This year has been a mixed year for our summer row crops. Across the southern region, (Kansas), areas have experienced drought, more than usual rainfall, heat, wind, early freeze, and disease. Here are a few things I have noticed while out looking at fields and talking with other agronomists in the region to consider while prioritizing which fields to harvest.

Many of us in the Western Corn Belt will soon be in the field harvesting our corn.  The question many have is: How will this drought affect our test weight?  There are many factors that affect corn yield, one major factor is test weight. 

It's difficult to determine when to harvest corn for silage at the right whole plant moisture.  The optimum whole plant moisture for ensiling varies for each hybrid, environment and type of storage structure.

It’s the time of the year when the new seed guides are being distributed. The Hoegemeyer Seed Guide has ratings that give better insight into how products perform against a variety of issues (1-9 scale with 9 being best and 1 being poor).

Corn silage harvest will soon be in full swing in the Western Corn Belt.  Livestock producers should be aware of the potential for excess levels of nitrates due to the prolonged moisture stress, high temperatures and low humidity during this year’s growing season to date.

I get the question every year “Should I spray fungicide on my corn?”  This is a very good question and my answer is “It Depends” and it really does depend on many factors which differ every year.

Tissue samples can be used to help identify and confirm deficiencies in season or even assess nutrient uptake in relation to fertilizer programs. There are several facilities that offer tissue sampling for a variety of crops.

Many areas of Nebraska received a nice, gentle rain, totaling between 1 and 4 inches over the last several days, but a good portion of central Nebraska received totals in excess of 6 inches. Producers are wondering “How long will my newly emerging crop survive being ponded or flooded?” Here are some guidelines taken from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension.