Upcoming Meetings!

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Hey everyone! With harvest wrapping up and cool weather setting in, its the perfect time to check out some Nebraska Extension meetings! If you are in the Platte, Boone, or Nance county areas be sure to check out these events! Also I will be posting the pesticide and winter meeting information in the next few weeks!

On Monday November 19th from 5:30-8:30 there is a low quality hay feeding event in Fullerton, Nebraska. This workshop will focus on how to feed hay that isn’t necessarily the best quality and still meet nutritional and financial needs. This program is taking place at the Nance County Fxtension Office and you can register by calling 402-536-2691. This program will be led by Mariah Woolsoncroft, local beef educator.

On Tuesday November 20th, there will be a land managers meeting in Columbus at the Platte County Extension Office. This meeting will focus on current land rent, agronomy updates, finances, and timely beef and pasture updates. This program is free and open to the public; donuts, coffee, and cookies will be provided. This event will take place from 9:15 to 3:00 at the Platte County Extension Office, call 402-563-4901 for more information.

As of November 11th, USDA reported that 77% of Nebraska’s corn and 98% of Nebraska’s beans had been successfully harvest as of Monday. According to historical records this is slightly behind, but the early wet conditions caused delays. This week I wanted to talk about fall applied Nitrogen and about events coming up around the area.

Planning for 2019’s crops has begun and many growers are considering their nitrogen management for corn next year. With this is mind CropWatch recently published an article discussing fall nitrogen application. Fall application of nitrogen, has the potential for leaching, volatilization, and denitrification. Leading to high nitrogen loss compared to later applications. Application of nitrogen in the fall is considered the most risky nitrogen management and can contribute to nitrate leaching, which is a significant problem in Nebraska. Remember that best management practices related to nitrogen are to apply a small amount at planting, side-dress nitrogen at the latest stage possible for your equipment, and ensure the final nitrogen application is completed before the R3 growth stage. If you are fertigating be sure that you are planning your nitrogen applications at key times for your crop. Remember to ensure that equipment is up to date. For more information check out the full article here (https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2018/consequences-fall-applied-n).

Everybody have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving! I know this year I am thankful for my family, friends, co-workers, growers, health, and University of Nebraska!

 

Harvest Check-Up and Local Issues

It finally feels like fall here in Nebraska! The past couple of days have brought beautiful weather to many of us in the state. From around the three counties, soybeans continue to be harvested, some shelling is occurring for corn, corn chopping is wrapping up, and some are sneaking a last alfalfa cutting out.  For all growers in the area, be sure to check equipment throughout harvest, remove as much residue as possible between fields, and prioritize fields with damage or late season issues. Removing residue between fields and cleaning equipment can reduce the disease, insect, and weed issues of one field from moving to another. This will be very important this year, with all of the late season disease pressure we are seeing. Stalk rots in corn and lodging in soybeans may drive your harvest decisions. Fields with stalk rot, soybean lodging, dectes stem borer damage, or at risk fields need to take priority when harvesting. In our area especially, Anthracnose is wreaking havoc in both our soybeans and corn fields. Prioritizing these fields that have stalk or stem issues can save yield in the end.

These week I don’t have a dedicated topic like I usually do, but I wanted to report some of the issues I am seeing around the counties. I have seen Fusarium in damaged corn ears (whether by hail or western bean cutworm), look for firework/starburst patterns in the kernels. If you are seeing this in your corn ears please contact me. I am trying to track the number of cases we have in the area. I am also seeing northern leaf blight, in cover crop sorghum that has been planted in Nance County. It is important to mark these fields as northern blight also affects corn and timothy grass, so planting beans into those fields with cover crop sorghum may be a better option. In alfalfa there are a slew of fungal diseases. This will not hurt the quality of the alfalfa (expect possibly less leaf area), but harvesting the alfalfa and allowing adequate time for hardening will see the diseases not be a habitual issue. Lastly, I have been seeing more soybean pods with Cercaposora and purple seed stain issues. Look out for these as we continue through harvest.

A reminder the Syngenta settlement papers are due on October 12th and can be found at Crop Watch.

