Differentiating Soybean Problems
Crop Update: It was great catching up briefly with so many people at Husker Harvest Days last week! We didn’t get the traditional rain anytime during husker harvest days and soybeans and non-irrigated crops turned quickly. Please slow down and watch out for slow moving vehicles as harvest has started in the area. Here’s wishing everyone a safe harvest season!
For about 10 days I was getting called to fields and answering calls about sudden death syndrome in soybeans. The majority of the situations I was called out to actually wasn’t sudden death syndrome. So, I’d like to share what to look for in order to differentiate soybean diseases. Even though soybeans are turning now, it’s helpful to know what you’re truly dealing with as you think about soybean varieties in the future.
Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) and Brown Stem Rot (BSR) are both soil-borne fungal diseases in which the fungus is in the root and/or stem but toxins from the fungus create yellowing/brown between leaf veins on the plants. For SDS, I can usually pull those plants very easily from the soil as there’s a clear rotted taproot associated with that disease. Sometimes, you will see gray/blue fungal growth on the rotted taproot as well.
I also split the stem open, especially if the plant didn’t pull easily yet had the leaf symptoms. If the pith is brown in discoloration and is “stacked” like there’s layers of plates of tissue in it, the culprit is most likely brown stem rot. There are instances where you will have both a rotted taproot and a brown stem. In those cases, both SDS and BSR are present.
Brown pith tissue that is hollowed out and has sawdust in it is from dectes (soybean) stem borer. Dectes will not cause the leaf symptoms that SDS and BSR will. It will create a petiole with a trifoliate leaf that “flags”, meaning, it looks wilted and dying.
To be honest, the most common thing I’ve seen is the lack of a disease present. Most of the time, the taproot is in tact with a good root system, and often, there’s either whole fields or “lines” to where the symptoms are present. In those cases, I’ve suggested that this isn’t a disease issue but instead, Triazole fungicide phytotoxicity. These symptoms typically occur 2-3 weeks after a fungicide has been sprayed and either follow a spray pattern (including drift in some cases) or have field-wide distribution. Triazoles are in the Group 3 fungicide class and they move in the xylem (water-carrying vessels of the plant). Thus, their movement is dependent upon moisture. Plants that are drought-stressed lead to the fungicide product being in the tissue longer, allowing for greater injury. Other characteristics that impact the level of triazole phytotoxicity include the fungicide rate, adjuvants used, soybean genetics, and environmental conditions at the time of application. Usually leaves in the upper canopy are impacted as they were undergoing cell division (expanding) during the time of the fungicide application. For more info. please see: https://go.unl.edu/t4cg and https://cropprotectionnetwork.org/news/fungicide-phytotoxicity-on-soybean-triazole-injury-sparks-concern.
Why is this important to know? Because the next time you grow soybeans, it’d be helpful to know if you need to look for specific disease resistance in the variety selected or if one needs to consider a seed treatment for SDS. If the culprit ends up being triazole fungicide phytotoxicity, take note on the fungicide and adjuvants used and also the specific soybean variety as all those factors make a difference.
(Above photo captions): Yellow/brown chlorosis between the leaf veins in the left photo due to SDS (but very similar with BSR) (photo by Jenny Rees). Right photo shows yellow/brown chlorosis between the leaf veins due to triazole fungicide phytotoxicity which looks very similar to the leaf symptoms on SDS and BSR. (Photo via Kyle Broderick).
Photos Above: Dectes stem borer hollowed out the pith of this stem. Notice the hollowed out look and absence of “stacking” in the pith. One will also observe sawdust if dectes is present. Splitting the stem further the dectes stem borer can be found (right picture-I accidentally cut it). I don’t worry about dectes for causing yield loss; we’ve been dealing with it in Nuckolls/Thayer counties since before I started in Extension. It eats out the pith but the vascular bundles in soybean are on the outside (think of tree rings)…so they’re not causing xylem and phloem disruption (or very minimal if so). The main issue with dectes is creating lodging if a windstorm occurs prior to harvest.
JenREES 9/8/24
Water use till maturity for Corn: Beginning Dent 5”, ¼ milk 3.75”; ½ milk 2.25”; ¾ milk 1”.
Water use till maturity for Beans: Beg. Seed 6.5”; Full Seed 3.5”; Leaves beg yellow 1.9”.
Crop Update: The past few weeks have resulted in a rapid decline in non-irrigated crops and crops that have been impacted by Goss’ wilt, Fusarium crown rot, and stalk rots. There’s already been quite a bit of discussion about this, but prioritizing harvest for those fields is important.
