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The dry weather we have experienced lately is continuing to affect area crops says Jim Fawcett, ISU Extension Field Agronomist.  [simage=3593,400,y,center]

He says the latest problems are spider mites on soybeans.  Fawcett says it is unusual to see spider mites this early in the year, but the dry weather has caused them to appear in the southern third of Iowa.

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Another issue is potassium deficiency in corn.  This comes from dry surface soils where the roots don’t function properly.

Fawcett says farmers should start scouting their fields for the spider mites and use insecticides to control them.  He adds the corn problems can be fixed if we receive rainfall.