Soybean aphids are at low numbers in northeast, but these populations could quickly explode when temperatures drop. Farmers are encouraged to scout their fields and be prepared to treat if numbers reach the threshold.

As corn begins to emerge, be alert to the potential for damage from early season insects such as cutworms, wireworms, or white grubs. Wireworms and white grubs are most often associated with fields that have been in pasture or CRP where the grasses were allowed to grow for more than one year. It is rare to see these problems in continuous corn, but exceptions happen. Since wireworms and white grubs feed underground and cutworms feed on or below the soil surface, scout for plant damage and then dig in soil around the plant to identify the insect causing the damage.

Nebraska soybean producers are being asked to answer a survey about their soybean fields and contribute to a benchmark study of current soybean production in Nebraska. Researchers from 10 north central states, including Nebraska, are collecting the data to identify factors that may be impeding growers from reaching full yield. See what they've learned in the first two years of the study and how they hope to use the information.