As you finish up your harvest and sit down to think about your seed options for next year, consider your options when it comes to genetic resistance to disease.

Much of the 2014 Nebraska corn crop has experienced repeated and prolonged stress and wounding. While most of the corn crop looks good, we are beginning to see early evidence of problems developing.

As you travel over your field with your herbicide this season, you may be considering adding a fungicide to that pass. If so, there are a few things to think about. In general, early fungicide applications on corn (V5-V7) have not been shown to provide much yield benefit over no treatment (average is +1 bushel per acre). In repeated trials across the country, we see the best opportunity for yield response with a treatment at tassel (average: +8 bushels per acre). However, there are some situations in which an early treatment may be more economical.

No-tillers considering a fungicide as a rescue application on lodged corn should save their money, according to university specialists.

While Goss's wilt wasn't a significant problem in 2012, more intense storm systems this year could cause it to emerge as a problem for corn growers as the disease continues its movement eastward from the Great Plains.

Soybean vein necrosis virus (SVNV) was first confirmed in Iowa last season. Last year we did not see SVNV until August. This past week we identified SVNV in several locations in Iowa. It is not known yet if earlier symptoms may increase chances of yield loss.

While soybean growers have been moving toward no-till in a big way, the growth of no-till corn acres has remained somewhat flat in recent years.