Even though we haven’t had as long of an irrigation season as 2023, the breakdowns experienced by farmers this year has made it feel long. We unfortunately haven’t received that last August rain that normally finishes us up on corn. Corn still needs 1″ of soil moisture at 3/4 starch. Be careful not to quit applying water too early on beans. Soybeans still need nearly 2″ of water when the leaves begin to turn yellow. Technically, when the white membrane has separated from the seed inside the top several pods, they are no longer using moisture. Evaluating the soil moisture status in each field will help you determine if/how much more irrigation you need. Here’s wishing a safe finish to the growing season and harvest to all!
Fall Planting: Kelly Feehan, Extension Horticulture Educator shares the following, “Fall is a good time to plant, but timing is important. For lawns, seeding is recommended by September 15, especially turf-type tall fescue. Kentucky bluegrass could be seeded a little later and be fine, unless there is an early hard freeze. Fall is a very good time to plant many shrubs, shade trees and evergreens. Shade trees can be planted almost up until soil freeze. Evergreens are best planted in September or early October to allow time for root establishment and reduce the risk of winter dessication. While it’s getting late to plant most vegetables, cool season vegetables with short days to maturity could be planted in early September for a fall crop. This would include vegetables like radishes, green onions, and lettuce. Spring flowering bulbs and garlic are best planted after soil temperatures have cooled, usually in early October. It’s important to keep the soil of newly planted plants moist, but not saturated, up until the soil freezes.
Early September is the best time to divide peonies. While peonies can go years without division, dividing them can increase blooming for many years. Peony division also helps reduce disease and provides more plants for the garden. To divide peonies, first cut the stems to near ground level. Next, dig up the plant, saving as many roots as possible. Remove soil from roots gently by hosing it off. Using a sharp knife, divide the root clump into small sections. Each division should have healthy roots and three to five buds, which are usually pinkish. When replanting, select a location with at least half a day of full sunlight, but more is better. Dig a hole large enough to hold the root ball, but shallow enough so buds are only covered by one to two inches of soil. Planting peonies too deep can prevent them from blooming. After planting, water thoroughly; then keep the soil moist up until the ground freezes to encourage root growth.”
JenREES 9/1/24
Reminder this week of York Co. Corn Growers Plot Tour 5:30-7:30 p.m. near Doug Perdue’s on Sept. 3rd and the Interseeding Cover Crops Field Day at Jordan Uldrich’s near Milligan from 2-4 p.m. on Sept. 4th.
Fleas: I hope we’re past this situation, but sharing in case. For about two weeks, we received a number of calls about fleas in homes from the York/Polk County area. I’m unsure why we’re seeing higher numbers here compared to other counties. I was even seeing them coming into buildings when doors were left open and would suggest closing doors. The majority of these situations involved cats that were infested, but a few also involved situations with no indoor pets. According to Kait Chapman, Extension Entomologist, optimal conditions for flea development is 70-85F and 70% humidity. We’ve certainly had a lot of humidity but those cooler conditions happened either before or after the first week of August.
Regarding bites, adults typically get bit below the knee and children all over the torso. Families without pets can get fleas from wildlife and feral animals. Flea larvae look like legless worms that live in pet resting areas; adults can live there too. We’ve received a couple of calls on treating animals and would recommend you contact a veterinarian instead of us. Wash and vacuum all pet resting areas. Vacuuming alone is difficult to control the larvae. Professional companies can provide insecticide applications. External treatment may be needed regardless if one owns pets or not. Wildlife removal of outdoor animals nesting under the porch or crawlspace is also a management tool. For more information, please see: https://go.unl.edu/oz96. Another resource with more in depth information is: https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/HUDGB7C6GUID.PDF.
Pricing Silage: I’ve had a few questions regarding silage. Shannon Sand, Extension Ag Economist, shared the following, “Determining a fair market value for silage involves several considerations. UNL research has shown that corn silage priced standing in the field before harvest should be valued at 7.65 x the price per bushel of corn where a ton of corn silage is harvested at 60-65% moisture. This multiplier value is consistent regardless of corn price. As of August 20, 2024, December, corn for the West Central part of Nebraska is estimated to be at $3.71 per bushel. Corn at $3.71x$7.65=$28.38 per ton. This accounts for harvest grain price, not having to combine or haul grain to market, increased grain price due to storage and the cost of silage storage.
When estimating costs in the silo, harvest, hauling and packing expenses can vary. The 2024 Nebraska Farm Custom Rates publication showed an average custom rate of $15.13 per ton. At $28.38 per ton in the field plus $15.10 per ton for harvesting, hauling, and packing we come out to $43.48 per ton in the pile. When $3 per ton is added for storage expense, the price per ton is $46.48.
