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
In your no-till burndown, Gramoxone or Sharpen will strike first on your weeds and grass, usually causing the grass to shut down and not take in the grass herbicide. Subsequently, the grass will begin to green back up in 2-3 days, sucking much needed moisture out of the soil. I recommend spraying your Roundup first so you can kill your grass and then come back right behind the planter with paraquat and your pre-emerge herbicide. I know it’s 2 trips, but you won’t have to work the ground again. Start clean! — Joey York
IDAHO
Buhl, ID
I’m seeing volunteer potatoes in corn fields that had potatoes last year. One method of control is 6 oz/acre Starane Ultra with 1 qt/acre PowerMax, AMS, and Kelpak. It also has great control on kochia, which is also just getting a good start right now. Remember that smaller weeds are easier to control, so it is best not to wait too long before making the decision to spray. Clean fields pay! — Andrew Jarvis
ILLINOIS
Georgetown, IL
If you are a grower with Xtend soybeans and have volunteer corn, remember that the only corn killer that is labeled right now to tankmix with XtendiMax is clethodim. A 6 oz/acre rate of clethodim is standard, but many growers are upping it to 9 oz/acre to offset any potential antagonism from the broadleaf killer in this tankmix. — Tyler Smith
Princeton, IL
White grubs! I spoke with a no-till grower yesterday looking for help with white grubs that were cutting plants in soybean fields. Unfortunately, there are no good options for rescue in these situations other than preventative measures to help for next year. I advised him to keep his field grass free during the season to eliminate areas where beetles would prefer to lay eggs. Spraying a product like Hero insecticide at 4 – 6 oz/acre when Japanese beetles or June beetles are actively feeding in corn and soybean fields will tremendously help with grub problems the following year. If he was going to replant any of the field, a good insecticide treatment on his beans and also a bifenthrin product like Brigade in-furrow would also be a good choice. — Mike Denton
IOWA
Rockwell, IA
Out in the corn fields, I have noticed that there are some weeds that are getting pretty large. Remember that most of the herbicides need to be sprayed before the weeds get over 3-4 inches. — Mike Jaeger
Sheldon, IA
We are seeing some yellowing in the corn around the area. The rough conditions along with the application of certain herbicides have caused some concern. The application of products like Resicore and Halex, which contain grass components like Harness and Dual, may cause some of this, but it is strictly cosmetic and will grow out of this when new leaves form. — Adam Sauer
MINNESOTA
Fairmont, MN
Many will wrap up corn spraying this week and next week and move onto soybean spraying. With some warm days coming, make sure you choose the correct adjuvant to maximize your spray effectiveness, but keep the weather in mind too. MSO is the most aggressive adjuvant, followed by COC, and then NIS. In hot temperatures, the more aggressive the adjuvant, the more potential crop response and burn you may get. Take into consideration the weather and balance crop response with the effectiveness of the weed control. — Mike Bates
Hancock, MN
There are reports of pea aphids and some leaf hoppers in area alfalfa fields. Many of the aphid species in alfalfa do not die with lambda-type products like Silencer, Warrior, and Kendo. A good option for these pea aphids and other common insects in alfalfa is 16 oz/acre of Cobalt Advanced. This product contains Lorsban, and growers say it is very effective on all these pests and works fast. Most of the fields in the area have had the first cutting off for a week or two, so this is a perfect window to scout and spray now to stay outside the 14 day pre-harvest interval (PHI). — Adam Gibson
LeRoy, MN
Remember, overlapping residuals is extremely important in soybeans. If you are using Dual that needs to be on by V3, and Outlook needs to be on by V5. — Grant Lunning
Marshall, MN
Tank clean-out between corn and soybean spraying is a top priority this time of season. Check each of your nozzles, tips, and screens when switching between products. — Jeremy Jensen
Olivia, MN
There are not many drowned out soybean acres this year so far. Most of the planting was done late this year after rain events. Some farmers are still waiting to plant some wet areas. A fungicide seed treatment is a good investment to protect the seed in any environment, but especially when soils have been sitting saturated for many days. — Aaron Spronk
