White or bleached heads are a common sight in wheat fields throughout South Dakota. There are two organisms that could be blamed for this kind of damage, an insect called wheat stem maggot (Meromyza americana) and a disease called Fusarium head blight/Scab caused by Fusarium fungus.

A Penn State Extension study examined no-till to non-inversion subsoiling corn yields on fragipans, soil layers that have a loamy texture, are very dense, and when dry, hard and brittle.

Are crop-insurance rules discouraging you from using cover crops on your farm? If so, the National Wildlife Federation would like to hear from you.

In North Dakota, several field reports of low numbers of wheat stem sawfly adults flying in wheat have been received from NC (Ward-Mountrail Counties between Max and Parshall), NW (McKenzie County) and SW (Sioux County) areas of the state.

Dave Franzen, soils specialist at North Dakota State University Extension, talks about historic soil losses in the Great Plains, the losses still being seen today, and conservation efforts in place today to help prevent erosion. including tree rows as windbreaks and conservation tillage methods are used across the state to prevent erosion.

Following wheat harvest there are some producers that might be thinking about baling or burning their wheat stubble.

The Southwestern Colorado Research Center has received a $249,269 grant to study how using cover crops can improve soil health for dryland farmers.