Latest Updates from cropwatch.unl.edu

Once a freeze occurs, it takes seven days for prussic acid to dissipate from forage sorghum species like sorghum-sudangrass. The hours immediately after a frost have the highest level of toxic compounds in these plants. A review on how to safely graze forage sorghum species after freezing temperatures.

Following the cold front that's bringing Nebraska's first freeze for the season tonight, the beginning of next week looks great for fall harvest or wheat planting, and another chance of precipitation is on the way for mid-week.

Combine calibration is a crucial step for keeping grain losses at acceptable levels. Knowing where grain losses occur is key to keeping them as low as possible — in this article, extension educators review how to calculate pre-harvest and at-harvest grain losses to determine their sources.

Soil compaction, usually caused by conventional tillage, can be resolved by planting deep-rooted species such as brassicas. Soil health experts share techniques for reducing soil compaction without the use of long-term cover crops.

If you or someone you know needs help this harvest season, contact Farm Rescue or apply online using the link below. (Photo courtesy Farm Rescue) Farm Rescue helps farmers and ranchers who have experienced a major illness, injury or natural disaster by providing the equipment and volunteer workforce to plant, hay or harvest their crop.

In crop and pasture land leases, hunting rights default to the tenant unless otherwise stipulated in a verbal or written agreement. A look at landlord and tenant hunting rights in land leases, and tips on managing pasture thistles this fall.

Soybean cyst nematode can cause up to 30% yield loss with no significant aboveground symptoms, making soil sampling at the end of soybean season a critical part of managing this crop pest.

Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA. As of Oct. 1, harvest for all Nebraska crops continued at or above average pace.

Historical acreage reports for Nebraska are available at USDA. In October, USDA NASS will begin surveying Nebraska producers on total acres planted and harvested, and total yield and production of row crops, to calculate county-level estimates.

Nebraska Extension Educator Amy Timmerman explains how to conduct a push test to identify stalk rot before harvesting your corn fields.

Colfax County #2 team members participate in a discussion during the 2023 Regional Youth Crop Scouting Competition. After winning first place in the state competition, the team placed second in regionals. All Nebraska youth participating in the 2023 Regional Youth Crop Scouting Competition earned accolades for exhibiting their knowledge and skills throughout nine separate crop scouting exercises for the contest.

A near-record warm period is expected to close out September, and October will begin with widespread rainfall in Nebraska.

In a dry edible bean plot at the UNL PREEC Mitchell Lab, Maria Alvarado, UNL graduate student, left, Kainyon Tay, head of the legume program in Chile, and Carlos Urrea, UNL dry bean breeder, look for desirable bean plants. (Photo by Chabella Guzman) Continuing international collaborations on dry bean genetic research, UNL's Carlos Urrea hand-selects quality dry bean plants during harvest in Nebraska to send to researchers across the world for cross-breeding.

By the close of the fiscal year on Sept. 30, USDA, through the delivery of FSA programs, will have invested more than $19 billion in America’s agricultural producers with more economic support on the way in fiscal year 2024. This week, FSA will issue more than $581 million in 2021 and 2022 drought and wildfire emergency relief to eligible ranchers, and $1.17 billion in crop disaster assistance.

Partnering with Nebraska On-Farm Research Network, North Platte farmer Cameron Kolling is conducting research this year on interseeding a variety of cover crops in corn.

Soy2023, the Biennial Cellular and Molecular Biology of the Soybean Conference, was held Aug. 10-13 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in Lincoln, Nebraska. Over 160 scientists from national and international public and private sector institutions gathered to exchange ideas and research outcomes, and to share this information with soybean growers for improved production practices.

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln team working on the MICRA project includes (from left) Taro Mieno, agricultural economics; Daniel Schachtman, agronomy and horticulture; Saleh Taghvaeian, biological systems engineering; and Seunghee Kim, civil engineering. (Photo by Nick Kumpula, Research and Economic Development) The research team will experiment with soil amendments and biochar to measure their impact on soil water-holding capacity to find ways to improve preservation of soil moisture in farm fields.

Historical potato production reports for Nebraska are available at USDA. Nebraska's potato production in 2022 was up 4% from the previous year, and acreage also increased by 5%.

When it comes to stalks residue, grain sorghum stover will retain nutrient grazing value longer than corn, so prioritize grazing corn residue first to achieve optimum nutrition. Extension educators review important factors to consider when entering a land lease agreement, overgrazing pastures in preparation for interseeding legumes, and using drought-stressed crop residue as a feed source.

The Soil Health Exchange is a new discussion forum, designed to give producers and ag stakeholders an avenue for direct communication with some of Nebraska's leading soil health experts for help with their soil health concerns, interpreting test reports and more. The Soil Health Exchange is a new discussion forum designed to give producers and ag stakeholders an avenue for direct communication with some of Nebraska's leading soil health experts for help with soil health concerns, interpreting test reports and more.