Research helps take on crop challenges

Benjamin Herrold
Nov 7, 2026
1 hr ago

crop research corn field — Crop research helps tackle many of the growing challenges farmers face.
IFT photo by Benjamin Herrold

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

When farmers select their varieties and hybrids, plant the seed and raise their crop, they face challenges from the weather, insects, weeds, diseases and economic factors.

kAmpD E96J 32EE=6 E96D6 @3DE24=6D[ C6D62C496CD H@C< E@ 7:?5 D@=FE:@?D 2?5 96=A 72C>6CD 8C@H 36EE6C 4C@AD]k^Am

kAmq=2<6 q2C=@H H@C<D 2D D6?:@C 5:C64E@C @7 C6D62C49 2?5 28C@?@>J 7@C E96 |:DD@FC: $@J362? pDD@4:2E:@? 2?5 E96 |:DD@FC: $@J362? |6C492?5:D:?8 r@F?4:=] w6 D2:5 E96 >6C492?5:D:?8 4@F?4:= 3@2C5 564:56D 9@H E@ 2==@42E6 D@>6 @7 E96 $@J362? r964<@77 7F?5D 7@C C6D62C49] t249 J62C 92D 2 H:?5@H H96C6 E96 >6C492?5:D:?8 4@F?4:= @A6?D FA 2 C6BF6DE 7@C AC@A@D2=D[ 4FCC6?E=J @A6?]k^Am

kAmq2C=@H D2:5 E96 |$|r 2=D@ D6?5D @FE DFCG6JD E@ 72C>6CD 2C@F?5 E96 DE2E6 E@ D66 H92E :D :>A@CE2?E E@ E96>]k^Am

kAm“(6 D6?5 @FE DFCG6JD E@ ECJ E@ D66 H92E :DDF6D @C 492==6?86D 72C>6CD 2C6 724:?8[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm(96? :E 4@>6D E@ H92E EC2:ED 2?5 AC:@C:E:6D 72C>6CD 92G6[ q2C=@H D2:5 :E DE2CED H:E9 9:89 J:6=5D]k^Am

kAm“p=H2JD J:6=5[ 2=H2JD @? E@A @7 >:?5 7@C 6G6CJ 72C>6C[ E96J H2?E E@ J:6=5 H6==[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmqFE @7 4@FCD6[ 2?J 82:?D :? J:6=5 92G6 E@ 36 4@DE 67764E:G6] q2C=@H D2:5 72C>6CD 2=D@ H2?E E@ 86E 8@@5 G2=F6 7@C E96 D665 E96J 3FJ]k^Am

kAm“xE’D ?@E ?646DD2C:=J E96 E@A @7 J:6=5[ :E’D C6EFC? @? :?G6DE>6?E[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmp=D@ E@A @7 >:?5 :D 7:?5:?8 H2JD E@ 4@>32E D@J362? 4JDE ?6>2E@56[ 2 >2;@C 4C@A E9C62E]k^Am

kAm“p?@E96C AC:@C:EJ :D 2=H2JD D@J362? 4JDE ?6>2E@56[” q2C=@H D2:5] “x7 J@F v@@8=6 E96 E@A J:6=5 C@336C 7@C D@J362?D[ D@J362? 4JDE ?6>2E@56 4@>6D FA]”k^Am

kAm%96D6 677@CED :?4=F56 3@E9 >@C6 E6DE:?8 2?5 H@C<:?8 E@ 56G6=@A G2C:6E:6D H:E9 >@C6 C6D:DE2?46 E@ D@J362? 4JDE ?6>2E@56]k^Am

kAmw6 D2:5 4C@A C6D62C49 2=D@ H@C<D E@ 56G6=@A ?6H 56>2?5 2?5 FD6D 7@C D@J362?D]k^Am

kAmq2C=@H D2:5 |:DD@FC: 2?5 D6G6C2= DE2E6D A2CE?6C E@ H@C< @? 4C@A C6D62C49 :DDF6D 2D A2CE @7 E96 }@CE9 r6?EC2= $@J362? #6D62C49 !C@8C2>]k^Am

kAmw6 D2:5 E96 4964<@77 96=AD E96 :?5FDECJ :?G6DE :? :ED 7FEFC6]k^Am

kAm“%96 4964<@77 :D 6IEC6>6=J :>A@CE2?E 7@C 86EE:?8 E92E ?@?\3:2D65 C6D62C49 5@?6[” q2C=@H D2:5]k^Am

kAm%96 &?:E65 $@J362? q@2C5 564:56D 9@H E@ DA6?5 E96 ?2E:@?2= A@CE:@? @7 4964<@77 5@==2CD] {2FC:6 xD=6J :D 2 |:49:82? 72C>6C H9@ D6CG6D 2D 2 &$q 5:C64E@C] u2C>6C\5:C64E@CD @? E96 &$q 3@2C5 564:56 H92E C6D62C49 AC@;64ED E@ 7F?5] $96 D2:5 E96 5:C64E@CD H2?E E@ 36 8@@5 DE6H2C5D[ 2?5 E96J A2J :?E@ E96 4964<@77 E96>D6=G6D]k^Am

