Volume 5 Issue 12     August 12, 2008

Irrigated Corn Silage Plot Tour
Friday, August 29, 2008      10:30 a.m.
Dan Dreyer Farm – Ottertail City

Minnesota Crop Diseases
To those of you with an interest in soybeans and soybean diseases, a web page for Minnesota Crop Diseases has been established

Soybean Rust Status Through August 11, 2008
Since January of 2008, soybean rust has been reported in two counties in Alabama; one county in Georgia, 16 counties in Florida; three counties in Louisiana; one county in Mississippi, and four counties in Texas. Rust was also reported in three states (five municipalities) in Mexico on yam bean and soybean. These were destroyed or are no longer active infections.

Glyphosate Resistant Weed Survey:
Do you have a RR soybean field with suspicious
broadleaf weed escapes?
The University of Minnesota Extension and North Dakota State University are collaborating on a survey of RR soybean fields to evaluate possible resistance to glyphosate in broadleaved weeds that have survived herbicide treatment. 

Glyphosate Control Concerns Come Closer to Home 
On August 5, sugarbeet growers and industry representatives toured a plot near Mayville, North Dakota where common ragweed is proving difficult to control with glyphosate.

Soybean Aphid Update: Never Walk Away 
Nope, I'm not talking about the new song from that venerable and aging rock band Journey. Lots of fields that were treated earlier in the year for soybean aphids are being ignored.  With seasonal aphid movement underway and good environmental conditions for reproduction, it would be a mistake to assume fields treated earlier in the summer will remain aphid free for the remainder of the season. 

The Value of Straw 
A common question at this time of year is how to determine a fair value for straw.  This year, the question may seem even more pressing with record high fuel and sky-rocketing fertilizer costs. 

Plan Now for Winter Wheat 
Although much of the spring wheat crop is still in the field, it is good to think ahead and explore the potential of seeding winter wheat. If it survives the winter and spring cold, winter wheat has an advantage of a longer growing season than spring wheat, because it establishes in the fall and starts growth early in the spring.

Starter Nutrient Combinations
There have been more and more questions on what can be used in lieu of 10-34-0 and possible what other nutrients should be added to starter fertilizers. A lot of what can be used depends on the goals of the producer. Generally the greatest benefit of starter fertilizers, especially in northern climates, is to get the crop off to a fast start.

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