A move to strip-tilling corn with a homemade unit was an efficient path to consistent yields for Illinois farmer Charlie Durdan.

Slow planting progress this spring has led to all efforts focused on getting the crop in the ground. Often the first operation thrown to the wayside is application of pre-emergence herbicides in soybean. A decade ago this practice could be successful, but with widespread multiple herbicide resistance, it either sets up an imminent control failure or contributes to further evolution of herbicide resistance.

Soybean is a crop that can remove significant amounts of nutrients per bushel of grain harvested. Because of this, soybeans can respond to starter fertilizer applications on low-testing soils, particularly phosphorus.

Soybean production is expanding. In some situations, the crop will be planted in fields that have never been planted to soybeans or haven't been planted to soybeans for more than four years. This article provides recommendations for planting soybeans under these conditions.

There has been a great deal of interest in recent months in the idea of using nitrogen fertilizer during the growing season to increase soybean yields.

As past experience has taught many of us that live in the "frozen tundra," a Wisconsin spring can appear rapidly, so here are a few thoughts to mull over before we all get busy and throw recommendations out the window to get those crops in the ground.

There are no major insect pests of soybean seedlings, but occasionally we do run into problems. Some folks use an insecticidal seed treatment in soybeans.

Achieving the correct planting depth is more critical for soybean production than it is for corn production for several reasons. Soybean seed requires more water to germinate and soybean emergence is impeded to a greater extent when a soil crust develops.

Nematodes are common pests in many soybean fields in the state. Sometimes called the "hidden enemy"?, root-knot, soybean cyst, and reniform nematodes can be costly if they are ignored. Because they are not visible, damage caused by nematodes is often overlooked.

The trend among northern Plains farmers is toward using less tillage to produce field crops with more residue left on the soil surface and strip-till is one system being utilized in the area. Researchers from South Dakota State University detail some of the benefits and considerations for implementing and managing strip-till.