Also visit CropWatch at UNL extension for weekly articles about current issues and view scouting reports from across the state. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at 402-563-4901 or email me at mtaylor42@unl.edu. For up to date information follow me on twitter @CropTalkMegan. Tune in next week for more Crop Talk from Nebraska extension. Thanks for listening in and have a great and safe weekend. This week Purdue faces Nebraska, we will see who wins this big ten showdown. Hail Purdue and Go Big Red!

Scouting Notes

Hey everyone, I have been very bad about updating my crop scouting notes for around the area. It has been a pretty crazy few weeks with diseases, pests, and developmental abnormalities. Here are some of the highlights.

Western Bean Cutworm

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Multiple soybean diseases

Dectes Stem Borer

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Cover Crops emerging

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Red Corn

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Overall, August has flown by. Keep checking in for updated information from around the state and the Corn Belt. I will go through each of these issues more in depth over the next several weeks and be sure to check CropWatch for updated information each week.

 

Thanks and stay safe!

 

Hail Damage: Questions, Resources, and Historical Responses

 

This past weekend there was a severe weather event that moved through the upper portion of Platte County. This storm caused damage from just north of Columbus to Humphrey, NE. This storm brought strong winds and hail storms that caused severe damage throughout our fields. The hail storm has many growers wondering and questioning what the next steps are. After speaking and helping several area growers I have compiled a list of a few things to think about, for moving forward.

 

 

Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list. There are many facets that go into making the correct decision for your farm and family. These are just a few things that have come in conversation with other growers. I would encourage anyone making these difficult decisions to have patience. I would also encourage growers to talk with the local cooperatives, agronomists, other farmers, and extension personnel to ease the decision making process.

I have attached a link to Jenny Rees’ webpage featured on CropWatch, this covers a similar late season hail event that occurred in 2013.

https://cropwatch.unl.edu/storm-damage-response-information

Also this publication put out by University of Nebraska’s economics department details custom rate prices.

http://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/pdf/ec823.pdf

As always for any information or questions contact me through Twitter or the local extension office. Stay positive and have a great week everyone.

Gray Leaf Spot vs. Bacterial Leaf Streak: The good, the bad, and the ugly

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Don’t get “corn”-fused this growing season by lesions in your fields. Bacterial leaf streak and long time disease player gray leaf spot, have started making an appearance in eastern Nebraska. Bacterial leaf streak has lesions categorized with wavy margins that when back lit appear to have a slight yellow halo. When looking at gray leaf spot lesions there will be blocky edges similar to a rectangle. Remember, it is important to confirm the disease before applying treatment. Bacterial leaf streak is currently not thought to be controlled by fungicides commonly used to treat gray leaf spot. Therefore, application of a fungicide for the wrong disease may be a pricey mistake. When treating gray leaf spot, be sure to determine if you are utilizing a curative, preventive, or mixed mode of action fungicide. There are various cycles of disease throughout one growing season, so utilizing a mixed mode fungicide that contains both preventive and curative ingredients can help protect through multiple cycles of the disease. It is important to note, that curative does not mean that the fungicide will cure the plant of disease, but it will help protect against newly forming infections within the stand.

For more information check out these links to CropWatch articles!

https://cropwatch.unl.edu/bacterial-leaf-streak

https://cropwatch.unl.edu/plantdisease/corn/gray-leaf-spot

Click to access g1902.pdf

 

Weekly Round-Up: County Fair, Diseases, and Insects, Oh My!

It was county fair week here in Columbus, Nebraska. If you happen to live in the area come on down to Ag Park to see the exhibits from area youth. There are many hard working 4-H and FFA members, who are eager to showcase all of their talents. They are the future of agriculture and it is vital that we support them. The sheep, goat, and cattle shows took place on Thursday and Friday. If you still want to watch a livestock show the swine show is Saturday at 8:00 AM the swine show will take place and the livestock sale starts at 1:00 PM on Sunday. The livestock sale is open to any business or individual that would like to support local 4-H and FFA members. Also I’m from Indiana and our favorite fair food is elephant ears, I know they don’t have them in Nebraska, but they are delicious!