People are also reading…

Building big: Cattle barn project clears path for next generation
Grain merchandisers face larger risks
Look to winter 2026-2027
Stress and depression can get to anyone
Prairie Pothole producers eligible to receive funding for solving saline issues
Farmers remain cautious about investing in operations
Polar vortex behaving badly
Pork markets struggle going into November
Cracked solar panels raise questions
Labor needs for dairy push automation
Management practices boost farm resilience
Variety of global factors at play for crop this week
Ever evolving: New way of weaning pays off
Lesson learned at the meat counter
Beef Brief: IRS change raises questions for producers

kAm“~FC C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ :D >2<:?8 8@@5 564:D:@?D 9@H E@ FD6 E92E >@?6J[” xD=6J D2:5] “xE :D @FC >@?6J[ E@@]”k^Am

kAm$96 D2:5 3F586E A=2??:?8 368:?D J62CD :? 25G2?46] $96 :D E96 492:C @7 &$q’D $FDE2:?23=6 !C@5F4E:@? r@>>:EE66] xD=6J D2:5 E96 4@>>:EE66 2?5 3@2C5 82E96C :?AFE 2?5 =@@< 2E C6D62C49 E92E E96 4964<@77 92D 7F?565 :? E96 A2DE[ H92E E96 AC@8C6DD 92D 366?[ 2?5 :7 E96 7@4FD 92D 492?865 2?J @G6C E:>6]k^Am

kAm$96 D2:5 E96 72C>6CD @? E96 3@2C5 ECJ E@ E9:?< 23@FE E96 492==6?86D E96J 7246]k^Am

kAm“(6 ECJ E@ DE2CE 3J 2D<:?8[ ‘(92E <66AD J@F FA 2E ?:89En’” xD=6J D2:5]k^Am

kAm$96 D2:5 :? C646?E J62CD E96D6 92G6 :?G@=G65 :?AFE 4@DE 4@?46C?D 2?5 4C@A 5:D62D6 E9C62ED]k^Am

kAm“r6CE2:?=J H92E 6G6CJ3@5J H2D E2=<:?8 23@FE =2DE J62C H2D E96 9:896C 4@DE @7 :?AFED[” xD=6J D2:5]k^Am

kAm$96 D2:5 E9:D =65 E@ :?G6DE:?8 :? C6D62C49 23@FE E96 A@DD:3:=:EJ 7@C 72C>6CD E@ FD6 =6DD 76CE:=:K6C 2?5 H96E96C 72C>6CD 42? 5@ DFDE2:?23=6 E:==286 2?5 DE:== >2<6 8@@5 AC@7:ED]k^Am

kAmxD=6J D2:5 AC@7:E23:=:EJ :D E96 <6J[ D@ E96 7@4FD :D ?@E 2=H2JD ;FDE @? :?4C62D:?8 J:6=5D[ 3FE 2=D@ 564C62D:?8 :?AFE 4@DED] !C@7:E >2C8:? C6>2:?D E96 7@4FD]k^Am

kAm#6D62C49 E@ 4@>32E 4C@A 5:D62D6 :D 2=D@ 2 E@A AC:@C:EJ[ xD=6J D2:5]k^Am

kAm“(6’G6 :?G6DE65 7@C 2 =@?8 E:>6 :? D@J362? 4JDE ?6>2E@56 C6D62C49 3642FD6 E92E :D 2 >2;@C J:6=5 C@336C[ 2?5 :E’D 2 D:=6?E J:6=5 C@336C[” D96 D2:5] “(6’G6 >256 D@>6 AC@8C6DD @? E92E[ 3FE :E :D 2 EC:4<J @?6]”k^Am

kAmxD=6J D2:5 E96 &?:E65 $@J362? q@2C5 92D 2=D@ 7F?565 C6D62C49 :?E@ C65 4C@H? C@E[ 2 8C@H:?8 5:D62D6 4@?46C?]k^Am

kAmx?4C62D:?8 56>2?5 :D 2?@E96C =@?8\E6C> AC:@C:EJ]k^Am

kAm“(6 2=D@ 7F?5 BF:E6 2 3:E @7 C6D62C49 :? 56>2?5 3F:=5:?8[” xD=6J D2:5]k^Am

kAm%9:D :?4=F56D :?4C62D:?8 D@J362? FD6 :? 2?:>2= 7665 2?5 7@C 9F>2? 4@?DF>AE:@?[ DF49 2D C6D62C49 :?E@ 9@H >@C6 D@J :? 5:6ED 42? 36?67:E 9@8D 2?5 AC@5F4:?8 ?6H 9:89\@=6:4 D@J362?D 2D 2 962=E9:6C @AE:@? 7@C A6@A=6]k^Am

kAmp3@G6 2==[ xD=6J D2:5 E96 C6D62C49 :D @?=J G2=F23=6 :7 E96J 86E E96 :?7@C>2E:@? E@ 72C>6CD] x?7@C>2E:@? @? 4C@A C6D62C49 A2CE?6CD 2?5 C6DF=ED :D 2G2:=23=6 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^E:?JFC=]4@>^d7<KJ52JQmE:?JFC=]4@>^d7<KJ52Jk^2m]k^Am

kAm$96 D2:5 C6D62C49 :D :>A@CE2?E 7@C 72C>6CD]k^Am

kAm“x E9:?< E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 C6D62C49 E@ E96 D@J362? :?5FDECJ :D H6 2=H2JD ?665 E@ F?56CDE2?5 H92E H6 5@?’E <?@H[” xD=6J D2:5]k^Am

kAmu@C 6I2>A=6[ C6D62C49 92D 96=A65 72C>6CD F?56CDE2?5 D@:= 36EE6C]k^Am

kAm“xE’D 2 =@E >@C6 E92? 5:CE[” xD=6J D2:5] “xE’D 2 8C@FA @7 @C82?:D>D =:G:?8 E@86E96C[ 2?5 :ED 4@>A@D:E:@? 92D 2 =@E E@ 5@ H:E9 E96 4C@A J@F C2:D6]”k^Am