The Ag PhD Crop Scouting Reports are supplied by contributors to Hefty Seed Co., based in Baltic, South Dakota. Find more online at www.agphd.com and www.heftyseed.com.
ARKANSAS
Augusta, AR
Growers are finishing up soybean planting and getting irrigation going on beans and corn. Folks are taking in the news that the governor has signed off on the Plant Board recommendation for stopping the use and sale of Engenia in Arkansas. I believe the legislature has to sign off now, but it seems to be a done deal. It’s a tough situation all the way around. — Joey York
ILLINOIS
Georgetown, IL
Remember to follow the label when making herbicide applications later in the growing season. On soybeans, many herbicides go off label after R1 due to the potential to burn off blooms. — Tyler Smith
Princeton, IL
I recently visited a Wisconsin grower who was having issues with thistle caterpillars. Thistle caterpillars are the larva of the painted lady butterfly. These are showing up in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois this year in some regions. This pest is not your typical soybean pest and can be aggressive leaf defoliators. Some “hot spots” may require an insecticide if defoliation reaches 20% or more after flowering. — Mike Denton
I recently had a good conversation with a farmer about using atrazine post in corn that I wanted to share the highlights. Yes, atrazine is inexpensive and a good helper on grasses and broadleaves, but we want to be conscious of the carryover and plant height requirements that come along with atrazine. Remember, the corn plant cannot be taller than 12 inches tall when applying atrazine. — Matt Denton
The current warm weather conditions and lack of consistent moisture have caused weeds to harden off and put on thicker cuticles, making it more difficult for herbicides to penetrate the leaf surface. In a situation of denser weed populations or larger sized plants, consider using a higher rate of PowerMax – 32 oz or higher. We also recommend you use AMS at at least 17 lbs/100 gal water to make sure we are not having any hard water tie up. — Matt Denton
IOWA
Rockwell, IA
With the spring we had, soybeans could be susceptible to white mold issues. Farmers are applying a variety of fungicides to prevent white mold. Zolera at 5 oz/acre is one of the more popular ones to use at R1 stage. It is labeled for white mold and most tests have shown good results. — Tim Nuehring
Sheldon, IA
Tank cleanout is always important. Take the time to do it right or the result is crop damage. You first need to rinse the sprayer, then follow that up by putting a tank cleaner in and charge the booms to let it clean the hoses as well. Once you have let that sit, you need to follow up with the final rinse. This may be time consuming, but when done right, it will save a lot of headaches later. — Adam Sauer
MINNESOTA
Hancock, MN
Applying a fungicide at R1-R3 in soybeans this year may be very beneficial. We have had cool, wet conditions, which can be prime conditions for disease development. There are some very reasonably priced fungicide options. — Aaron Giese
Janesville, MN
We are seeing 1 to 2-foot tall lambsquarters in area soybean fields. Farmers are using 1/12th of an ounce of Harmony SG along with the proper adjuvants for whatever tankmix they may be using it with. Lambsquarters are tough to kill when they get this big and off-label for most herbicides, so target 2 to 4 inch weeds ideally. — Ray Johnson
LeRoy, MN
I’ve been visiting with farmers who are going in their corn fields and evaluating for corn rootworms and rootworm damage. This is the ideal timing to do so. Also, if you have volunteer corn in your soybean fields, check those corn roots as well. I’ve been seeing rootworms on the volunteer corn, too. — Grant Lunning
Marshall, MN
When spraying XtendiMax on your Xtend soybeans, keep the PSI up and water per acre to 15 gallons per acre. Adding more water will help the overall coverage and kill more broadleaves in your soybeans. — Jeremy Jensen
I have been seeing some aphids in soybean fields around the Marshall area already this week. These areas are smaller in numbers, but scouting them numerous times per week should be a routine throughout the summer months. Outside edges of fields, trees, ditches, and hailed off soybeans seem to be holding the most aphids currently. — Jeremy Jensen
With 5 days of looking at crops in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa, the crop is highly variable in growth stage and in general overall health. Most areas are 5-7 days behind what would be considered normal with a few counties in north central Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin right on track for crop stage. The stand-out areas were Mclean County, Illinois and Rock County, Wisconsin. The corn plants were far enough along in both areas we were able to see the corn ear development with most ears being 16-18 around and most of the soybeans in the same areas were knee high and in full flower. — Mike Homandberg
Olivia, MN
