It’s the time of the year when the new seed guides are being distributed. The Hoegemeyer Seed Guide has ratings that give better insight into how products perform against a variety of issues (1-9 scale with 9 being best and 1 being poor).

Corn silage harvest will soon be in full swing in the Western Corn Belt.  Livestock producers should be aware of the potential for excess levels of nitrates due to the prolonged moisture stress, high temperatures and low humidity during this year’s growing season to date.

I get the question every year “Should I spray fungicide on my corn?”  This is a very good question and my answer is “It Depends” and it really does depend on many factors which differ every year.

Tissue samples can be used to help identify and confirm deficiencies in season or even assess nutrient uptake in relation to fertilizer programs. There are several facilities that offer tissue sampling for a variety of crops.

Many areas of Nebraska received a nice, gentle rain, totaling between 1 and 4 inches over the last several days, but a good portion of central Nebraska received totals in excess of 6 inches. Producers are wondering “How long will my newly emerging crop survive being ponded or flooded?” Here are some guidelines taken from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension.

Early frost damage is a concern for growers throughout the Western Corn Belt each Spring with the unpredictability of Midwest weather. With many of our producers finishing up planting, we understand the importance of knowing how the freeze impacts your plants.

There are four major pathogenic fungi that can be hazardous to a young soybean causing seed rot, seedling mortality, and root and stem decay. These pathogens are Pythium, Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, and Phytophthora. While most early season soybean diseases do occur in cool and wet soils, some pathogens thrive in warm and dry soil conditions.

The degree of stress, and potential damage from stress is determined mostly by soil and water temperatures during imbibition and seedling emergence.