Pest managers in southern Indiana should begin scouting their alfalfa for leaf feeding from weevil larva.
Pest managers in southern Indiana should begin scouting their alfalfa for leaf feeding from weevil larva.
If one looks at the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map for Indiana (Figure 1), one might scratch their head – particularly as it has been raining and the chance for severe weather is in the forecast for this weekend.
There are a number of resources available for monitoring field crop diseases here in Indiana.
Spring field operations have already begun across the state, including tillage, anhydrous ammonia applications, and even some planting. Temperatures look up from here, but we cannot rule out periods of cooler conditions between now and May that could impact crop emergence. As of March 18, 2025, the 7-day average 4-inch soil temperature at the Purdue Agronomy Farm (ACRE) was 40.5°F, according to data derived from the Purdue Mesonet Data Hub. Daily soil temperature data can be accessed through the Data Hub, which can be downloaded to compute 7-day running average temperatures. A future update will allow 7-day soil temperatures to be readily accessible. How does the current soil temperature compare to those of previous years? A collaboration between the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC) and the USDA Midwest Climate Hub has resulted in the Soil Temperature Climatology Tool, which can provide that answer. This tool offers historical statistics for 4-inch[Read More…]
It happens every year. A warm wave moves into the area, and I immediately get the urge to run to the nursery and start planting for the spring. Of course, there is another little voice inside my head warning me to not fall for it. There are plenty of other things I can do outside to start prepping for spring. Perhaps I’m just anxious to liven things up a bit; break out of the winter hibernation. This past week was certainly one of those weeks. Are we passed the point of having any more freeze events? When does the last freeze event typically occur for my area? For curious readers, the Midwestern Regional Climate Center has a tool – the Freeze Date Tool (https://mrcc.purdue.edu/freeze/freezedatetool) – that can help answer this question (Figure 1). Utilizing historical observation data that has been gridded to the county level, users can select their temperature[Read More…]
Indiana has had its fair share of very cold temperatures this winter.
The United Soybean Board, in collaboration with the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC) and Purdue on the Farm, invites soybean producers and advisers to a subregional workshop focused on utilizing climate data to enhance soybean production and to learn about opportunities with Purdue on the Farm.
Prepared and updated annually by Christina Difonzo at MSU, this is your one-stop resource for deciphering Bt corn trade names and knowing which insecticidal traits are in your corn hybrids.
Attendees will gain insights into the latest advancements in resilient agriculture, discover effective practices and learn how to implement these strategies into their own operations to improve environmental sustainability and farm productivity.
My name is Tommy Butts, and I am a relatively new Clinical Assistant Professor, Extension Weed Scientist here in Indiana with Purdue University.
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