Roots to Leaves - Earth Day/Arbor Day Celebration 2022
Mark your calendars and attend the Haskell Ag Lab Roots to Leaves - Earth Day/Arbor Day Celebration 2022 on Saturday, April 30th from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. We have demonstrations, presentations, a tour, and activities for kids planned. Public is invited and welcome to attend this free event. There will be a free tree giveaway until supply is gone. The schedule for the event is below. Invite your family and friends and plan to attend.
Manure Use and Composting following Application of Certain Herbicides
The prices of synthetic fertilizers have increased significantly over the last year leaving growers and even homeowners facing the decision of finding alternative sources of nutrients. One great option is the use of manure or compost from a local farm or from your own operation. The use of manure in gardening can loosen compacted soil, increase carbon in the soil, and reduce surface runoff and leaching all while providing nutrients that your plants need. While this option is great, it is important to be aware of the potential carry over of herbicides in manure from grazing animals.
Tom Hunt is an Extension Entomologist/Professor of Entomology at the Haskell Ag Lab
It seems like every year there is a new or emerging insect pest in northeast Nebraska. This year that insect is the soybean stem borer, sometimes called the Dectes stem borer. In the past this insect has not been of concern for northeast Nebraska farmers, but during the last few years it has reached economically damaging levels in a few fields as far north as Knox County.
The soybean stem borer is a native species that is widely distributed across North America east of the Rocky Mountains. Adults are elongate, gray beetles with antennae longer than the body, and about 1/4 to 1/2 inches long. The larvae are found in soybean stems and are legless, creamy white with a strongly segmented body, enlarged near the head and gradually tapering toward the rear, with brown heads, and about 1/2 to 5/8 inches long when mature. Its main hosts are cultivated sunflower, soybean, giant ragweed, and cocklebur.
In mid-summer the females lay eggs in the upper soybean leaf petioles and the larvae gradually borer into and up and down the stem. It is not the “boring” that is really the problem, but the girdling of the stem base late in the season. If enough of the plants are infested, a strong wind causes the stems to break about 2 to 4 inches from the ground, so plants fall over (lodge) and are not harvestable.
In the past this insect only reached pest levels in soybean south of Nebraska, but over the last 20 years it has gradually reached damaging levels in the north central U.S. This could be because of climate change, changes in agronomic practices, or some other combination of factors, but whatever the reason, we now must watch for it in northeast Nebraska.
The first indication you may have soybean stem borer in your soybean field is leaf flagging, which is a single wilting or brown leaf on an otherwise healthy plant. This is caused by the young larvae boring through the leaf petiole and into the main stem.
Unfortunately, there are few consistently effective management options for soybean stem borer. Adults emerge and lay eggs over a long period, so it is hard to target a good time to treat them with insecticides. Larvae are in the stem, so it is hard to reach them with insecticides. However, there are several cultural practices can help reduce losses.
Weed control to reduce alternate hosts, such as ragweed and cocklebur, can help reduce soybean stem borer. Burying borer-infested stubble 2 to 3 inches after harvest can reduce soybean stem borer the following year. Adult soybean stem borers are not strong fliers, so crop rotation may reduce damage in areas where soybean acreage is limited. Early planted, short-season soybean varieties are more likely to suffer harvest loss from lodging, so longer season varieties that mature later may allow more time to harvest before lodging occurs. If one has a history of injury, or observes injury symptoms this year, they should carefully monitor these fields August through September. If extensive stalk tunneling occurs, the fields are at risk for lodging and should be targeted to harvest first to minimize harvest loss due to lodging.
The soybean stem borer is still at low levels in most of northeast Nebraska, but bears watching. Additional information on scouting and management for soybean stem borer can be found in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension CropWatch Newsletter at https://cropwatch.unl.edu/ .
Upcoming Early Childhood Programs at HAL
Thursday, April 21 6:00 - 7:00 PM. Math at Home Program - Families with Children Ages 3 & 4 - Join us for an engaging parent workshop to discover simple ways of incorporating math into your child's daily routine. BONUS: You will receive a resource kit to use at home right away and weekly text tips! This parent workshop will be held at the Haskell Ag Lab. Families providing additional feedback on the program will receive $10 compensation.
Saturday, April 23 10:00 AM - Noon Spring Camp- This program will focus on gardening, pollinators and more. Cost: $5/child. Pre-register by calling 402-584-2234. Please dress appropriately for outdoor activities as the camp will be outside the majority of the time. Recommended for ages 3-5.
For more information on these programs, call Sarah Roberts at 402-584-2234 or email sarah.roberts@unl.edu
Employee Spotlight
Sarah Roberts is the lead Extension Educator for Dixon County. The Dixon County Extension Office is located at the Haskell Ag Lab. Sarah is also part of the Early Childhood team, which helps teach and support those in contact with children from birth to age eight. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Child, Youth, and Family Studies. Sarah loves teaching children and adults about science, nature, and the environment.
Please plan to join us at the Haskell Ag Lab for Coffee and Conversations the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 9 AM. We will have coffee and snacks ready. The next Coffee and Conversations will take place on Tuesday, May 10th. Please invite friends and neighbors to attend with you to share ideas for programs. If you have ideas for presentations at Coffee & Conversations, please share with us.
Haskell Ag Lab Nature Camp 2022
June 13-17 - Details on flyer. For more information and reservations, call Sarah Roberts at 402-584-2234 or email sarah.roberts@unl.edu
HAL Science & Ag Family Field Day - August 3rd The Haskell Ag Lab is planning their HAL Family Field Day for Wednesday, August 3rd from 9 AM to 3 PM. The committee is busy making plans for the day. Some of the highlights will be Heartland Docs DVM (Drs. Ben and Erin Schroeder) will be here to answer questions, Al Dutcher with Market Journal, and field research tours. Other activities include DIY water wise landscaping, pollinators, cooking demonstrations, farm safety, ag economic information, self defense, science literacy and other activities for children. Please mark your calendars and plan now to attend on August 3rd!
Suggestions/Requests
Do you have a suggestion or a request for a program at the Haskell Ag Lab? We want to hear from you.
Click this link and complete this form and submit. We will look at all suggestions and requests. The form is available at: https://go.unl.edu/halsuggest
You can also reach us by phone at 402-584-2261 with your suggestions/requests for programs.
ption is the use of manure or compost from a local farm or from your own operation. The use of manure in gardening can loosen compacted soil, increase carbon in the soil, and reduce surface runoff and leaching all while providing nutrients that your plants need. While this option is great, it is important to be aware of the potential carry over of herbicides in manure from grazing animals.
