Why early crop stress is invisible and how UAV reveal it
Farmers in the Mid-South are losing yield because water and heat stress often go unnoticed until it’s too late for effective intervention. In this three-part series, we’ll show how modern UAV imaging uncovers early, invisible crop stress—and how farmers can use the right tools and maps to make smarter irrigation decisions that boost efficiency, reduce risk, and increase profitability. In this first article in the series, we’ll explain how drone-based thermal and multispectral imaging can reveal early, invisible stress signals.
Corn establishment and yield response to after-market closing wheels in a rye cover crop system
A rye cover crop (RCC) before corn can reduce erosion, herbicide use, and improve water quality. However, a RCC grown prior to corn can make planting difficult, leading to uneven emergence and lower yields. Farmers use aftermarket closing wheels to improve planting success, but their effectiveness in RCC systems is unclear. This study tested three closing wheels—standard rubber, cruiser extreme, and cupped razor—in Indiana field trials.
Earn 1.5 CEUs in Crop Management by reading this article and taking the quiz.
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Living mulches in organic corn
Listen to the latest podcast episode
Organic farming is a rich and rewarding challenge for farmers, but without the use of herbicides and other conventional methods, weed suppression can be a problem. Cover crops functioning as living mulches can be one way to overcome this challenge, but what works in one crop may not necessarily work in another. In this episode of the Field, Lab, Earth podcast, we discuss cover crop management in corn as a means of weed suppression.
Earn 0.5 CEUS in Integrated Pest Management by listening to this episode and taking the quiz.
Farm bill approved by the House Agriculture Committee
After more than 20 hours of debate, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 passed out of the House Agriculture Committee with a vote of 34 to 17 in the early hours of Thursday morning (March 5). The bill has a long way to go yet though Chairman GT Thompson (R-PA) has indicated that he would like to see the bill on the House floor before Easter.
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Soil Science Fundamentals Practice Exam now available
New resource for those seeking CPSS certification, licensure in their state
There's a new resource available for those looking to take the Soil Science Fundamentals Exam to be certified as a CPSS or licensed in their state. The Soil Science Fundamentals Exam Practice Exam is a self-assessment tool can help you brush up on your exam-taking skills and help you identify gaps in your knowledge so you can better focus your study time.
The spring exam takes place next month with registration open from March 4 through March 30.
Celebrating CPSS/C certification milestones
We recognize, congratulate, and thank the following Certified Professional Soil Scientists and Classifiers (CPSS and CPSC) who reached the following milestones over the last year (February 2025 through January 2026): 40, 35, 30, 25, and 20 years of certification. Thank you for your continuing dedication, service, and commitment to excellence.
The soybean growth cycle: Important risks and management strategies
Optimal soybean production requires accurate, stage-specific management practices to mitigate abiotic and biotic stressors. From emergence to full maturity, a soybean plant's physiological needs and vulnerabilities change as it transitions through its vegetative and reproductive cycles. This management guide details each growth stage, provides clear descriptions, and identifies the common risks encountered. For different growth stages, strategic management recommendations are presented, emphasizing proactive approaches to mitigate potential yield limitations.
Earn 2 CEUs in Crop Management by reading the article and taking the quiz.
Foliar feeding of plant nutrition
As global population growth intensifies pressure on agricultural production, foliar feeding offers a precise and efficient method to enhance crop yield, quality, and nutritional value when soil nutrient availability is limited or impaired. The article explains how foliar-applied nutrients enter plant tissues, the factors influencing their effectiveness—including formulation chemistry, molecular size, environmental conditions, and plant physiology—and the importance of proper timing and dosage to avoid phytotoxicity.
Earn 1 CEU in Nutrient Management by reading this article and taking the quiz.
Soil fertility, fertilizers, and crop nutrition: Past, present, and future
Society has made (and will be making) significant demands on agriculture in the not-to-distant future. Meeting future sustainability goals and environmental regulations while simultaneously continuing to meet requirements for food, feed, fuel, and fiber requires a firm understanding of how “we” have collectively arrived at our current status as it relates to our fertility principles and beliefs as well as the processes that address them. This series intends to describe crop nutrition and fertilizers from where we have been to where the authors believe that we will likely need to be prepared to go if we are to support world demands into the foreseeable future.
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