When valuing silage out of storage and into the bunk, remember the ensiling process will cause shrink and dry matter loss from 10-20% or more from when silage is packed into the silo until it is removed to be fed. With 10% dry matter shrink, the value of silage delivered to the bunk would be $51.13 per ton. Ultimately, the price of silage is a dynamic factor influenced by market conditions, production costs, and more. By utilizing some calculations, Nebraska producers can gain a greater understanding of their operation’s finances.”
State Fair: Congrats to all the 4-H and FFA youth who exhibited at the Nebraska State Fair! I’m especially grateful for and proud of a group of youth who have worked really hard with plant and insect identification through the years. Some of them chose to compete at State Fair this year. York County youth won 1st place in the Junior, Intermediate, and Senior Team divisions of the 4-H Weed and Grass ID Contests at State Fair this year! It’s exciting to see youth continue to learn and grow and develop these life skills!
JenREES 8/26/24
Corn diseases have been the main question this past week. A few weeks ago, splitting open stalks revealed stalk rot setting into nodes while internodes looked healthy. The root crown of plants was also rotted. As I walked fields last week, an increasing number of plants are showing white/pink fungal growth on the outside of nodes and/or plants that are broken/bent a few nodes above the soil line. I believe all of this is mostly due to Fusarium crown rot. The diagnostician at the plant and pest diagnostic lab in Lincoln also felt that was the biggest culprit. It always stinks sharing news like this before harvest, but if you’re seeing plants breaking over in your fields, consider harvesting those fields earlier.
Goss’ wilt continues to be a problem in some corn fields as well. We’ve seen the systemic version since V7 this year, primarily in York, Seward, and Hamilton counties. We’re seeing more of the foliar type now, but if you see whole plants dying, most likely it contains the systemic version of the bacterium too. The way to tell systemic Goss’ wilt is to cut a cross section of the stalk. Orange/brown discoloration of the vascular bundles indicates potential systemic Goss’ wilt.
As southern rust changes spore types from the orange uredineospores to the black teliospores, there’s been numerous questions if they have tar spot. Tar spot will be on both sides of the leaf, raised, and won’t rub off on your fingers or with water. The black teliospores of southern rust tend to be concentrated around the midrib of corn leaves, from what I’m seeing now, and they will only occur on one side of the leaf. A helpful resource with pictures differentiating southern rust, tar spot, and saprophytic diseases can be found here: https://go.unl.edu/46uw.
York County Corn Growers will have a plot tour on Tuesday, September 3rd from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Doug, Jason, and Karah Perdue hosted the large plot this year and we’re grateful for their efforts! Come hear about the hybrids from the companies represented and enjoy a shrimp boil (shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes). Guess the highest yield without going over and win a $50 gas card (must be present to win at the winter corn grower banquet). All are welcome and corn grower members are asked to bring friends. For questions please contact Jason at: 402-366-2821 or Jenny Rees at 402-362-5508.
Soil Health Field Day in conjunction with the Upper Big Blue NRD and The Nature Conservancy will be held at Jordan Uldrich’s farm near Milligan on September 4th from 2-4 p.m. Gather first at Charlie’s Pub (524 Main St, Milligan) with refreshments and introductions before heading to the field. Jordan will share his experiences with interseeding cover crops into corn fields. It’s also an opportunity to network with producers and share ideas. For questions please contact: Valerie Paul at 402-362-6601 / vpaul@upperbigblue.org or Nicholas Arneson at 402-676-1618/ nicholas.arneson@tnc.org.
Nebraska Sorghum Producers Field Day will also be held on September 4th beginning at 5 p.m. at the Mike Baker farm near Trenton, NE. From Highway 25 north of Trenton go to County Rd 717, then west 4.5 miles.
Husker Harvest Days near Grand Island are September 10-12 this year. New this year is free admission if you register online ahead of time at: https://huskerharvestdays.com. Otherwise they are $25 at the gate for adults, $10 for youth ages 13-17, and free for youth 12 and under. The show hours have also been adjusted this year to 9 a.m.-4 p.m. all three days.
JenREES 8/19/24
Crop Update: One thing I’ve observed since the hot week the first week of August was corn plants going from milk to beginning dent and seemingly skipping the dough stage. Dr. Tom Hoegemeyer and I shared observations of this last week. Not only were the days hot, but the nights were warm (70’s-80’s) too leading to plant respiration at night. This means they were burning sugars instead of storing them leading to the plants pushing development, which can lead to smaller kernels and potentially lower yields. We’ll have to see how this plays out in the end with yield. This past week of cloudy/foggy, cool mornings with heavy dews and high humidity can lead to increased fungal disease going forward in our crops as well. Overall, crops in the area are looking good though.
