By Daren Mueller
Corn and soybean farmers, agronomists and crop scouts now only have to carry one reference guide to the field when identifying insects and diseases, staging crops or looking up production-related information. The Corn and Soybean Field Guide, produced by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, combines the Corn Field Guide 2nd Edition and the Soybean Field Guide 2nd Edition into one publication for a more efficient version.
“We combined the two publications to make it easier for those scouting the two most common crops grown in Iowa, and streamlined the integrated pest management resources that ISU Extension and Outreach offers,” said Daren Mueller, assistant professor and extension specialist in plant pathology and microbiology and Integrated Pest Management program coordinator.
The revised Corn and Soybean Field Guide includes updated text and 375 images, illustrations, diagrams and tables to assist farmers with identifying corn and soybean diseases, insects and disorders found throughout the Midwest. The 158-page field guide also focuses on development stages, pesticide decisions and production-related topics.
“A section on integrated pest management will help producers make scouting and fungicide, herbicide and insecticide decisions,” said Adam Sisson, extension specialist for the Integrated Pest Management Program at Iowa State University. “And for the first time, we have included information on newer soybean viruses to help producers when they scout their fields.”
The combined field guide maintains its pocket-sized stature at 3 3/4 inches by 6 inches, and is constructed of durable, weather-safe materials to withstand regular use in the field.
The Corn and Soybean Field Guide is available to purchase online at the Extension Store. The publication costs $15 and the printable download is available for $5. The field guide also can be purchased in boxed quantities of 25 at a reduced price of $10 per copy.