MU Soybean monitoring report predicts sharp decline in yield
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The latest Soybean Growth Monitoring Yield Prediction report from University of Missouri Extension predicts drastic shifts to lower soybean yields due to a lack of rainfall. MU Extension soybean agronomy specialist Andre Reis says the latest yield predictions have averaged 3-6 bushels per acre lower than in the previous report.
More than 90% of state in drought as harvest nears
COLUMBIA, Mo. – As harvest nears, University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialists see signs of flash drought creeping into Missouri farmland and threatening crop yields. According to MU Extension state climatologist Zachary Leasor, the U.S. Drought Monitor map for Missouri released on Sept. 4 shows that 93.68% of Missouri is at least abnormally dry following an unusually wet spring.
MU Extension brings learning, application to Norborne Soybean Festival
MU Extension again joined the celebration at the Norborne Soybean Festival in August by bringing hands-on learning and application to the “Soybean Capital of the World.”
Free SCN tests available to Missouri farmers
University of Missouri Extension, SCN Diagnostics and Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council are again offering free testing for soybean cyst nematode (SCN), the No. 1 pathogen of soybean in the United States.
New soybean pest found in Missouri
MU Extension state crops entomologist Ivair Valmorbida has confirmed the presence of a new soybean pest in Missouri, soybean tentiform leafminer. Valmorbida encourages farmers to scout soybean fields for the pest.
Red crown rot appears in two more Missouri counties
Red crown rot confirmed in Maries and Phelps counties; scout fields for irregular patches, especially in wet areas.
Kochia found in NW Missouri soybean fields
Kochia, a highly competitive weed that can reduce yields by as much as 70%, has been found in northwestern Missouri soybean fields. Kochia is not new to Missouri, but this may be the first report of kochia showing up in cropland.
First reports of Japanese beetles received in Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Integrated Pest Management reports the capture of its first Japanese beetles of the season, says MU Extension crops entomologist Ivair Valmorbida. The beetles appeared in Stoddard, Barton, Christian and Holt counties, as reported by MU’s Pest Monitoring Network, which gathers information from across the state.
Replant or roll with it? MU guide weighs costs, payoffs
COLUMBIA, Mo. – When faced with a sparse or failed stand, crop producers have to ask themselves a difficult question: Should I replant?
MU releases payment plan decision tool for corn, soybean, wheat
COLUMBIA, Mo. – As the deadline approaches for growers to select between USDA safety net programs, University of Missouri’s Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center has developed a tool to help growers decide which plans to choose for their major crops.
Sign up now for 2025 crop pest alerts
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension’s Pest Monitoring Network offers free, timely pest alerts to farmers and gardeners, says MU Extension crops entomologist Ivair Valmorbida. Early detection allows farmers to take quick action before infestations become severe. By scouting and monitoring their fields, farmers can make management decisions to prevent yield loss and reduce pesticide use.
Are there opportunities to cut fertilizer costs in 2025?
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension economist Ben Brown and others predict 2025 corn prices will drop below $4.50 per bushel. This is one of a series of articles by University of Missouri Extension specialists suggesting ways to reduce input costs in a year that many farmers may struggle to keep production costs below the price of corn.
10 ways to manage high input costs in 2025
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension agronomist Wayne Flanary says 2025 likely will be a year when corn producers need to batten down the hatches to offset low sale prices and high input costs. MU Extension ag business economist Ben Brown and others predict that corn prices will fall below the $4.30 mark by the end of 2025, a marked drop from $6.54 per bushel in 2023.
MU studies how varieties, seed treatments reduce SCN
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Soybean growers can’t rely on seed treatments alone to combat soybean cyst nematode (SCN), says University of Missouri Extension state plant pathologist Mandy Bish.
Do fungicides pay off in soybean?
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Fungicides can be an essential part of an integrated pest management plan, but they do not always provide a positive return on investment for soybean producers, according to University of Missouri strip trial research.
Be on lookout for stink bugs in soybean in 2025
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri soybean farmers should be on the lookout for several species of stink bugs in 2025, says University of Missouri Extension state crops entomologist Ivair Valmorbida.
Red crown rot: No cure for this soybean disease
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Once red crown rot spreads, you cannot unspread it, says University of Missouri Extension state plant pathologist Mandy Bish. Currently, soybean and disease specialists know of no cure for red crown rot, which can reduce yields by an estimated 80% in severe cases. Seed treatments may reduce symptoms and infection, but these treatments cannot eliminate the fungus, which persists in the soil.
MU Extension releases enterprise budgets for 2025
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension has released its latest crop and livestock enterprise budgets tailored to help Missouri farmers and ranchers plan for a productive 2025. MU Extension specialists have updated 38 budgets for farmers working with row crops, beef, swine, dairy, sheep, goats, forages and more. Region-specific budgets have also been developed for southeastern Missouri crops like cotton, peanuts and rice.
Avoid applying fall anhydrous in northern, central Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension state nutrient management specialist John Lory advises against fall application of anhydrous ammonia anywhere in Missouri. Fall application increases the risk for substantial losses in the period between fall and when the corn needs the nitrogen in June and July. Instead, preplant and side-dress applications to minimize potential losses of applied nitrogen, he says. Apply into cold soil
MU Extension highlights education, innovation at award-winning Soybean Festival
NORBORNE, Mo. – “Soy Much More for ’24!” rang true for this year’s Norborne Soybean Festival, Aug. 1-3 in Carroll County. For over 40 years, this festival has built civic pride, forged greater community bonds and celebrated the area’s number one industry – agriculture, said University of Missouri Extension engagement specialist Chelsea Corkins.
MU study looks at poultry litter's impact on soybean yields
ROCK PORT, Mo. – A six-year study at the University of Missouri’s Graves-Chapple Extension and Education Center in northwestern Missouri looked at the impact of poultry litter on soybean crops. “Poultry litter is increasingly being applied to row crops in northwest Missouri,” said MU Extension agronomy specialist Wayne Flanary, who conducted the research. “Manures such as litter are valuable because they add organic matter and…
First case of red crown rot confirmed in Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension state plant pathologist Mandy Bish reports confirmation of red crown rot, a yield-robbing soybean disease, in Marion County in northeastern Missouri. This is the first confirmed incidence of the disease in the state. Bish says MU Extension specialists have been scouting for the pathogen since its confirmation in Illinois in 2018.
Brazilian farmers and crop consultants visit MU
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension state crops entomologist Ivair Valmorbida and state soybean specialist Andre Reis hosted a group of influential farmers and crop consultants from Brazil on July 19-20 in Columbia. “The collaboration between Missouri and Brazilian soybean farmers is an ongoing one as each seeks to learn from the other to feed the world,” says Valmorbida.
Japanese beetle numbers increasing in corn, soybean
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri corn and soybean growers are reporting growing numbers of Japanese beetles in crops in recent weeks, says University of Missouri Extension state entomologist Ivair Valmorbida. Valmorbida uses numbers from MU Extension’s Pest Monitoring Network, which gathers information from across the state
MU Extension releases soybean yield tool
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A new tool developed by University of Missouri Extension’s state soybean specialist, Andre Froes de Borja Reis, can indicate soybean growth and anticipate yield deviations before the end of the season. “This tool is designed to predict soybean development and yield based on crop growth models,” Reis said. “It simulates soybean growth in various regions of Missouri, using both historical and current weather data.”