If it's late summer, it's time to talk about pricing a corn crop standing in the field for corn silage. This is always a challenging question as there are a number of factors that contribute to the final price agreed upon by the buyer and seller that are challenging to quantify.

Much of the 2014 Nebraska corn crop has experienced repeated and prolonged stress and wounding. While most of the corn crop looks good, we are beginning to see early evidence of problems developing. In particular, stalk rot diseases are beginning to develop in various areas across the state. Producers should strongly consider monitoring their fields for stalk rot diseases and weakened stalks as corn dries down and harvest approaches.

When nitrogen (N) deficiencies occur early and mid-season, corn leaves on the lower part of the plant begin to turn yellow prematurely starting from the leaf tip and progressing towards the stalk. Lower leaves will be affected first as N is mobile and will be reallocated to the upper leaves. The yellow color will turn brown followed by death of lower leaves, leading to a condition known as firing.

The USDA is projecting record yields for 2014 corn and soybean. Even if late-season stress or disease decreases yields slightly, farmers will have some hard decisions to make on where and how to store or transport their crops. University of Extension has a team of experts working on collecting information that will benefit farmers making temporary grain storage decisions.

As the fall is approaching and crop harvest plans are being made, it is important to continue to assess disease issues in corn and soybean.

The latest corn and soybean seed offerings from some of the industry's leading suppliers.

High-quality corn silage often is an economical substitute for some of the grain in finishing and in dairy rations, and it can be an important winter feed for cow-calf producers.

Ear rots or molds are usually most problematic when cool, wet conditions occur during silking and early grain development, when the ears are most susceptible to fungal infection.