A question I have gotten quite a few times the past few days is, “With the warm temperatures we are having, should I change my adjuvant rate?” Most of the time, the answer is no. If the temperature and humidity are both high, then you would want to cut the adjuvant rate or switch the product. — John Scheibel
I was in a soybean field today with a lot of giant ragweed pressure. The field had just been sprayed with Engenia and the weeds were really curling up and dying nicely. Xtend beans are a great new tool, so let’s make sure we don’t abuse this chemistry. Spray weeds that are 4 inches or less and do not cut rates. Also remember that you should never use AMS with Engenia and Xtendimax. — Tony Hagen
Thief River Falls, MN
If you did not get your pre-emerge herbicide on, make sure you are out scouting your fields. With the warm weather we have been having and no pre, there will be nothing to hold the weeds back, so they will have the potential to get large very quickly. Scout and be prepared to spray to prevent escapes. Smaller weeds are easier to kill than larger weeds. — Rachel Klein
With perennial ryegrass getting close to the flag leaf emerging, plant growth regulators are commonly used to shorten the internode length. This reduces lodging potential and can lead to improved pollination and harvest efficiency. Applying a product like Apogee at 14-29 oz/acre at flag leaf emergence to early heading out can do just that for Ryegrass growers. — Jordan Swanson
Winthrop, MN
This time of the year there are many sensitive crops around, so when spraying herbicides, most growers in the area will use a good drift agent. Products such as Gateway NG and Lockamba are being added to various tankmixes and by all accounts do a great job. — Dean Christiansen
For lambsquarters problems in soybeans, guys like adding 1/16 oz/acre of Treaty to the spray mixture as it does a great job of controlling lambsquarters and is pretty cheap. You will get a little crop burn from it, but it’s better to spray products that will burn your beans early instead of later on in the season. — Tyler Gasow
Many growers who are not seeing much weed pressure yet still need to get their first application on for corn. Remember that most products are only labeled up to 11-inch tall corn. With the weather we are having, it won’t be long until most of the corn in the area is past that height restriction. Check your fields before you spray to make sure that you are getting these on in time. — Matt Vogel
MISSOURI
Bertrand, MO
Farmers using QuickRoots on their soybeans have seen positive returns. QuickRoots is a live microbial that enhances root mass, stem mass, and vigor. Along with a good quality seed treatment, growers have noticed a healthier plant from the start. — Albert Duenne
We are about three quarters of the way done planting early soybeans. Farmers are harvesting wheat and planting wheat field soybeans soon after. — Albert Duenne
Hayti, MO
With wheat harvest in progress, it’s important to decide what to do with your stubble before planting double-cropped beans. Burning still plays a role, but isn’t as favorable as it once was. Planting into wheat stubble, on the other hand, can be successful if the wheat is cut to 8 inches, straw is chopped and spread, and a no-till planter equipped with coulters is used. — Barry Gilmore
Wheat harvest is underway with shower delays. Yields are on average in the mid-70s. With a freeze during flowering and excessive rain, most farmers seem to be happy with this yield. — Danny Stevens
MONTANA
Sidney, MT
I’ve received many calls from producers asking about which adjuvant to use with Assure II, Select, or generics. One of them needs to be used as it will increase the control of the grassy weeds, but check the label or talk with your agronomist as each will be used in different situations. — Chet Hill
Each year I receive a few calls about a mixing issue in the spray tank. It is a good idea to have compatibility agent on hand. This can be a big help in case you have mixing issues so you can avoid even bigger potential problems. — Chet Hill
NEBRASKA
Laurel, NE
I’m still seeing some soybeans struggling to get through the crust. Check your fields and if you have a pivot, you may need to put on some water to help them finish emerging. — Rusty Reifenrath
West Point, NE
I have been working with a few growers on soybean stand evaluation, and in the process I found this article on soybean stand and replanting from Purdue University that I hope can help a few people out when deciding whether or not they need to replant or fill in thin stands: https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/SPS/SPS-104-W.pdf. — Jacob Gubbels
