Calibration: The Key to Harvest Data Utilization
As harvest quickly approaches, many things are on the minds of farmers, from who is going to be running the grain cart to when is the best time for each specific field to be harvested. Farmers are chomping at the bit to start harvest, however with harvest comes a very important step in the precision ag cycle: calibration of the machines. What is Calibration? Calibration, in terms of harvest calibration, is the act of baselining a machine’s sensor to a standard measurement in order to have the most accurate yield detection system. Though there are multiple types of calibration [...]
PODCAST: The Value of Planting Soybeans Early
CCA Soy Envoy Randy Niver joins the podcast this month to discuss why planting soybeans earlier in the spring supports higher yields at harvest. He also shares why it is important to protect the canopy throughout the growing season and ways to manage specific diseases. Listen to learn more. ILSoyAdvisor Podcasts · The Value of Planting Soybeans Early
2021 Scouting Report
Early season April - June Although I would love to be everywhere at once, a lot of my scouting for the 2021 season has been focused throughout Illinois stretching from Princeton to Altamont. This season I was able to make a trip down to Carbondale and was able to see fields of double crop beans coming up July 9. And I always make a trip up north to my favorite fields in Stockton at least twice a year, once in April and again September. Cover crop mix, picture Dec. 16, 2020. Stockton, IL field day April 2, 2021 at [...]
Getting the Most Out of Your Investment: Unraveling the Benefits of Imagery
Adopting imagery can be attractive to farmers given the vast array of benefits touted throughout the industry. But if you’re considering making a purchase, be sure to take a few moments to understand why it will fit into your specific operation and what you can expect from the differing products on the market. Here are a few areas to consider when it comes to value imagery and analysis and your operation: Management Optimization With imagery, growers receive a new perspective of the field with the ability to see the entirety of the field at the same time. From this [...]
Understanding the Road Map of Soybean Reproduction
Planting soybeans can sometimes be simple, however growing soybeans can be challenging, and growing 100 bu soybeans consistently can be very challenging. Over the last 10 years, there have been major leaps forward in improving soybean genetics and agronomic practices. I always challenge growers to be a student of their fields and that if they are listening, their fields are telling them what’s wrong, but only if we’re willing to listen. As a soybean producer, it’s important to evaluate what you’re seeing or not seeing in a particular field and start asking the question of why. As most know, [...]
Don’t Give Up – Manage to R7
The reproductive stages of the soybean plant are focused on producing high pod counts and, more importantly, preserving as many as possible. During this time, a soybean plant is trying to balance its hormones and determine what number of pods and seeds it can successfully feed and finish. Stress (disease, nutritional, insect, water, or heat) during these stages can cause the plant to eliminate pods and seeds. High-yielding corn growers and agronomists say, “manage to black layer.” This means, don’t give up on a crop until it’s done. I have documented that when a corn plant reaches ¾ milk [...]
Late Season Lodging in Soybeans
As we approach the later part of the growing season, we have the potential to see lodging in the soybean crop. Lodging is a function of two factors, genetics, and the environment. From a genetic standpoint, most varieties on the market are rated by their respective company for lodging and a significant amount of risk can be mitigated by paying attention to those ratings and management guidelines that come with the variety. The environment is obviously out of our control, for the most part. Ideal growing conditions in the vegetative stages will allow beans to grow tall and expand [...]
How Do You Select Soybeans, And Why?
There are many considerations that go into planting a soybean crop: 1. Planting Date: In 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) planting progress reports for Illinois continually showed that Illinois soybean producers were planting a larger percentage of soybean acres earlier than the previous year, and even the five-year average. 2. Seed Treatments: Since early planting has become a more widely accepted practice, many soybean producers are deciding to treat their soybeans from stresses associated with the soil, environment and opportunist critters. 3. Seeding Rates: Since Illinois soybean producers are planting earlier and using seed treatments, the trend for seeding rates [...]
Strong Starts Need Stronger Treatments
When it comes to starting off the growing season strong, seed treatments are key. According to Dale Ireland, they are one of the most important inputs for higher yield. Ireland, Technical Product Lead of Seedcard for Syngenta, says that growers can plant a great seed such as a fantastic hybrid or variety, but if it's planted with an inadequate or no seed treatment, a good deal of yield may be lost within the first few weeks of the growing season due to loss of plant stand. "The biggest benefit of using a seed treatment is a greater number of [...]
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