temperate regions.

Arthropod Abundance in Industrial Hemp in West-central Nebraska

A diversity of both beneficial and potentially harmful insects has been found in industrial hemp grown in west-central Nebraska, and continued research will be crucial for producers in managing pests as hemp production expands in the state.

Planter with narrow seeder alongside narrow seeded wheat field — When preparing winter wheat fields for late-season seeding, one tactic producers should consider is narrow row spacing.

The Moves to Make for Late-seeded Winter Wheat

Late-seeded winter wheat can yield higher than early-seeded crops, partly due to reduced disease and insect issues. This article provides tips for increasing seeding success if weather or harvest has caused delays.

Tractor applies fertilizer to field — Farmers are invited to participate in a new UNL-Nebraska Soybean Board study to evaluate potassium fertilization impacts on crop yield. Participants will receive detailed reports and soil and grain quality results in exchange for their help.

Growers Sought for Potassium Study

Boost your yields and refine your practices: Join UNL's potassium fertilization study and gain valuable insights into your soil and crop performance.

Extension Events

Aerial photo of farm with a variety of plots — An older Google Earth photo of the Rogers Memorial Farm with several of the cover crop studies visible.

2024 Cover Crop and Soil Health Field Day Kicks Off Sept. 17

The field day will feature demos and discussion on a wide array of cover crop and soil health practices by UNL faculty and extension professionals, including a statewide study on cover crop variety selection and performance.

IANR/Extension

This Week on N Field: Control of Volunteer Corn in Double Team Sorghum Using FirstAct

Insights on using the herbicide quizalofop (FirstAct) to manage volunteer corn in Double Team sorghum.

Trent Benzel, left, Steve Benzel and Michael Ann Relka stand with plaques — Trent Benzel, left, Steve Benzel and Michael Ann Relka were co-recipients of PREEC’s 2024 Outstanding Service to the Panhandle Agriculture award. Not pictured: Carl Benzel. (Photo by Chabella Guzman)

PREEC Recognizes Farmers and Agriculturalist at Annual P.A.R.T.T.

Michael Ann Relka and the Benzel family were honored for their outstanding contributions to Panhandle agriculture, highlighting their efforts in sugarbeet cultivation, community education, and on-farm research innovations.

Man standing in field of corn and weeds — Kicking off the fall seminar series on Sept. 12, Amit Jhala will discuss the challenges of managing herbicide-resistant weeds through pollen-mediated gene flow — the process by which herbicide resistance genes are spread from plant to plant via pollen.

Agronomy and Horticulture Seminar Series Begins Sept. 12

Free to the public, the fall seminar series will highlight the latest research and technologies for herbicide-resistant weeds, crop genetics, sustainable agriculture, digital agriculture, the impact of droughts on public health, and more.

Youth

Colfax County Claims Top Honors at 2024 Youth Crop Scouting Competition

Snagging both first and third place in this year's competition, the 4-H'ers of Colfax County are once again proving their reputation as agronomy aficionados.

Forage Production

Alfalfa field during summer — Fall-planted alfalfa needs at least four to six weeks of growth before the first frost to establish a strong root system, with proper seeding depth and weed control being key to its success.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Fall Planting Alfalfa and Winter Annual Forages

Tips for selecting suitable alfalfa varieties for successful establishment before winter, and deciding between rye, triticale and wheat for fall seeding.

Grasshopper on plant leaf — Monitoring grasshopper populations using the square-foot method can help prevent damage to late summer alfalfa and forage crops, with insecticide treatments considered if thresholds are exceeded.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Alfalfa Irrigation and Last Cutting, Grasshopper Management

Extension insights on fall alfalfa irrigation for improving yields, strategies for timing the last cutting to ensure winter survival, and grasshopper management to protect late summer forage from pest damage.

Weather

Weather at a Glance: Dry Spell Ending?

Drought conditions may ease with several chances of precipitation next week, beginning Tuesday evening.

Cooler Than Average, But Drought Expands in July

Uneven precipitation distribution caused issues across much of Nebraska in July — while areas of eastern Nebraska experienced flooding, drought intensified in the western regions.