Minnesota Crop News

Sithin Mathew, Weed science graduate student, Debalin Sarangi, Extension weed scientist, and Tom Peters, Extension sugarbeet agronomist and weed scientist Using pre-emergence herbicides is a great way to stay ahead of weeds in corn and soybean production, but there is more to it than simply picking the right herbicide or spraying at correct time. How well these herbicides perform is dependent on your soil and how you farm.  Factors including soil type, moisture conditions, and soil organic matter content can affect herbicide performance. For example, sandy soils often require a lower herbicide rate than heavy clay or soils with lots of organic matter. Moisture is also key—most pre-emerge herbicides need about half an inch to an inch of rain (or irrigation) within 10 days after spraying to activate and work properly. Soil temperature matters too. Keeping an eye on it can help you determine the best application timing. Don’t forget to follow the label instructions —some of ...

Seth Naeve, Extension soybean agronomist, David Nicolai, Extension educator, and Kristina Cibuzar, Evaluation specialist The University of Minnesota Extension generates timely and important research-based information to support your farming operation, but we understand that we may not always reach you when you need agronomic information the most. Therefore, with the support of the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council we would like to know how we can best serve you. Technology and communications have evolved radically over the past five years. But as more information becomes immediately accessible, our time to search for information seems to dwindle. We understand that people consume information that comes to them from a range of pathways and individuals appreciate different types of communication strategies. We want to know how you receive your agronomic information so that we can better support information channels that are useful for you. We are asking all Minnesota ...

By Robert Koch (Professor and Extension Entomologist) and Arthur Ribeiro (Researcher) We recently secured funding from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to evaluate the potential threat of soybean gall midge ( Resseliella maxima ) to production of dry beans and other pulse crops. For part of this project, we’d like to determine the geographic extent and severity of infestations in fields of dry bean and other pulse crops in Minnesota. Therefore, this summer, if growers or their advisors/consultants suspect infestation of soybean gall midge in their fields, please contact us. Then, we'll send staff to thoroughly scout the field to determine if the suspect infestation is truly soybean gall midge and to quantify the severity of the infestation. Image: Soybean gall midge infestation in a soybean stem. Soybean gall midge is a challenging new agricultural pest reported from seven Midwest states . In soybean, larvae of the soybean gall midge feed inside the stems at the base of plan...

Cation exchange capacity and cation balancing are the topics of the day in this episode of the Nutrient Management Podcast . What are the definitions of cation exchange capacity (CEC) and cation balancing (CB)? How is CEC measured and are those estimates reliable? What does the research say about CEC and CB and their role in a nutrient management strategy? What should farmers remember about cation exchange capacity and cation balancing for their own operations? TRANSCRIPT Guests: Fabian Fernandez, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Carl Rosen, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Additional Resources: Timing of K application for corn and soybean production Chloride and soybean: What to know about potash fertilizer management Impact of cation exchange on corn K guidelines Four soil test myths that farmers should know Corn planting and nitrogen management: 5 things to con...

In this week’s CropCast, Dr. Seth Naeve, Extension soybean specialist, and David Nicolai, Extension crops educator, welcomed University of Minnesota and North Dakota State Extension Specialists; Drs. Jeff Coulter and Tom Peters. Dr. Jeff Coulter is an Extension corn specialist and Dr. Tom Peters is an Extension weed specialist in sugar beets.  The three state specialists discussed optimum planting criteria for growers to consider when planting their 2025 corn, soybean and sugarbeet seed inputs. They reviewed specific guidelines regarding the most favorable planting depths, planting dates, planting rates and soil temperature for these Minnesota crops. They covered the practices to ensure good seed-to-soil contact based on optimal soil moisture conditions when soils are deemed “in good, dry conditions” as influenced not just by soil temperatures but also by variety maturity and calendar dates as we move in the last half of April. They also discussed whether to plant longer- or shorte...

By: Brad Carlson, Extension educator Last year around this time I wrote a blog post that detailed the long track record in Minnesota of the most profitable crop producers spending significantly less on fertilizer than the least profitable growers. The recently released FINBIN data for 2024 show that this trend is continuing. In 2024, the 20% most profitable farms spent an average of $170 per acre on fertilizer while the 20% least profitable farms spent $224. This is a 31% difference, and very similar to the 33% I reported from 2023. This difference is especially notable given the current challenging ag economy. The FINBIN data also showed the lowest median net farm income for Minnesota crop producers in the last 30 years (just under $22,000 in 2024). My article last year detailed some of the possible explanations for the difference. One of these was applying too high of a fertilizer rate, and another was applying fertilizer more times than necessary (split-applying) . A recent tr...