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...

Crop Production Summaries. At the end of each harvest season, the US Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Survey undertakes a County Agricultural Production Survey (CAPS) targeting all of the farms in each of the 44 participating states. Through mail-surveys...

Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) caused significant yield losses in soybeans in west-central Illinois in 2014. SDS was again reported in some west-central Illinois fields in 2015, and also appeared in the earliest (April 15) planted soybeans at the Northwestern IL Ag. R&D Center (NWIARDC). With...

Throughout January and February, University of Illinois Extension Agricultural Economists, in conjunction with the United States Department of Agriculture's Farm Services Agency and the Illinois Farm Bureau, will be holding 14 complimentary regional meetings to help walk people through the 2014...

Soil conditions and weather was cooperating enough at the Northwestern Illinois Agricultural Research and Demonstration Center (NWIARDC) to both begin spring nitrogen applications and sow the first corn on April 1. As is the case most years, the first corn planted on the NWIARDC is planted earlier...