Minnesota Crop News

Tatum Dwyer, UMN Entomology Graduate Student, Eric Yu, UMN Extension IPM Educator, Fei Yang, UMN Extension Corn Entomologist Every field season, researchers and extension professionals at the University of Minnesota monitor moth flights of several economically important pests, including the western bean cutworm, true armyworm, corn earworm, and European corn borer. Annual moth flight data from previous field seasons can be retrieved from https://vegedge.umn.edu/weekly-moth-flights . Tracking moth flights informs growers and consultants which pests to keep an eye out for and to estimate when to apply control measures through degree-day modeling (read more here: https://vegedge.umn.edu/degree-day-models-select-pests-midwest-region ) One of the most widely used tools for monitoring these insect pests is the blacklight trap. Traditional light traps have been used for centuries to capture nocturnal species. These insects are attracted to the ultraviolet (UV) light atop a funnel and follow t...

Angie Peltier, UMN Extension crops educator, Fei Yang, UMN Extension corn entomologist and Anthony Hanson, UMN Extension IPM educator and Brett Arenz, UMN Plant Disease Clinic director The following information was provided during the July 22, 2026 Strategic Farming: Field Notes session. Use your preferred podcasting platform or listen online to a podcast of this Field Notes session. It’s time to talk about corn rootworms! Minnesota has two rootworm species that threaten corn yield potential, western and northern corn rootworms. Western corn rootworm Western corn rootworm adults are small, yellow beetles with long antennae and black heads. Thoraxes of both male and female rootworms are yellow with black in different patterns across their wing covers. Female rootworm beetles have black striping across their wing covers running from their thorax to their rear end while males have continuous black coloring across their wing covers (Figure 1). Figure 1. Western corn rootworm beetles...

Photo credit: University of Minnesota Extension Today on Advancing Nitrogen Smart  we ask an unusual question: What is manure, really? We all know manure is made of the liquids and solids that pass through an animal's digestive system, but what has to happen for manure to become usable? Is all manure created equal, or do differences in animal type - and their feed - result in manure with variable nutrient values? How do factors like handling, storage and animal bedding impact available nutrients in manure? What are some of the long-term benefits of manure application? Is there an optimal time of year to apply manure? Brad Carlson and Melissa Wilson answer these questions and many more on this 39th episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast. 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: Chryseis Modderman, Extension Educator – Manure Management; Stephen Gregg, On-Farm Research Manager and Outreach Specialist; Melissa Wilson, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist – Manure Nutrient Management The University of Minnesota Extension manure management team will host the last in-person Commercial Animal Waste Technician (CAWT) recertification workshop in 2026 at Farmfest. This course allows CAWT professionals to meet their mandatory training requirements while also attending Minnesota Farmfest. The workshop, covering a variety of critical topics, will be held on August 6th, 2026 in the “Wick Building” located near the center of the Farmfest Expo grounds from 8 - 11:45 a.m. To learn more about the speakers and topics, make sure to visit z.umn.edu/CAWTworkshops Cost The registration fee is $20 for the in-person recertification training which can be paid when scanning in at the Wick Building by cash or credit card. You will also need to purchase a separate admissio...

Register today for one or both sessions of the Minnesota Drainage Program at Farmamerica, August 13th in Waseca, MN. z.umn.edu/MDPFarmamerica The University of Minnesota Extension will host a session of the Minnesota Drainage Program on Thursday, August 13, 2026, at Farmamerica ( 7367 360th Ave, Waseca, MN ). The workshop is designed for farmers, agricultural drainage contractors, local government unit (LGU) staff, commissioners, SWCD staff, and drainage engineers.  Participants can attend the morning session, the afternoon session, or the full day. Registration is $25 and includes a catered box lunch and access to vendor displays.  Morning Session: Drainage Basics and Precision Drainage (9:00 AM – 11:45 AM)  The morning program focuses on moving beyond traditional uniform grid tiling to precision drainage designs tailored to field contours, soil percolation rates, and crop root zone needs.  Basics of Drainage Design : Dr. Gary Sands (UMN Extension) will cover key ...

Robert Koch (Extension Entomologist), Angie Peltier (Extension Crops Educator), Anthony Hanson (Extension IPM Educator) and Arthur Ribeiro (Researcher, Entomology) As we move through July 2026, high temperatures and dry conditions across parts of Minnesota are creating prime conditions for two-spotted spider mite outbreaks. Daily highs are expected to frequently be near or above 90 °F the last week of July with little chance of rain in the forecast. We are beginning to receive reports of spider mite activity and field infestations in several areas of the state. Here, we provide an overview of how to identify this pest and its injury to soybean, and how to scout for and manage the pest. IDENTIFICATION & PLANT INJURY Appearance: Spider mites are extremely small (nearly invisible without magnification), appearing as tiny yellow, green, or brownish moving specks on leaf undersides (Fig. 1). Spider mites are significantly smaller than soybean aphid and other common insects found in soy...