A news release from the Weed Science Society of America last week covered the results of a study in Arkansas cotton fields to determine the effect over time of releasing 20,000 glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth seeds in a patch, within a 1-square-mile area.

Slow planting progress this spring has led to all efforts focused on getting the crop in the ground. Often the first operation thrown to the wayside is application of pre-emergence herbicides in soybean. A decade ago this practice could be successful, but with widespread multiple herbicide resistance, it either sets up an imminent control failure or contributes to further evolution of herbicide resistance.

As we gear up for planting this week and next there are two insect pests that need to be on our radar. First, reports from Purdue, Penn State and elsewhere have noticed significant flights in black cutworm. This is a migrating moth that lays eggs in corn, which can cause severe cutting of the plant. Stand loss of corn is generally associated with below-ground feeding injury, which occurs below the growing point.

The world's most widely used weed killer is not responsible for perpetuating Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) in soybeans, research shows.

We've received a few calls lately about options for killing out poor stands of corn and planting a new stand back into those areas. Most of these calls have to do with killing a Roundup Ready/LibertyLink corn variety and planting back into these fields.

For folks growing continuous corn, western corn rootworm is a serious pest that needs regular attention. Most growers in Pennsylvania seem to be aware of the ongoing struggle in the Midwest with populations of western corn rootworm that are resistant to some varieties of Bt corn.

It has been a long cold winter with record low temperatures. This has led to some growers wondering if they still have to worry about plant diseases this growing season.

There are no major insect pests of soybean seedlings, but occasionally we do run into problems. Some folks use an insecticidal seed treatment in soybeans.

Last summer, Fred Whitford from Purdue University and Pat Hipkins from Virginia Tech conducted a presentation on the various aspects of accurately measuring pesticides. In the presentation, the two identified six important steps required to achieve a safe and effective pesticide application.

On Aug. 24, 2012, in cooperation with Aaron Gassmann's laboratory, Iowa State University, the evolution of field resistance by corn rootworms to the Cry3Bb1 protein was confirmed in some problem fields located in northwestern Illinois (Henry and Whiteside Counties).