POLLINATORS HUB

Building a Better Monarch Butterfly Garden
Small, butterfly-centric gardens are often overlooked in efforts to restore monarch habitats in agricultural areas. Adam M. Baker explains how gardens such as Monarch Waystations can serve as “stepping stones” between urban and rural areas.

FOCUS ON CORN 

No-Till Planting Equipment, Adjustments, & Operation (Part 2)
What questions should producers in the Corn Belt and High Plains ask before buying no-till seeding equipment? In part 2 of his presentation, Paul J. Jasa suggests how to evaluate equipment and make the adjustments needed to make no-till successful.

FOCUS ON CUCURBITS

Biology of Whitefly-Transmitted Viruses and the Whitefly Vector 
NEW! The sweetpotato whitefly is an important pest in cucurbit production. Rajagopalbabu Srinivasan addresses both the whitefly’s direct effects on squash and its indirect effects as a vector of viruses that infect squash.

FOCUS ON SOYBEAN

Risk and Benefits of Changing Farmers' Common Soybean Seeding Rates

Farmers must consider many factors in determining when and where to increase or decrease soybean seeding rates. Peter Kyveryga identifies the economic benefits of changing common seeding rates for categories with different plant row spacing, planting dates, rainfall, soil, and field topography. 

FOCUS ON WHEAT

Wheat Curl Mite and Its Virus Complex in Wheat

Mite-transmitted diseases are the major disease threat to wheat in the western Great Plains. Gary L. Hein provides information on the behavior and biology of the mite and the mite-virus relationship that’s key to understanding and efficiently managing this virus complex.
 

EDITOR'S PICK

Recovery Plan for Tar Spot of Corn, Caused by Phyllachora maydis

Corn production across the Americas is threatened by tar spot, a disease complex caused by multiple fungal pathogens. da Silva et al. report the recovery plan outlined by the National Plant Disease Recovery System (NPDRS).

RESEARCH

An Integrated Pest Management Program Outperforms Conventional Practices for Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in Cambodia

Pest management in tomato production in Cambodia has focused for several years on the use of synthetic pesticides. Porras et al. found that an IPM program increased tomato yield and income significantly compared with conventional practices during both dry and rainy seasons.