A popular Purdue Extension pocket reference guide for corn and soybean producers has been updated and is now available.

The 2013 Corn and Soybean Field Guide is an in-field reference to help farmers quickly identify and manage crop problems, such as weeds, diseases and insects.

The 324-page guide has information useful from planting to harvest and features color photographs and reference tables to help farmers make fertilizer and pesticide application decisions. Other topics include crop development, nutrient deficiencies, planting decisions, soil fertility and herbicide injuries.

Growers can use the guide to help them apply appropriate amounts of fertilizers for soil nutrient deficiencies or pesticides for pest management, which could save them money, said Corey Gerber, director of Purdue’s Crop Diagnostic Training and Research Center.

Updates from last year’s guide include improved photographs and new information about soybean vein necrosis virus, which was first confirmed in Indiana in 2012.

Guides are available individually or in bulk from Purdue Extension’s The Education Store. Individual copies are $7 each, or boxes of 25 can be ordered for $157.50.