We first discussed the hazard of Palmer Amaranth in our blog post, The Looming Threat of Palmer Amaranth, in April 2016. Now there have been more reports of Palmer Amaranth sightings in Iowa. The following article from Dr. Bob Hartzler discusses the most recent findings.
While the 2016 season is still fresh in your mind, it’s important to reflect back on what went well thus far and what needs to be improved upon for next year. Some things to think about are:
•Did your pre-application of herbicide do an exceptional job of weed control?
•Did your crops come up uniformly and grow at the same rate throughout the season?
By: Katie McWhirter, Precision Ag Specialist
We spend so much time talking about corn. Even when I sit down with growers, the attention to detail about seeding rates and analysis of their corn data overshadows the conversations we have about beans. Perhaps, the lack of conversation stems from frustration. We have seen how much we’ve increased yields in corn but haven’t yet seen the same rate of progression in soybeans.
By: Amber Milder, Precision Ag Specialist
As another month passes, we inch closer to the harvest of our 2016 crop. This also means we will soon be saying goodbye to our 2016 interns and wishing them well as they continue their pursuit in agriculture. We have enjoyed the time they have spent on our team and are very grateful for their willingness to pitch in, even when the weather conditions were far from satisfactory.
Gerry Erickson, NDSU Farm Manager, and Todd Molden, NDSU Dairy Research Specialist, are happy with More Than Manure’s effectiveness on reducing crusting and solids in their lagoons while cutting down on overall odor. Check out their MTM experience in their testimonial video below!
By: Meaghan Anderson, eastern Iowa field agronomist & Iowa State University Extension Program Specialist
Most herbicide applications have ceased for the year, but it is not too late to evaluate how well the program worked and what changes might be necessary for next year. Rather than just falling back on old habits, analyze your program closely to look for improvements for future years.
Surviving weeds from this year will affect weed pressure in next year’s crops. Identifying this season’s management successes and failures will make weed management and herbicide purchase decisions easier this winter.
By: Katie McWhirter
Sometimes when my phone rings during aerial application season, it’s not always a pleasant call, but last year, I had several calls regarding how well our pilot flew fields and how low he was, ensuring that he was being efficient with the product he was applying. Usually, I write about fungicide and the benefits that our growers have been seeing, but this month I’ll spend more time on the people that get the job done.
With slim margins in markets right now, it is more important than ever to protect your investment. You have already been through fertilizing, planting, side dressing, topdressing and pre and post herbicide application. The last thing you want is for it all to be for naught, lost to some deadly disease outbreak like we have seen in years past. Although our conditions may have not exactly been ideal for disease formation thus far, we have had some heavy rains, some heavy dew mornings, and a lot of humidity. As a result, there are already cases of Northern Corn Leaf Blight popping up. It is important to continue to scout your fields to know what to look for and where to look.
The month of June has been a dry, hot, and quiet one for our 2016 interns. The scouts have really enjoyed watching the crop take off and grow out of its ugly duckling stage. They are doing a great job of finding issues and keeping us on our toes with questions. They were also very excited to enjoy their first rain day this season on June 22nd after mother nature dumped buckets of rain on us over night.
During one of our recent scouting excursions, we found these clay-like nests attached to a corn leaf. After further questioning and research, we discovered that these nests belong to a family of potter wasps. Adult potter wasps can be found near wooded areas and fields but can be easy to miss; they only measure about a 1/2 inch!