On Monday and Tuesday, before the fair got into full swing, I was in corn and soybeans throughout the area. The corn has moved from VT into R1 and R2. There are some fields that are still vegetative, but very few. I was getting bathed in pollen on both days and continuous light winds are aiding the movement to silks. The major issue in our corn fields that I am seeing is disease. There have been several cases of possible bacterial leaf streak identified in the area. Confirmation of the disease is pending, but there have been confirmed cases throughout Nebraska. There is not a whole lot of research/information about this bacterial infection, but application of fungicide will not treat this disease. There are pockets of Gray Leaf Spot, Goss’s Wilt, and suspected Maize Chlorotic Mottle Virus scattered around the county. None of these diseases are present in large amounts, but be aware they were found. The other issue is the emergence of western bean cutworm moths. I have seen a few moths, but relatively no egg patches throughout corn fields. To determine the level of western bean cutworm, you need to stop five times in the field and look at 20 different plants at each stop. Look for eggs and moths to determine the amount of infestation/presence.  Be sure to be aware of these issues emerging in our corn fields.

In soybeans, we are firmly into R1 to R3 throughout the area. Many canopies have closed. There were some pocket cases of frog eye leaf spot, with only sporadic lesions so be aware that this disease has appeared for the season. In general, we have had more moisture than normal and elevated temperatures, it is important to check weekly for fungal or bacterial diseases. Infections can develop quickly and take over, especially in extreme conditions i.e. heat or moisture.  If you believe you have bacterial leaf streak, be sure to contact me to submit samples. The samples can be submitted for free, while the bacterial leaf streak survey is occurring this year. Please feel free to contact me regarding diseases or any other crop issues. Check back next week for more information, thanks for reading and be safe!

Weekly Round-Up: Pollination, Flower Power, and Green Snap

Hey everyone, its Megan and welcome to another version of crop talk! I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July, filled with friends, family, good food, and fireworks, of course!

These past several weeks have brought rain, hail, and strong winds throughout the entire area. On the positive side, we have pollination beginning and pod formation. These strong storms have left problem spots in our fields, however, there has been recovery. Last week and early this week I was in corn and soybean fields throughout the area. Corn is anywhere from V8 to R1 and soybeans range from V3 to R3. With strong winds in the last several weeks, green snap has continued to plague our corn fields. Green snap is caused by the coincidence of rapid growth (between V5 to V8 or V12 corn) and high winds during these growth stages. Rapid growth results in brittle cell walls; brittle cell walls are caused by the lack of lignin being deposited during rapid growth. This makes corn plants susceptible to high winds and green snap damage.

To categorize the damage, it is recommended to take stand counts throughout your field. At each stand count, record the number of plants suffering from green snap. Then from total plants counted, calculate the percentage of plants affected. Take 1 stand count for every 10 or 20 acres within a field. Within corn and soybeans, the emergence of bacterial diseases is also an issue with our wet conditions. Bacterial blight in soybeans and bacterial leaf streak in corn have begun to pop up throughout the county. If you think you may have a bacterial disease, applying fungicide will not help your crops. It is best to contact your local cooperative or agronomist to confirm that the disease within your field is caused by a bacteria.

Alfalfa weevil and potato leaf hopper continue to be issues in our forage crops.  If you are concerned about pests within your forage crops, be sure to scout and sweep your fields. Utilizing a sweep net is a great way to check for insects in forage crops. If you are interested in getting your field swept and would like training on how to properly use the sweep net, please let me know. There is a sweep net available for use at the extension office.

For more detailed information visit CropWatch at UNL Extension to read up to date cropping reports from specialist and other educators. For more information feel free to stop in. I am located in the Platte County Extension office. I can be reached via phone at 402-563-4901, email at mtaylor42@unl.edu, or follow me on twitter @CropTalkMegan for up to date information. Join me next time for more Crop Talk!!!

Weekly Round-Up: Optimistic Week

Let’s talk crops! My name is Dr. Megan Taylor working with Nebraska Extension as an Educator for crops and water systems in Platte, Boone, and Nance counties. This week in Crop Talk, I will go through the latest scouting reports and talk a little about diseases.

It was another beautiful and exciting week in east central Nebraska. Around Platte, Boone, and Nance counties, I am seeing significant improvement in fields from the previous hail storm. New growth in soybeans and corn has emerged strongly. There have been a few people replanting soybeans, primarily due to low emergence, hail damage, and water stress. Those conditions led to a perfect combination for poor bean emergence in the area. Corn is from V4 to V7 growth stage. Soybeans are from emergence to R1.

