April Crops & Soils
The April issue of Crops & Soils is online! Our cover story this month is on improving soybean yield in Wisconsin through early planting and rethinking maturity group ranges.
Featured articles
Integrated weed management is important for smutgrass control in bahiagrass forages
Bahiagrass is one of the most predominant warm-season grasses grown in the southern Coastal Plains Region in the southeastern United States. However, weeds can be problematic, especially perennial weeds such as smutgrass. Hexazinone has been identified as an effective management tool for controlling smutgrass in bahiagrass, but timing the application to receive adequate precipitation is challenging. Recent research has shown that a timely fertilizer application following hexazinone can accelerate bahiagrass recovery, giving it a competitive advantage over other weed species. This article reports on an experiment that set out to evaluate population shifts in bahiagrass forage following the implementation of integrated herbicide and fertilizer management plans for controlling smutgrass. Earn 0.5 CEUs in Integrated Pest Management by taking the quiz for the article.
Shallow non-inversion tillage associated with improved soil health in Prince Edward Island potato production
In Canada, Prince Edward Island (PEI) is one of the leading provinces for potato production, growing 85,300 acres (34,100 ha) and producing 25,930 million cwt (1.2 million Mt) of potatoes in 2024. Many producers are moving away from use of the moldboard plow and are investing in non-inversion shallow till implements, often referred to as performing “vertical tillage” or “residue tillage.” The implements till less deeply than the plow, mixing the top 6 to 8 inches of soil rather than inverting it. Given this change in tillage practices in PEI, scientists at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada devised a research project to better understand how shallow non-inversion tillage practices compared side-by-side in commercial fields compared with traditional moldboard plowing practices. Their objective was to compare both tillage regimens in terms of impact on soil health metrics, soil moisture, potato petiole nitrate concentration, and potato yield and quality metrics. Earn 0.5 CEUs in Soil & Water Management by taking the quiz for the article.
Recent articles
Most read articles
Recent articles
Improving soybean yield in Wisconsin
Planting early and rethinking maturity group ranges
University of Wisconsin researchers have confirmed a strong link between early-planted soybeans and improved yields and discovered that viable maturity group ranges may be wider than previously thought. This research is especially relevant since the USDA Risk Management Agency has expanded its covered early-season planting window in the state, giving farmers more reason to reevaluate their cropping plans this spring. Earn 0.5 CEUs in Crop Management by reading the article and taking the quiz.
Imagery-based crop nutrient management
Challenges, opportunities, and the role of AI
Imagery-based nitrogen management systems offer tremendous potential for improving the efficiency of nitrogen use in agriculture. However, challenges such as cloud cover, image quality, and nitrogen leaching must be addressed for these systems to reach their full potential. Solutions driven by AI, combined with better agronomic practices, can help mitigate these challenges and reduce the environmental impact of nitrogen leaching, particularly in nitrogen-intensive regions. Earn 0.5 CEUs in Nutrient Management by taking the quiz for the article.
Developing high-yielding and stress-resilient soybean varieties
Progress and prospects for U.S. Mid-South farmers
Soybean is an important crop as a global food, oil, and feed source, yet its productivity faces threats from climate-change-driven factors. The Mid-South U.S., a major soybean-producing region, experiences unique environmental challenges that affect yield and farm profitability. The soybean-breeding program at the University of Missouri Fisher Delta Research, Extension & Education Center (MU-FDREEC) is dedicated to developing high-yielding, resilient varieties to support farmers in this region. Over the past five years, MU-FDREEC has released 24 new soybean varieties, including conventional, herbicide-tolerant, and specialty types (high oleic acid). Collaborations with farmers, industry partners and research institutions have led to improvements in disease resistance, seed quality and yield, benefiting soybean producers nationwide. Looking ahead, the program is focused on enhancing climate resilience, optimizing photosynthetic efficiency, and incorporating genomic technologies. These efforts aim to provide Mid-South farmers with improved soybean varieties that boost productivity, profitability, and sustainability. Earn 0.5 CEUs in Crop Management by taking the quiz for the article.
Soil health management practices in the diverse Intermountain West
More local information would help farmers, crop advisers
The Intermountain West spans the basin and range between the Rockies to the east and the Cascades and Sierra Nevada to the west. Its features diverse agricultural terrain and activity. Soil health management practices this region remain significantly understudied compared with other areas, according to a commentary published in the journal Agricultural & Environmental Letters. A survey of crop advisers and farmers across Utah explored their role in promoting soil health practices and identified barriers to and opportunities to expand soil health management practices. Earn 1 CEU in Soil & Water Management by taking the quiz for the article.
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.
We want to hear from you
Do you have an article you'd like to submit or feedback for the magazine team? Let us know!
