Crops : article
MOUNT VERNON, Mo. – Beef herd owners serious about improving fescue pastures—and their beef herds—can learn how in a March 6 meeting at the University of Missouri Southwest Research Center, Mount Vernon.
George Washington Carver was honored for pioneering agricultural education and soybean innovation at the Missouri Soybean Center Hall of Fame.
PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. – This is peanut harvest time in the Missouri Bootheel. Interest in the versatile legume has grown among Bootheel farmers since 2018, says University of Missouri Extension soils and cropping systems specialist Justin Calhoun.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Most of Missouri remains in a drought, according to a map released Feb. 8 by the National Drought Mitigation Center.The drought affects livestock farmers facing dwindling hay reserves. Row crop farmers are eyeing the situation with caution as planting season nears.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mother Nature has not been kind to Missouri agriculture in 2021, says University of Missouri Extension soybean specialist Bill Wiebold.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri agronomists found corn and soybean yields increase by 20 percent or more when they use drainage control systems, said Kelly Nelson, MU Extension agronomist at the Greenley Research Center, Novelty.
GALENA, Mo. – If there was ever a time to do a soil test, this is it, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Tim Schnakenberg.
Rising fertilizer prices make it too expensive to guess on how to apply nutrients, says Schnakenberg.
New podcast offers expert insights on crop production, management tips, and the latest ag research for Missouri farmers.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A new University of Missouri Extension publication offers corn growers help in identifying Missouri’s newest corn pest, the corn leafhopper.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension recently released guidelines for managing cover crops to benefit pollinators and wildlife.
When Hal Donaldson was a young man, he got to meet Mother Teresa.“What are you doing to help the poor?” she asked him.Well, I better not lie to Mother Teresa, he thought to himself, so he said, “I’m not really doing much of anything.”
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension is studying the use of pig manure as a crop fertilizer in research at the MU Bradford Research Farm in Columbia.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri farmers have a new tool to alert them to insects, crop diseases and other important information from University of Missouri Extension specialists.
TROY, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension’s website lists numerous apps to help in decision-making on the farm, says MU Extension agricultural engineering specialist Charles Ellis.
University of Missouri Extension will offer online noncertified restricted-use pesticide (NRUP) applicator training on June 18. The course comes in response to new Environmental Protection Agency guidelines on training for loaders, mixers and handlers of restricted-use pesticides working in a…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension is offering online town hall meetings led by agronomy, livestock and horticulture specialists.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension has received a $444,000 grant to create a mobile application to help farmers manage forage better.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension is recruiting farmers for a project aimed at improving the productivity of forage-based operations in areas dominated by tall fescue grass.
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.
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.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Attendees at the July 10 University of Missouri Crop and Pest Management Field Day in Columbia will hear updates on how spray drones are modernizing agriculture and what to expect when using these devices for weed control.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Nine Missouri weather stations recently received updates to help farmers and chemical applicators know when to spray herbicides to avoid off-target movement caused by temperature inversions.
WELLSVILLE, Mo. – Matthew Spiers wants to convert cropland to pastureland for grazing.Through a joint effort by University of Missouri Extension and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Spiers plans to build a rotational grazing system so he won’t have to rent more pastureland to…
State forage agronomy specialist Carson Roberts recently released the “Productive Pastures Podcast,” featuring livestock and forage producers, researchers and others interested in management-intensive grazing, livestock production and forage production.
Decades of research in northwest Missouri show no-till farming yields high returns and reduces costs for corn and soybean production.
Efficient forage management and utilization are crucial to the profitability of a livestock operation.
MU Extension, the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), Missouri Forage and Grasslands Council, and the Dade County Missouri Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) will host a…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri is part of a $6.6 million research initiative to promote soil health through cover crops.
CLARK, Mo. – On Friday mornings at the Clark Produce Auction, University of Missouri Extension agronomist Dhruba Dhakal sets up a table, plant posters and an MU Extension sign.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri’s Plant Diagnostic Clinic now offers a digital diagnosis service to quickly identify plant health problems.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri Plant Diagnostic Clinic has received a grant to help Amish and Mennonite farmers in several Missouri counties identify and manage plant pest problems through early next year. The grant is from the Regional Integrated Pest Management Center.
PALMYRA, Mo. – New University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Kaitlyn Bissonnette urges growers to notify her if they spot southern rust and other diseases this growing season. She gave growers a look at emerging diseases at the second annual NEMO Soils and Crop Conference in Palmyra Feb. 8.
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.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – If it’s a weed, spray it. That’s the mindset that most in the agriculture industry held for years.That thinking no longer works as more weeds become resistant to herbicides, says Kevin Bradley, University of Missouri Extension weed scientist.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri researchers, under the direction of MU Extension weed scientist Kevin Bradley, are finding that pigweed seed is popping up in birdseed in alarming numbers.
“It’s pretty shocking,” graduate student Eric Oseland told those attending the annual Integrated Pest…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – For now, the University of Missouri Soil and Plant Testing Laboratory remains open.
