Managing vegetable pests and diseases can be a challenge, especially when patterns and outbreaks vary from year to year. The Vegetable Disease and Insect Forecasting Network (VDIFN) helps take the guesswork out of management by providing data-driven risk forecasts for your farm. This guide walks you through key concepts behind pest and disease models, VDIFN basics and navigation, step‑by‑step examples for insect pest and disease forecasting, and resources for integrated pest and disease management.
Dr. Damon Smith gives a mid‑season update that covers tar spot in corn, white mold in soybeans, wheat disease risks, fungicide timing, and the first confirmed case of red crown rot in Wisconsin.
Dr. Rodrigo Werle discusses why post‑emergence weed control is critical for protecting yield in corn and soybeans.
Dr. Emily Bick reviews key field and forage crop insect pest issues from 2025 and what to watch for in the upcoming 2026 season.
Alyssa Foss explains new pesticide label requirements related to the Endangered Species Act and how they affect pesticide use in Wisconsin.
This article walks through the different parts of and considerations around calibrating and using a backpack sprayer in diversified vegetable systems.
Rodrigo Werle, Extension Weed Scientist and Daniel H. Smith, Nutrient and Pest Management Program Manager, demonstrate where weed seeds hide in a combine and how to clean a combine for weed seed management.
Johnsongrass, a highly invasive perennial grass that invades and impacts agricultural and natural areas throughout the United States, is popping up in southern Wisconsin along roadsides, agricultural fields and recent restoration activities. Learn how you can help monitor the invasive species.
This article walks through the different parts of and considerations around calibrating and using a backpack sprayer in diversified vegetable systems.
Dr. John Shutske explores the evolving role of artificial intelligence in agriculture, with a focus on generative AI and large language models (LLMs).
Josh Kamps covers hybrid and variety trial data for corn, soybeans, and small grains, pest and disease management considerations, herbicide resistance, and scouting strategies.
