• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Agriculture / Northwest Iowa crop specialists sees crops starting to emerge

Northwest Iowa crop specialists sees crops starting to emerge

May 5, 2020 By Radio Iowa Contributor

Joel DeJong

An Iowa State University Extension Crops Specialist, Joel DeJong, says many of the northwest Iowa farmers he’s talked to have either finished planting or are getting close.

“You really have to look to find a field of corn that hasn’t been planted yet,” De Jong says. “And if you take a look — I would guess about three-quarters of the soybean fields are planted right now.” DeJong says the dry soil conditions have been excellent for the planting, but he says they could use a nice significant rainfall sometime soon.

He says the lack of moisture is a concern for those who have put in surface nitrogen, or used pre-emergent herbicides — as they need rain to get those things to work properly in the soil. DeJong says many of the earlier planted crops have had enough moisture to get them growing and poke out of the soil.

“I would say maybe ten to 15 — maybe even 20 percent of the corn is spiking — if you look closely in those fields,” according to De Jong. “You can’t really see a lot of it if you drive by at normal driving speed. If you start looking in fields, you start to see those spikes up there.”

He says the soybeans that are just getting planted need the water to get them going. “We really could use some rainfall to try to get that soybean crop emerged,” he says. The extension crops specialist says area alfalfa and oats crops are doing well, but like with the corn and soybeans, rain would be welcomed.

DeJong says they have set up traps to determine the likely severity and infestation of different crop pests like cutworms, and haven’t yet seen any indications of an infestation.

(By Dennis Morrice, KLEM, Le Mars)

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Agriculture, News Tagged With: Corn & Soybeans

Featured Stories

Exhibit features lesser known works of Grant Wood

Testing finds 21 new CWD cases in deer

It may become a crime in Iowa to use fake urine in workplace drug tests

February trending 18 degrees below average temperature

Iowa House Education Committee votes to end tenure at UI, ISU, UNI

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Confusion at MVC Tournament as UNI exits prior to quarterfinal round game

Iowa State looks to avoid winless Big-12 season

New look and new format at girls’ state basketball

Youngstown State takes action against assistant football coach

Iowa’s Jack Nunge lost for the season

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC