August 8, 2008

Drew Lyon, Extension Dryland Crops Specialist, Panhandle REC, Scottsbluff: Harvest is almost done and overall, wheat quality and yields were good this year. Irrigated wheat did quite well and dryland yields, depending on whether the field received timely rains, ranged from 10 to 70 bu/ac. Proso millet was looking bad, but has improved with recent rains. Dry bean growth was delayed with the cool spring temperatures and the crop is just starting to flower. An early or even normal freeze could cause problems.

David Stenberg, Extension Educator in Dawson County: It's been dry and crop growth, such as with hay, is behind normal. Field crops look good. Corn has pollinated and soybean is blooming and setting pods. Beans are shorter than normal.

Jim Schneider, Extension Educator in Hamilton County: We've got aphids in our soybeans that are calling for spraying. Some growers have treated and other populations may be declining some. Crop development is still behind normal, but the crops seem to be recovering from hail damage.

Keith Glewen, Extension Educator in Saunders County: Some crop consultants have seen soybean aphid levels high enough to warrant control. I thought the heat might affect aphid populations more, but evidently, it just slows their growth. Lower temperatures this week should really bring them on. Crops are at all different stages; corn ranges from the V-7/V-8 stage to dough stage. We lost 43,000 acres to wind damage, and some replanted fields to 80- to 95-day corn. We also lost a lot of pivots. Growers have been irritating corn and are starting to irrigate soybeans. The dryland crop looks good, but there are still some stand issues, likely due to the rains and cooler temperatures this spring.

Aaron Nygren, Extension Educator in Colfax County: Pivots are going and air applicators are applying fungicides. Dryland crops look good, but need water soon. One local consultant was finding northern rootworms in corn after soybeans. Given input costs, some growers are talking about planting 100% soybeans next year. Availability and cost is a big topic of conversation.

Al Dutcher, Extension State Climatologist: Potential for moisture Aug. 12-14, but otherwise the potential in the next two weeks is for hit and miss showers with normal to above normal temperatures. This week the average highs should be in the 80s.

Robert Wright, Extension Entomologist:  Western bean cutworm moth counts are low across the Midwest. Soybean aphids are building up. We want to re-emphasize that with higher commodity prices, the treatment threshold is still 250 aphids per plant. The economic injury level is way above that at 650 aphids per plant. Originally, using the 250-aphid threshold would give producers a seven-day lag time to respond. With higher commodity prices, the 250-aphid threshold still gives you three to four days to respond. The second generation moth flight of European corn borers is at a moderate level, with about 80 moths per night in traps. With late maturing or refuge fields there is potential for injury. We're seeing some spider mite problems in corn.

Keith Jarvi, Extension Integrated Pest Management, Northeast REC, Norfolk: Northeast Nebraska is dry and irrigation systems have been running the last 10 days. Crop development is delayed, but things are looking good. Except for soybean aphids, insect problems are sparse. Most soybean fields have aphids. Some populations reached threshold levels this week and were treated.