We are having a particularly wet harvest in many areas. Keep an eye out for deteriorating grain quality. Here’s a good reference guide from Steve Gauck on ear molds in corn.

Now is the time that many of you will be making some decisions regarding fungicide and insecticide applications on your soybeans.

Do you know the difference between Phytophthora Root Rot and Fusarium Wilt in soybeans?

Check out this quick Agronomy Update video from Beck's agronomist, Steve Gauck to learn more about the signs and symptoms of both diseases, and how to tell the difference in the field.

In 2016, many parts of southern Indiana experienced a bad outbreak of Southern Rust that caused yield loss in a lot of areas. Many farmers have seen an influx of this disease present in their fields again this year. However, there has also been a large presence of Common Rust in corn fields this year as well.
 
Check out this latest video to learn more about the visual differences between the two diseases and what you can expect in terms of long term effects and yield loss. 

Late last week I evaluated a soybean field that was suffering from slight stunting that was caused by a herbicide application.

Over the past few weeks, many farmers have called me jokily asking, “is it too early to plant?”

My answers always seem to be long, with a lot of details and factors, as I try to help them determine if it is or isn’t too early. With that said, let’s look at our ideal planting dates and things you need to consider before planting.

We have been experiencing warmer than usual temperatures this winter in Southern Indiana. In terms of wheat, this warm weather has not concerned me as it is what happens in early spring that affects yield the most. The two factors that have the biggest impact on our quest to achieving high-yielding wheat are scouting and nitrogen (N) management. As you begin to evaluate your wheat stand, one of the most important things to remember is to perform stand checks. This can be done with a 1 x 1 ft. square, as shown below. Be sure to take counts at multiple locations that represent different landscape positions in your fields.

Take one last chance to scout before harvest begins. As you walk fields, look at disease levels. Which hybrids handled disease better? Are you happy with your fungicide applications? Look at grain fill and pollination. Take a final assessment of weed control and make note of what weeds are present and if they need to be targeted next year. In soybeans, be on the lookout for Palmer amaranth, as it has been identified in southern Indiana.

Moving into the summer months, scouting is extremely critical. To maximize yield we need to be looking at the crop and watching what it is telling us. Pay close attention to diseases and nutrient deficiencies. What diseases are starting to show up? Where in the canopy are they? Do you have hybrids that are tolerant to leaf diseases? These questions will help determine if a fungicide application is needed.

With wheat harvest officially underway across southern Indiana, I wanted to offer you a few tips about harvest and planting double crop soybeans.

When preparing to harvest wheat, the ideal moisture is between 14 to 20 percent. Below 14 percent moisture we start to see yield loss and we could also run the risk of a rain lowering test weight and quality. Air drying wheat will give you the best quality. For long-term storage, make sure to dry your wheat to 12.5 percent moisture.