Top Ten Things You Need to Know After Slugfest 2024
Did you or someone you know experience extensive slug damage in soybean fields this spring? The mild winter and prolonged cool, cloudy, and wet weather of spring 2024 led to a surge in slug populations, particularly in fields with high slug numbers last fall. Stephanie Porter, CCA, shares observations from "Slugfest 2024."
Phytophthora In Your Fields? Why You Need to Start Planning for 2025
After several weeks of heavy rain, Stephanie Porter, CCA, has been receiving calls about sparse soybean stands in certain fields. If hail, slugs, herbicides, or human error aren’t to blame, what else could be causing the problem? Find out in our latest blog post.
Staging Soybeans for Fungicide at the R3 Growth Stage
When scouting soybeans for fungicide application, it's important to first check the growth stage across the field. Stephanie Porter, CCA, demonstrates how to identify the R3 growth stage in soybean plants and how to inspect for diseases such as Septoria brown spot and insect damage.
Crop Scouting During the Awkward Junior High Stage
In a "normal" year, Stephanie Porter's focus would be on scouting V7 corn and R1 soybeans. However, with corn planted at varying intervals this year, it's essential to approach each field with a different mindset. Read on to see her photos and observations from the field.
Checklist for Late Soybean Planting (Mid-May to June)
If you're planting soybeans from mid-May to June, refer to this checklist from Illinois Soybean Association Agronomist Stephanie Porter, CCA, for insights on seeding rate, row spacing, maturity, weed management, disease control, and more.
You Think Your Soy Has the Blight: Now What?
In this blog, Stephanie Porter, CCA, of Illinois Soybean Association, explores the deeper issue of soybean seedling blight and urges farmers to consider the underlying causes and how to manage it.
What on Earth(worm) Are Those Brown Things?
Stephanie Porter shares more about identifying earthworm egg cocoons, emphasizing their role in soil health. She explains how lack of earthworms in a field doesn't always signify poor soil quality, and factors like soil type, pH, and moisture levels impact earthworm populations in agricultural fields.
Can Henbit Serve As A Host Away from Soybean?
Illinois Soybean Association Outreach Agronomist, Stephanie Porter, CCA, shares the challenges of winter annual weeds, highlighting henbit and purple deadnettle as alternative hosts of soybean cyst nematode. Research suggests that managing winter annuals in the fall, applying residual herbicides, and removing winter weeds before planting are crucial strategies for management.
10 Things To Consider (Thus Far) Going Into The 2024 Growing Season
As planting kicks off for 2024, read into Stephanie Porter's top 10 considerations for the growing season. She covers soil moisture, cover crop management, weed control, disease management, and more.
Risks, Rewards, and Recommendations for Early Soybean Planting in Illinois
The decision to plant early soybeans comes with risks such as cold temperatures and potential emergence issues, requiring careful planning and communication. However, earlier planting can bring the reward of higher yields. Comparing risk versus reward, Stephanie Porter shares her recommendations for the upcoming planting season.
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