Last irrigation: (days listed are based on GDUs, so consider this for your crop growth stage and field soil moisture levels so you can start tapering off). This tool helps you calculate potential black layer date based on your planting date and relative maturity: https://mygeohub.org/groups/u2u/purdue_gdd. What I’m currently seeing is that 2024 growing degree days are tracking slightly lower for York than the 30 year average.
- Corn at Dough needs 7.5” (approximately 34 days to maturity)
- Corn at Beginning Dent needs 5” of water (approximately 24 days to maturity)
- Corn at ¼ milk needs 3.75” (approximately 19 days to maturity)
- Corn at ½ milk (Full Dent) needs 2.25” (approximately 13 days to maturity)
- Soybean at beginning seed (R5) needs around 6.5” (approx. 29 days to maturity)
- Soybean at full seed (R6) needs 3.5” (approx. 18 days to maturity)
- Soybean with leaves beginning to yellow (R6.5) needs 1.9” (approx. 10 days to maturity)
Pasture and Acreage Expo: I often receive questions about pasture management from landowners, tenants, and acreage owners. New this year is a Pasture and Acreage Expo to be held this Friday, Aug. 23 at the Lancaster Extension Center in Lincoln (444 Cherrycreek Rd Suite A) from 1-6 p.m. The program goal is for landowners to maximize the value of their properties and livestock operations. The registration and trade show begin at 1 p.m. with educational programs beginning at 1:30 p.m. Topics include: equine nutrition, virtual fencing, pasture establishment/grazing management, winter cow care, pasture weed management, plant and weed identification, and windbreak management. There is no charge for this event but pre-registration is requested at: https://croptechcafe.org/pastureacreageexpo/. The full agenda can also be viewed at that website. For more information or if you’re interested in being a vendor for this event, please contact John Nelson at: (402) 441-7180.
Renovating Lawns: August 15-September 15 are the best times to seed cool season grasses. Improving Turf in the Fall at https://go.unl.edu/2bn5 is a great resource to walk you through renovation depending on your situation. Some lawns can be easily improved by adding fall fertilizer. Sarah Browning, Extension Horticultural Educator shares, “Lawns that are 10-15 or more years old typically need only two fertilizer applications a year. Make the fall application in late August or early September. On younger lawns, two fertilizer applications during fall are recommended. Make the first one in late August/early September, and the second in mid-late October.”
If overseeding is needed to fill in thinned areas but more than 50% of good turf remains, mow the existing grass 2.5” tall to make the soil prep easier. For lawns needing total renovation, start with a glyphosate (Roundup application) followed by waiting at least 7-10 days to kill the lawn. Mow dead vegetation as short as mower goes to then aerate the lawn three times. Full seeding rate for tall fescue is 6-8 lbs./1,000 sq.ft., and 2-3 lbs. for Kentucky bluegrass. When overseeding into an existing lawn, the seeding rate can be cut in half. Drilling the seed is perhaps best, otherwise, use a drop seeder. Seed half the seed north/south and the other half east/west for even distribution. Then lightly rake to ensure seed to soil contact.
Aug. 28-29 Soil Health and Corn/Soy Clinics will be held at ENREEC near Mead. More details at: https://go.unl.edu/o80f.
Disease and Fungicides
Disease and Fungicides: Tar spot has been found in Polk and York counties at moderate incidence on leaves below the ears in the Shelby/Gresham/Benedict areas thus far. So far, all the samples and photos received have been in fields that were already sprayed. I’ve received a number of questions the past few weeks on why disease is present on fields that were sprayed with a fungicide. In the samples and questions received, I ask where the disease (mostly southern rust or tar spot) is located on the plant. If located below the ear, most likely, the product didn’t penetrate the canopy below the ear leaf. Some producers have asked for increased gallonage (3 gal/acre+) in order to better penetrate the plant canopy. In nearly every case of the questions/samples received, the diseases are below the ear leaf and not above.
If the disease is above the ear leaf in fields sprayed with a fungicide, it’s possible the spores had infected the leaves but hadn’t produced visible signs of lesions until after the fungicide was applied. Products containing triazoles (Group 3) can have some curative (killing) activity to what is already present on the leaf, but they will only work if the fungus was present a few hours to a few days before a leaf was sprayed with a fungicide. It’s also possible with very tall hybrids and lower ear placement that the coverage didn’t reach the ear leaf in some of those situations. Group 7 and 11 fungicides should provide 21-28 days of control. For fields where fungicide was automatically applied at tassel, that residual has most likely worn off or will soon. I’m not aware of any fungicide resistance issues yet in corn in Nebraska.
In corn fields that haven’t been sprayed, I’ve seen low incidence of southern rust at the ear leaf and below. At some point, it may worsen, but as many fields approach dough to dent, it’s helpful that disease didn’t explode yet. Info. about fungicide app if needed at these later development stages is below. Another observation is I tend to see more disease in fields that have been sprayed that had higher rates of nitrogen applied at one time vs. spoon-feeding over time. It’s just an observation and may not hold true, but it’s something observed thus far.
