See All Agronomic Crops

The Agronomy Team at Penn State Extension is dedicated to helping farmers and agribusinesses improve crop productivity, sustainability, and profitability.

As we proceed through the growing season, there are several weed management issues that tend to become evident in soybeans, small grains, and pastures. Below are some considerations for these matters.

We are at a point in the season to determine your small grain crop’s potential for quality and yield as we approach harvest.

The combination of cold temperatures and wet soil conditions can increase the risk of soybean soilborne diseases.

Below are some early season soybean herbicide options to consider for controlling problem weeds in the crop.

Scouts noted less scab than expected considering the wet month of May, alongside average yields for an overall good quality Pennsylvania wheat crop.

Consider participating in Penn State's survey of See-and-Spray outcomes in 2025.

Wet weather impacts timely herbicide applications, crop injury, and residual weed control. Read below for more details on each of these issues.

Last weekly slug update for 2025.

Join fellow farmers for a farm tour, pasture walk, and discussion on forage quality, organic practices, and troubleshooting challenges in a collaborative learning environment.

Knowing when to switch from a longer maturity to a shorter maturity corn hybrid is a big decision and one that takes time and consideration.

Learn about the requirements and certification process of becoming an aerial pesticide applicator.

Scout for black cutworm in corn fields, and watch for damage from bean leaf beetle on your emerging soybean plants.

Several herbicides are labeled for use in grain sorghum or forage sorghum varieties. Below are some basic considerations when using them or if you plant sorghum after corn crop failure.

Here are some considerations for control of pokeweed in corn and soybean.

In some parts of Pennsylvania, it is time to scout for black cutworm damage in corn and potato leafhoppers in alfalfa.

Check in on your small grains as they move through reproductive stages.

In southeastern PA, there is a heightened risk of damage from black cutworm, so now is the time to begin scouting for their cutting damage in corn fields. Across PA, folks should scout for cereal leaf beetle, mostly in wheat and oats.

Tissue testing corn and soybeans at the transition to reproductive growth stages can provide a valuable snapshot of nutrient sufficiency levels.

Numerous reports suggest that applications of pyrethroids in some fields failed to control alfalfa weevil populations

Soil compaction threat is currently high due to frequent rainfall. Follow these tips to reduce soil compaction when you still have manure to spread or are harvesting small grains for silage.

Burcucumber grows rapidly in the spring. Make sure to stay ahead of it with a planned 2-pass program, instead of trying to combat it late in the season.

Considerations if your acres have neither corn planted nor burndowns applied, or if your fields have emerged corn but still need residual herbicides and fertilizer applied.

Find dates and locations for pesticide applicator certification exams on the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's PaPlants website.

By mid-Spring, invasive shrubs have usually leafed out. Scout now to identify shrubs as well as take time to plan how you will manage them.