Cropping Issues in Northwest Minnesota

The map of soybean growth stages shows clearly contrasts areas of the state that were planted in a timely manner due to fit soil conditions (northwest) from areas of the state where planting was delayed due to wet fields (everywhere else, Figure 1). Figure 1. Soybean growth stages up to August 9, 2019. Map: NDSU Extension IPM.

In travels this week throughout parts of northwest Minnesota it became evident that the much needed rain that the Crookston area received brought a bit more than rain (Figure 1). Figure 1. Accumulated precipitation (in inches), August 5-8, 2019. Source: Midwest Regional Climate Center cli-MATE.

Scouts working throughout Minnesota between July 19 and August 2 encountered soybeans in reproductive growth stages ranging from beginning bloom to beginning seed (Figure 1).  Spring rains delayed planting throughout other regions of the state, delaying crop growth and development. Figure 1. Soybean growth stages in scouted fields from July 19 through August 2, 2019. Map: NDSU Extension IPM. Aphid incidence

I got back to my office this morning to find a care package of soybean plants in a plastic bag and a sticky note listing a name and phone number on my desk (Figure 1).  With the heat and periodic rains over the past several weeks, so many fields of soybeans in northwest Minnesota have closed, thick canopies with nodes loaded with full-sized trifoliates, flowers and pods. Figure 1. Bag filled with soybeans. Above-ground issues

While walking through some soybean plots earlier this week, I noticed several things that made me take notice. Grasshoppers. The grasshoppers that had been prevalent in the neighboring spring wheat fields had hopped on over to soybean now that their small grains meal ticket has nearly matured.  While it was very nearly impossible to capture a grasshopper photo as they spooked each time I’d get within camera-aiming proximity, here is one that was making its way toward the field edge (Figure 1). Figure 1. Grasshopper caught feeding on soybeans in Crookston, MN.

UMN Extension scouts spent considerable time in Minnesota soybean fields last week. Fewer than 25 percent of plants in two soybean fields in Polk County and a single soybean field in both Fillmore and Houston Counties were infested with soybean aphid (Figure 1). Figure 1. Fewer than 25 percent of surveyed plants in four Minnesota soybean fields were infested with soybean aphids July 12-26, 2019. Map: NDSU IPM. Of those plants within the four infested fields, average population densities were between 1 and 20 soybean aphids per plant (Figure 2). Figure 2. Soybean aphid population densities remained low between July 12 and 26, 2019. Map: NDSU IPM. Wishing you continued scouting vigilance and sub-threshold soybean aphid population densities.

Along with soybean aphids UMN Extension scouts are scouting soybean fields looking for spider mites, gall midge injury and larvae and disease. This growing season has been a little bit drier than the 30-year average for parts of northwest Minnesota (Figure 1). This along with the hot temperatures today and forecast for the next several days could lead to drought stressed soybeans in some fields. Departure of accumulated precipitation (in inches) from mean for May 15-August 2, 2019. Source: Midwest Regional Climate Center CLIMATE.

An experiment was planted on May 22 at the University of Minnesota’s Northwest Research & Outreach Center (NWROC) in Crookston. Three different corn hybrids were planted for a foliar fungicide experiment and an additional four hybrids were planted to act as ‘sentinels’ to be monitored throughout the growing season for new or emerging disease and pest issues. Various sized lesions began appearing over the last couple of weeks on leaves of some of the hybrids. These lesions could be observed from outside of the plots (Figures 1 and 2). Figure 1. Diseased leaves can be observed from the edge of the field.

Join University of Minnesota Extension personnel, county soybean association members, seed company representatives and your friends and neighbors for a 2019 northwest Minnesota Soybean Plot Tour program. As this program is sponsored by check-off funds through the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council and County Soybean Associations there is no cost to attend. No prior registration is required. Dates, locations and times.  Tuesday, August 13 Marshall County - 8 AM: (GPS coordinates: 48.2397, -96.6176) .  Marshall County plot located on the Billy Potucek Farm: 7 miles east and 3 miles north of Warren. Take US Hwy 1 east of Warren 7 miles to County Rd 36 (Radium Road). Take County Rd 36 3 miles north to 250th Street NW. Travel 1/2 mile west on 250th St. to plot location. Coffee, juice and rolls served at plot. Pennington-Red Lake Counties - 10 AM: (GPS coordinates: 48.07336, -96.20342). Pennington-Red Lake County plot located on the Kyle Mehrkens Farm. Plot is loc