Published on Sep. 16, 2025

As farmers are signing contracts to grow Canola in Kentucky, there are some general observations from previous research and from current farms on what appears to result in the best odds for successful Canola yields.  Planting date

Published on Sep. 16, 2025

At present, what many parts of Kentucky need most is moisture. Some drills are able to place seed appropriately under these dry conditions, but some will not provide a consistent planting depth. Inconsistent seed depth can lead to uneven seed germination and seedling growth as dry weather continues.

Published on Sep. 16, 2025

We have observed significant numbers of stink bugs over the past few days in some soybean fields in western Kentucky. Their arrival appears later than in previous years, likely due to the rainy spring delaying planting this season.

Published on Sep. 16, 2025

We grow grain crops for their seeds, so it makes sense that we should give some thought to how seeds grow. After all, the production of yield is not just about leaves and photosynthesis, seeds are also important. 

Published on Sep. 12, 2025

Italian ryegrass continues to be the most problematic weed in Kentucky wheat and no-till corn acres. Control of this problematic weed starts in the fall when the majority of our populations begin to emerge.  In our no-till corn acres, we have traditionally relied on spring burndown applications for control of winter annuals, including

Published on Sep. 12, 2025

The official data for August 2025 has been released (Figure 2), and as expected, it was the driest August ever recorded in Kentucky. The state averaged just 1.29 inches of rainfall—about 2.5 inches below normal.

Published on Sep. 12, 2025

Most of the regions in Kentucky growing corn and soybeans received between 40 to 51 inches of rain by the first week of July. Most of those same regions have received very little or scattered rains since.

Published on Sep. 10, 2025

Corn harvest is well underway in western Kentucky, but as the rest of the state begins to harvest, farmers need to be aware of potential lodging issues. Pockets of fields scouted across the state show pre-harvest lodging and/or stalk strength tests have indicated a high potential for lodging to occur (Figure 1).

Published on Aug. 15, 2025

We’ve all seen advertisements for corn hybrids that show a row of corn with an ear on every plant that is filled to the tip. The implication is that well-filled ears are an indication of high yield.

Published on Aug. 15, 2025

My friend and former UK colleague, Dr. Greg Schwab, recently posted an interesting item on LinkedIn. He writes that corn tassel wrap, and associated poor pollination, could be due to boron (B) deficiency. I think he might be right.