Reports of fall armyworms are emerging from Arkansas this week. While populations remain low, larvae have been found in rice and soybean fields with significant grass weed infestations. To date, no armyworms have been reported in Tennessee, but late July is historically when populations begin to appear. Continue reading
UT’s ‘Top Bean’ Contest, sponsored by TN Soybean Promotion Board
Our contest has been growing each year, with over 50 entries submitted last year. This is a great opportunity for producers to show off some of their high yielding fields while giving us an idea of their practices used to achieve them.
Growers are encouraged to work with their local county Extension agent to enter their best irrigated and dryland fields and compete for ‘Top Bean’ in the state. Tennessee is divided into five yield districts for the contest. District winners will receive awards and all district winners will compete for state winner in irrigated and dryland production.
Producers (farm entity) are allowed to submit in two categories; one irrigated submission and one non-irrigated submission. As so, a producer may only submit one entry per category. Producers may submit in two districts if they submit an irrigated from one district and a non-irrigated from a different district.
Agents with access to a weigh wagon can use their wagon to weigh contest harvest, and document weight on a new UT weight certification form. Producers and agents without access to a calibrated weigh wagon should continue to weigh harvested seed at a nearby certified scale and include a copy of the weigh ticket to certify weight.
An entry form acknowledging your intent on entering must be submitted by September 1st. Please get with your local County Extension Office for more details and to submit your forms.
All the rules and information on how this contest is ran are attached below.
Use these forms at harvest to submit a completed entry. Due December 8th, 2026
Soybean Yield Contest Harvest forms
All forms and additional information can be found at your local Extension office or email rblair2@utk.edu
UT’s Soybean Scout Schools will be held in July (see details below). These field-side programs cover the basics of soybean growth, scouting, pest identification, and general management. Pesticide recertification and CCA CEU points will be available. Scout Schools are offered free of charge with sponsorship from the Tennessee Soybean Promotion Board. Registration is not required. Participants will receive a scouting notebook and a sweep net while supplies last.
As we near the middle of July and soybean fields move into pod formation, it’s time to decide whether a fungicide application is needed. When making that decision, we need to consider the cost of fungicide application, the crop price, and disease pressure, meaning its potential to rob yield. Continue reading
The last week of June and the start of July have brought unusually dry conditions to much of West Tennessee, and we’re already seeing the effects on the region’s major row crops. Among crops cotton—often considered a heat-loving crop—may appear to be thriving right now, extended heat and limited rainfall can still influence how cotton and other major crops grow and develop as the season progresses.
Why this matters now
Dry weather at this point in the season can quickly shift from “manageable” to “yield-limiting,” especially if high temperature and evaporative demand rates continue and soil water remains low. A widespread, soaking rain in the coming weeks would help stabilize crop conditions and reduce stress during critical growth periods.
What this blog covers
This article focuses on: Continue reading
Another week and more reports and field visits to fields where Palmer amaranth is escaping glufosinate, glyphosate and dicamba. These escapes range from relatively small pockets in fields to almost complete Palmer amaranth jail breaks across large portions of fields (Picture 1 and 2). Continue reading
I’ve gotten a few questions on Kudzu bugs over the past few days. Early planted beans (R3 +) are driving these calls and adult migration into more mature soybeans is common. With the mild winter and early spring, this migration is sooner than we’ve seen in the past. Continue reading
There have been a good number of reports of prickly sida issues in soybean and cotton fields. Prickly sida or tea weed has increasingly become more of an issue in these crops. There are two reasons for this. First, the Group 15 herbicides (Dual Mag, Warrant, Zidua) are the most common PRE-applied herbicides utilized. Though that group of herbicides provides good residual control of pigweed and grasses, it provides no help on sida. Second, is that neither glyphosate nor dicamba has ever been very effective on this weed. The only popular POST option that can give some control is Liberty. However, even Liberty is limited to controlling only very small (<2”) prickly sida. Continue reading