Category Archives: Soybean

Let’s rap about Dectes stem borer in soybean … not as bad as you think

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Over the years and several times in the last month, I’ve had folks tell me how bad Dectes stem borer hurt their soybean yields. Almost without exception, they describe low yielding spots in their fields and/or weak, dying, and dead plants … and they found a lot of Dectes larvae in the stems. They are convinced the two are related and look at me like I’m crazy when I suggest they are not. Here’s what I know. Don’t forget to look at the photos included at the bottom of this article!

What do we know about the biology and pest status of the Dectes stem borer? Continue reading


Field Crop Insect Management Recommendations (PB 1768) Available Online

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The 2020 version of PB 1768, Insect Management Recommendations for Field Crops (and pasture), is now available. The guide has gone through substantial revision this year and closely matches the content on the mobile friendly Disease and Insect Field Guides at https://guide.utcrops.com/. Hard copies will be available soon and distributed through county extension offices and at various educational meetings.


Tennessee Certified Pesticide Applicator Recertification, Dicamba and Paraquat Training in 2020.

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Tennessee Certified Pesticide Applicators must take recertification training in 2020. The recertification training is good for three years. In addition, those who will be spraying Engenia, Tavium, FeXapam or XtendiMax on Xtend crops must take dicamba training in 2020. A new addition from the EPA will be the requirement that anyone who purchases, mixes or applies a paraquat-containing herbicide to take the “How to Safely Use and Handle Paraquat-Containing Products” training module. Continue reading


2020 Middle Tennessee Grain Conference (Feb. 4, Tullahoma)

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The 2020 Middle Tennessee Grain Conference will be held at the UT Space Institute in Tullahoma, TN on February 4th. Registration begins at 7:30 AM with the program starting at 8:30 AM.  Participants are asked to pre-register at their local UT Extension Office until noon on January 31. Payment will also be accepted at the door. The $10 registration fee includes the program, refreshments, lunch, a conference cap, and a proceeding notebook.

Pesticide/dicamba re-certification will also be offered at 2:30 PM.  Additional details, including the registration form are available at Middle TN Grain Conference Flyer.

 


Tennessee Top Bean Winners Revealed

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Tennessee held the Top Bean soybean yield contest in 2019, as a collaboration between UT Extension and the Tennessee Soybean Promotion Council.  Dry, hot weather in September and excess rains in October and November, created some yield challenges for soybean producers who planted late, but yields for early planted beans were good to excellent.  Most higher yield entries were from early (late April or early May) planted soybeans planted on narrow rows.

For the contest, Tennessee was divided into five districts with first and second-place winners in each district.  The district fist-place winners automatically competed for Top Bean state yield champion in irrigated and nonirrigated production.  Congratulations to Mr. Brad Burks (Lauderdale county) who is the 2019 state winner for irrigated soybean production with 100.2 bushels/acre, and to Mr. Eric Reed (Lincoln county) who is the state winner for nonirrigated soybean production with 89.2 bushels/acre.  All district and state winners will receive additional recognition at their local Grain Conferences in February.

For a complete listing of district winners and runners-up please click on the link below:

Contest Winners


Cover Crop Species Selection for Tennessee Corn and Soybean Systems

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In Tennessee, corn harvest is beginning and soybeans will be right around the corner. Time to start talking about cover crops, in particular, what options are best for your cropping system. Cover crops offer many benefits to cash crop systems, including weed suppression, nutrient credits, improved soil health, pollinator habitat, and more. Many species can be used as cover crops but each differs in the ecological benefits it can provide to a system as well as in its adaptation to production regions in Tennessee.  This adaption is highly dependent on management practices, especially time of planting. A species selected as a top performer when planted after corn may not do so well in a system following soybeans, where cover crop planting is two to four weeks later. Planting a poorly adapted species reduces your return on investment in a cover cropping system, so let’s talk about what works in Tennessee. Continue reading