Well…How’d You Do?
As IL Soy Envoy Craig Grafton monitors the development of this year's crop and reflects on the recent planting season, he emphasizes the importance of evaluating successes and areas for improvement. In this blog post, he shares his approach to planting and assessing plots as the season unfolds.
And the Bad News Is?
After a week's break, the IL Soy Envoys have returned to provide their latest field reports. They cover precipitation levels—or the lack thereof in some regions—and discuss the emergence of tar spot and other potential diseases.
Weed Management in Double Crop Soybeans
Double the crop, half the weed control – that’s part of the allure of following wheat harvest with a second planting of soybeans. However, this approach involves different weed spectrums, residual herbicide timing decisions, and spray cut-off dates to consider.
Understanding Surfactants: A Key Partner for Effective Weed Control
Herbicides require specific surfactants to achieve optimal performance. Why does this matter? In this blog, IL Soy Envoy Karen Corrigan explains how the right surfactant can enhance an herbicide's effectiveness in controlling targeted weeds. Using the correct surfactant can prevent many herbicide failures.
IL Crop Conditions Getting Worse?
On the latest episode of the ILSoyAdvisor podcast, the Soy Envoys discuss Illinois crop conditions, emergence issues, "floppy corn," ongoing weed scouting, and pest concerns such as slugs, Japanese beetles, and stinkbugs.
Crop/Livestock Integration In Practice: Farms Share Their Experiences
During this field day in Iroquois County, the integration of crops and livestock will be showcased, highlighting the grazing of crop residues, cover crops, and annual forages. Host farmers will demonstrate how livestock integration operates on their farms and discuss its benefits for both soil health and the balance sheet.
Understanding the Crop Injury Risks of PRE Herbicides in Early-Planted Soybeans
As farmers continue to plant soybeans earlier, there are concerns about preemergence (PRE) herbicide injury to emerging seedlings. Supported by the Illinois Soybean Association, the University of Illinois Crop Sciences department is evaluating different PRE herbicides on early-planted soybeans to give farmers access to crop injury ratings for better weed management decisions.
Does Late Planting Mean Delayed Yields?
The 2024 planting season has been marked by significant variability, especially in planting dates. This raises the question: should soybean fields planted in mid-May be managed like those planted in April? According to IL Soy Envoy Drew Beckman, the answer is yes, and he provides reasoning in his latest blog.