With some of the open wounds caused by hail, wind, and sandblasting, I am seeing the emergence of diseases within our corn fields. Among other issues, harmless fungus-causing smut to Bacterial Leaf Streak (BLS) has emerged. In the counties surrounding Platte, there have been confirmed cases of Bacterial Leaf Streak (BLS). This disease has popped up historically during this time of year. It is time to be aware of the potential risk of bacterial/fungal diseases becoming an issue.

In soybeans, the main injuries are associated with spraying, but there were isolated pockets of sun scald and bacterial blight in the northern parts of the county. Plant growth regulators, seedling growth inhibitors, and pigment inhibitors are the main source of soybean injury. Whether a recent spray or a carryover event occurred, the soybeans have put out new healthy trifoliates and are steadily recovering. If you believe you have a disease in your crop, please contact your local cooperative or me to determine the best course of action.

Our hay and forage producers have been concerned with timing and weather. For many hay producers the first hay cutting was completed in the last two weeks, but some growers were caught with hay on the ground during the wet conditions. This has caused decline in growth of the hay crops that were under the wind row causing a brown striping effect across the field. Never fear, the brown sections will come back given time, light, and timely moisture. Many growers were pushed to cut their alfalfa due to high levels alfalfa weevil and potato leaf hopper. In the case of heavy bug feeding, cutting your hay crop may be the best choice. Weed control through all three counties is pretty strong, but waterhemp and volunteer corn continues to plague some fields.

For weekly articles visit CropWatch at UNL extension to read up to date cropping reports from specialist and other educators. For more information feel free to stop in I am located in the Platte County Extension office. I can be reached via phone at 402-563-4901, email at mtaylor42@unl.edu, or follow me on twitter @CropTalkMegan for up to date information. Join me next time for more Crop Talk.

Hail Information

This is a special version of Crop Talk focused on the recent severe weather that we have encountered over the past seven days. Within our areas we have had marble to quarter sized hail and rainfall totals above four inches in some spots. It is important to be patient following a hail storm and severe weather. Before making any decisions it is important to give the crop at least seven to ten days to recover. Plants are sessile organisms and can recover from environmental stresses. During this recovery period it is important to go out and flag a few areas affected by hail. Take pictures throughout the seven to ten-day recovery period of these flagged areas, this will help you to assess whether your crop is coping with the damage. Make sure you are documenting the date, the date of the damage, and location of the field. Following the seven to ten day recovery period, it is important to take several stand counts to assess your current population. My rule of thumb is to take one stand count for every ten acres of the field. To take a stand count in thirty inch row corn you want to measure seventeen feet and five inches and count both sides of the row, then divide by two. In fifteen inch rows use thirty-four feet ten inches and in twenty inch rows use twenty-six feet two inches to take stand counts. This will give you an estimated population for the section of the field. After determining your base population within the field it is important to record these values and for each field affected to look at the past chemical treatments used. The chemical program used controls plant back and weed management for the rest of the season, this may drive the next set of decisions that will occur. Before making any decisions regarding replant or management strategies, it is recommended to contact your crop insurance company and know all your options. Personally, storm damage is a difficult problem to manage, so I would encourage you to reach out to your cooperative, other farmers, local agronomists, and UNL extension personnel to talk through your options. To learn more about how to manage hail damage please visit CropWatch and Hail Know, both resources that can help guide decision-making (links are available in the Resources tab). If you would like to talk through or need help with taking stand counts I can be reached via phone at 402-563-4901, email at mtaylor42@unl.edu, or follow me on twitter @CropTalkMegan for up to date information.

Crop Talk Begins

Thanks for joining me!

Hi everyone, this is Dr. Megan Taylor your local friendly agronomist with Nebraska Extension! I’m a former Manchester University Spartan and Purdue University Boilermaker, living the good life in Nebraska! Join me each week for cropping updates in Northeast, Nebraska and throughout the Midwest! I will post each week what is happening in my neighborhood as well as around the corn belt. Join me each week for some quality Crop Talk!