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Nitrate, prussic acid poisoning follow drought
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Nitrates and prussic acid build up in forages to levels dangerous to livestock during drought.Livestock face severe illness and even death after eating affected forages, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Jamie Gundel.Nitrates tend to concentrate in the bottom third of the plant. It shows in the plant’s stem and stalks more than leaves, Gundel says.
Corn silage as a forage
COLUMBIA, Mo. – An emergency feeding situation is shaping up for Missouri’s beef producers because of the drought. University of Missouri Extension recently hosted University of Wisconsin agronomist Joe Lauer on the MU Extension Forage and Livestock Hour to discuss his research on corn silage as a forage.
Missouri dairy producers have their eyes on the drought
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Northern Missouri has received plenty of rain, and dairy producers there are hopeful about making a silage pile, while those in the state’s southern counties are looking at options as drought conditions and oppressive heat have taken hold.
MU guide looks at reconsidering silage pricing
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Drought throughout much of Missouri has renewed interest in how to price silage. An updated University of Missouri Extension publication looks at silage costs and revenues.
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Windbreaks can help prevent herbicide injury
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Plant injury due to the off-target movement of herbicides such as dicamba and 2,4-D is one of the challenges to the production of specialty crops.“There are few short-term solutions to avoid plant damage when herbicides drift onto property other than growing plants in protective structures or planting crops and cultivars that are less susceptible to herbicide injury,” says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist…
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Time to transplant irises
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Now is the time to transplant one of America’s most popular flowers, the iris.Although irises can be transplanted at any time, they do best when established in the landscape from August to mid-October, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
Plants respond to heat differently than humans
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Extreme heat affects plants differently than humans.With triple-digit temperatures this summer, grain crop growers should understand how heat affects plants, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Bill Wiebold.First, human concepts such as “heat index” or “feels like” do not apply to plants, Wiebold says. People and plants feel and react differently to heat.
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MU Engagement Scholar interview: Kale Monk
Six University of Missouri faculty members have been selected as the inaugural group of MU Engagement Scholars. The scholars were selected by the Office of Extension and Engagement for their potential to create dynamic engagement opportunities for Missourians.
Let no tree go to waste, Full Circle Forest Products - Rutledge, MO
Are trees that have been felled by nature or landowners destined to rot — either where they lie or in a landfill? Joshua Clarkweiss says no. Clarkweiss, owner of Full Circle Forest Products, a sustainability-focused sawmill in Rutledge, Missouri, turns those trees into custom construction lumber and furniture.
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Supersized moth looks like a hummingbird
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The hummingbird moth is the Superman of the summer flower garden.
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MU Extension resources for farmers amid deepening drought
COLUMBIA, Mo. – “It’s not a good situation” for agriculture in the southern two-thirds of Missouri, where scant rainfall and high temperatures have led to worsening drought, said Pat Guinan, associate extension professor of climatology with University of Missouri Extension.The ample moisture in northern Missouri ends abruptly where drought conditions begin in central through southern Missouri, Guinan said.
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Lack of rainfall during corn's R1 stage spells trouble
COLUMBIA, Mo. – One and one quarter inch. That’s how much rain corn plants need each week in July and August to maintain rapid growth and produce the best possible yields.Mother Nature has not been kind to Missouri’s corn crop this year, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Bill Wiebold. One indication is the rapid expansion of trouble areas in the U.S. Drought Monitor, he says.
Survey seeks worker input on recovery friendly workplaces
Sidebars: Success story: Tower Rock Stone Co. and Be
Silage-making reminders
SEDALIA, Mo. – While it is still too soon to sound the alarm on “drought,” parts of the state are becoming severely dry, said University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Gene Schmitz.
July farm management news and notes from MU Extension
COLUMBIA, Mo. – During the summer, farm management involves a lot of day-to-day decisions. Use these news and notes from University of Missouri Extension as you and your team keep farm work on course.Review crop insurance policies before replantingExcess moisture, cold snaps and pest pressure early in the season can all result in a dissatisfying crop stand and lower yields at harvest. Replanting later than normal can also reduce yields.
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MU Extension crops podcast debuts
PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension field specialists have launched a podcast that explores topics of interest to Missouri row crop producers.
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How to buy meat directly from the farm
COLUMBIA, Mo. – One option for consumers buying meat is to purchase directly from the producer. A new University of Missouri Extension publication offers guidelines for buying all or part of animal from a livestock producer and having the meat processed and packaged.
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4-H primitive camping at Wurdack
COOK STATION, Mo. – Five Missouri 4-H youths took part in a first-ever primitive camping experience June 16-17 at the University of Missouri’s Wurdack Extension and Engagement Center in Cook Station.The campers were Neva Trosper, of Dent County, and Annabelle Edmonds, Connor Briggs, Wyatt Bobo and Evan Haberberger, all of Franklin County.
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Rose rosette continues to plague garden roses
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Rose rosette is a devastating disease of roses. There is no cure. Infected rose bushes should be removed from the landscape and destroyed, said David Trinklein, horticulture specialist for University of Missouri Extension.
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Waterlily: Easier to grow than you might think
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Some gardeners consider waterlilies to be the ultimate challenge. Many admire them but few grow them, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.Though waterlilies may appear exotic and fragile, they are tough and durable, Trinklein said. “Once established, waterlilies flower well into late summer and provide an exotic addition to any landscape,” he said.
Missouri Leads the Nation With Passage of Good Neighbor Week Bill
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Missouri Governor Mike Parsons signed HB1738 on Friday, July 1, 2022, which includes language designating Missouri Good Neighbor Week starting on National Good Neighbor Day (Sept. 28) and continuing for six days. The measure is a first for our nation, and it comes at a time when a reminder about the value of neighbors is desperately needed, according to University of Missouri Extension Community Development…
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Firecracker penstemon explodes with patriotic color
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Flowering stems of firecracker penstemon pop with color and add a burst of red flowers to landscapes in summer.Firecracker penstemon (Penstemon eatonii) is just one of about 270 species of penstemon, also known as beardtongue. “Its showy stamens protrude from the flower and resemble a hairy tongue,” says Michele Warmund, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.
Serving children with differing abilities, Unearth Potential - Joplin, MO
When Anita Archer and Erin Phipps, behavior analysts and owners of Unearth Potential in Joplin, Missouri, learned about the impending closure of the company they worked for, they worried about all the families that would be left without services for their children with differing abilities. With the encouragement of the families they were then serving, the women decided to open their own clinic.
Y partnership keeps seniors connected
This month we feature Sue Robison, county engagement specialist in Carroll County, with Bret Lyon and Kathy Lock of the Carroll County YMCA.
Soybean Cyst Nematode: Out of Sight, Out of Mind?
Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) can substantially reduce yield, but it is not always obvious when the nematodes (Figure 1) are present. Leonardo Da Vinci's quote: "We know more about the movement of celestial bodies than about the soil underfoot" seems somewhat appropriate when discussing SCN levels in the soil.