Monday July 14 Ag News - Diseases in hailed corn - Dietetic interns learn beef - Upcoming drone and water events - and more!

 Disease Development Associated with Early-Season Hail Damage in Corn
Tamra Jackson-Ziems - NE Extension Plant Pathologist

Several diseases have been confirmed in samples from corn fields across the state that were damaged by earlier storms. Severe weather conditions including hail, high wind, heavy rain and sandblasting have caused plant injury, which has provided an opportunity for pathogens to infect. Producers and consultants should monitor for diseases and assess the risks for later in the season.

Bacterial Diseases
Bacterial diseases in corn have been confirmed in fields damaged by severe weather. Goss’s bacterial wilt and blight, and bacterial leaf streak have been confirmed. Current warm temperatures, rainfall/overhead irrigation and wind will support spread and further development of these diseases.

Fungal Diseases
Common smut occurs in almost every field in Nebraska but is more prevalent after plants are injured. This disease is caused by the fungus Ustilago maydis and can also be called “boil or blister smut.” Smut galls may look like mushrooms or warts and can develop on any plant part, including leaves, stalks and tassels, but it’s most recognizable when they develop on the ear. Initially, galls are white to gray in color and fleshy to the touch. As the gall matures, it ruptures, releasing a large amount of black teliospores that overwinter in the soil for future years.

Some of these diseases may mimic symptoms of other diseases that may require very different management strategies. All of those listed are caused by pathogens that overwinter, so disease may return in subsequent years when conditions are favorable. Be sure to submit samples to the UNL Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic for help identifying diseases and other problems. Some commercially available tests are available that can successfully identify some of these pathogens. However, their hyper-sensitivity can lead to false positive results when samples that are easily contaminated by handling, so take care when interpreting results.  

Management
Unfortunately, fungicides are ineffective against the diseases listed here, making accurate diagnoses important for effective management decisions. Some bactericides are labeled for corn, but their use has had inconsistent results on these diseases and can be cost-prohibitive since most are not absorbed by the plant and require repeated applications. Selecting more resistant corn hybrids (with better disease ratings) for these diseases can help reduce disease pressure and losses. 



Dietetic Interns Get Hands-On Beef Industry Experience

In a joint effort to bridge the gap between dietetic programs and the agricultural industry, the Nebraska Beef Council recently hosted a comprehensive beef tour for dietetic intern students from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. 

The tour offered future dietitians firsthand exposure to the beef production cycle, from pasture to plate, while deepening their understanding of sustainability, animal care and nutrition. Stops included Lienetics Ranch (cow-calf), Weber & Sons Co. (feedyard), and McLean Beef’s retail and processing facility. At each site, students observed key stages in beef production and heard directly from experts about feed strategies, animal welfare and food safety. 

Nebraska Beef Council Board Member Mark Goes led an interactive meat science session utilizing carcass' donated from the Cattlemen’s Ball, including Angus, Hereford, Beef x Dairy, and Piedmontese breeds. Students used tools and data to calculate ribeye area and quality grade. The hands-on learning helped connect classroom knowledge to real-world applications. 

Kennedy Jones, an intern studying Medical Nutrition Therapy at UNMC, shared how the tour reshaped her understanding of the industry. 

“Seeing how feed is designed to promote healthy growth helped me better understand the link between animal nutrition and the quality of beef people eat,” she said. “It was valuable to connect animal care and feed strategies to the end nutritional product.” 

She also found the McLean Beef visit especially impactful. “Watching the steps of portioning, packaging, and labeling made me think differently about food safety. It made food systems feel much more personal.” Jones added, “I’m so thankful to the farmers, guides, and staff who led us. Their passion and expertise gave me a deeper appreciation for the agricultural side of nutrition and the people who make it all happen.”



Nebraska’s Premier Ag Drone Event Returns for Third Year

This August, explore how drones are powering efficiency and precision in agriculture — join us in Nebraska, where cutting-edge research, industry leadership, and real-world applications converge for two days of insight and opportunity.

Nebraska Extension and Northeast Community College are proud to present the third annual Nebraska Agriculture and Spray Drone Conference, taking place Aug. 21–22 at Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Nebraska.

As the largest agriculture drone-focused conference in the Midwest, this event brings together industry leaders, researchers, legal experts and drone innovators for two dynamic days of education, collaboration and cutting-edge insights.

Conference attendees watch a Nebraska Extension presentation on UAV mapping systems, showing steps to collect data, process insights, and generate results.

“This conference is the largest agriculture drone-focused conference in the Midwestern United States,” said Dr. Dirk Charlson, statewide extension educator for digital agriculture. “Nebraska Extension has long been a leader in drone education, hosting seven statewide events since August 2023 featuring internationally recognized experts.”

Last year’s attendees left energized and inspired, as one participant shared: “All your speakers were exactly what this growing industry needs. These conferences have been extremely beneficial and appreciated by all who attended. Thank you!”

In 2025, a wealth of featured speakers — both returning and new to the event — across the drone industry will share their expertise. 

Returning experts:
    Dr. Steve Li — Auburn University
    Julius Petri — Pix4D
    Jonathan Rupprecht — Rupprecht Law
    Al Brunner — Federal Aviation Administration
    Kevin Knorr — Volitant Technologies

New to the lineup:
    Nathan Stein — AirStrike Ag
    Tim Pearson — Taranis
    Vaughn Tolbert — VT Insurance
    Joel Jones — Orange Coast College
    …with more to be announced soon!

This year’s conference also introduces a remote attendance option for those unable to join in person — making the event more accessible than ever.

As an added bonus for early attendees, the first 75 people to register in-person on the first day of the conference will receive a complimentary copy of the “The Evolution of Spray Drones, Their Capabilities and Challenges for Pesticide Applications” from Purdue.
cover of Purdue University drone manual featuring a drone flying over a field of green crops
Don’t Miss Out

Whether you’re an ag professional, drone operator, researcher or curious entrepreneur, this conference offers the latest trends, tools and policies shaping the future of ag drone technology.

Learn more, register or explore sponsorship and exhibition opportunities on our webpage https://cropwatch.unl.edu/nebraska-ag-drone-conference/.

Questions? Contact Dr. Dirk Charlson at 402-460-0742 (call or text).



2025 Great Plains Water Conference

Registration is now open for the 2025 Great Plains Water Conference held in Omaha, Nebraska, on September 18 and 19. This year's conference theme is Securing Water Resources for Tomorrow. The multi-state conference will feature speakers from Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, South Dakota, and North Dakota.

Held at the Milo Bail Student Center on the University of Nebraska Omaha campus, this two-day event will feature discussions on water smart communities and watersheds, water quality monitoring and treatment strategies, emerging contaminants, wellhead protection, and more. Join researchers, government, nonprofits, state agencies, students, and more to share how communities across the Great Plains are securing water resources for tomorrow. 
 
Registration is open from now until September 4.
    Regular Registration (now through August 15): $400
    Late Registration (August 16 through September 4): $450

Registration includes all sessions and meals, as well as the Thursday evening reception.

Special pricing is available for students and faculty.

For more information about the conference, speakers, and registration, visit go.unl.edu/waterconference to register.

This conference is sponsored by the Kansas Water Institute and the University of Nebraska – Lincoln's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.