Western bean cutworm egg masses have been reported on field corn in a number of locations across the state this week. Here's what to look for in the field, treatment thresholds and recommendations.
Corn plots at the South Central Agricultural Laboratory near Clay Center on July 9, 2018. (Photo by Roger Elmore)
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.
A cool start to the crop season followed by two months of above normal temperatures appears to be pushing Nebraska's corn crop to an earlier than normal maturity.
Consider using split herbicide treatments to provide extended control of weeds after winter wheat harvest. Timely weed control can limit soil moisture loss to weeds, prevent the deposit of more weed seeds in the soil, and reduce the spread of wheat streak mosaic disease.
New tariffs between China and the U.S. have prompted many questions about agricultural trade between these two nations, especially from soybean producers. This article offers an overview of soybean tariffs and what soybean farmers can do to reduce the impact of the recent price declines.
Results from the university’s 2018 Custom Rates Survey indicate rising costs for some custom machine operations and services since the survey was last conducted two years ago. State average labor rates increased 6% to $18.85/hour and average diesel costs increased from $1.68 to $2.46/gallon, which could influence custom rate changes.
With the higher standard deduction and changes in child credits in the new US tax code, taxpayers may need to reconsider how much to withhold for federal taxes in each pay period. Here are information and a tool to help you assess your situation.
Following a hail event, crop canopy development can be severely delayed or damaged, which can lead to increased weed development and pressure. This story looks at factors to consider when selecting among mid-season weed control options in storm-damaged fields.
Nebraska Extension in Phelps and Gosper counties is hosting a meeting July 17 in Holdrege to explore management options for hail-damaged crop fields. The meeting will be from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
If you were hit hard by hail and need to cover your fields, forage cover crops can provide an opportunity for haying or grazing as well as a protective plant layer. Plant selection is a key factor in successfully managing production.
Figure 1. Cattle grazing cereal rye cover crop near Tecumseh. Often grazing poses less of a nitrate toxicity risk than haying and feeding. (Photo by Mary Drewnoski)
Nitrate toxicity can be a concern when planting cover crops for forage in hail-damaged crop fields. With proper management of haying and grazing, the risk can be reduced.
A diverse 14-way mix was planted into wheat stubble immediately after harvest to keep living roots in the field. The cover crop is using sunlight and carbon dioxide to put energy and carbon into the soil to feed the soil biology. (Photo by Paul Jasa)
Fields that were hailed, flooded, windblown, or where planting was prevented this season can benefit from the many soil services provided by cover crops. In addition a growing cover crop can help reduce erosion from water and wind and may help protect soil moisture levels.
Register now for "Challenging Times...Innovating Solutions," an agricultural economic and technology conference for growers and agribusiness. It will be held July 17-18 in Kearney.
Dean and Deb Stevens of rural Falls City will be hosting a field day Thursday, July 19, to share the results of a North Central Region SARE-funded research project on using drones for corn nitrogen management.
John Ruberson, current professor and head of the Department of Entomology at Kansas State University, will join the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Jan. 1, 2019, as head of the Department of Entomology.
