Abundance of the Silver-Spotted Skipper in Soybeans in Kentucky in 2024

By Felipe Batista and Raul Villanueva
Published on Jan. 22, 2025

Background and Description of Silver-spotted skipper 

Yield Gaps, Potential Yield and Crop Productivity

By Dennis Egli
Published on Jan. 21, 2025

Are there ‘yield gaps’ on your farm? Finding a yield gap suggests that your yields are less than they could be, so some combination of improved management practices will increase yield and reduce the yield gap. This seems like a simple way to evaluate productivity.

Biochar

By John Grove
Published on Jan. 21, 2025

Co-authored with Dr. Eugenia Pena-Yewtukhiw, West Virginia University

Soil Temperatures Remain Above Freezing Across Kentucky

By Chad Lee
Published on Jan. 20, 2025

Soils at 2-inch depths are staying above freezing so far around the state. The Kentucky Mesonet records soil temperatures at certain locations. For the sites we checked, all the soils are still above 32°F.

March 15, 17-21 temperatures MAY damage wheat crop

By Carrie Knott
Published on Mar. 23, 2023

This winter has quite possibly been the warmest in recorded history for Kentucky.

Do snow and ice accumulations harm or help the wheat crop?

By Carrie Knott
Published on Feb. 17, 2023

It is not uncommon for Kentucky to experience cold and, at times, bursts of extreme cold temperatures in the winter. Following sub-freezing and especially sub-zero temperatures, wheat growers throughout the state usually ask, “Did the snow (and or ice) hurt the wheat?”

Don’t Panic! But there may be freeze damage to Kentucky's small grains

By Carrie Knott
Published on Apr. 8, 2021

Once again, freeze damage in wheat is a topic of conversation/concern. Temperatures during the overnight hours of March 31, April 1 and April 2 dipped below freezing across much of the state. In some areas, lows were in the low 20s. 

Assessing wheat freeze in Kentucky

By Carrie Knott and Chad Lee
Published on May. 8, 2020

It has been about eight days since the May8/9 freeze occurred. This is about the minimal time needed to begin seeing initial freeze damage. At this point, a fairly accurate assessment of damage should be able to be made, but as days progress the damage will become much more evident.

Freezing temperatures may have damaged winter wheat at advanced growth stages in KY

By Carrie Knott
Published on Apr. 15, 2020

Last night, temperatures dipped to or below 24°F for several hours at many locations throughout Kentucky. For winter wheat that has reached the jointing (Feekes 6) growth stage, or beyond, damage can occur to the developing wheat head at these temperatures.