Nathan Mueller, Extension Educator in Dodge County: Most corn is in the blister to late milk growth stage across the county with some corn on sandy soils in the Platte River Valley reaching the dent stage since drought hastens maturity. June replanted corn is V17 to R1 northeast of the Elkhorn River. The heat units needed to get this crop to maturity before the average first hard frost is becoming more of a concern with below normal temperatures predicted the rest of the growing season. Overall, irrigated corn is in good to excellent condition. For dryland corn, the cool weather and lower crop water use has been a salvation during a very dry five-week period across the area. Dryland soybeans are at a critical growth stage, R5 or beginning seed, for yield determination. On warmer and less humid days soybeans have been changing leaf orientation to the silver-green underside to conserve water.

It is also that time of year when it seems like every insect wants a bite out the soybean crop (Figure 1). The soybean leaf defoliators identified during a tour this week included grasshoppers, bean leaf beetles Grape Colaspis adults, thistle caterpillars, and green cloverworms. Some soybean fields had up to 5-10% defoliation, but most have less than 5%, which is well below thresholds for spraying defoliators. A nice 3-page guide to Managing Soybean Defoliators covers the catch-all defoliation level recommendations, how to scout for defoliation, and reference pictures for percent defoliation. Read the full Dodge County crop report at Crop Tech Cafe. (8/7/14)

Jessica Johnson, Extension Educator at the Panhandle REC, Scottsbluff: Corn is silking and dry edible beans are blooming and row canopies are closing. Wheat harvest is all but done here and sugarbeet looks good. With this week's forecasts, we're hoping hail stays away. (8/5/14)

Robert Tigner, Extension Educator in Chase, Dundy, Hayes, and Hitchcock Counties : Dryland corn looks pretty good and isn't showing much stress yet, thanks to a stint of cool temperatures before temperatures rose last weekend. Wheat is about 100% harvested with reports of over 100 bu/ac irrigated yields, including at least one at 16% protein. Most here were very pleased with dryland wheat yields. There were some reports of over 80 bu/ac dryland. We're finding some western bean cutworm in corn and some are treating for it. (8/5/14)

Chuck Burr, Extension Educator at the West Central REC, North Platte: We haven't had significant rain for four weeks and we're seeing the effects in some dryland corn and soybeans. Residue cover and stored water are making a visible difference. Wheat yields ranged from 0 to 100 bu/ac, with lower yields attributed to fall tillage and lack of rainfall last fall and this spring. Irrigated corn and soybeans look pretty good. (8/5/14)

Troy Ingram, Extension Educator in Merrick County: Our dryland corn is showing significant stress, given we haven't had rain since the second week of July. Corn is at R1 to R2. Soybeans are at R4 to R5. Third cutting of alfalfa is starting. Last week evapotranspiration (Et) was at about 0.26 inch per day or 1.6 inches for the week. (8/5/14)

Jennifer Rees, Extension Educator in Clay County: We haven't had any rain essentially since July 9 (until spotty rain Aug. 5).  Dryland crops are stressing and growers are irrigating. We're seeing a lot of corn diseases, and some people are spraying where needed. Corn is in the silking to milk stage, most in brown silk to milk. A lot of corn fields look pretty good from the road, but when you get in the field, the problems from early in the year remain including some uneven pollination due to residue and emergence issues. Soybeans are at R5. We're starting to see some soybean aphids, spider mites (in dryland pockets), soybean stem borers, and sudden death syndrome. Aphids have not been at levels requiring treatment yet. (8/5/14)

Gary Zoubek, Extension Educator in York County: We haven't received much rain in the last month and pivots are running. Crops are looking pretty good, but that could change if we don't get rain soon or we get hail with the rain. Several areas have already been hit by hail twice this year. (8/5/14)

Keith Glewen, Extension Educator in Saunders County: Irrigated fields are some of the best I've seen in a long time, and should do well if they don't get further stress. Consulting agronomists in the area say ear length and pollination are very good and irrigated yields should be good. Dryland is also looking good, but needs rain.  If we don't get rain this week, corn and soybean will decline. There's still a lot of 2013 crop in the bin as growers wait for a turnaround in prices. (8/5/14)

Wayne Ohnesorg, Extension Educator in Madison County: We've gotten some rain over the last two weeks, but it's been spotty. We're holding off on the third cutting of alfalfa for another couple weeks. We are seeing soybean aphid in very low numbers (e.g. 1-2 aphids/plant and 20-30% of plants with aphids). (8/5/14)

Monte Vandeveer, Extension Educator in Otoe County: Most of the county has seen nothing but traces of rain for nearly a month, so we will not realize the potential yield we might have been dreaming of earlier.  We have only had a few scorching days, however, so most of the crop is still in relatively good shape, and some rain could still help us going forward.  Corn is drying up in a few places, but most is still looking good.  Soybeans look quite good except for some that were among the last planted. (8/5/14)

John Wilson, Extension Educator in Burt County: We're not seeing any widespread insect or disease problems. The biggest problem is it's dry. Saturday evening we had a light shower, ½ inch or less, which barely settled the dust. We need a good 2-inch soaking rain. It's a sorry state of affairs when we can't get a rain during the Burt County Fair, particularly the 4-H coronation or the horse show!

Almost all corn, except some that was replanted after the June 2 hailstorm, is silking and about one-fourth has reached the dough stage.  Almost, if not all, soybeans are blooming and over half are setting pods. We're going to need good weather and a late frost if some of these replanted fields are going to make it. (8/5/14)