Hill and Furrow 2015

Most corn producers are aware of growing degree days as a way to both monitor the accumulation of heat units favorable to growth and estimate when a crop may reach important developmental milestones. Briefly, to calculate the GDD value for a particular day, the daily high and low temperatures (...

A wet week. In a 7 day period between May 4 and 10, the Northwestern Illinois Agricultural Research & Demonstration Center (NWIARDC) received 2.21 inches of rain (Figure), an inch more than was received during the entire month of April! This rain largely put a...

Corn ears are thought to be most susceptible to infection by Stenocarpella maydis, the fungus that causes Diplodia ear mold, in the 3 weeks after silking (milk stage), when the silks begin to die. Fungal spores are rain-splash disseminated onto the crop from residue from previously...

Since last Friday daily wind speeds have averaged between 5.9 and 11.6 mph at the Northwestern Illinois Agricultural Research & Demonstration Center. Warmer high temperatures and breezy weather through tomorrow and most of Thursday provide ideal conditions for in-field grain drying. Many crop...

Growing conditions influence growth and development of weed plants. Each of the past several growing seasons has seen unique challenges and triumphs. In 2012, favorable soil conditions allowed for early planting, soon followed by drought conditions. In 2013, record-setting spring...

There are economic and environmental pressures for farmers to consider applying their nitrogen at more than one time. Nitrogen that is lost to nitrification and nitrate leaching is not available for crop use. In addition, nitrate-nitrogen lost from farm fields can move into ground and surface...

Timely planting in April and May was followed by record-setting rains in June. This led to ponded water that remained for long periods of time in some areas. Research has shown that flooded, anaerobic soil conditions can be devastating for young corn plants, resulting in suffocation death after...

Each year the University of Illinois Extension's regional Crop Management Conferences offer hours of research-based education to farmers, Certified Crop Advisors, and other agricultural professionals. Interactive online courses were developed from 2015 conference presentations by University of...

Last week, symptoms of sudden death syndrome (SDS) began to appear in April 15-planted soybeans at the University of Illinois' Northwestern Research Center in Warren County. Weather during the 2015 growing season has been favorable for the development of SDS: cool, moist soils after planting...

Attendees can learn results of some of the latest soil fertility research going on at Midwestern Universities at the 2015 Soil Fertility Seminar. Certified Crop Advisors can earn up to FIVE Nutrient Management CEUs at the 2015 Soil Fertility Seminar. This seminar, to be held in 17...