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 → 
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) winter wheat variety tour for the eastern most portion of south-central Nebraska is scheduled for Thursday, June 9, 2022 north of Fairbury. The tour provides an opportunity for farmers and others to learn more about new winter wheat varieties and other topics relevant to wheat production. There are 35 released […] 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 → 
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 → 
The U.S. Drought Monitor map shows parts of the U.S. that are in drought and how bad it is. As the Water & Integrated Cropping Systems Extension Educator for Saline, Jefferson, and Gage counties, I contribute reports for this area directly to the weekly authors in Nebraska through our internal Nebraska drought discussion group email […] Continue reading → 
The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 provided federal support for land-grant universities to establish Cooperative Extension Services. Cooperative Extension was originally designed to bring vocational, agricultural, and home economics learning opportunities to all residents. Today Nebraska Extension (formerly called Cooperative Extension) brings University of Nebraska expertise and research in nine priority focus areas of impact directly […] 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 →