Iowa State Plant Protection

Potato planting in Iowa: Southern: late March to early April Central: early to mid-April North: mid to late April Since potatoes are susceptible to several diseases, use certified, disease-free potatoes. More information on growing potatoes: go.iastate.edu/OZFXHH

In the spring, the best time to divide and transplant perennials is when the foliage is just starting to emerge. Here are tips on why, how, when, and how often to divide perennials, along with guidelines for common Iowa species: go.iastate.edu/RCKLVU

The guys sit down with @purdueagryext Dr. Daniel Quinn to talk about what takes corn from average to high-yielding. If you are looking to take your yields from good to great, you won't want to skip this one! 🎙️: @purduecorn Watch now: bit.ly/4e2BGKt

“Seedling diseases are more prevalent in no-till or reduced tillage systems, where soils typically warm more slowly in the spring and retain more moisture... Fungicide seed treatments vary in efficacy, and products that control diseases caused by Globisporangium, Phytophthora, and Pythium...generally do not control...Fusarium and Rhizoctonia. Conversely, fungicides active against Fusarium and Rhizoctonia have little effect on oomycetes." From An Overview of Soybean Seedling Diseases at cropprotectionnetwork.org/publications/a… by @cropdoc08 @cropdisease @DylanMangel @TravisLegleiter @dsmuelle @MartinChilvers1 @ISU_IPM @AlbertTenuta @baldpathologist @MandyBish1 @MahDuffeck @travisfaske @ppp_trey @badgercropdoc @DTelenko +more #soybean #USSoy #plant26

One question I get a lot in the spring is "What's that purple weed?" It's likely henbit, but could be purple deadnettle. Check out these tips on how to tell them apart: crops.extension.iastate.edu/post/whats-pur… I've started noticing more henbit myself in the last few days! #ISUCrops

Best Practices for Drone Fungicide Applications: Expert Tips and Testing Results. Watch at youtu.be/GvN8KtxJjAI. From @ISUExtension's Luke Fuhrer. @ISUANR @ISUCropNews @iowa_corn @IowaSoybeans #drones #UAS #UAV #farming #grow26 @alisonrISU @dsmuelle

Crop Scouting this summer? Get ready before heading to the field with the ISU Crop Scouting School on May 20 at the Southeast Research Farm (Crawfordsville, IA) OR May 26 @ISUFieldLab (Boone, IA). Learn more and register today: go.iastate.edu/cropscoutschool #ISUCrops #ScoutSchool

Guess who I found today?!?!? Giant Ragweed is one of the very first summer annuals to wake up and get going in the spring

With the heavy rainfall during Holy Week in some areas & more predicted this week & next, lots of conversations on nitrogen lost. Each situation is different, so I posted charts below on "conversion" of ammonium to nitrate. Nitrate is the form of nitrogen that is susceptible to loss. Nitrogen in the ammonium form is not lost. Accurately calculating N loss is nearly impossible. Not all nitrate is lost in any one event. The main concern at this time would be fall manure applied prior to November 1st... and especially manure applied prior to October 15th. With December snow melt & rain, along with recent/forecasted rainfall, these early manure applications likely have significant loss (30+%). Other N applications likely have little loss at this point. Good news is the soil is still too cold for major denitrification to take place. This process is where most of the N loss in our production systems occur & why you see yellow corn in between the tile lines and green corn over the top of tile lines. Contact your Local Pioneer Sales Rep for more information.

“This research found no negative effect on plant stand and soybean yield from phytotoxicity caused by ILEVO® and/or preemergence herbicides...This means that ILEVO® did not increase seedling damage from herbicides and herbicides did not increase damage from ILEVO®.” From the article Using ILEVO with Preemergence Herbicides at cropprotectionnetwork.org/publications/u… by @cropdoc08 @dsmuelle @TravisLegleiter @cropdisease @MartinChilvers1 @ISU_IPM @badgercropdoc @AlbertTenuta +more #soybean #USSoy

Many pathogens cause corn seed decay and seedling blight. The first symptom may be an area of the field with poor or no stand. Decayed seeds are very soft and may be covered with fuzzy fungal growth; seeds can be difficult to find if badly rotted. Postemergence damping off appears as yellowing and wilting; seedlings soon collapse leaving only dead leaves above the soil. Nodal roots may show the same decay symptoms as seminal roots and the mesocotyl. If the nodal root system escapes decay, the plant will survive; it may be stunted or recover fully. Favored by cool, wet soils, these diseases are more common in low-lying or poorly drained areas or in fields planted too early in spring. Ask local Extension for more information. @alisonrISU @cropdoc08 @alabamaED @ppp_trey @travisfaske @DTelenko @MandyBish1 @tjcksn @MPlumblee @dsmuelle @YuanZeng3 @baldpathologist @bobkemerait @badgercropdoc @MartinChilvers1 @maddishires @NationalCorn @kscorn @MississippiCorn #plant26 #corn #agx #seeds #farming

Seed Treatments: Questions That Emerge When Plants Don't from Extension at cropprotectionnetwork.org/publications/s…. @MartinChilvers1 @DylanMangel @badgercropdoc @AlbertTenuta @cropdoc08 @dsmuelle @baldpathologist @MandyBish1 @MahDuffeck @travisfaske @maddishires @alabamaED @DTelenko @BisonBeanDoc +others @OhioSoybean @ILSoybean @FieldAdvisor @arkansassoybean @INSoybean @kysoybean #plant26 #agx #USSoy @UnitedSoy

Whether you are new to crop scouting or would like a refresher, the ISU Crop Scouting School is for you! 🔗 go.iastate.edu/cropscoutschool #ISUCrops #ScoutSchool @ISUFieldLab

Does pollinator habitat embedded within conventional farming systems provide overall benefits if pesticides remain in the surrounding landscape? cals.iastate.edu/news/2026/dept…

A storm knocks out power, cell towers are down, and you have livestock to feed. What's the plan? Situations like this are common and why this #IOWAag webinar series is being held next week. Learn more and find registration details - extension.iastate.edu/news/isu-exten…

Henbit is a cool season annual that is starting to bloom. Raising mower height and encourage denser turf. Management, if needed, is in the fall. #NebExt

The annual placement of black cutworm and true armyworm traps! For the next 8 weeks I will put up with dead moths, stinky TAW lures, sticky fingers, truck door handle and steering wheel!

“Chemical management strategies do not result in complete control of white mold and, therefore, should be considered only as one component of an integrated management program. Reduction of white mold incidence achieved by fungicides in university field trials has ranged from zero to approximately 60%.” From the updated publication An Overview of White Mold at cropprotectionnetwork.org/publications/a… by @badgercropdoc @cropdisease @MartinChilvers1 @travisfaske @DylanMangel @dsmuelle @ISU_IPM @BisonBeanDoc @cropdoc08 +more @AlbertTenuta @baldpathologist @MandyBish1 @MahDuffeck @maddishires @DTelenko #soybeans #USSoy

Perfect day to set out my black cutworm traps! Stay tuned for more updates this spring from our moth trapping network! @ashleyn_dean #ISUCrops

Is this weather giving you thoughts of mushroom hunting? It won't be long before soil temps reach 53° and mushrooms are out! Stay safe this season with the Safe Mushroom Foraging Guide. Happy hunting! 🍄 ➡️ shop.iastate.edu/extension/prod…