Planting and Crops Looking Good in the Panhandle

May 21, 2024

By Gary Stone

The Nebraska Panhandle crop report for the weekend ending May 17, shows despite a slight delay in planting due to wet fields, the sugar beet crop is planted and emerging. Corn planting should be completed by this time next week. Corn is also emerging across the Panhandle. Winter wheat looks good to particularly good across the southern and northern Panhandle growing areas. Alfalfa is progressing towards the first cutting, with a few reports of alfalfa weevil showing up. Alfalfa weevil may still be a problem after first cutting and growers are encouraged to scout their fields.

Irrigation water diversions and deliveries are taking place in the North Platte Valley canals and growers are taking advantage to irrigate alfalfa and other crops. Dry edible bean planting will be starting soon and take place over the next several weeks.

The weather forecast for the week preceding Memorial Day weekend is for chances of precipitation and cooler temperatures.

Source : unl.edu

Video: Sclerotinia and Lygus in Seed Canola: Field Update with George Lubberts, CCA | Enchant, Alberta

Join Certified Crop Advisor George Lubberts for this Prairie Certified Crop Advisor (Prairie CCA) field update from Enchant, Alberta. In this 12th video of the series, George takes us into a seed canola field where the male rows have been removed and the female plants are filling pods. This video was taken in the third week of August 2025.

George discusses the early signs of sclerotinia stem rot, explaining how infection begins in the stem, impacts pod development, and leads to premature ripening. He also shares insights on lygus bug management, including timing of spray applications to minimize feeding damage and maintain seed size and quality.

With cool, damp summer conditions, George notes that while disease pressure is present, overall field health remains good. The crop is just beginning to show early seed colour change, signaling progress toward maturity.

Topics Covered:

•Sclerotinia stem rot identification and impact

•Managing lygus bugs in seed canola

•Crop stage and seed colour change observations

•Timing insecticide sprays for optimal protection

•Insights from a CCA field perspective in southern Alberta