COLUMBIA, Mo.– Breanne Brammer’s summer vacation was different from that of most college students. Brammer, a senior in the University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, was an agricultural development intern in Mozambique.
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.
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.
COLUMBIA, Mo.–Is pasture insurance right for your farm? The answer could be yes, no or maybe.University of Missouri Extension recently launched an online tool that can help farmers decide if purchasing pasture, range and forage (PRF) insurance makes sense for their operation.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A collaboration between the University of Missouri and North Central Missouri College has resulted in a new weather station at NCMC’s Elizabeth and Arthur Barton Farm at Trenton.
NOVELTY, Mo. – A new University of Missouri Extension publication can help farmers and ag drone pilots maximize efficiency and precision in aerial seeding.
PALMYRA, Mo. – “The genie’s out of the bottle” on the spotted lanternfly, University of Missouri Extension entomologist Kevin Rice told farmers Feb. 8 at the second annual NEMO Soils and Crop Conference in Palmyra.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – New University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Kaitlyn Bissonnette brings research on soybean cyst nematode (SCN) management to Missouri.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Producers who don’t plan, watch and act for nitrogen deficiencies in their corn will lose green in their crop and at the bank, says a University of Missouri Extension plant scientist.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – It is difficult to make blanket recommendations on fall nitrogen fertilizer rates to pastures because of the variability in how forages are managed in the Fescue Belt, says University of Missouri Extension state nutrient management specialist John Lory. But fescue pastures need a…
JACKSON, Mo. – January and February are good months to make wheat management decisions, according to a University of Missouri Extension agronomist in southeastern Missouri.
Wheat maturity does not follow a calendar. Instead, wheat development depends on weather and planting date, says Anthony…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Off-target herbicides may be invisible, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.Off-target herbicides damage crops, ornamentals and other vegetation in nearby fields when droplets move off of the soil or intended plants and onto nontarget plants, says University of Missouri Plant…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Information in the digital age is like porridge in the tale “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” How do you know what is too much, too little, just right – or maybe not right at all?
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension agronomist Tim Schnakenberg urges forage growers to participate in the 41st annual Ozark Empire Fair Hay Contest, July 24 to Aug. 2 in Springfield.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Drought is costing Missouri agriculture significant amounts of money.
TUSCUMBIA, Mo. – Now is the time for forage growers to plan for drought, says Rudra Baral, University of Missouri Extension field specialist in agronomy.
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — It wasn’t the best of springs for baling hay.
“Stockpiling fall forage can stretch your hay supply by delaying how early you start feeding hay, plus reduce your harvesting costs,” says Pat Miller, University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Intense or recurrent rainfall creates the potential for damage from ponding, saturated soils and flooding for corn and soybean crops, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Bill Wiebold.
NEVADA, Mo. – Potash prices have risen about 75% in the past year, according to USDA Agricultural Marketing Service data. This has prompted many producers to cut back on applications. But that could be a mistake. Potash is essential to healthy fields and pastures, says University of Missouri…
Discover how precision ag tools like sensors, drones, and GPS improve efficiency, cut costs, and boost yields for smarter farming.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – As corn yields exceed commercial storage space, farmers will likely store some of this year’s crop in on-farm bins and in unconventional ways.
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STOCKTON, Mo. – “Hay harvest is approaching, and producing high-quality hay reduces cattle supplementation,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist.
Davis discusses harvest management strategies to achieve optimal hay quality.
COLUMBIA, Mo.– When adjusting the settings on a combine, there needs to be a balance between acceptable grain loss and acceptable grain quality.
STOCKTON, Mo. – “As hay season continues, I see a lot of large round hay bales being stored outside,” says University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist Patrick Davis. If hay is not stored properly outside, farmers can see significant dry matter and quality losses. Factors that…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Without protective gear, working around grain dust can cause severe respiratory problems, says University of Missouri Extension safety and health specialist Karen Funkenbusch.
Conditions such as farmer’s lung are serious but preventable, she says.
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The past year hasn't been kind to the northern bobwhite quail in Missouri. Ice storms left many to freeze or starve and heavy rains washed away nests and drowned hatchlings.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Once red crown rot spreads, you cannot unspread it, says University of Missouri Extension state plant pathologist Mandy Bish.
Learn effective strategies to reduce hay waste during times of low supplies, ensuring better livestock management and cost efficiency.
LINN, Mo. – Livestock producers and horse owners can learn how to make “Hay That Pays” at the University of Missouri Extension regional hay school Oct. 14 in Linn.The event runs 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, at Community Christian Church, 1598 U.S. Highway 50, Linn.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – When faced with a sparse or failed stand, crop producers have to ask themselves a difficult question: Should I replant?
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri soybean yields have the potential to reach or exceed national averages, says University of Missouri Extension state soybean specialist Andre Reis.
COLUMBIA, Mo. –University of Missouri Extension rural safety and health specialist Karen Funkenbusch said now is a good time to review safety precautions for grain bins with farm workers and family members.
