cropCENTRAL | Field Crop Production Resources

Stormy weather and Goss’s wilt go hand in hand

  • July 2, 2013

  • Aaron Hager

Goss’s wilt of corn often is most severe after fields are exposed to high winds and/or hail damage, because the causal bacterium, Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis, readily infects corn leaves through wounds.  With the recent storm activity across the state, growers should be on the lookout for the appearance of Goss’s wilt symptoms.  Goss’s wilt lesions on the leaves generally have wavy margins with a water-soaked appearance on the edges of the lesions. …

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2013 Northern Illinois Agronomy Field Day

  • July 1, 2013

  • Russel Higgins

The University of Illinois’s Northern Illinois Agronomy Research Center will host a summer Agronomy Day Wednesday, July 10. U of I Extension specialists and researchers will address issues that are pertinent to the 2013 growing season. The program will begin at 9 a.m. and finish with a meal provided at noon. Anyone can attend, and there is no registration or fee required. CEUs will be available for certified crop advisers.

A Corn Rootworm Root Rating Field Day will be held in conjunction with Agronomy Day.…

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Corn Roots, Wet Soils, and Nitrogen

  • June 28, 2013

  • Emerson Nafziger

The June weather pattern in Illinois was variable, and the month is ending with rainfall totals ranging from a little less than normal in parts of western Illinois to nearly double the normal amounts, with some totals as high as 7 to 8 inches, in parts of southeastern and northern Illinois.
While getting rainfall in June is certainly preferable to getting little or none as happened in Illinois in 2012, standing water and wet soils can badly damage a rapidly-growing corn crop.…

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Japanese Beetle Emergence Underway Across the State

  • June 26, 2013

  • Michael Gray

Reports of Japanese beetles are becoming more common across the state of Illinois. On June 19, Ron Hines observed his first Japanese beetles of the season in Massac County. Much further to the north, Angie Peltier, University of Illinois Extension Commercial Agriculture Educator located at the Research and Demonstration Center, Monmouth, Illinois, collected about 1 inch of beetles in a trap from June 20 to 24. These observations confirm that this perennial insect pest of corn and soybeans is present throughout much of  the state.…

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Soybean Aphid Update: Insecticidal Seed Treatments and Resistant Varieties

  • June 25, 2013

  • Michael Gray

In mid-June, Chris DiFonzo, Extension Entomologist at Michigan State University, reported that a soybean field (Saginaw Farm) was infested with soybean aphids (~44% of plants infested).  Chris indicated that none of the plants had received an insecticidal seed treatment. Reports from other entomologists (Iowa and Minnesota) indicate that soybean aphids are being found at more modest levels. At this point, it remains unclear what soybean aphid infestations will look like for much of the Corn Belt.…

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Reminder…University of Illinois Weed Science Field Research Tour

  • June 19, 2013

  • Aaron Hager

We would like to take this opportunity to once again extend the invitation to attend the 2013 University of Illinois Weed Science Field Day, to be held Wednesday, June 26th 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.  The tour will provide ample opportunity to look at research plots and interact with weed science faculty,…

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Screening Waterhemp for Herbicide Resistance

  • June 17, 2013

  • Aaron Hager

We are pleased to announce that, with continued financial support from the Illinois Soybean Association, we are offering free screening for herbicide resistance in waterhemp during the 2013 growing season.  To date, over 1000 plant samples have been screened through this collaborative effort between the weed science program at the University of Illinois and the Illinois Soybean Association.  This valuable service helps farmers and researchers better track and understand the evolution of herbicide resistance in waterhemp across the state.…

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Purple and Yellow Corn Plants

  • June 13, 2013

  • Emerson Nafziger

The corn crop that was planted in May is up and growing in most fields, but there have been numerous reports of fields with uneven plant sizes and colors, including purple and yellow plants. Many are wondering if this will decrease potential yields.
Based on past experience many people expect to see purple corn when soils are cool and dry during early plant growth stages, or in that rare field with low soil test phosphorus levels.…

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How Late Can We Plant Corn and Soybeans?

  • June 11, 2013

  • Emerson Nafziger

The latest report from NASS indicates that 96 percent of the corn and 62 percent of the soybean crop in Illinois had been planted as of June 9. Some of the corn is struggling, however, with 13 percent of the crop rated as poor or very poor. Much of this is due to heavy rainfall, which has caused problems with stands, including areas in fields where the crop has drowned out from standing water. In other cases,…

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Dates and Locations for the 2014 University of Illinois Corn & Soybean Classics

  • June 11, 2013

  • Aaron Hager

The dates and locations for the 2014 University of Illinois Corn & Soybean Classics are set for next January.  Our next series of meetings marks the 17th year of the Classics and will continue the program’s tradition of providing our clientele with the most current and timely information related to crop production, marketing and pest management.
The dates and meeting locations for the 2014 Corn & Soybean Classics are:
▸ January 6 (Monday): Champaign I Hotel and Conference Center
▸ January 7 (Tuesday): Mt.…

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