The Bulletin Archives - Page 64 of 80

Newly Published Report Confirms Extensive Use of Insecticidal Seed Treatments in Field Crops

April 6, 2015
Michael Gray

On March 20, 2015, an article published in Environmental Science and Technology confirmed the extensive use of neonicotinoids as insecticidal seed treatments in a wide variety of field crops across the United States. The authors of the article Margaret R. Douglas and John F. Tooker are scientists with the Department of Entomology at The Pennsylvania State University.
Provided below are some direct quotes from their journal article concerning neonicotinoid seed treatments (NSTs):

“Neonicotinoid use increased rapidly between 2003 and 2011,

…

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Decisions About Winter Wheat and Weeds

April 3, 2015
Aaron Hager

The most recent report on the condition of the Illinois winter wheat crop indicated approximately 10% of the crop was rated poor or very poor, while close to 90% was rated fair to excellent. It appears likely that much of the wheat crop will remain intact, but in other instances farmers might elect to terminate poorer stands and plant corn or soybean. If the decision is made to plant corn or soybean into wheat stands where some plants remain alive,…

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2015 Handy Bt Trait Table Now Available

April 2, 2015
Michael Gray

In the transgenic era, the most important insect management decision a corn producer makes is deciding which type of corn hybrid to plant — a Bt hybrid or a non-Bt hybrid? This decision is typically made in the fall or early winter, well before planting ensues. In a sense, a producer who elects to plant a Bt hybrid takes out an insurance plan against a wide range of insect pests for the upcoming growing season. I have referred to this in previous Bulletin articles as —…

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Online Survey on Soybean Farming Practices

March 24, 2015
Maria Villamil

Soybean farmers who take a ten-minute online survey will help University of Illinois crop scientists and Extension educators to better understand how decisions are made in their farms regarding soybean management and inputs and to tailor programs and projects to improve yields and profitability.
Villamil requests that soybean farmers take the survey by April 10.
The survey is a collaborative effort between the Department of Crop Sciences in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois,…

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Soybean Planting Date and Varietal Maturity

March 23, 2015
Emerson Nafziger

Along with the continuing emphasis on getting soybean planted early – in late April to early May – comes the question of soybean maturity rating, and whether early planting benefits fuller- or shorter-season varieties the most.
Planting date
Figure 1 was updated with the 2014 data from our planting date trials in central and northern Illinois. The change compared to the response I showed a year ago is mostly from the large response to delayed planting at Urbana in 2014.…

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Soybeans and Nitrogen Fertilizer-Again

March 20, 2015
Emerson Nafziger

In April 2014 I wrote on the topic on N fertilizer on soybeans, reporting that our research at the University of Illinois has rarely shown a benefit in yield to applying N fertilizer during the middle part of the season. But it seems that some people, perhaps reacting to testimonials of high yields after using N fertilizer in the high-yield conditions of 2014 remain convinced that adding N fertilizer “makes high yields higher.”
Of course, most producers who got high yields –…

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Spring Cover Crop Field Day March 26th – Ewing Demonstration Center

March 17, 2015
Nathan Johanning

Join us on Thursday, March 26th, 2015 for the Spring Cover Crop Field Day at the University of Illinois Extension Ewing Demonstration Center. Registration will start at 8:30 a.m. and the program will begin at 9:00 a.m., rain or shine. The Ewing Demonstration Center is located at 16132 N. Ewing Rd; Ewing, IL 62836, on the north edge of the village of Ewing, north of the Ewing Grade School on north Ewing Road. Watch for signs.…

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2015 Weed Control Guide Now Available

December 22, 2014
Aaron Hager

The 2008 edition of the Illinois Agricultural Pest Management Handbook was the final edition of a publication that served pest management practitioners for many decades. Herbicide information and annual updates of product performance ratings were mainstays of that publication. Since 2008 we periodically have published herbicide performance ratings, but admittingly not with a great deal of consistency. Recently, the weed science programs at The Ohio State University and Purdue University extended an invitation to the University of Illinois weed science program to join them in the production of their joint weed control publication. …

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Note Correct Dates: 2015 Regional Crop Management Conferences

December 5, 2014
Aaron Hager

Registration is now open for the 2015 regional Crop Management Conferences. These 2-day conferences in January and February provide a forum for discussion and interaction among participants and university researchers and are designed to address a wide array of topics pertinent to crop production in Illinois.
Certified Crop Advisers can earn up to 13 hours of continuing education credit. Advance registration, no later than one week before each conference, is $130 per person. Late and on-site registration is $150.…

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The Agenda for the 2015 University of Illinois Corn & Soybean Classics

November 4, 2014
Aaron Hager

With the 2014 harvest nearing completion, I would like to take this opportunity to announce the agenda for the 2015 University of Illinois Corn & Soybean Classics. We look forward to welcoming back many who have attended one or more of our previous meetings and extend a warm welcome to those who will attend for the first time. The program will feature eight presentations that emphasize crop production, pest management, economics, and the interactions among them. …

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