COLUMBIA, Mo.– When it comes to corn seeding rates, sometimes less is more.Planting more seeds per acre in an effort to maximize yields won’t always maximize your return on investment, says Brent Myers, University of Missouri Extension corn specialist.
GREEN RIDGE, Mo. – Missouri cattle producer John Chamberlin didn’t want to sell his cows when drought lingered and hay supplies and forages dwindled last year.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Though physically demanding and time-consuming, scouting fields for insect pests is essential to crop health, yields and profits, says University of Missouri Extension state entomologist Ivair Valmorbida.
Good scouting is the best way to identify tar spot in corn, says University of Missouri Extension state plant pathologist Mandy Bish. Tar spot was confirmed in June of 2023 and 2024 in Missouri, which is earlier than in previous years, when the disease showed up in August or September. This earlier…
LAMAR, Mo. – Now is the time to scout for fall armyworms in pastures and hayfields, says University of Missouri Extension entomologist Kevin Rice.Agronomists in southeastern Missouri and northern Arkansas report sightings of fall armyworm in grass and legume crops, says Jill Scheidt, MU Extension…
PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. – When fertilizer was cheap, it made sense for farmers to be generous with nitrogen. With today’s prices, producers want to keep fertilizer costs down without reducing yield.
Side inlet irrigation in rice fields conserves water, lowers energy costs, and improves management compared to traditional cascade systems.
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.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Submitting soil samples to your local University of Missouri Extension center is easy, says Manjula Nathan, director of the MU Soil and Plant Testing Laboratory.
PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. – Justin S. Calhoun starts Sept. 1 as a University of Missouri Extension state specialist in soils and cropping systems. He will be based at the Fisher Delta Research Center (FDRC) in southeastern Missouri near Portageville.
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…
Note: Revised to correct spelling of “sclerotinia.”
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist Wayne Flanary says about 160 acres of soybean in northwestern Missouri show symptoms of sclerotinia stem rot.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Soybean gall midge is appearing about 10 days earlier than usual in Nebraska crops, says University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension crop protection and cropping systems specialist Justin McMechan. That could spell trouble for Missouri soybean growers as well.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Farmers spending their own dollars for soybean research at the University of Missouri will hear results July 14.Researchers share results with all farmers, not just those in the Missouri Soybean Association. Suppliers, agribusiness reps, educators and agency officials are welcome.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Raise the temperature and run fans in grain bins now to avoid condensation and mold.Keep your stored grain in condition by increasing the temperature inside the bin to the outside monthly average temperature in May, says University of Missouri Extension entomologist Wayne Bailey.
MONTGOMERY CITY, Mo. – Start stockpiling tall fescue in mid-August for healthier, more profitable cattle, says University of Missouri Extension field specialist in agronomy Rusty Lee.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – On-farm strip trials are an effective way for farmers to test their nitrogen fertilizer rate on corn.
ROCK PORT, Mo. – A four-year study by University of Missouri Extension seeks to find how cover crops can best benefit soils after flooding and prevented planting.
KEYTESVILLE, Mo. – Farmers need more research showing cover crops increase yields, reduce erosion and add nutrients back to the soil in corn-soybean rotation before they adopt the practice, says University of Missouri researcher Ranjith Udawatta.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – New forage research gives reason to not graze toxic fescue grass too short. The bottom 2 inches of infected grass holds highest levels of the alkaloid causing problems for grazing livestock.
The findings guide ways to manage fescue’s toxic impact, says Craig Roberts, University of…
Frequent droughts in Missouri have livestock producers discussing more adaptable summer pasture options.
“With tall fescue as the dominant Missouri forage, there are few options to enhance those fescue fields to graze through a long, hot, dry spell,” said Tim Schnakenberg, University of Missouri…
WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Southwest Missouri farmers and livestock producers are no strangers to drought. In 2022, livestock owners face short-term and long-term challenges growing pastures for grazing and winter feeding.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A yield-robbing corn disease, tar spot, is gaining ground in Missouri.
Tar spot has been confirmed in 19 counties in 2024, says University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Mandy Bish. Corn growers in nearly half of the state’s counties have reported tar spot since Missouri’s…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Armchair farming may not be here yet, but it’s getting closer.“Autonomy in agriculture isn’t as far away as you think,” says Kent Shannon, University of Missouri Extension agricultural engineering specialist.
ASH GROVE, Mo. – “Cows and horses think alfalfa looks like candy, smells like candy and tastes like candy,” says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Andrew McCorkill.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Ask five farmers how much their hay bales weigh, and you’ll probably get five different answers — none of which are backed up by a scale ticket.
“Cattle producers are dealing with varying degrees of drought and forage resources,” says Patrick Davis MU Extension livestock field specialist. Some cattle producers have received adequate rain and are recovering from the 2022 drought through rebuilding forage and cattle resources.
LINNEUS, Mo. – May’s precipitation has made haymaking challenging when rain is frequent and sometimes unpredictable, but University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Carson Roberts has a tip to help hay dry down quicker.
Roberts turns the knob to set the swath boards on the swather to…