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Plants or Crops

All Plants or Crops Content

three black cattle grazing cornstalks

Grazing Residue: Having Your Cake and Eating It Too

Integrating crop and livestock enterprises represents an incredible competitive advantage for farmers and ranchers.

United States Environmental Protection Agency logo.

Cancellation of Several Neonicotinoids

On May 20, 2019, the United States Environmental Protection Agency announced the cancellation of registrations for 12 products that contain neonicotinoid insecticides. The cancellation of the product registrations was voluntarily requested by the companies that had registered the products.

small group of cattle grazing on cover crops

Cover Crops & Livestock Integration: A Profit Opportunity for S.D. Farms

Cover crops have been gaining a reemerging acceptance over the last decade, with very few producers disagreeing about the potential soil health benefits of adding cover crops to their farming operation.

a wet, snow-covered field with deep ruts in the soil

Stuck in a Rut: How to Deal With Field Ruts this Spring

As spring approaches, planting comes to mind, and for many, this means deciding what to do about last fall’s field ruts.

A green combine harvesting wheat.

Factors Affecting Wheat Production Decisions: Producer survey findings

Recent USDA data shows that during the past 3 years acres devoted to wheat production continue declining in both South Dakota and North Dakota (USDA, 2018). South Dakota wheat acres experienced a remarkable decrease of 31.5% during the past 3 years, compared with a relatively mild drop of 16.4% by North Dakota.

crop fields flooded by spring snow melt. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung

Managing Soil and Soil Fertility After Flooding

During floods, your fields will experience different amounts of erosion, sediment deposition, and crop residue accumulation. To avoid compaction of these soils it is crucial to let soils drain and dry out sufficiently before removing any large debris from fields or working the soil.

Small green insects on a wheat plant.

Scouting Winter Wheat for Aphid Pests

Although we cannot predict aphid pressure in winter wheat, there are measures that may be taken to reduce the risk associated with these insects.

A small brown insect on a green blade of wheat

Scouting Winter Wheat for Mite Pests

Winter wheat planting is underway in South Dakota. After wheat emergence, it is important to scout for brown wheat mite and wheat curl mite populations.

a field of wheat starting to grow

What Makes Winter Wheat a “Winter Wheat”?

For most of us wheat is wheat; however there is a distinct difference between spring and winter wheat, even though the vegetative characteristics of these two wheat types are very similar. Winter wheat can withstand freezing temperatures for extended periods of time during the early vegetative stage and requires exposure to freezing or near freezing temperature to trigger reproductive stage. In other words, if winter wheat does not go through a period of cold temperatures, then it will not produce seed. Two things needed for winter wheat to perform at optimally and produce good yields are- cold acclimation and vernalization.

SDSU Releases Two New Spring Wheat Varieties

Two new spring wheat varieties, Forefront and Advance are being increased by South Dakota Foundation Seed Growers and will be available to everybody in 2013.