Minnesota Crop News

By: Melissa Wilson, Extension Specialist for Manure Nutrient Management We recently updated the University of Minnesota Extension  manure application rate recommendations for non-irrigated corn based on recent soil fertility research.  Like with fertilizer, manure application recommendations are based on nitrogen rate research trials conducted across Minnesota over the past two decades (over 230 rate trials have been completed, most in the past seven years!).  Our goal is to evaluate the agronomics of corn production while minimizing the risk of N losses from overapplication. However, fertilizer-only application rates also take into consideration a third aspect – the economics of corn production (nitrogen cost versus corn prices). This is the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) method. Since the economics of manure application are quite different and incredibly variable across farms, the MRTN method is not applicable when using manure for the growing season it is...

Claire LaCanne, Anthony Hanson, and Eric Yu, Regional Extension Educators In early fall during soybean harvest, especially on a warm sunny day, the exterior walls of your house might be crawling with a few different types of unwelcome insects looking for shelter before winter. One of the most common of these is the multicolored Asian lady beetle, which is not native to North America (Fig 1.). This insect will find its way into homes, especially older homes that have small gaps and openings, and overwinter there until spring to avoid cold temperatures . They also feed heavily on a range of insect pests. Figure 1. Multicolored Asian lady beetle cluster together to survive winter in sheltered areas like trees, leaf litter, or buildings. Photo: UMN Extension. However, there are several myths about these multicolored Asian lady beetles, or so-called “Asian beetles” or “lady beetles” which earn them more disdain than they deserve. We’ve been noticing some misunderstandings and disgruntlement...

Sithin Mathew, Weed Science Graduate Student, Matt Pfarr, Former Crops Extension Educator, Debalin Sarangi, Extension Weed Scientist Figure 1. Asian copperleaf growing in a corn field in Rice County, MN (Picture by: Debalin Sarangi, UMN Extension) A New Report from Rice County In the fall of 2025, a new and concerning weed species has been identified in a corn field in Rice County, Minnesota: Asian copperleaf (Acalypha australis). Until now, this invasive species had only been reported in a handful of Iowa counties and in Illinois in the Midwest. Its presence in Minnesota is a significant development for farmers; it signals that the weed is spreading and could become a serious problem in corn and soybean systems if not managed early on. The USDA already recognizes Asian copperleaf as a “high-risk invasive weed”, and its arrival in Minnesota should serve as a wake-up call to scout fields carefully this harvest season. Where Did It Come From? Asian copperleaf is native to Eastern Asia, ...

Manure nutrient management is uniquely complex, and we discuss some reasons why on today's Advancing Nitrogen Smart episode. What specific factors make manure management far more complex than applying standard chemical fertilizer?  How do digestive systems and diets cause nitrogen availability to differ across various livestock species ?  Why does nitrogen availability decline so rapidly when manure is left exposed on the soil surface, and how much may be lost to atmospheric evaporation within a just few days?  How can farmers optimize their fertilizer investments and evaluate whether their crops received sufficient nitrogen using late-season testing ? These questions and more on today's 42nd episode of  Advancing Nitrogen Smart . Read the full transcript here Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Melissa Wilson, Extension manure nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Additional resources: How to put together a manure management plan Nitrogen ava...

By Seth Naeve, Extension Soybean Agronomist, Jeff Coulter, Extension Corn Agronomist, Dean Malvick, Extension Plant Pathologist, and Liz Stahl, Extension Educator - Crops

Registration is now open for the 2027 Soil Management Summit! Registration gets you 1.5 days full of learning and networking with farmers, researchers, and agricultural professionals across Minnesota and beyond. At the Soil Management Summit you can explore topics such as cover crops, tillage, nutrient management, livestock integration, economics, and more! We have a variety of sessions to fit anyone’s preferences whether it’s panel discussions, breakout sessions, table talks, or built-in networking time. Although we think it’s a great event, don’t just take it from us. Here’s what some past attendees have said about the Soil Management Summit: This event allows for a great mix of networking with industry, farmers, and other professionals and has a good balance of time for building relationships and connections as well as providing valuable education to be used on farms." "All the sessions were very interesting, and each of them had very good topics that were hard to choose ...