June 6-10, 2011

Gary Lesoing, Extension Educator in Nemaha County: The dry weather last week allowed farmers to essentially complete planting, except in areas where it is too wet. Corn and soybeans finally have taken off and look much better. The dry weather also allowed fields to be sprayed for weed control. What wheat we have in the area looks good. Alfalfa has finally been cut for hay. There will be several hundred acres along the Missouri River that will be flooded from the river or from the high water table in the river bottoms. Sandbagging has been going on in the river towns (Brownville, Nemaha, and Peru) to protect water treatment plants and other areas of concern.

Jenny Rees, UNL Extension Educator in Clay County: Corn is really popping in the area and is mostly approaching 2-4 leaf stages. Beans are mostly between V1-V2. Wheat is nearing the end of pollination and beginning to fill. Overall, wheat looks pretty good right now. Time will tell if we end up with a problem with scab. Alfalfa has been cut and is being baled in some fields. I had several questions last two weeks regarding possible injury to soybeans from pre-emergence herbicides. I also received a few reports from crop consultants of cutworm damage and also a few from them regarding potential pythium in corn. Some producers are evaluating both corn and soybean stands for replant due to damping off or flooding. I've been putting in a lot of watermark sensors and ET gages for new cooperators.

Karen DeBoer, Extension Educator in Cheyenne County: The wheat is heading in most fields. Growers are starting to see signs of disease, such as wheat streak mosaic virus and possible stripe rust. I have only had a few reports of disease so far. Since the soil dried enough for field operations, activities include spraying for weeds, disking summer fallow, and planting sunflowers and other crops.