Most of Northern Illinois is experiencing excellent corn yields and average soybean yields this year. By the end of September we were about 100 growing degree days less than normal. This is one reason we are still picking fairly moist corn.

We had light frosts on the mornings of October 2nd and 4th and then heavy frost on October 21st. These are just about the average dates, so fortunately the corn was physiologically mature even though the moisture was still very high. The cool nights slowed down the drying of the corn and probably caused soybeans to start shutting down a little early. According to Dr. Emerson Nafziger, Extension Agronomist, U of I Crops Department, the night time temperatures below 50 degrees really decreased the efficiency of the soybean plant to move the food it made during the day to the seed.

Rainfall was about normal and seemed to come at the right times for maximum corn and soybean yields.

Pests were not a major problem. During our annual survey of European corn borer, I discovered absolutely no borers in either county as I inspected 10 fields at random in both Dekalb and Ogle Counties. The numbers seem to be very low even in non-Bt corn.

Come to the Agronomy update on December 9th for more details on these subjects. Have a Happy Thanksgiving .

Soybean Aphids numbers turned out to be interesting this year in northern Illinois. I found the first aphids of the year at our sentinel plot at Mt Morris on August 6th. The numbers stayed pretty low until August 27th when the count was over 250 per plant. Most beans were at growth stage R6 by this time and so treatment was probably not warranted. The count was aver 250 for two weeks before dropping to almost zero on September 18th. I found no more aphids after September 18th. I did find many mummified aphids that were killed by disease on the days that the numbers were above threshold, and there were very few Asian lady beetles in the plots all year.

Some fields in northern Illinois reached threshold earlier and treatment was applied, but for the most part I believe they did not decrease yields significantly since the plants were never really stressed for moisture. You can see the actual numbers in fields scouted in northern Illinois at www.ipm.uiuc.edu/bulletin/soyaphid .

We will be discussing aphid flights at the end of the year and how this may help us predict next year's potential for problems at our upcoming workshops. To see aphid flight numbers go to www.ncipmc.org/traps.

Fall application of nitrogen is a common agronomic practice in northern Illinois, but one that requires judicious management to protect the environment and improve nitrogen effectiveness and profitability.

The soil type, climatic condition, and form of nitrogen fertilizer have a great impact on the amount of loss that may occur over winter. Nitrogen in the nitrate form is susceptible to loss by leaching, or the movement of nitrate nitrogen in soil solution below the root zone. Nitrate is also subject to loss by denitrification or the conversion of nitrate nitrogen to unavailable atmospheric nitrogen.

Fall application of nitrogen should be avoided on coarse-textured, sandy soils or shallow soils over fractured bedrock. These situations offer the greatest possibility for leaching.

Farmers planning fall nitrogen application are advised to use the ammonium form and avoid using nitrate-containing fertilizers as well as urea. Anhydrous ammonia is a preferred nitrogen source since it has a slower nitrification rate than other nitrogen sources.

Anhydrous ammonia should not be applied until the soil temperature at the 4-inch depth is below 50 degrees F. If a nitrification inhibitor is used with anhydrous ammonia, nitrogen can be applied earlier, when the soil temperature at the 4-inch depth is below 60 degrees F. Soil temperatures must be below these levels and continuing to get colder. At these temperatures, soil organisms are less active and less likely to convert ammonium to nitrate. Below 50 degrees F, nitrification slows rapidly, but it does continue until temperatures are below 32 degrees F.

The 50 degree F temperature guideline also applies to ammonium sulfate fertilizer as well as injected liquid manure with high ammonium nitrogen content.

Soil thermometers should be used to guide the fall application as average dates on which the above-mentioned temperatures are reached are not satisfactory because of year-to-year variation. Current soil temperature is available at the Illinois State Water Survey web site, http://www.sws.uiuc.edu/warm/soiltemp.asp .

The soil temperature at 4" was 55 degrees on November 6th. This was an increase of a few degrees because of the warm weather earlier in the week. Nitrification inhibitors can be viewed as a nitrogen management tool. They will increase the cost of fall application, but could significantly improve the efficiency of fall-applied nitrogen.

If applying anhydrous ammonia or injecting liquid manure in the fall be sure soil temperature is at the recommended level and maintained at or below that level. Further information on nitrogen management can be found in the current Illinois Agronomy Handbook, http://iah.aces.uiuc.edu/, or in the October 3, 2008 issue of Pest Management & Crop Development Bulletin, www.ipm.uiuc.edu/bulletin/article.php?id=1041 .

