Publications

Authors: Serena Taylor Newton

This publication provides step-by-step instructions for Adopt-A-Lot participants, property owners, and renters on how to access municipal water in Baltimore City, Maryland. Author: Serena Newton; Title: Municipal Water Access for Adopt-A-Lot Program Participants & Establishing an Irrigation Account for Property Owners & Renters (EB-2024-0722).

Authors: Serena Taylor Newton - Paul Goeringer

General liability insurance helps farmers manage legal risk by covering accidents, negligence claims, and defense costs, while noting key exclusions. Authors: Serena Newton and Paul Goeringer; Title: Understanding Agricultural Liability: General Liability Insurance (FS-2025-0764).

Authors: Hayden Schug - Dr. Galen P. Dively II

A practical identification and management guide for common soybean pests in Maryland. Including pest biology, seasonal scouting guidance, and current IPM recommendations to help reduce yield loss. Authors: Hayden Schug and Dr. Galen Dively; Title: Common Soybean Pests in Maryland" (FS-2025-0759).

Authors: Qianwen Lu - Neith Little - Kayla Griffith - Maxine Da-Som Yoon - Xuan Wei

Learn how to stay compliant with Maryland’s Nutrient Management Plan requirements by understanding recordkeeping rules, key deadlines, practical suggestions, and best practices to protect soil, crops, and Chesapeake Bay water quality. Authors: Qianwen Lu, UME Urban Ag Production Specialist, Neith Little, UME Urban Ag Educator, Kayla Griffith, UME Nutrient Management Faculty Specialist, Maxine Da-Som Yoon, Home Horticulture Educator and Master Gardener Coordinator, and Xuan Wei, UME Urban Agribusiness Specialist; Title: Keep up with Nutrient Management Plan Requirements in Maryland (FS-2024-0739).

Authors: Sarah Hirsh

Soil health is the status of soil in terms of its ability to function and sustain life. It involves physical, chemical, and biological factors that are all interrelated. Soil organisms are critical for building good soil structure, ensuring air and water movements through the soil, decomposing organic materials, and cycling nutrients. A soil with good physical structure and with sufficient nutrient cycling will encourage increased numbers and diversity of soil organisms. When we manage soil with practices that minimize disturbance, maximize soil cover, maximize biodiversity, and maximize the presence of living roots, we can increase soil health, increasing the sustainability and profitability of agriculture. Author: Sarah Hirsh; Title: Soil Health (FS-2025-0754).

Authors: Patricia Steinhilber - Joshua M. McGrath

This publication provides crucial insights into assessing your corn crop's nitrogen levels at the end of the season. Learn how to identify excess nitrogen and optimize your fertilizer strategies for maximum yield and profitability. The publication offers detailed instructions for sampling and interpretation, helping producers make informed decisions about their nitrogen use. Whether you're managing a grain or silage crop, the CSNT can enhance your nutrient management plan. Authors: Dr. Patricia Steinhilber, Dr. Joshua McGrath; Title: Corn Stalk Nitrate Test (NM-8)

Authors: Kurt Vollmer - Dwayne Joseph - Alan Leslie - Cerruti RR Hooks - Thierry Besançon

This publication will help growers understand the benefits of incorporating spring-seeded cereal cover crops into plasticulture cucurbit production systems. It provides information from two years of university research trials evaluating spring-seeded cereal cover cropping systems along with post-plant control tactics for integrated weed management in cucumber and watermelon. Throughout a growing season, between row (inter-row) cereal cover crop treatments reduced weed density and provided better weed control compared to plots without cover crops. Post-plant applications of paraquat or including a residual herbicide often provided better weed control when used alongside a cover crop. Crop yields also were higher when a cover crop was planted between cucurbit rows versus no cover crop. Authors: Kurt Vollmer, Dwayne Joseph, Alan Leslie, Cerruti Hooks, and Thierry Besançon; Title: Spring-Seeded Cereal Cover Crops for Weed Management in Plasticulture Cucurbit Production (FS-2024-0736).

Authors: Qianwen Lu - Neith Little

Heat stress is a common summer problem for crop production and is worsened by rising temperatures and urban heat island effects. This extension brief introduces symptoms of crops impacted by heat stress and tips to mitigate crop heat stress. Authors: Qianwen Lu and Neith Little; Title: Reducing Crop Heat Stress in Urban Farms (EBR-2024-0720).

Authors: Matthew Trause - James Schupp - Macarena Farcuh

Red skin coloration is highly associated with apple fruit marketability and profitability. It is determined by the content and composition of anthocyanins. A multifaceted approach—considering environmental factors, site of establishment, cultivars, rootstocks, mineral nutrition, crop load, and fruit maturity —are key to meeting the required apple red skin coloration standards. Authors: Matthew Trause, James Schupp, Ph.D., and Macarena Farcuh, Ph. D.; Title: Apple Red Skin Coloration: A Grower's Checklist (FS-2025-0753).

Authors: Lillian Masson - Elizabeth Thilmany - Stephanie Lansing - Derek Wietelman

A culmination of recent research on Maryland’s livestock sector assesses nutrient production, management practices, and treatment technologies, highlighting areas where nutrient outputs exceed processing capacity to support informed policymaking, strategic investments, and public awareness. Authors: Lillian Masson, Elizabeth Thilmany, Stephanie Landsing, and Derek Wietelman; Title: Maryland’s Nutrient, Animal Waste, and Technology Landscape (FS-2024-0737).