Research Updates

Corn plots 7-9-18
Corn plots at the South Central Agricultural Laboratory near Clay Center on July 9, 2018. (Photo by Roger Elmore)

2018 Corn Yield Forecasts as of July 11: Higher Temperature Led To Faster Corn Development

July 13, 2018
Corn yield forecasts and crop growth stage estimates for the US Corn Belt, based on crop modeling and local input, start up this week for 2018. Corn development is well ahead of normal, with most sites in the central and southern fringes of the Corn Belt in the silking or grain-filling stages.

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Cornhusker Economics: Thinking About the Corn Market

June 21, 2018
In the last 20 years Brazil has emerged as a major player in the world's corn market and is now the second largest exporter and third largest producer, challenging US dominance. This week's Cornhusker Economics takes a closer look.

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Cornhusker Economics: Using Partial Budgets to Examine Incremental Ag Business Changes

June 8, 2018
When considering business changes for your farm or ranch, focusing on a partial budget can help evaluate the financial effect of incremental changes without accounting for the entire farm budget. The story offers key points to consider and examples of how to apply them to your farm business.

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Field tour of purple loosestrife management study
Figure 1. Nebraska research showed the need for multiple years of treatment to achieve complete control of purple loosestrife. Choosing the right herbicide for the job and practicing patience and persistance were key to success. (Photos by Stevan Knezevic)

Research Update: Control of Perennial Invasive Weeds Requires Repeated Herbicide Applications

June 4, 2018
Research shows the need for patience and persistence when battling perennial weeds such as purple loosestrife over multiple years. The younger the stand the faster the control was achieved.

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Dry rot canker in sugarbeet
Figure 1. Surface tissues of the dry rot canker rhizoctonia disease first identified in sugarbeet in 1920 are marked by a distinctive series of concentric circles. (Photos by Bob Harveson)

Dry Rot Canker – Obscure, but Returning Rhizoctonia Disease

May 23, 2018
Dry rot canker, one of several rhizoctonia diseaes of sugarbeet, has been relatively obscure since first being identified almost a century ago. New technologies, however, have helped to differentiate it from the more common Rhizoctonia root and crown rot disease.

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Cottonwoods
Figure 1. Cottonwood infestation in sub-irrigated meadow. This photo was taken during the period of high water table in early spring. (Photo by Stevan Knezevic)

Research Findings on Chemical Control of Cottonwood

May 22, 2018
Cottonwood offers many benefits, but also can be an invasive and difficult-to-control weed. Nebraska researchers studied control efficacy of eight herbicides over two years and found three products provided total control more than a year; however, they also noted a caution for areas with high water tables.

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Buckbrush
Figure 1: Buckbrush (4-year-old plant) in pasture by Niobrara State Park in northeast Nebraska. (Photo by Stevan Knezevic)

Study: Efficacy of Herbicides in Buckbrush Control

May 22, 2018
A two-year weed management study in northeast Nebraska evaluated herbicide options for controlling buckbrush, a common perennial weed in Nebraska pastures and rangeland. One herbicide provided year-round control, while several others provided season-long control.

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Windrowing forage wheat in south central Nebraska for processing into wheatlage. (Photos by Todd Whitney)
Figure 1. Cutting and windrowing forage wheat in south central Nebraska for processing into wheatlage. (Photos by Todd Whitney)

Wheat Forage Options and Considerations

May 17, 2018
This spring many Nebraska livestock producers facing low forage supplies may be looking for new sources, such as from wheat. This Nebraska research on harvest timing suggests how to optimize feed value from wheat forage.

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