All Posts from September 2018

With all the talk about how big soybean yields are getting, agronomists and growers still may wonder if those high yields could be masking hidden nutrient deficiencies that might result in leaving some additional potential out in the field. I spent this season exploring that question and was able...

Timing of cover crop planting is essential for achieving your goals and getting the most biological and economical value out of the cover crop species you have selected to meet them. That is equally true when we talk about planting cover crops in the fall ahead of corn or soybeans. Each cover crop species can provide its own unique benefits to both the following crop as well as the soil. For us to realize the benefits of cover crops they...
As harvest approaches, it’s time once again to discuss green stems in soybeans. Green Stem Syndrome (GSS) has been with us for quite some time. Some years more severely than others, but most years someone must deal with soybean stems remaining green after the beans (and pods) are mature and dry.
 
In 2017, I wrote a blog post on...
In the past 5 years, Illinois soybean yields have risen exponentially compared to the previous 10 – 15 years. A lot of this increase can be attributed to modern breeding programs; however, modern management has also improved. High-yield producers view a crop as a series of decisions, throughout different growth stages, that add up to improved yields. These growth stages usually include “early,” “middle,” “late” and now - R4.5.
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In an issue of the Cool Bean Advisor newsletter, University of Wisconsin wheat and soybean specialist Shawn Conley shared his top winter wheat establishment recommendations. They include:
  1. Variety selection matters.
  2. Plant new seed (DO NOT plant saved seed).
  3. A fungicide seed treatment is recommended for winter...
Wheat, as a crop, has been scrutinized by growers across the U.S. and largely hasn’t measured up in productivity to that of other commodity crops in areas where other crops are an option and offer higher profitability potential – such as corn and soybeans. Yet there are wheat growers who can achieve yields and profitability that rival that of corn in their area.
 
Productivity is an average measure of the efficiency...

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