ILSoyAdvisor Blog

Will planting wheat late affect the yield of wheat and profitability of the wheat double-crop enterprise? Not necessarily.

With the later-than-normal planting this spring, a lot of soybeans will be harvested later than normal. And this means planting wheat later in the planting window than a lot of us like. However, do not be discouraged as the days of the calendar roll on, just be prepared to adjust your wheat seeding management as we...

Of all the diseases that can impact soybeans, the most common still is soybean cyst nematode (SCN). This small roundworm is very common in Illinois and often slightly robs yield without growers noticing any symptoms. So it is good to check every so often to determine the size of the population in the soil, if it’s changing and if you need to take action.

Fall is the best time to sample for SCN. Samples can be collected from fields that...

Q: In soybeans, what would cause plants to pod extremely high off the ground, for example, not producing any pods on the bottom five nodes? It's occurring throughout a rainfed field planted in 15-inch rows at 180,000 plants per acre the last week of April.

A: Jim Specht, UNL Emeritus Professor of Agronomy: High plant populations can result in very intensive plant-to-plant competition within the row. This year, because of high rainfall...

As a grower some of the most important decisions you make are the varieties you choose. Your quest for yield and profitability really begins with this decision, so it is important that you make the right choices.

Maturity: First, let’s focus on soybean maturity. There are 13 soybean maturity groups available from Group 000 (Canada) to Group X (tropics). In Illinois, we focus in on groups II – V. Choosing the right...