A number of dicamba drift situations, primarily tobacco and soybean, have been observed in recent days. Crop sensitivity to dicamba varies, but all broadleaf crops are sensitive. Tobacco, soybeans, other beans and peas, sweetpotato, and grapes are extremely sensitive. Cotton, peanuts, and vegetable crops, including peppers, tomato, watermelon, cucumber, cantaloupe, and squash, are somewhat less…
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The NCSPA has widely published information from research studies that have shown increases in yield in N.C. conditions, such as in THIS ARTICLE from June of 2016. Many farmers are already implementing practices these or other practices that will improve yields. However, it’s always good to have a reminder of things that can be easily…
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As many of our beans move into reproductive stages, now is the time to begin scouting for disease and thinking about fungicide applications. If, when and how often to apply fungicides are questions all soybean growers face. To help answer these questions the NCSPA sponsored research with a group of crop consultants in eastern N.C.…
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Many farmers do not realize that weeds that are not managed can also cause problems with insect pests. Insects feed on alternative host sources before going into soybeans when they start to bloom. Some insects may have three generations built up in weeds before soybeans are vulnerable. Learn more in THIS ARTICLE about what can…
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Jeff Jennings of Clayton, N.C. began work as the new CEO of the North Carolina Soybean Producers Association on July 3, 2017. Jennings previously worked at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services where he was an assistant director of marketing managing the domestic marketing section. Prior to that, Jennings served as a program…
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Regardless of the crops we grow or work with, the one thing we all have in common in the ag industry is complaining about the weather. It’s either too wet, or too dry or too hot, or too cold. When talking soybeans specifically, water stress (either too much or too little) is one of…
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Today’s sprayers can apply just the right amount of herbicide to every inch of a field, but one size does not fit all. Nozzles come in many types and spray patterns, and the best one to use depends on the plan for using it. For instance, different size nozzles work better with different types of…
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Given all the publicity off-target dicamba injury has gotten over the last few weeks, I thought it would be an appropriate time to share some videos we made with Crop Science professor Dr. Wes Everman last season. In the first two videos, Anthony Grove, an NCSU Master’s student under the direction of Dr. Wes…
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Weed scientists often see farmers making the same mistakes when managing their fields. Common ones include: Applying herbicides when weeds are too tall Not using residual herbicides or not using them at adequate rates in pre-plant/pre-emergence programs Applying herbicides at rates lower than the labeled minimum Using ineffective herbicides for weeds that are in the…
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Scouting is critical to helping make management decisions that will ultimately increase profitability. Early rounds of scouting should look for emergence, stand and uniformity, early seedling diseases and weeds. Scouting early and scouting often are essential to catching early season problems. Emergence, Stand, Uniformity Soon after soybeans emerge the first task is to scout for…
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There are lots of great apps these days that can help with weed management that can be uploaded to your phone to have handy to use in the field. There’s a Site of Action Lookup Tool, a Weed ID app, a Windfinder app to make it easy to identify which direction to spray and an…
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Dicamba is in the headlines now, with new herbicide-tolerant traits coming to market and recent approvals for over-the-top application. And rightly so because it offers soil residual activity with over 14 days of small-seeded broadleaf weeds, control of weeds that have developed resistance to other modes of action and extended flexibility in application timing in…
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