Midwestern farmers have faced a buildup of pesticide resistance in pigweeds (waterhemp and Palmer amaranth), highlighting the importance of scouting to detect weeds early in their growth stages.
Austin Pearson
Planting season is getting fully underway across the state, and with that we should all be getting our residual herbicides applied. Residuals are critical to successful season-long weed control as we have less documented herbicide resistance to these chemistries compared to postemergence products, as well as generally we see more consistent control from these herbicides because we’re targeting weeds before they’re even out of the ground. However, for residual herbicides to be successful, they require precipitation to be activated. I frequently get asked how much rainfall is required to fully activate these herbicides, how long can the herbicide wait until we’d receive this rainfall, and if a shallow tillage event would help the situation. These answers can be highly variable across herbicides (Tables 1 and 2), as they are normally dependent on water solubility and soil adsorption of the active ingredients; however, there are some general estimates that can be[Read More…]
Despite the wet start to the month, the entire state saw less than 50 percent of normal rainfall from April 10 to 16, and in some cases, less than 10 percent of normal rainfall (Figure 1).
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…]
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.
The 2024 growing season in Indiana started with unseasonably warm temperatures, leading to early vegetation dormancy break—late February in the south and mid-March in the central and northern areas. April’s wet conditions posed challenges for early planting, but crops sown early benefited from good soil moisture, while later plantings suffered from limited rainfall in June. In early July, remnants of Hurricane Beryl provided much-needed rain, improving conditions briefly. However, drought re-emerged in August and September, with significant impacts across over two-thirds of counties, leading to burn bans and several fires, including a tragic incident resulting in a farmer’s death in Clinton County. Despite these difficulties, harvest was mostly complete by late October. The season ended with temperatures 1°F to over 2°F above normal and predominantly drier precipitation patterns, although some northern and eastern areas saw slightly above-normal rainfall. Variability in weather was evident in the monthly and seasonal averages, with[Read More…]
As September begins, we officially welcome meteorological fall. While the autumnal equinox isn’t until September 22, the past few mornings have already brought a crisp, fall-like feel to the air.
The remnants of Hurricane Beryl brought much-needed rain to the state, although some areas experienced excessive totals.
Allergy season is in full swing. At least, it is for me. Runny nose, itchy eyes, and consistent drainage that I have to clear in the shower every morning.
Allergy season is in full swing. At least, it is for me. Runny nose, itchy eyes, and consistent drainage that I have to clear in the shower every morning.
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