Chuck Francis KCR 101
Lincoln NE 68583-0817
402-472-1581
cfrancis2@unl.edu

Faculty Bio

Corn tassels

Nebraska Crops Maturing Near Average Pace

September 1, 2021
For the week ending Aug. 29, 2021, corn mature was 8%, near 10% last year and 5% average. Soybeans setting pods was 97%, near 100% last year and 95% average. Sorghum maturity was 2%, equal to both last year and average.

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Sunflower and turnip field

Plants for Fallow Summer Periods

September 1, 2021
Many warm-season cover crop species are available and can be used for different purposes in fallow fields, such as improving soil health, breaking up soil compaction, providing forage and supporting beneficial insects.

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Bazile Groundwater Management logo

Bazile Groundwater Management Area Field Day

September 1, 2021
Nebraska Extension, Upper Elkhorn Natural Resource District (NRD), Lower Niobrara NRD, Lewis & Clark NRD, Lower Elkhorn NRD and Nebraska Environmental Trust are sponsoring the Bazile Groundwater Management Area Field Day on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021 at David Connot Farm in Knox County.

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Soybean pods
Figure 1. Soybean pods collected from stage R7 plants (one mature pod per plant) that were opened to determine if the pod wall interior membrane was still clinging tightly to the seeds (leftmost pod), or if it was beginning to detach from the seeds (second pod), or if the membrane was now permanently attached to the pod wall (third pod). After attaining physiological maturity, seeds undergo a dry-down period from about 60% moisture to about 13% moisture. Note that the Rx.x numbers used here are pod-based stages, not plant-based stages.

Understanding Ending Reproductive Stages in Soybean

August 27, 2021
The timing of the ending R stages in soybean is governed by planting date (PD) and varietal maturity group (MG), though the date of R7 can be hastened if water stress and high temperatures prevail in August — something we are seeing in portions of Nebraska this year.

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FarmBits podcast episode banner
Hosted by Samantha Teten and Jackson Stansell — graduate students in UNL's Department of Biological Systems Engineering and Nebraska Extension Digital Agriculture team members — FarmBits Podcast is a weekly series highlighting new innovations and trends in digital agriculture through interviews with academic experts, farmers and industry specialists.

FarmBits Podcast: Potato Protection Perspectives

August 26, 2021
Agronomists Seth Gurley and Jessie Ziems discuss the complexities of potato protection and how they are leveraging digital tools and advanced technology to combat pest pressure across the CSS Farms, Inc. operation.

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Farm Sci-Ed program logo

Farm Sci-Ed Video Series Kicks Off

August 26, 2021
The Farm Sci-Ed program focusing on highlighting the “science and education behind farming” and integrated pest management research released its first video in a series about research projects happening within the Nebraska Panhandle.

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Crown rot in stem

Crown and Stalk Rot Sampling Tips

August 26, 2021
As you continue to scout fields late in the season, it is important to collect the right kind of sample to ensure proper diagnosis.

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SDS foliar symptoms

Triazole Phytotoxicity in Soybeans

August 26, 2021
Soybeans across Nebraska are currently presenting symptoms common with Sudden Death Syndrome and Brown Stem Rot; however, recent samples indicate many of the affected fields are experiencing phytotoxicity due to the application of a triazole (DMI) fungicide.

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