Precision agriculture continues advance

Oct 05, 2023

Farmers use soil, sun, water and nutrients that have existed for millions of years to produce food that sustains people around the world. But one often-overlooked aspect of farming is the evolution of agricultural technology.

Advancements in knowledge, biology and technology have enabled farmers to produce more food with fewer resources for 12,000 years. The technological advancements of recent decades make the gains of the previous 11,000 years seem small.

When agriculture began at the end of the Stone Age there were about 5 million people in the world. Few if any farmers were feeding people beyond their extended family.

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Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.