There have been several reports of dicamba not working on waterhemp in the last week. A good idea I’ve found is to put a flag next to the plant and measure it for height. You will find that the waterhemp will curl up, stop growing, and will not put a seed on if it is 6 inches or less. The waterhemp most likely will not turn brown quickly as a grower expects. Often times we see the lower part of the stems well up and eventually die. If the waterhemp is taller than 6 inches, though, it may not die due to insufficient herbicide dosage for such a large weed. — John Scheibel
Thief River Falls, MN
When it comes to picking out a head scab fungicide to spray on spring wheat, my top two choices are Caramba at 13.5 oz/acre or Prosaro at 6.5 oz/acre. With wheat prices on the rise, you want the best protection for your spring wheat and these are my top two choices to protect your crop. — Jordan Swanson
Winthrop, MN
The iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) areas are really showing this year. Be sure to check your fields and take note of where these spots are so when you rotate back to soybeans you can pick out a hybrid with a good IDC score and put some Soygreen in-furrow to help improve yields in these areas. — Matt Vogel
I’ve heard many comments that the mosquitos are pretty thick this summer. If you’re looking for a safe way to control them around your house, yard, or barn, a great product to try is Tempo. A monthly application does not only do a great job holding back mosquitos, but it also helps to control gnats, spiders, flies, crickets, and ants. — Tyler Gasow
MISSOURI
Bertrand, MO
The corn in our area is at full tassel and looking good. I have not noticed any disease pressure. I expect yields to be good for this fall’s harvest. — Albert Duenne
To fungicide or not to fungicide, that is the question I have for you. Fungicides pay off more often than not according to university studies. The keys are to spray before a disease takes hold in a field and to get great coverage with medium sized droplets. Most farmers I work with tell me if the control disease they see increased yields versus untreated areas. — Albert Duenne
I have noticed some Japanese beetles in some soybean fields lately. This would be a good time to scout your fields. Mustang Maxx at 4 oz/acre should help manage these pests. — Albert Duenne
Hayti, MO
Foliar feeding is a good opportunity to address multiple issues at once over your crops. While applying pesticides, N-P-K and micronutrients should also be considered based on previous soil analyses, tissue sampling, scouting, and weather conditions. Micros like Boron (B) and Manganese (Mn) are essential for soybean development. B, Mn, and Zinc (Zn) are crucial for corn. Foliar applications of these products at rates of 16-32 ounces each, in plant-available formulations, can be beneficial for higher production. As always, when tankmixing products, follow label restrictions carefully, and do a jar test to ensure product interactions will not cause problems. — Danny Stevens
While watching your crops grow, make a note of unexpected differences in crop progress. Many conditions can create these differences, and an imbalanced soil can exacerbate them. Start thinking now about fall soil analysis, and use your in-crop observations to help hone in on your trouble spots. For immediate crop analysis, tissue samples can be pulled and sent off, with results typically in 24-48 hours. Talk to an agronomist to help you identify, sample, analyze, and interpret. — Danny Stevens
We’ve recently seen some soybeans with lighter coloration and dull leaves where early water pressure was present. When we inspected the roots, we discovered nodulation was very poor versus greener, healthier plants outside of the affected area. A foliar treatment of 1 gal of slow-release N with 3-18-18 may be beneficial on these areas. — Danny Stevens
SOUTH DAKOTA
Baltic, SD
Please keep in mind the crop rotational intervals when spraying. I have been talking with a lot of farmers about carryover restrictions with products like Flexstar and Pursuit. I would rather you miss some weeds than have to deal with herbicide carryover next year. — Tyler Koenig
Centerville, SD
We have had some hail move through the area in recent days. We’re seeing many of the progressive farmers applying a fungicide and micronutrient to help the plant heal and start growing again. A good fungicide would be Priaxor or Trivapro and a good micronutrient package would be fertiRain from AgroLiquid. — Travis Petty
Freeman, SD
With the onset of warmer weather, the insects will be in full force; I’m starting to see grasshoppers and aphids. Don’t be afraid to add an insecticide to your post applications in soybeans. It does not take a lot of pressure to justify a $2.00/acre spray. — Matt Zilverberg
Watertown, SD
Growers in the area have been seeing some white mold in soybean fields. There are a few options that would work well. Domark is a good choice; this has been one of the main ones used for some time. Otherwise there is a product called Zolera, which has a full rate of Domark and a good rate of Evito in one jug. — Beau Wensing