Dr. Tamra Jackson-Ziems had a fungicide timing study for two years (2008 and 2009) at South Central Ag Lab which showed fungicides could be applied through 100% dent (watch pre-harvest intervals) and had no yield difference compared to tassel in a year without southern rust pressure but heavy gray leaf spot pressure. I think we’d be more comfortable with applying no later than dough/early dent instead of 100% dent. The data is why I recommend delaying fungicide apps till needed. Several asked about the need for second fungicide apps if fields have higher disease pressure at ear leaf and below. That’s going to be a farmer/agronomist and field by field decision. The economics are tough this year with one app much less two.
Soybean Management Field Days: Would like to encourage and remind you of the upcoming Soybean Management Field Day at Scott Richert’s farm near Ulysses on Thursday, Aug. 15 from 6-8 p.m. (Reg. at 5:30 p.m.). Google map pin of the location at https://go.unl.edu/smfd3. It’s on the Butler/Seward Co. line on Rd. 21 (Ashland Rd) between Roads D and E in Butler Co. and Roads 434 and 420 in Seward Co. I’m grateful we were able to change this program to be more relevant to the area and showcase what the farmers are doing. If you’re interested in hearing more about how small grains like rye can help with palmer and white mold control, hear about learning experiences with roller crimping, and learn about various soybean seed treatments, we hope you’ll join us! Please RSVP for meal count but walk-ins are welcome (402-624-8030 or https://enreec.unl.edu/soydays).
Fair and Drone Conferences
A special Thank You to everyone who helped make the 2024 York County Fair a success! I get to serve with nearly 60 volunteers who serve in Ag Hall each year. Most have served nearly 20 years or more! It’s fun for me to see the buildings and grounds come alive with projects. It’s also fun to observe people catching up with each other and to catch up with people myself. Perhaps my favorite part of fair is seeing the youth awarded for their projects and proudly wearing their medals around the fairgrounds. I’ve been blessed my entire career to work with wonderful people at county fairs and in counties where all the entities work together for the good of the youth, families, and community. Thank You to all the Ag Society, 4-H Council, Extension Board and staff, volunteers, families, sponsors, vendors, police/security who make the York County Fair a success each year! Wishing everyone exhibiting at Seward County Aug. 8-11 all the best as well!
Drone Conference: Nebraska Extension is hosting two drone conferences on Wednesday, Aug. 14 and Thursday, Aug. 15 at West Central Research, Extension and Education Center in North Platte, Nebraska. On Aug. 14th, the Drones in Agriculture Conference will feature Jonathan Rupprecht, Esq. of Rupprecht Law, P.A. Rupprecht is a lawyer, commercial pilot and flight instructor who combines these experiences to help businesses and individuals navigate the complex system of laws for unmanned aircraft systems.
On Aug. 15th, The Nebraska Spray Drone Conference will feature Dr. Steve Li, associate professor and extension specialist of weed science at Auburn University. His research team works on evaluating the application efficiency of spray drones and understanding how to optimize flight and spray parameters to mitigate spray drift.
In addition to these speakers, the conferences will feature presenters from Federal Aviation Administration, Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Nebraska Extension, Pix4D Agriculture, Lifted Vision, Aurora Cooperative, Agri Spray Drones, and Volitant Technologies. Spray drone demonstrations will be provided by Agri Spray Drones and Volitant Technologies. Please refer to the registration page for more information on speakers and conference agendas.
The conference registration fee is $150 per conference, or $250 when registering for both. An educational discount is available to students and educators through an application process available on the registration page. For more information and to RSVP, please go to: https://go.unl.edu/ihd5.
Extension Educator, Dirk Charlson, is also hosting a Part 107 Remote Pilot Exam Prep Course on August 16th from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. for more information and to register for that, please register at: https://cvent.me/x1AQD2. Please contact Dr. Dirk Charlson for more information on this course and/or the drone conference at Email: dirk.charlson@unl.edu or Cell: 402-460-0742 (Text or Call).
Forage Field Day Webinar will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Tues. Aug. 6th. Topics include: Alfalfa revenue insurance program; Sustainable ag and forage management; Summer annual for forage and soil health; Digestible forages in dairy rotations; Optimizing forage availability with cover crop grazing; Making a “safe” harvest plan; and Alfalfa diseases and pests. More information and online registration is required at: https://go.unl.edu/ad2y.
Reminder on Aug. 8 of UNL’s South Central Ag Lab Field Day near Harvard and also the Soil Health Event at the 4-H Building in York.
