Latest Updates from cropwatch.unl.edu

Figure 1. Wouldn’t it be great to have a soil water gauge to help determine when the crop water supply is getting low just like the gauge in a pickup that tells how much fuel is left. Irrigation expenses are usually the biggest energy cost on the farm. On dry years, they become even higher. So how does one know when the system must be started and when it can be turned off? How should the low commodity prices this year affect these decisions?

July has resulted in numerous storm events. According to the Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, so far there have been 16 tornado reports issued, 68 hail reports, and 197 wind reports this month.

With recent storm damage, the following are resources and considerations when it comes to crop insurance and irrigating storm damaged fields.

Simulations of 2020 end-of-season corn yield potential and real-time crop stage were performed on July 14 for 40 locations across the US Corn Belt using the UNL Hybrid-Maize crop model in collaboration with faculty and extension educators from ten universities.

A Nebraska Extension online course designed to help farmers and ranchers improve their decision-making by better understanding their current financial positions will begin Aug. 1.

Soil microbiology is a universal and essential component of agricultural soils. This NebGuide provides basic information of soil microbiology, microbial functions, microbial enhancement, and microbial assessment.

Silks and tassels are emerging and the smell of pollen is in the air in fields throughout the State! Two recent articles from Dr. Bob Nielsen, Purdue University, may be helpful for a refresher and also to learn something new regarding silk and tassel development and pollination.

Corn is rated 70% good to excellent and progressing ahead of last year but behind the five-year average. Soybean is rated 73% good to excellent and is progressing ahead of both last year and the five-year average. Winter wheat harvest is ahead of previous years with 50% complete. Pasture and range condition are rated 48% good to excellent, down from 63% from the previous report.

Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) is a concept to identify potentially invasive species prior to or just as the establishment of the invasive is taking place.

Nebraska Extension has release a new NebGuide (G2326) to help growers understand the various herbicide-resistant soybean traits that are available commercially.

As the growing season continues, the Plant & Pest Diagnostic Clinic is here to serve Nebraska growers by helping correctly identify weeds, insects, and plant diseases that are popping up.

The Yield Forecasting Center (YFC) will provide real-time information on corn phenology and forecasts of corn yield potential every three weeks, starting in mid-July, to aid growers and ag industry in making management, logistics, and marketing decisions through the 2020 season.

The first western bean cutworm moths were captured in University of Nebraska-Lincoln black light traps June 23 at North Platte, June 26 at Clay Center, and July 7 at Scottsbluff.

Corn progress is running behind normal, soybean progress continues to be ahead of normal, and crop condition for both continue mostly good to excellent, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service July 6 report for Nebraska.

A video camera took the place of live audiences for the High Plains Ag Lab Virtual Field Day, as Cody Creech, dryland cropping systems specialist and research supervisor at HPAL, discusses one of the research projects underway at the plots north of Sidney. Social distancing guidelines ruled out conducting an in-person field day this June at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln High Plains Ag Lab (HPAL) near Sidney. But anybody who wants to learn about research taking place at the 2,400-acre facility can easily do so online, from the comfort of their home or office, and at any time of the day or night.

Nebraska legalized industrial hemp in 2019, which created much interest in researching various aspects of hemp production, including weed control. Therefore, we initiated study at Agronomy Farm in Mead, with the objective to test hemp tolerance to 18 soil-applied herbicides that are commonly used for preemergence weed control in corn or soybean.

Craig Chandler | University Communication

With the uncertainty revolving around COVID-19, grain marketing has come to the forefront of many producers’ minds. "At current price levels should I hedge my crop?”

Free legal and financial clinics are being offered for farmers and ranchers across the state in July 2020. The clinics are one-on-one meetings with an agricultural law attorney and an agricultural financial counselor.