Crops

It may seem odd that a wheat pest is appearing in corn, but that's exactly what's happening in some southern Nebraska fields. Extension Specialist Justin McMechan explains why wheat stem maggot has been reported in corn crops and what producers should do about it.

Tar spot is new Nebraska corn disease often found in sprinkler-irrigated fields. Nebraska Extension Plant Pathologist Tamra Jackson-Ziems talks about management and timing of fungicide applications.

Tar spot is a relatively new corn disease in Nebraska and this year it’s been spotted earlier than expected. Nebraska Extension Plant Pathologist Tamra Jackson-Ziems talks about identification and management strategies for tar spot.

Do you have an insect or disease in your field or home landscape that you need some help identifying? Nebraska Extension Plant Diagnostician Kyle Broderick says the UNL Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic is here to help diagnose your problems.

The South Central Agricultural Lab near Clay Center will be the location for this year’s Weed Management Field Day sponsored by Nebraska Extension. The seminar is set for June 25^th and Extension Specialist Amit Jhala says there will be plenty of critical weed management issues discussed during the day. 

As corn is emerging from cropland across the state, Extension Plant Pathologist Tamra Jackson Ziems says there are a few disease issues for farmers to keep a sharp eye out for. She says early identification is a critical element to helping control some of these disease issues. 

Toxic weeds in pastures can be a headache for ranchers and could seriously affect cattle health. Nebraska Extension Educator Ben Beckman talks about a series of webinars that will address identification, cattle health and controlling these toxic plants. The webinars begin this week and there will be two more sessions later this month.

Two soybean pests will soon become problems for many Nebraska farmers. Justin McMechan, Nebraska Extension Crop Protection and Cropping Systems Specialist says producers need to be scouting for signs of soybean gall midge and dectes stem borer. 

It might seem a little early to be concerned with grasshoppers, but Nebraska Extension Entomologist Wayne Ohnesorg says right now is the best time to start control measures. He says the larger grasshoppers get, the harder it is to control them. 

As drought conditions could get worse with warmer weather, Extension Educator Ryan Benjamin says producers should be making plans for this growing season. He says the forecast calls for warmer and dryer weather, and that could make things difficult for farmers this year.

The University of Nebraska is conducting several water conservation research studies to continuously find ways to use water in the most efficient way possibly. Nebraska Extension Irrigation Engineer Derek Heeron talks about some of these projects and how they will benefit the ag industry in Nebraska. 

The University of Nebraska is committed to helping the ag community and its farmers use water in efficient ways. Nebraska Extension Irrigation Engineer Derek Heeron says there are plenty of tools out there to help fine-tune irrigation, saving water, energy, and most importantly money.

Wetter than usual spring conditions the past few years have been favorable for crop diseases. Nebraska Extension Plant Pathologist Tamra Jackson-Ziems talks about common corn diseases and what producers can do to avoid them for the upcoming growing season.

Getting the right amount of nitrogen to the exact place in the field that needs it can be a challenge. Joe Luck Nebraska Extension Precision Agriculture Specialist says sensor-based fertigation technology can improve efficiency and profitability.

White mold significantly impacted yields in 2024, and proactive management is crucial for this growing season. Nebraska Extension Plant Pathologist Dylan Mangel talks about soybean recommendations and ways to avoid white mold and other diseases.