Soil fertility seminar offered

Feb 11, 2015

URBANA, Ill. – Soil fertility and the influence of crop production practices, environmental stewardship, and market prices are among the topics of a seminar that will be offered on Friday, Feb. 27, at 17 University of Illinois Extension county offices. The presentations will be delivered through web conferencing from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and lunch will be provided.

“At the seminar, university researchers will share the most current nutrient management research and recommendations to both increase nutrient efficiency and decrease nutrient losses,” said U of I Extension Educator Angie Peltier.

Presentations will include:

Nutrient Management Is More than Application Rate
How Algae Blooms Have Affected Nutrient Management in the Lake Erie Basin
Nitrogen Management Practices: Reducing Atmospheric and Leaching Losses While Maintaining Yields
Making Soil Fertility Decisions in 2015
Evaluation of Adapt-N in the Corn Belt

Certified Crop Advisors will earn up to five continuing education units in nutrient management by attending this seminar.

Source: ACES

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.