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Wheat leaf showing symptoms of Septoria.

Look Out For Early Season Wheat Diseases

Conditions have been favorable for disease development in South Dakota winter wheat fields, especially for Septoria. It’s important to scout fields to determine what diseases are present before deciding to apply a fungicide early in the season.

Rain falls on a sample of conventional tilled in a rainfall simulator.

How Soil Holds Water

Water retention is an important soil property and is related to soil texture, organic matter content, and density.

A green tractor, pulling a red, high-clearance planter through a field of emerging corn.

Cover Crops in Modern Agriculture

Fact sheet on cover crops in modern agriculture.

A collection of empty pesticide and herbicide containers.

Herbicide Group Classification

The intent of providing herbicide group numbers and mode/site-of-action information on labels is to help develop herbicide plans that reduce the selection pressure on herbicide-resistant weeds. Learn how understanding this information can help improve your plans.

Green beetle larvae with a white stripe running down its body.

Alfalfa Weevil Activity Prediction Update: May 9, 2024

Although May hasn’t been extremely warm, the accumulated degree days in South Dakota since January 1, 2024, suggest that alfalfa weevil larvae could be active in several areas of the state.

A yellow beetle with a black head, and square black markings on its back standing on a soybean leaf.

South Dakota Overwintering Bean Leaf Beetle Predicted Mortality: 2023-2024

Every year we evaluate the overwintering success of bean leaf beetles in South Dakota. At emergence, the overwintering population of bean leaf beetle adults will move into soybean fields and begin feeding on the seedlings.

Seecorn maggot larva feeding on a seed in a field.

Seedcorn Maggot Degree Day Activity Estimates: May 9, 2024

With the cool, wet start to the 2024 season, it is important to consider the possibility that seedcorn maggots could cause issues for crop seedlings

A green pasture with patches of bare soil under a blue sky containing several wispy white clouds.

Dying Patches in Your Pasture? Make Sure You Don’t Have White Grubs.

There have been an increasing number of reports of pastures with dead areas showing up this spring. A little digging into these areas has revealed that part of the problem is the presence of true white grubs, which are the larva of June beetles.

Purple-brown caterpillar with orange head on a green corn leaf.

Common Stalk Borer Activity Estimate: May 8, 2024

No scouting is necessary for common stalk borer activity based on current degree days. Across South Dakota, the young common stalk borer caterpillars are active in alternative weed and grass hosts.

a small cottage with a green door and weathered shingles

SDSU Extension, McCrory Gardens start summer 2024 programming with Garden Discovery Festival

May 14, 2024

South Dakota State University Extension and McCrory Gardens will start its summer programming season with the Garden Discovery Festival on May 19, 2024.