Jim Specht - Emeritus Professor of Agronomy

Planter ready to enter the field.

Corn and Soybean Planting Considerations

April 24, 2019
Planting sets the stage for a successful crop with an even emergence and stand. Consider these tips to help ensure you're providing favorable planting condition via proper soil conditions, planting window, planting depth, and seeding rates.

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Chart of Nebraska corn yields trends from 1971 to 1917.

Soybean and Corn Yield and Acreage Trends

August 15, 2018
Nebraska soybean and corn yields have steadily increased from 1971 to 2017 in both irrigated and rainfed production systems. Nebraska irrigated soybean increased at a linear linear rate of 0.68 bu/ac, and irrigated corn increased at a rate of 2.17 bu/ac.

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Soybean research field

Field Case Study of Dicamba-Injured Soybeans using Forensic Analysis

August 8, 2018
A field of dicamba-injured soybeans is used as an example to demonstrate the forensic analysis method to determine when dicamba exposure occurred.

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Soybean leaf cupping

Understanding Growth Regulator Herbicide Injury

July 19, 2018
There are now five structurally different growth regulator herbicides, each of which affects plant growth differently. Understanding the differences can help you better identify the cause when you find damage in your field.

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Chart showing rate of soybean node accrual

Are Your Soybean Plants Exhibiting Dicamba-Induced Leaf Injury?

July 19, 2018
Learn how to examine plant development and use this forensic strategy to determine the approximate calendar date when the plants in your field were likely exposed to dicamba.

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Figure 1. Planting into cold soil (below 50°F) when cold conditions are expected for the next 48 hours can lead to germination problems and seedlings not emerging or not emerging well. 1a. Corn seedling that started leafing out below ground and now has twisted leaves which will delay or negate normal plant development.. Figures 1b-c. Unemerged seedlings attempting to leaf out belowground. None of the seedlings shown should be counted as a productive plant.
Figure 1. Planting into cold soil (below 50°F) when cold conditions are expected for the next 48 hours can lead to germination problems and seedlings not emerging or not emerging well. 1a. Corn seedling that started leafing out below ground and now has twisted leaves which will delay or negate normal plant development.. Figures 1b-c. Unemerged seedlings attempting to leaf out belowground. None of the seedlings shown should be counted as a productive plant.

Cold Soil Temperature and Corn Planting Windows

April 12, 2018
With stormy conditions back in the picture, many growers may be concerned about planting corn into cold, wet soils? By checking weather forecasts and soil temperature at planting (in the field and online) and the cold tolerance of seed, growers can identify 48-hour windows of opportunity for planting.

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Maximum daily temperature and humdity recorded at Harvard in June 2017
Maximum daily temperature and humdity recorded at Harvard in June 2017

Potential Off-Target Dicamba Movement from Corn Applications

February 15, 2018
While the new soybean dicamba herbicides were often blamed for injury to sensitive plants in 2017, a deeper look at the timing of injury and the weather conditions at those times suggests dicamba applications in corn may have contributed to plant injury in many areas. Increased management for all dicamba applications will be needed in 2018.

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Soybean field with areas of extended growth due to street lights

Q&A - Will the eclipse affect soybean growth?

August 9, 2017
This Q&A takes a look at whether light-sensitive soybean growth may be affected by the Aug. 21 eclipse.

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