With a lot of velvetleaf coming out, remember Cadet and Resource are great products to attack this week in both corn and soybeans. — Jacob Gubbels
NORTH DAKOTA
Hurdsfield, ND
I’m seeing more insects in the field including grasshoppers. Scout your fields for damaging insects and add an insecticide to your tankmix if you find anything. — Emily Kline
Lisbon, ND
With the hot weather, popup showers can often occur. Be sure to know the rainfast time of the products you are applying as they can vary by several hours. — Spencer Schultz
Mohall, ND
Yesterday I looked at 4 barley fields. By taking the time to scout these fields, we saved the producer about $5,000 by using the products he needed versus taking the “full meal deal” approach on all acres. To help stay on budget and to make this year profitable, make field scouting a regular routine. — Ron Hefta
SOUTH DAKOTA
Aberdeen, SD
Make sure you are checking your corn before you go out and spray any dicamba on it. If you plan on spraying dicamba after the V2 stage, a safened form such as Status or DiFlexx is recommended. — Tanner Johnson
When spraying post-emerge corn herbicides, we’re seeing the vast majority of growers add 0.5 lb of atrazine where rotation allows. By adding atrazine to TripleFLEX, Resicore, Armezon Pro, and any other post-emerge herbicide, growers feel they are maximizing the effectiveness of the herbicide. My one word of caution. Be careful as atrazine can only be sprayed on corn up to 12 inches tall. This is not an injury issue, but nonetheless you are limited by the label. — Kalen Kjellsen
Baltic, SD
Alfalfa cutting is starting to happen in the local area. I’ve been hearing some reports of bugs in the first cutting. Make sure you scout your fields and spray an insecticide to get rid of these pests if you have them. — Tyler Koenig
Centerville, SD
A farmer I talked to had a weed with him called purslane speedwell. This weed is tough to kill and group 4 herbicides (growth regulators) have poor control, as it has long branches and narrow leaves. Tillage is the best answer for this annual weed. His burndown in front of soybeans did not control purslane speedwell very well. Since this was on his no-till acres and has not been planted, he went with Gramoxone at 2 pts/acre and MSO at 1 gal/100 gal to really burn off this problem weed. — Peter Strom
Gettysburg, SD
If you are spraying DiFlexx or Status on your corn, try to avoid spraying in the heat of the day. This will help with drifting to other crops. Also, do not use AMS along with any dicamba formulation as that had been shown to increase volatility. — Kyle Hawkinson
Huron, SD
Chaparral at a use rate of 3-3.3 oz/acre is a good choice for wormwood control in grass. Tankmix partners need to be crop oil at 1 gal/100 gal spray solution and 4 lb/acre AMS in arid conditions. Plants need to be under 12” for best control. Hay must be used on the same farm/ranch which it was applied for 18 months, unless allowed by supplemental labeling. — Alan Williams
The time for making the post application in corn is right around the corner. The HPPDs have come down in price and make a great option if your kochia pressure is light. If you have heavy kochia pressure or it is your main concern, Status at 5 oz/acre is your best option. — Garritt Dykstra
We’re seeing some of the soybean fields greening up a little. On Liberty beans, Liberty at 32 oz/acre and 3 lbs/acre of AMS will do a good job. Remember to keep speed in about that 12 mph range or less and use 15-20 gal of water as you need very good coverage with Liberty. — Norland Hofer
Kimball, SD
If you planted conventional corn, grass control will be your toughest job. Accent Q at 0.9 oz/acre with 1 gal/100 gal of crop oil and 2 lbs of AMS is the best option for most growers. Make sure you spray the grasses early for the best results. — Mike Erickson
Watertown, SD
Buckbrush can be a tough weed to stop in your pasture. Growers in the area have had good success controlling it with 3.3 oz/acre of Chaparral. They’ve commented that it not only does a nice job controlling buckbrush and other weeds, but it can be used with no grazing restrictions, too. — Russ Werning
When spraying pastures that may get tilled up in the future, make sure you do not use a product that contains Tordon. You can have carryover for many years. Stick with LV6 at 2 pts/acre. — Jack Beutler
WASHINGTON
Quincy, WA
Sweet corn sprays need to be done around the Basin. Using 0.75 oz/acre of Impact, 1 pt/acre of atrazine and 6.4 oz/acre of Full Load has shown great results. — Danny Hopkins
