Following some issues with aphids and alfalfa weevil prior to first cutting, we now are moving on to a second major insect pest in alfalfa prior to second cutting and beyond, the potato leafhopper. Last year on June 15, we found potato leafhoppers using a sweep net during a site visit in Gage County on […] Continue reading → 
Fusarium head blight (FHB), also called head scab, is a fungal disease that infects wheat during flowering, which typically occurs between mid-May to early June in this area. This year, early maturity varieties and earlier planted winter wheat fields started heading on May 15 and likely will be flowering by May 21. Over the past […] Continue reading → 
Alfalfa is the third-most grown crop in Saline, Jefferson, and Gage counties with approximately 16,500 acres. Given the current drought and hay price, I expect demand for alfalfa to remain strong. Protecting your fields from insect damage will be important. Last year, I received my first call on April 30 about alfalfa weevil and the […] Continue reading → 
The spring growth of winter annual weeds is underway. A winter annual weed is an unwanted plant in your field that germinated last fall, overwintered, resumed growth this spring, and will soon begin flowering and producing seed. There are numerous species of winter annuals weeds common in southeast Nebraska including henbit (figure 1), marestail, field […] Continue reading → 
Planting season can be busy and stressful, so please don’t forget to be safe when handling treated seed and check the seed tag or talk to your seed dealer for specific handling and use directions. Treated seed is another route of exposure for farmers and other handlers, whether this exposure is to fungicide, insecticide, or […] Continue reading → 
As spring is here, I wanted to remind farmers and agronomists about guides and tools available at your local Extension offices in Saline, Jefferson, and Gage counties. Our local extension offices are open to the public for walk-ins at the following locations and hours: Wilber at 306 W 3rd St, open weekdays from 8:00 am […] Continue reading → 
Soybean cyst nematodes (SCN) are a plant-parasitic roundworm that attack soybeans in Saline, Jefferson, and Gage counties. The pest is not new or unfamiliar to area farmers and agronomists. However, sometimes we get too comfortable with old issues. As a reminder, SCN is the #1 yield-grabbing pest in U.S. soybean production. Soybean cyst nematodes or […] Continue reading →