August 2024 Events
It’s fair time!!! Hope to see you at the York County Fair this week from Aug. 1-4 and the Seward County Fair next week Aug. 8-11.
For field updates, southern rust was found in a number of counties last week at low incidence. I’m able to find it a low levels in every field I walk into right now but incidence is so low that I still haven’t been recommending to spray. We’ve been seeing southern in lower portions of canopies in fields that have already been sprayed because the product didn’t penetrate that deep into the canopy. The updated map is at: https://corn.ipmpipe.org/southerncornrust/. Depending on when you read this, Seward does need to be filled in because we have confirmed it in Seward Co. too.
South Central Ag Lab (SCAL) Field Days on Aug. 8th near Harvard will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m. and the program at 8:45 a.m. Tours can be selected depending on what the attendees are most interested in. A special demonstration will provide the opportunity to see real-time, camera-based weed detection technology with the John Deere See and Spray. Topics and presenters include: Irrigation Management Technologies with Saleh Taghvaeian and Steve Melvin; Corn and Soy Disease Management with Tamra Jackson-Ziems and Dylan Mangel; Weed Management focused on Planting Green and Intercropping by Amit Jhala; Nitrogen/Fertigation Management with Katie Bathke and Joe Luck; and Insect Management and conservation features with Matheus Ribeiro and Ron Seymour. The lunch keynote speaker will be Dr. J. David Aiken, water and agricultural law specialist, sharing on “Carbon Market Considerations for Farmers”. SCAL is located at 851 Hwy. 6, near Harvard. There is no cost and RSVP is requested for planning purposes to (402) 762-3536 or https://go.unl.edu/scalfieldday. CCA credits are pending.
Soil Health Field Day will be held Aug. 8th at the 4-H Building in York from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Reg. at 9:30 a.m.). Topics include: Making winter wheat a success by Nathan Mueller; Soil health and summer annual cover crops by Katja Koehler-Cole; Protecting your bottom line with resilient cropping systems by Nick Arneson; Cover crop options that help game birds by Nate Pflueger; What we’ve learned so far about compost extracts by Jenny Rees; followed by a cover crop field site visit. 2.5 soil/water CEUs are available. No charge but please RSVP to 402-646-5426 for meal count.
Soybean Management Field Days are following a different format this year. The local field site for our area will be at Scott Richert’s field in the Ulysses/Gresham area on Aug. 15th from 6-8 p.m. (reg. at 5:30 p.m.). Scott planted soybeans green into rye and then roller crimped the rye after soybean emergence. This practice has aided in reducing palmer and white mold in his fields. This location will feature his on-farm research seed treatment study where he’s comparing the seed company’s full seed treatment vs. his biological seed treatment vs. an inoculated treatment vs. untreated check. I’m really looking forward to this format of showcasing the farmers and their research and topics of relevance to our local area. Other evening locations include Holdrege on Aug. 13 and Neligh on Aug. 14. Another option will be Aug. 16 at ENREEC near Mead with program from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. (Reg. 10 a.m.). That location will focus more on the TAPS soybean plots, Ag Olympics, and soybean gall midge research plot tours. There’s no charge thanks to sponsorship by the Nebraska Soybean Board, but please RSVP for planning purposes to 402-624-8030 or https://enreec.unl.edu/soydays.
Peer Groups
This past week I attended the National Association of County Agricultural Agents meeting in Dallas, TX. It’s a joy to see my ag educator/agent friends serving people through the U.S. and its territories, to talk through local issues, learn from and encourage each other. Extension is truly like a big family, both within Nebraska, and outside of it, and I’m grateful for that and for peer groups in my life over time. Even though I took care of clientele during my time away, it’s also nice to physically get away at times to reset.
A highlight of these meetings is a tour of local ag for that State. My tour was on cotton production including touring a cotton gin. Others of you probably know this, but I didn’t realize the cotton flowers were so beautiful! They begin white when they bloom. Once they pollinate, they turn pink, then turn into the boll which eventually form burs around it. Cotton is either stripped with a stripper header like some harvest wheat (which essentially leaves the stalk standing), or it is harvested by picking where only the bolls are removed. Most of the farmers in this area of Texas use stripper headers. Some fun facts: a cotton boll has 4 compartments, each with 7 seeds in it. Each bale of cotton removed from a field goes through the gin individually. It comes in at about 10-12% moisture and is dried to 6-7% to allow for easier cleaning. The cottonseed, burrs, sticks, etc. are removed from it and the cleaned cotton is baled and bagged with a sticker tracing that bale back to the original field. The grower is paid for the cleaned cotton and the cottonseed (and often more money is made from the cottonseed than the cotton). The rotation in the area I toured was corn/cotton.
