Blog

ILSoyAdvisor.com continued its winter webinar series on Tuesday, Feb. 24. In "Nutrient Planning and Soybean Management,” Howard Brown, Ph.D., manager of agronomy services with GROWMARK, Inc., presented research findings on nutrient management and shared advice for growers planning nutrient applications for 2015.

Watch the webinar below for tips on nutrient planning and the results from Brown’s nutrient management research.

Key Takeaways:

• Soybean nutrient requirements. There are 17 essential nutrients for soybeans, butmost growers don’t fertilize soybeans and visual nutrient deficiencies are rare. Growers who use soil tests regularly can ensure their crop has the nutrients it needs.
• Essential nutrients. The top three soybean fertilizer programs include nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Soybeans need residual nitrogen for the first two weeks of growth before nodules begin to fix their own.
• A word of caution. An unfertilized soybean crop may result in high yields one year, but growers who continue this practice will eventually deplete their soil’s natural fertility.
• Nutrient planning considerations
  • Stress during the fill period (R5 and R6) has the most significant impact on yield. Nutrient applications can help growers optimize the growing environment during that critical time.
  • Nutrients can help reduce stress to minimize flower and young pod abortion.
  • Growers should be proactive in identifying inoculation and early growth stages to recognize nutrient needs.
  • Consider stewardship when using additional inputs. Soil tests and MOM can help growers make the most of soil nutrients:
    • Minimize environmental impact
    • Optimize harvest yield
    • Maximize input utilization

Join us for the next webinar on Wednesday, March 4, as Dan Dempsey of AgYield and Kevin Kennedy of Kennedy Family Farms review the process of building a profitable revenue management and grain marketing strategy and answer grower questions. Register today (add link when available).