Please remember not to leave tanks unattended for long periods of time. Illegal drug producers may foolishly think your ammonia is something they can use.

Master Gardeners answered over 250 horticultural questions from citizens of Ogle County this year. Of course the big topic was Japanese beetles eating everything in July. Their expert advise has saved people a huge amount of time and money.

If you have thought about becoming a University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener, now may be your time. Training to become a Master Gardener starts Thursday, January 15th at Rockford and Friday, January 16th at Morrison The classes are held all day, once a week, and touch on the following subjects: Botany, Soils, Vegetable, Fruits, Flowers, Lawns and Turf, Trees and Shrubs, Grasses, Landscaping, Insects and Diseases. On line classes are also an option.

Following the series of classes you will be asked to complete sixty hours of

volunteerism in Ogle County. These can be done over a span of two years or in as short of time as you wish. There is a fee of $165 that includes a two-binder manual. Contact Bill Lindenmier at

lindenb@illinois.edu or call (815) 732-2191 if interested in applying. Spread the word to your neighbors also.

Happy Gardening!

Soybean Rust Found in McLean County

On October 22nd Kevin Black from Growmark found suspicious lesions on leaves in a double crop field of soybeans in McLean County. Dr Carl Bradley, U of I Extension plant pathologist, confirmed that it was soybean rust. Since then rust has also been confirmed in Jackson, Union, Marshall and Madison Counties in Illinois. Of course this was past the time where soybean rust can cause economic yield loss, and the organism is not likely to survive an Illinois winter. University of Illinois Extension personnel have been supporting the efforts of the PIPE website and continue to monitor the movement of this pathogen by collecting and submitting leaves from soybean fields.. "We want to document the pathogen's spread so we can verify models that predict its movement," Bradley says. As the State Extension Soybean Pathologist, Bradley is the soybean rust Sentinel Plot Coordinator for Illinois. "I provide weekly comments at the soybean rust website www.sbrusa.net." Again nothing to worry about this year, but it is getting closer each year.

Corn Rootworm Trial Results

In general, the Bt rootworm hybrids as well as the soil insecticides did a good job of keeping rootworm damage below what will normally cause yield reductions. The question continually arises about applying a soil insecticide along with using the Bt rootworm resistance technology. According to Dr. Kevin Steffey, U of I Extension Entomologist, "Keep in mind that by applying a soil insecticide with a rootworm Bt corn hybrid, the rootworms are exposed to a neonicotinoid seed treatment (either clothianidin or thiamethoxam), an organophosphate or pyrethroid soil insecticide, and a Bt protein--all targeted at corn rootworms. In our opinion, although this approach may provide short-term solutions, the selection pressure on rootworm populations will be high. Western corn rootworms have had a nasty habit of adapting to many of our management tools when selection pressure has been high. You may view all of the U of I trials and Steffey's assessment at the Bulletin at www.ipm.uiuc.edu/bulletin/article.php?id=1038

Honey Bee Keeper List Available at U of I Extension in Ogle County

Bill Lindenmier is compiling a list of beekeepers and the location of their hives in northern Illinois. The honey bee and native bee populations have been decreasing for reasons still unconfirmed. Colony collapse disorder is the name applied to some of this decline. As pesticide applicators we need to do our part to stop preventable bee kills. Bill will provide a list of beekeepers for any applicator who would like one to help them notify a beekeeper at least two days in advance of an insecticide application. Next spring and summer, please contact beekeepers that have hives within two miles of where you are spraying so that they can keep their bees in the hives during this time. This is not mandatory in Illinois, but will hopefully save you and your beekeepers a lot of headaches and save many bees. Contact Bill at lindenb@illinois.edu or (815)732-2191 for more information or a list.

Are you wondering what rate of Nitrogen to use for next year's corn or wheat crop? Did your corn hybrids and soybean varieties stack up with others in the area? Which insect and disease pests might you need to scout for next year? If you are asking yourself these or other questions about next year's crops you should attend the "Northern Illinois Agronomy Update" at Oregon in the Ogle County Farm Bureau Auditorium on the morning of Tuesday, December 9th from 8:30 am to noon.

U of I Extension Educators Jim Morrison and Dave Feltes along with Unit Educators Greg Clark and and Bill Lindenmier will present recent research to help you with these decisions. This half-day seminar is packed with information for producers as well as Certified Crop Advisors and ag related business people. 1.5 CEU's in both IPM and CM have been applied for.

Take a look at the brochure in this newsletter and call or send in your reservation today. Call (815) 732-2191 or e-mail me for more information, lindenb@illinois.edu.