Water News Archive

Tuesday, October 24, 2023

End of Season Flooding Effects on Soybeans, Harvest

Flooded soybean field in notheast Nebraska

October has had a wet start in most of the state, with some areas receiving several inches of rain. Considering potential impact on yield and ability to harvest these fields will be critical in the next few weeks.

Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Mulch in the Landscape

Mulch is very important to the overall health of our plants, but are all mulches created equal? Some may have more benefits than others and some may not be as helpful as we think they are.

Benefits of Mulch

Mulch, when properly applied, can provide a lot of great benefits to our plants, including:

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Soil sampling for better fertilization decisions

Recommendations for collecting soil samples to ensure the quality results needed for good management decisions about fertilizer, manure and lime application rates.

Friday, October 13, 2023

Harvest and Irrigation Outlook for Fall in Western Nebraska

Dry bean harvest with a Pickett specialty dry bean combine (photo by Gary Stone).

Harvest updates for sugarbeets, dry edible beans and corn in western Nebraska, and insights on the availability of water in reservoirs for the 2024 growing season.

Thursday, October 12, 2023

Impact of R Stage-timed Single Irrigation Events on Soybean Seed Number and Seed Mass

Results of a three-year study investigating the impact of mitigating water stress during soybean reproductive stages on the two components that comprise yield — seed number and seed mass.

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Roots, Another Important Aspect of Cover Crops

Vesh Raj Thapa stands near root sample display

Researchers involved in a UNL-USDA NRCS study on cover crops highlight the importance of species selection, as each type of cover crop has a unique root system that contributes differently to soil health.

Thursday, September 14, 2023

Nebraska 4Rs Nutrient Stewardship Field Day Featured Crop Nutrient Management Research

Throughout the field day, educators shared insights and conducted live demos on optimizing management of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, including via sensor-based fertigation.

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Nebraska Soil Health School: A Success Story of Collaboration and Learning

Aaron Hird demonstrates impact of rainfall on different systems using a rainfall simulator

During its inaugural year, the Nebraska Soil Health School educated more than 200 producers and ag industry stakeholders on the latest research and practices for healthy soils to increase crop productivity.

Thursday, September 7, 2023

Efficient and Effective Tree Watering

Drought conditions have led to stress in established trees and difficulty starting young trees. With the need for supplemental watering, correct irrigation practices are important to tree health and efficient water use.

Fall is tree planting time and an important time to water established trees in the absence of adequate precipitation. Whether a new tree or an established tree, correct watering is important. Too little as well as too much water can lead to tree stress, a decline in growth, and water waste.

Wednesday, September 6, 2023

Trading manure and crop residues, considerations for a fair trade

graphic showing 2 people shaking hands surrounded by a circle of arrows pointing to manure on one side and bales on the other.

With harvest around the corner, you might be considering trading manure for cornstalks or vice versa. In many ways, it’s easier to pay cash for either product, but there are advantages to trading. This article will focus on what kinds of things to consider to be sure any deal made is a fair trade.