Cropping Issues in Northwest Minnesota

By Angie Peltier, University of Minnesota Extension and Joe Ikley, North Dakota State University Extension Many farm fields in northwest Minnesota are able to grow canola quite well. Unfortunately most are actually attempting to produce soybean and the canola are volunteers -very competitive (and often herbicide tolerant) weeds. Drive-by scouting won’t necessarily reveal the canola plants until they begin to bolt and their bright yellow flower petals can be observed towering over the soybean canopy. Figure. Flower canola can be easily seen above a soybean canopy (photo credit: Manitoba Agriculture).

NDSU Extension will offer a webinar this Wednesday, April 15 from 9:30 AM to noon covering various topics related to production of dry edible beans. Topics and presenters will include: Recommendations for selected plant establishment factors - Greg Endres, NDSU Extension cropping systems specialist  Soil considerations and plant nutrition - Dave Franzen, NDSU Extension soil science specialist  Disease management - Sam Markell, NDSU Extension plant pathologist  Weed management - Joe Ikley, NDSU Extension weed specialist  Market update - Frayne Olson, NDSU Extension crops economist Register for the webinar ahead of time at: https://tinyurl.com/NDSUdrybean.   The website that will be hosting the webinar can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/jointhedrybeanwebinar .

The freezing rain, sleet and considerable snow that fell over the last day and a half are sure to delay field work a bit longer throughout much of northwest Minnesota. If you have all of your equipment as well-tuned as it can get while waiting for fields to dry and aren't suffering from meeting fatigue, there are a series of weed management webinars available on the Take Action website that might help to provide an edge during the 2020 growing season and beyond.