cropCENTRAL | Field Crop Production Resources

Western Corn Rootworm Adults Present in Some Central Illinois Fields

  • June 25, 2015

  • Michael Gray

In spite of the very heavy precipitation and saturated soils in many fields across the state, some western corn rootworm adults have survived and have been sighted in several fields in central Illinois. Matt O’Whene, Research Associate with DuPont Pioneer, observed western corn rootworm adults in a cornfield located in Piatt County on June 24. The western corn rootworm in Matt’s photograph appears to be a male. Males typically emerge first followed by the emergence of females a few days later.…

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Corn Rootworm Emergence Just Around the Corner for East Central Illinois

  • June 23, 2015

  • Michael Gray

Joe Spencer, an entomologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey, observed 2nd and 3rd instar corn rootworm larvae earlier today (June 23) in his research plots located north of Urbana, Illinois. He anticipates the emergence of adults from these plots by early next week. As we begin the 4th of July Holiday, I suspect initial sightings of western corn rootworm adults will begin to occur across central Illinois. Overall, I anticipate the statewide population of western corn rootworms to be reduced this season due to the heavy precipitation many areas have received throughout June leading to saturated soils at the time of larval hatch.…

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Corn and Nitrogen as Rains Continue

  • June 19, 2015

  • Emerson Nafziger

Some rain has fallen somewhere in Illinois nearly every day for the past 3 weeks, and rainfall totals for this period exceed 7 inches – two to three times normal – over more than half of the state (Figure 1). This has a lot of people wondering if enough nitrogen remains in the soil to supply the corn crop.
Daily high temperatures have averaged close to normal over the past three weeks, while night temperatures have been 3 to 4 degrees above normal,…

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Reminder…Weed Science Field Research Tour

  • June 18, 2015

  • Aaron Hager

The 2015 University of Illinois Weed Science Field Day will be held next Wednesday, June 24th at the University of Illinois Crop Sciences Research and Education Center, located immediately south of the main campus. Coffee and refreshments will be available under the shade trees near the Seed House beginning at 8:00 a.m.
Similar to past years, we will car pool to the fields where participants can join in a guided (but informal) tour format. The tour will provide ample opportunity to look at research plots and interact with weed science faculty,…

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Armyworms Inflict Damage to Corn in Northeastern Illinois

  • June 9, 2015

  • Michael Gray

On June 8, I received a report from Stephanie Porter, Burrus Sales Agronomist, concerning a severe infestation of armyworms in McHenry County. Significant damage had been inflicted to a field of no-till corn in which rye had been used as a cover crop. Throughout my career, the most common reports of damaging infestations of armyworms have occurred in corn when rye has been used as a cover crop. For more information on the biology, life cycle and management of this pest,…

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Western Corn Rootworm Hatch Update: Typical Timeline this Season

  • June 9, 2015

  • Michael Gray

The annual western corn rootworm hatch appears to be similar this spring to the two most recent growing seasons. Thanks to Larry Bledsoe and his entomology colleagues at Purdue University, we have compiled a list of hatch dates over the past 20 years! Beginning on May 21 (and at 3-day intervals), Larry examined the root tissue of untreated corn plants for first instar larvae. On June 4 in Tippecanoe County, Indiana he found his first corn rootworm larva and estimated that hatch occurred the day before.…

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International Agronomy Day

  • June 1, 2015

  • Aaron Hager

The Department of Crop Sciences will host International Agronomy Day on August 31, 2015 at the Crop Sciences Research and Education Center at the University of Illinois. We have developed International Agronomy Day as an opportunity for international visitors to attend a field tour at the University of Illinois and interact with many of our faculty and staff.  International Agronomy Day will take place the day before the Farm Progress Show opens in Decatur to provide an opportunity for international visitors traveling to the United States to attend the Farm Progress Show to learn more about the research being conducted by our faculty and staff.…

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Tracking Soil Nitrogen – Does Corn Have Enough N?

  • May 30, 2015

  • Emerson Nafziger

Rainfall in April and May has been about average through most of Illinois, at least until the downpours the last days of May. This has allowed timely planting and a good start to the crop in most areas, and has allowed nitrogen management to be carried out more or less as planned by most producers. Warm temperatures during some weeks of May are moving crop development along, and much of the N planned for application after crop emergence has already been applied.…

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Identification of Palmer amaranth in Illinois

  • May 21, 2015

  • Aaron Hager

Palmer amaranth continued to expand its presence in Illinois during 2014. Palmer amaranth populations have been confirmed in counties colored orange or blue in Figure 1; orange designates glyphosate-resistant populations are present in these counties. It should be neither construed nor assumed that Palmer amaranth populations occur only in the counties colored on this map. It is altogether likely that Palmer amaranth populations are present in many other counties. Emerged Palmer amaranth plants were observed on May 7 at our field research location west of Kankakee.…

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Black Cutworm Damage Reported in Northern Illinois

  • May 21, 2015

  • Michael Gray

In a recent Bulletin article, I shared an observation of black cutworm damage in southern Illinois. Just recently (May 20), James Kennedy, Advanced Crop Care, Inc., found black cutworms were at work in northern Illinois as well. He found three fields that were infested with cutworms (4th instar) with cutting of plants in the 1-3% range. The fields were located in northern Kane County and McHenry County. James indicated that rescue treatments would be applied in the near future to these infested fields.…

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