cropCENTRAL | Field Crop Production Resources

Does the Corn Crop Need More Nitrogen?

  • June 13, 2016

  • Emerson Nafziger

Except for some areas of southeastern Illinois, the 2016 corn crop went in well, and on June 12 was rated at 75% good or excellent. Warm temperatures have speeded up growth, and although below-normal rainfall, especially in western Illinois, is starting to cause some concern, the 2016 corn crop is off to a very good start.
The corn crop this year has excellent stands and there are few drowned-out areas, though there is some unevenness depending on when the crop was planted and how much rain it received after planting.…

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Maximum Corn Growth Stage for Postemergence Herbicides

  • June 9, 2016

  • Aaron Hager

The labels of most postemergence corn herbicides allow applications at various crop growth stages, but almost all product labels indicate a maximum growth stage beyond which broadcast applications should not be made, and a few even a state minimum growth stage before which applications should not be made.  These growth stages are usually indicated as a particular plant height or leaf stage; sometimes both of these are listed.  For product labels that indicate a specific corn height and growth state,…

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2016 Field Day Events in Illinois

  • May 27, 2016

  • Emerson Nafziger

Fields days organized in 2016 by Crop Sciences and Extension at the University of Illinois, Western Illinois University, and Southern Illinois University will focus on crops and pests, with speakers talking about current crop issues along with information from previous research. Each event will offer CEUs for CCAs.
Following is the schedule of crop-related field days for 2016, including locations, dates, starting times, and contact information.

  • Macomb, WIU: Thursday June 23, 12:00 PM; Mark Bernards (309) 313-5917,

…

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Herbicide Resistance in Waterhemp: PPO inhibitor and Glyphosate Testing University of Illinois Plant Clinic 2016

  • May 18, 2016

  • Suzanne Bissonnette

What is your waterhemp doing ? Waterhemp glyphosate and PPO inhibitor resistance testing was offered by the Plant Clinic for the first time in 2015. Due to the strong demand for this testing, we are offering it again this year. We adapted protocols developed by Dr. Tranel’s lab in the Dept. of Crop Sciences to transition the molecular protocols for glyphosate and for PPO Inhibitor resistance from a research laboratory to a service lab offering. In 2015,…

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University of Illinois Plant Clinic: Celebrating 40 Years of Service to Illinois

  • May 18, 2016

  • Suzanne Bissonnette

Anniversary Overview of Plant Clinic: Welcome to another year of service at the Plant Clinic! Since 1976, the University of Illinois Extension Plant Clinic has served as a clearinghouse for plant problems. Housed first in the Department of Plant Pathology and now Crop Sciences, the Plant Clinic was originally developed to help County Cooperative Extension staff and campus-based Extension specialists with requests for diagnoses on a wide variety of plants. By acting as a centralized diagnostic laboratory,…

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Update on Soil Nitrogen

  • May 6, 2016

  • Emerson Nafziger

Corn planting has moved ahead of the 5-year average, with 66% of the Illinois crop planted by May 1. Early planting usually means an early start to nitrogen uptake. But N uptake is slow for a month or more after planting: in one study we did in 2015, plants at the 4-leaf stage about five weeks after planting had only 4 pounds of N per acre in the above-ground part of the plant. So there’s time both to get N applied to the crop before it needs it and also time for N in the soil to move out of the rooting zone if it’s in the nitrate form and the weather turns wet.…

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What is That Yellow-Flowered Plant?

  • May 5, 2016

  • Aaron Hager

The springtime color scheme provided by winter annual weed species in many no-till fields has shifted from the hearty purple of flowering henbit and purple deadnettle to the bright yellow flowers of two species.  Yellow rocket and cressleaf groundsel (a.k.a. butterweed) both produce bright yellow flowers and are common across much of the southern half of Illinois.  Although flower color is similar, the plants are distinct species.  Most of the yellow-flowered plants currently in fields is butterweed.…

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University of Illinois Weed Science Field Research Tour

  • May 4, 2016

  • Aaron Hager

We invite you to attend the 2016 University of Illinois Weed Science Field Day on Wednesday, June 29th 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.…

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Marestail Control Prior to Planting

  • May 4, 2016

  • Aaron Hager

Marestail can be one of the most challenging weeds to control prior to planting no-till soybean.  Already this season some have reported poor marestail control following applications of glyphosate plus 2,4-D.  Poor control can be caused by several factors, including large plant size and resistance to glyphosate.  If a marestail population is resistant to glyphosate, a pint of 2,4-D in the spring is generally inconsistent/ineffective when it’s the only product in a tankmix active on the resistant population.…

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Black Cutworm Activity Increasing Across Illinois

  • April 27, 2016

  • Kelly Estes

*Edited April 28 to include significant flights and projected cutting dates for Carroll, Effingham, and Ford counties.
Black cutworms have been observed in traps across the state for the past couple of weeks. Several counties have reported significant moth flights (9 or more moths over a 2-night span). We can use the date of the significant flight to predict potential cutting dates based on degree day predictions.

For more complete information about the biology,…

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