Running To The Recommendation
Why jumping straight into prescription writing without proper analysis and understanding of outcome can be costly As you reflect on the growing season, how do you measure success? Is it measuring overall yield improvement over last year or perhaps the year that was most similar in terms of rainfall and average temperature? What about individual […]
Spatial Critical Fertilizer – A Dynamic Approach to Phosphorus & Potassium
For several decades, Midwest agronomists and farmers alike have used a standard rule for managing nutrient concentration levels in their soils. This rule of management has primarily been influenced by utilizing various state or university guidelines. These guidelines have been widely adopted across much of the United States to manage soil fertility on a field-by-field […]
For Corn Grain Fill, It’s About Keeping Carbs
By this point in the harvest season, you know how well your corn crop fared in terms of grain, overall yield and quality. While this year’s crop is set, it can still offer you valuable insight for fine tuning your management program for next year. It really comes down to close observation of a mature […]
Isolating the Mechanism: Top Dieback in Corn
At Advanced Agrilytics, we seek to understand the environment first and isolate the underlying mechanism that influences potential productivity. We’ve spent months walking side-by-side with growers. This time of year, we view yield as an outcome of the time and energy spent in proactively managing the crop during the growing season. At this point in […]
Green Stems in Soybeans at Harvest: Understanding the Cause
The past three weeks have allowed for rapid progress on soybean harvest in many areas of the Midwest. While soybean yields have been variable based on the conditions experienced through the growing season, one frequent inquiry has been around the observation of green stem syndrome. This has been especially true on more water-limited acres within […]
Part Two: Protecting the Crop Factory Through Grain Fill
As we discussed last week, this time of year the growing season can feel similar to reading a book, each chapter building more excitement and anticipation until the final plot line is delivered. We worked hard in the beginning to establish the crop and start what we call the Race to Canopy. The story continued […]
The Final Chapter: Protecting the Crop Factory Through Grain Fill
As we turn the calendar into the heart of summer, the growing season can feel similar to reading a book, each chapter building more excitement and anticipation until the final plot line is delivered. We worked hard in chapter 1 to establish the crop and begin what we call the Race to Canopy. The story […]
Does Every Acre Require the Same Nitrogen Application?
Traditionally, Nitrogen fertilizer (N) rates have been linked primarily to expected yield goals. However, with recent high N fertilizer costs, above average commodity prices, and unpredictable rainfall patterns, the focus on improved nitrogen management, reduced environmental risk, and maximizing yield potential has become more important than ever. For corn following soybeans, the traditional guidelines have […]
N, P and K Critical at Planting — but Don’t Forget Sulfur
Starter fertilizer application and critical inputs like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are always common topics of conversation this time of year. Kent Klingbeil, a lead agronomist with Advanced Agrilytics, would also include another nutrient on that list: sulfur.
Decisions, Decisions: Growers Face Many as Planting Rolls On
Pull the planter out of the shed, fill the planter boxes and start putting seed in the ground. That’s all there is to it, right? No, and especially not this year with so many variables at play, says Aaron Gault, lead agronomist for Advanced Agrilytics.
Not only has a wet, cool spring presented challenging field conditions, but also input availability, cost, and wild swings in commodity prices have given growers a lot more to think about.
“Even before we dive into the prescriptive side of managing the crop it’s going to be about the planter and planter maintenance that we need to focus on,” Gault says. “A key part of that is making sure we have even emergence. And when you think of everything that affects that emerging seedling it goes back to how it is set into the trench. Are all the seeds planted at a consistent depth and are they all planted into moisture?”