Save The Date!
K-State & Cottonwood District Soil Fertility Program in Great Bend on January23rd in the evening. Further info. coming soon
In January 2024, look for a new format for the traditional K-State Corn and Soybean Winter Crop Schools. K-State Research and Extension, in collaboration with Kansas Corn and Kansas Soybean, has combined the schools for a whole-day program covering both crops. Save the date for one of the locations near you!
2024 -State Corn and Soybean Crop Schools
January 16 (Tuesday) – Parsons - K-State Southeast Research and Extension Center.
January 17 (Wednesday) – Hesston, Agco Corporation.
January 18 (Thursday) – Garden City, Corteva Agriscience Research Center.
January 19 – Olathe, John Deer Ag Marketing Center.
Stay tuned to the Agronomy eUpdate in the coming weeks for the complete agendas and how to register. To subscribe to the K-State Agronomy eUpdate https://eupdate.agronomy.ksu.edu/index_new_prep.php
New in January 2024 – K-State Corn & Soybean Schools held together
Kansas State University weed specialist Sarah Lancaster is urging producers to be on the lookout for rosette weeds in the mustard family, saying controlling those could be a key to producing a better yield in the coming season.
The mustards, she says, have two phases: One as a rosette close to the ground, and a flowering phase.
“That means they don't have a stem; the leaves are all stacked up right on top of each other,” Lancaster said. “So it can be difficult to see that rosette unless you're walking your fields, or you have a really bad problem.”
Controlling the weeds “will require good scouting and finding the right weather conditions to spray,” she said.
“If farmers know that they have a history of problems with these winter annual mustards in their fields, it would be a good idea to be walking fields and be on the lookout for mustard weeds,” Lancaster said.
Lancaster recommends spraying mustards when they are in rosette form because there is more leaf surface area to absorb the herbicides. Treating mustards this fall prevents crops from competing all winter, and should help to improve the yield of field crops in the spring. Lancaster suggests controlling mustards with herbicides.
“Anytime we're spraying herbicides, remember that they're going to be most effective when the plants can take the herbicides in, and so this time of year, we need to be aware of temperatures in addition to dry conditions persisting in a lot of the state,” Lancaster said.
She said 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature for spraying weeds in the fall. Crop rotation is another method of weed control wheat producers can consider.
“It's important to be walking fields to know what you have so that you can make accurate herbicide decisions going forward,” Lancaster said.
Controlling Mustard Weeds Early is Best for Wheat Yields