Grain sorghum acres are way down this year, but those who are growing sorghum should start scouting for sugarcane aphids now. Based on my counterparts reports in more southern states, I suspect there are already low numbers of aphids in some fields. This pest thrives in hot weather, so populations can spread and build quickly. Serious infestations that go untreated can cause catastrophic yield loss. Continue reading
Corn, soybeans, cotton, and wheat were down for the week. Weather and macro-economic factors triggered large declines in grains and oilseeds this week. Increased rain forecasted for most of the Corn Belt and the U.K. vote to leave the E.U. were major market movers this week. Both of these factors will continue to weigh on commodity markets as there is a tremendous amount of uncertainty moving forward for both. Continue reading at http://economics.ag.utk.edu/market/tnmkt/2016/market062416.pdf.
Corn: Since the market’s open on Monday morning, September corn futures have declined by $0.48. What exactly caused this decline? The short answer to that question is weather. The forecast for the Midwest has improved and the talk of La Nina has started to disappear. It is too early to say whether we have made a good corn crop or not. Continue reading
GREAT PROGRESS MADE WITH WHEAT HARVEST PARTS OF THE STATE NEED RAIN
Continued dry weather over most of the State last week allowed producers to make great harvest progress with wheat and hay, and had the additional effect of preventing producers from planting soybeans following wheat because of the dry soil. With some scattered showers, early planted corn is tasseling while other corn is twisting and beginning to show signs of heat stress. There were 6.2 days suitable for field work. Continue reading the Tennessee Crop Progress at TN_06_20_16. The U.S. Crop Progress report can be read at CropProg-06-20-2016.
Soybean diseases and chemical injury can be difficult to correctly diagnose in the field. Some general information about diseases in soybean and common chemical injury follow to help distinguish between the two. Continue reading
A couple more videos from the 2016 weed management series. Here, Garret Montgomery discusses cover crops and termination timing in corn. More in-depth information will be covered at the Weed Tour on June 22, 2016.
Corn was up; wheat and soybeans were down; and cotton was mixed for the week. Markets will continue to focus on weather. At present, the long term weather forecast (for July-September) has above average temperatures and normal precipitation for most of the Corn Belt and mid-South. This sets the stage for continued volatility in corn and soybeans. Continue reading at Tennessee Market Highlights.
With the earliest planted corn in Tennessee tasseling, corn should be scouted for diseases which are key factors when considering fungicide application. In the southeast, common and southern corn rust have been reported, although neither have been found in Tennessee yet. Continue reading