Minnesota Crop News

Clockwise from upper left: oat, seeds, wintermax mixture, winter rye, alfalfa Nitrate reduction with perennial plants is the topic on today's  Advancing Nitrogen Smart  podcast. What are some pros and cons of covers like rye, oat and alfalfa for reducing nitrate? How do they compare in terms of biomass or establishment? What sets alfalfa apart as a cover crop candidate? How does our Minnesota climate affect a strategy for perennials? How could cover crop benefits stack up when used in conjunction with a dairy operation for example? Do some areas of the landscape benefit from perennials more than others? All this and more on the 38th episode of Advancing Nitrogen Smart . Read the full transcript here Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Additional resources: Cover Crops Best management for cover crops in unfavorable weather patterns Growing cover crops in Minnesota: 4 great resources...

Debalin Sarangi - Extension Weed Scientist, Dave Nicolai - Extension Educator - Crops Register today for the Weed Science Field Day to be held this Tuesday, July 14, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Rosemount Research and Outreach Center in Rosemount, MN. Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, there is no cost to attend the Field Day and lunch is included. However, pre-registration is highly recommended. Register online by July 10. Registration link: https://z.umn.edu/July14 Growers, crop consultants, agronomists, and other stakeholders are invited to tour several research-plot demonstrations on a variety of timely topics on weed management in corn, soybean, and dry edible beans: Herbicide-resistant weed management New herbicides and technology including precision sprayer Cover crops Directions to the Field Day The Rosemount Research and Outreach Center is located off of 160th St. (CR 46) between MN-Hwys 3 and 52. From MN Hwy 3, turn east on 170th St. W. After 1.8 miles, ...

By Liz Stahl, Extension Educator - Crops and Jodi DeJong-Hughes, Extension Educator - Water Quality

This week's update is NOT a carbon copy of last week; while the fields still are all but void of disease and pests of any kind, the immediate weather forecast is not. Extreme heat is forecasted for the southern half of the state. Luckily, the grainfill period is well underway for the spring cereals and near completion for the winter cereals.  The risk of yield losses caused by fungal diseases is very limited at this stage of the game. Fusarium head blight infections can still occur and, consequently, deoxynivalenol (DON) can still accumulate in the grain.  However, the FHB risk models indicate low risk across the southern half of the state. In the northern part of the state, the situation is not the same.  In the southern half of the Red River Valley, about half the spring wheat crop just reached anthesis this past week.  Spring wheat in the northern half of the Red River Valley will start to reach anthesis this week.   And while daytime highs are not pred...

Eric Yu, Extension Educator – IPM, Matt Pfarr, Extension Educator – Crops, Bob Koch, Extension Soybean Entomologist Recent rainfall across Minnesota has brought much-needed moisture to many crop acres, though conditions remain variable depending on location. During the June 24 Strategic Farming: Field Notes webinar, Matt Pfarr, Extension Educator – Crops, and Dr. Bob Koch, Extension Soybean Entomologist, provided timely updates on crop development, nutrient management, disease concerns, and soybean insect scouting. The webinar was moderated by Dave Nicolai, Extension Educator – Crops. Corn update: Rapid growth and management timing Corn across much of Minnesota is progressing well, with many fields approaching or surpassing the V8 growth stage. As corn enters rapid vegetative growth, management decisions related to herbicides and nitrogen become increasingly important. Pfarr emphasized that while some post-emergence herbicide labels allow applications at later growth stages, applicator...

Is the the future of corn production standing a little shorter? In this episode of the Minnesota Cropcast, hosts Dave Nicolai and Dr. Seth Naeve sit down with Dr. Jeff Coulter, University of Minnesota Extension Corn Specialist, to explore a novel (and highly visual) shift in corn hybrid technology: short stature corn. While traditional corn towers at 9 to 12 feet, new hybrids are keeping the canopy at 7 feet or less—without sacrificing the yields growers require. Dr. Coulter breaks down the history, the agronomics, and the cutting-edge research happening right here in Minnesota. Highlights from this Cropcast Episode : The Physics of Standing Tall: Why shorter, fatter stalks and deeper root systems may provide added resistance to lodging and green snap during severe wind events. Populations Drive Higher Yields: How these compact plants tolerate higher plant populations, allowing growers to pack more plants per acre to drive up grain yield. The Silage Advantage: Why short stature corn m...