(Captions for photos above: Cotton field (top left); Several flower and boll stages in this pic (top right); First flowers are this beautiful white color but don’t smell (bottom left); How cotton comes into the gin compared to cleaned cotton (bottom middle); cottonseed compared to the remaining material removed from the cleaned cotton (bottom right).)
I also presented on the importance of peer groups. Participating in peer groups with like-minded individuals (regardless of one’s career or the topic) is a rewarding way to learn, encourage, and be more innovative. In 2020, in the midst of covid while serving a large area, one grower encouraged me to connect him to the growers I was telling him about who were like-minded in their thinking regarding regenerative agriculture. So, we started a small soil health support group with growers from three counties and myself, met via zoom at first, then did a late summer driving tour of farms. I’ve watched deep friendships develop, sharing of equipment across county lines, and supporting each other’s businesses including cover crop seed sales, biological product sales, seed treatment, and seed cleaning. These specific peer groups have grown to around 30 farmers in a few groups from 6 counties. The goals were connection of like-minded farmers who were humble and vulnerable in sharing successes and failures, openminded in trying new things, and ultimately that collectively we could “fail forward faster” in finding meaningful solutions to reducing chemical and nutrient inputs.
Because the growers wanted to obtain data around some of their efforts, since 2020, they’ve completed 19 Nebraska On-Farm Research Studies in the regenerative ag space. And because farmers like to hear from other farmers, they have shared on these studies at 13 Ag Industry and Extension meetings thus far. In ag, it’s so easy to isolate and feel alone. Perhaps many careers are this way? Would encourage anyone to consider joining or creating a peer group with like-minded individuals if you’re not already in one.
On-Farm Research: I’m so grateful for all the farmers who have/continue to work with me/my peers via on-farm research to collect meaningful data that benefits all of us! The Nebraska Soybean Board followed a few of our farmers with on-farm research efforts last harvest season and had the following short video created that highlights the importance of on-farm research if you’d like to know more: https://youtu.be/XUyouEjYgIU?si=KIVfrXrDR9pSuN_D.
July 2024 Crop Update
The past 10 days, my top questions have been around fungicide recommendations, control of Japanese beetles, and hail damage. I feel there’s an increasing segment of agronomy that is focused on preventing pests based on fear. I’m grateful for those agronomists who only recommend products when warranted by scouting.
Some thoughts, although not popular, for consideration. Fungicide for white mold in soybean is pricey. If the field didn’t have a history of white mold, I wouldn’t recommend applying a fungicide for white mold. For seed corn fields without a history of white mold, I’d wait to see if white mold develops. If too fearful, would only apply one application at R2. Only fields with a history of white mold would I be considering preventive fungicide applications. And in those fields, if the beans had been planted green into a small grain and/or if a biological product with activity against white mold was used, would suggest scouting and applying only if white mold was present. Fungicide efficacy ratings: https://cropprotectionnetwork.s3.amazonaws.com/soybean-foliar-efficacy-2024.pdf.
Hail: Looked at quite a bit of hail damage in Clay/Fillmore counties last week. Always so hard to see beautiful crops impacted or destroyed. Some hail resources for you: late vegetative/tasseling in corn: https://go.unl.edu/y3of, Soybean decisions: https://go.unl.edu/z7ad; and hail damage info. on my blog at https://jenreesources.com.
Corn Diseases: There’s very little I’ve seen in fields. Bacterial leaf spot (BLS) is common on hybrids and can be confused with gray leaf spot. BLS has longer, thinner lesions with wavy lines when looking at the lesions closely. I’ve seen quite a bit of Goss’ wilt, as early as V8. There’s nothing we can do for either BLS or Goss’s as bacterial diseases, but it’s good to be aware they’re occurring.
Tar spot has been found in Richardson, Nemaha, Saunders, Dodge, Colfax counties but not in our area. Southern rust has been found in northeast Kansas. I still recommend waiting on fungicide applications until we need them. Research found that products applied between tasseling and milk when tar spot was present in low amounts (5%) was effective in controlling tar spot most years. So, waiting could be wise with tight economics, particularly if tar spot, gray leaf spot, and southern rust come in later.
Japanese Beetles in crop fields: Usually the beetles congregate in areas in the field and not whole fields. So even at a 20% defoliation in soybeans during reproductive stages, it’s been hard to pull triggers for spraying because it’s not field-wide defoliation (and we’ve seen soybeans recover in the past). For corn, the threshold is 3 beetles per ear with silks clipped less than ½” and 50% or less of the field is pollinated. A challenge with Japanese beetles is that we have another potentially 4-6 weeks of emergence from grassy areas. So, one can spray an insecticide, but it’s not uncommon to see the beetles damaging fields again once the residual wears off. Spidermites can also be flared upon insecticide applications. Some consider a border app since they begin feeding in the borders. So, those are all things to consider.
