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fence post burnt by wild fire

Windy and Divide Fires

General guide to all South Dakota landowners who may be affected by unplanned fire events.

A group of three people pruning a tree.

Garden Clubs & Associations

Novice gardeners and master gardeners share a love of and respect for nature, which is one of the many reasons why they naturally seek out like-minded individuals to organize clubs or associations.

Symptoms of rust infection on wheat blades. Left: Stripe rust. Yellow pustules are arranged in a linear fashion on the wheat blade. Right: Leaf rust. Orange-brown pustules are randomly distributed on the leaf.

Stripe Rust and Leaf Rust Developing in Winter Wheat

Stripe rust and leaf rust were found in winter wheat plots at the SDSU research farm in Aurora. Observation of these two rusts indicates that we have inoculum in our area, therefore winter wheat fields should be scouted until wheat is done flowering.

Cindy Jungman holding an award in front of an SDSU Extension Master Gardener Program banner.

Jungman Brightens Landscapes, Builds Lifelong Friendships

A Master Gardener for more than 20 years, Cindy Jungman says the continuous education the program offers has been valuable.

Hail-damaged soybean field with storm clouds in the background.

Making Decisions With Hail-Damaged Row Crops

Late-season hail damage can leave growers wondering what to do next. Before deciding what to do with your hail-damaged fields, take some time to consider a variety of management options.

A soybean field with a large brown area due to a lightning strike.

Seeing Dead Soybean Plants in a Circular Pattern? Could Be Due to Lightning

While quite uncommon for lightning to damage row crops, it does happen. Thunderstorms can have lightning that can burn soybeans plants leading to their death.

A screenshot of an aerial map view with a pin showing where the SDSU Specialty Crop Research Field-South is

SDSU Extension to host third annual Specialty Crop Field Day in Brookings

September 06, 2023

South Dakota State University Extension’s horticulture team invites everyone to attend the 2023 Specialty Crop Field Day.

A green pea leaf with white, powdery spots throughout.

Powdery Mildew: A Disease Concern in Field Peas

Producers of field peas may need to scout for powdery mildew this year. Powdery mildew is a late-season fungal disease that can impact peas if weather conditions are conducive. However, this disease can also occur in early planted fields in South Dakota under the right environmental conditions and when the crop canopy is heavy.

Sample USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey output. Orange boundaries mark different soil zones on a satellite photo.

Precision Agriculture and Zone Management

Precision agriculture tools can address the variations in a production system to enhance plant growth and crop yield. Zone management controls the variable rate of inputs for optimal performance within a defined field zone.

Left: Soil from long-term no-till field, exhibiting good soil aggregation through clumping and smaller pieces of soil. Right: Soil from conventionally managed field that included tillage and crop residue removal. Notice the soil is lighter brown, indicating lower organic matter, and the pieces of soil are in larger chunks with no visible indication of clumping or structure.

Organic Agronomy Starting to Impact

For decades scientists have known that a handful of soil contained more micro-biological organisms than the number of humans on earth. Science is just beginning to discover these organisms and learn about their functions and contribution to their soil ecosystem.