May 22, 2019
The South Dakota Mesonet has installed a new weather station at the West River Research Farm near Sturgis with the support of the South Dakota Wheat Commission.
May 21, 2019
The 36th annual South Dakota Rangeland Days and 15th annual Soils Days will be held June 18 & 19, 2019 in Redfield, South Dakota.
SDSU Extension, Spink Conservation District, Natural Resources Conservation Service and South Dakota section of the Society of Range Management will be hosting a soils/rangeland event on June 18 & 19 in Redfield, SD.
SDSU Extension will host West River Field School on June 20, 2019 starting at 8:15 AM MDT at the SDSU West River Research Farm (13304 Alkali Rd., Sturgis, SD 57785).
Long residual pre-emergent or early post-emergent herbicides may cause stand reduction or complete failure of cover crops. Depending on efficacy of the herbicide, each situation can both affect in-season and/or post-harvest cover crop establishment.
The precipitation outlook for May does not show much promise of relief from moisture, as wetter than average conditions are slightly more favored than drier conditions. In addition, cooler than average temperatures are more likely for the first half of May and could continue for much of the month.
Given the widespread wet conditions present this spring, there are many areas in winter wheat fields with both ponding and saturated (or waterlogged) soils. Producers may want to consider soil conditions and evaluate extended weather forecasts when deciding whether or not to retain a winter wheat this spring.
During the spring, there are a lot of insects to scout for in alfalfa. One pest group that should be focused on right now are cutworms. There are a couple of cutworm species that are active earlier in the season than others.
We want you! SDSU Extension and the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council are seeking South Dakota Soybean Growers willing to participate in a farmer-led on-farm research program.
Soybean seed treatment products are widely utilized by many farmers in southeastern South Dakota and the surrounding area. These products often consist of an insecticide/fungicide combination, and/or inoculant that is mixed and placed on the seed as a pre-treatment before the grower plants the crop.