Sevin and Japanese Beetles: For homeowners, PLEASE read the pesticide labels before applying products (even if you’ve used that same product in the past). I do mention Sevin as a product that can be applied in different situations in this guide: https://go.unl.edu/xgd6, but not all Sevin formulations are the same; thus, not all the same plants are labeled! We’ve unfortunately seen some plants injured to the point of death in the past. So please, double check that the plant is labeled before applying an insecticide product to control the beetles.
For soybean damage, the situations with pictures shown here (other than the top right) will recover. These fields are already showing new growth in axillary buds including new leaves and flowers. While some canopy was lost, they will look a lot better in 7-10 days. Look for areas of the field (lower right picture) that were protected such as by trees and/or pivot tires, to determine the original development stage when the soybeans were damaged. In the case of the upper right photo, those beans were planted the week of April 10th and were already at a strong R4 to beginning R5. By R5, soybeans will not recover because all new node, leaf, and pod development ceases. If considering to replant any beans, there’s risk of using later than a 2.5 maturity variety with a July 15th planting date in reaching maturity before a frost. By July 20th, aiming for closer to a 2.0 maturity is wise. Also, if you’re replanting into soybeans, we’ve found a fungicide seed treatment is wise as phytophthora root rot tends to be a problem in replant.
For corn, much of the corn I looked at has mostly leaf stripping and will be ok. There’s also bent/broken plants. Fields vary in the amount of stem bruising. When taking stand counts, I push a little hard on plants to see if they break off when I’m taking counts. A rule of thumb we’ve used in the past: every plant in 1/1000th of an acre we give 10 bu/ac to. So, a count of 12 plants has a potential of 120 bu/ac. That may seem crazy; it depends on how things pollinate, how damaged the ears are, final stand, etc. but it has been in the ballpark in enough cases for me to still use it as a guideline for making hail damage decisions.
In these photos, the fields were far more severely damaged. There’s fields like we saw in 2023 where 1/3 of the field or less still has tassels (top left and middle photos). We saw crop insurance delay that decision in the past to see how the ears would pollinate. I’m not sure what they will decide this year. I was seeing a few brown silks in some of these field situations, but it’s super early too. There’s also a large number of dead tassels in these fields (bottom right photo) that won’t provide any pollen. Tassels remaining tend to be wrapped in the newer leaves but as you see in bottom, middle photo, the tassel is trying to shed pollen inside the trapped leaves. Ears may be misshapen and damaged due to hailstones and/or being damaged and unable to emerge from sheaths (bottom left photo).
What we learned in the past is that palmer comes in quickly once the canopy opens. One can consider warrant with drops as a layby depending on how much Group 15 had been used in the field. Most chose not to go that option. Some seeded covers like brassicas/small grain into fields not totaled (flew on or haggie). Most let the palmer grow.
In the top right photo when fields were totaled, some allowed the weeds to grow and grazed with cattle or sheep. Some seeded a summer annual cover like sorghum sudan/sudangrass/pearl millet. In 2023, several crop producers chose pearl millet so they didn’t have to worry about prussic acid poisoning for those bringing in livestock or wanting to hay. Others just waited till later in the year, shredded down the stalks and planted in a small grain like oats or rye. The “blessing” with a decision in July is it can allow for more time to make a decision compared to if we were in June and the primary option was to replant. That perhaps was the biggest lesson I learned last year in working with producers. If you have specific questions or want to talk through decisions, please give me a call.
Also, it’s important to recognize that these disaster events create loss…in this case, loss of crops, pivots, bins, not only in irrigated acres but in a lot of non-irrigated acres that had more potential than most have seen in years, much less their lifetime. It’s ok to have a range of emotions surrounding this. And, it’s common to feel stressed, numb, and not want to make a quick decision. If I’ve learned one thing in my career, it’s the fact that as people, we all just need to talk about the stress and emotions we all face at times with someone we trust. My biggest piece of advice is to talk to someone just to get outside of one’s own head. There’s so much stress in life, not to mention in ag. The most common comment I’ve heard from people the past several years was they just appreciated being able to share with someone about the stress and what they were feeling. There’s also a number of mental wellness resources on the front page of CropWatch at https://cropwatch.unl.edu.
Resources:
- Summer annual forage grasses: https://extensionpubs.unl.edu/publication/g2183/2013/pdf/view/g2183-2013.pdf
- Making soybean replant decisions-what we learned: https://go.unl.edu/z7ad
- Corn damage to late vegetative/tasseling corn: https://go.unl.edu/y3of
More information and registration at: https://www.grazemastergroup.com/events.
JenResources 