cropCENTRAL | Field Crop Production Resources

Cooperators Sought for Insect Trapping Network

  • March 13, 2017

  • Kelly Estes

Despite the snow falling outside of my window this morning, plans continue for the upcoming survey season. Mother Nature has hinted at spring with temperatures in the 70’s just last week and its time to start thinking about spring insect trapping.
We are starting to look for cooperators that are willing to place and monitor traps for black cutworm and true armyworm this spring and European corn borer, corn earworm, fall armyworm, and western bean cutworm this summer.…

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Nitrogen in February?

  • February 22, 2017

  • Emerson Nafziger

The unseasonably warm and dry weather we have had during February this year has a lot of people applying ammonia, and others considering it. This raises the question of whether or not February is a good time to apply NH3, and also the question about whether or not a nitrification inhibitor (N-Serve) should be included in late-winter applications.
We encourage waiting until soil temperatures are below 50 degrees before making NH3 applications in the fall, and then to use N-Serve to slow conversion of ammonium to nitrate.…

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February 28: Soil Fertility Seminar to offer continuing education

  • February 10, 2017

  • Aaron Hager

Soil fertility, crop production practices and environmental stewardship will be the foci of a Soil Fertility Seminar on February 28, 2017 in 18 different University of Illinois Extension county offices.
Presentations will be delivered through web conferencing from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Topics and speakers will include:

  • Increasing importance of sulfur for field crops–Dr. John Sawyer, Iowa State University
  • Illinois NREC: What have we learned?–Dr. Robert Hoeft, Illinois Nutrient Research &

…

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Stakeholders needed: Herbicide resistance listening session at Commodity Classic

  • February 7, 2017

  • Aaron Hager

Are you an Illinois farmer?
 
How about an Illinois Ag chemical retailer, seed dealer, crop consultant, machinery/implement dealer, pesticide manufacture or public landowner?
 
Are you planning on attending the Commodity Classic in San Antonio in March?
 
Would you be willing to share your experiences regarding herbicide resistance management?
 
If you answered yes……..
Two weed scientists, Dr. Jeff Gonsolus (University of Minnesota) and Dr. Christy Sprague (Michigan State University), are working on behalf of the Weed Science Society of America to convene a Herbicide Resistance Management (HRM) Listening Session to be held at the Commodity Classic in San Antonio,…

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2016 University of Illinois Plant Clinic Herbicide Resistance Report

  • January 18, 2017

  • Suzanne Bissonnette

Glyphosate and PPO inhibitor Summary: 593 field samples representing approximately 2,000 waterhemp or palmer amaranth plants were tested for herbicide resistance at the University of Illinois Plant Clinic in the 2016 season. The Plant Clinic started offering herbicide resistance testing of waterhemp for resistance to two groups of herbicides (glyphosate and PPO inhibitors) in 2015. We added palmer amaranth testing in 2016.  Almost twice as many whole fields were tested 2016 compared to last year, 593 vs.…

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Helpful Reminders about Applying Dicamba in Dicamba-Resistant Soybean

  • January 11, 2017

  • Aaron Hager

Proper application stewardship of dicamba in dicamba-resistant soybean increases the likelihood of good weed control while concomitantly decreasing the potential for off-target herbicide movement.  The labels of two commercially available dicamba formulations approved for application in dicamba-resistant soybean (Engenia from BASF and XtendiMax from Monsanto) include many application guidelines and restrictions that all applicators must follow.  The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) recently published a helpful checklist of “do’s and don’ts” for applying dicamba in dicamba-resistant soybean. …

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Extension Bi-State Crops Conferences in and near Western Illinois

  • December 12, 2016

  • Aaron Hager

Newer and longer-term partnerships between personnel in Illinois and personnel in Missouri and Iowa have resulted in several bi-state crops conferences to be held during January 2017 in Western Illinois or Eastern Iowa.
 
Friday, January 6, 2017: Bi-State Crop Advantage Conference, Burlington, IA, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Comfort Suites, 1708 Stonegate Center Drive, Burlington, IA.
Hosts: Iowa State University and University of Illinois Extension
More Information: Click here to access the flier.…

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Nitrogen on Corn in 2016: A First Look

  • December 5, 2016

  • Emerson Nafziger

The 2016 cropping season was a good one in Illinois, with planting a little ahead of normal and good May moisture and temperatures to get the crop off to a good start. June was warm and, in most parts of Illinois, drier than normal; parts of western Illinois received less than an inch of rainfall for the month. Temperatures and rainfall returned to normal in July and August, though there was the usual variability from region to region,…

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2016 SDS Commercial Variety Test Results Available

  • December 5, 2016

  • Aaron Hager

SDS Variety Report
This past growing season personnel from Southern Illinois University, Iowa State University and University of Illinois evaluated more than 580 soybean varieties from 22 seed companies in USB-sponsored sudden death syndrome (SDS) variety trials. The varieties that were evaluated ranged from the very early (MG 0) to late (MG V) maturity groups. Maturity groups were divided into early and late categories; for example, MG II was split into early (2.0 to 2.4) and late (2.5 to 2.9) categories in order to more easily monitor crop development and assess disease at the appropriate growth stage (Figure).…

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Dicamba and Soybean: What to Expect in 2017

  • November 15, 2016

  • Aaron Hager

The long-awaited label allowing dicamba use in dicamba-resistant soybean was granted November 9, 2016, by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), although only one commercial product received that label.  Many Illinois farmers anticipate this technology will provide a much-needed solution to challenges caused by weed populations resistant to herbicides from multiple site-of-action groups and other difficult-to-control species.  Without question, there are instances and scenarios in which dicamba will improve control of certain weed species, but dicamba will not bring back the “good ol’ days” of POST-only weed control programs in soybean. …

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