31
May
2019
Most farmers can't remember a planting season that has been any more challenging than 2019.
Categories: Agronomy, Agronomy Talk
Tags: Agronomy, PFR, Delayed planting, Products, yield potential, APP, Prevent Plant, input costs
12
Apr
2017
With planting just days away, now is a great time to look over your final planting details to ensure you are setting yourself up for maximum yield potential with the upcoming crop. Becks Practical Farm Research (PFR)® continues to provide us with unbiased guidelines and insights to help maximize yield and return on investment (ROI) on every acre.
Categories: Agronomy, N Illinois, S. Wisconsin
Tags: planting, Practical Farm Research, Agronomy, Planting Depth, Illinois Agronomy, PFR, Wisconsin Agronomy, Jon Skinner, Planting Date, AgChat
5
Over the past few weeks, many farmers have called me jokily asking, “is it too early to plant?”
My answers always seem to be long, with a lot of details and factors, as I try to help them determine if it is or isn’t too early. With that said, let’s look at our ideal planting dates and things you need to consider before planting.
Categories: Agronomy, S Indiana
Tags: planting, Practical Farm Research, Agronomy Update, Steve Gauck, indiana agronomy, PFR, Early Planting, Planting Dates, Seed Treatments
14
Mar
We are midway through March and have experienced some above average temperatures that have left many of us feeling as though our corn planters should be running. We have actually heard a few reports of corn being planted around the state, but I believe it is in your best interest to be patient and postpone your planting operations for just a little bit longer.
Categories: Agronomy, Missouri
Tags: Practical Farm Research, Beck's Agronomy, Missouri Agronomy, PFR, Planting Date, Alex Long, Crop Insurance, Soil Temperatures, Forecast
22
Feb
Many farmers across the state are having discussions around what their crop rotation will be for the coming year. Should they keep their rotation the same? Or would it be economically advantageous to plant more soybeans? In my experience, many farmers typically debate this question but then end up staying the course and keeping their rotation intact. This year however feels a little different.
Categories: Agronomy, Ohio
Tags: Practical Farm Research, Agronomy, Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS), Ohio Agronomy, PFR, Ag Chat, LUKE SCHULTE, escalate SDS, Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN), continuous soybeans, Sclerotinia White Mold (SWM), Phytophthora Root Rot (PRR), soil management
16
Over the past few seasons, soybean yields as a whole have been pretty impressive. As a strategy to combat lower grain prices, many farmers are taking a closer look at soybean after soybean, or even continuous soybean, rotations. This is especially true for farmers with acres that may not always be best suited to grow corn. Some things to think about when considering a soybean after soybean scenario are fertility, disease management, planting rate, and weed control.
Categories: Agronomy, S Illinois
Tags: soybeans, Practical Farm Research, Agronomy, Soybean Planting Date, PFR, frogeye leaf spot, Sean Nettleton, Ag Chat, SEED TREATMENT, southern Illinois agronomy, soybean fertility, pH, foliar disease
3
I’ve received a few calls over the past few weeks from wheat farmers inquiring whether or not their wheat fields were starting to break dormancy. From what I’ve seen, the answer is yes. Many wheat fields have in fact “greened up” over the last couple of weeks. With temperatures reaching the mid-60s on January 21 and 22, and nighttime temperatures remaining above freezing until around January 26, a definite change has taken place across southern Illinois wheat fields.
Tags: Practical Farm Research, Wheat, Illinois Agronomy, PFR, tiller counts, nitrogen management, Sean Nettleton, AgChat
18
Nov
2016
By now many of you are probably aware that the EPA has approved the use of the herbicide XtendiMax™ with VaporGrip™ technology for in-crop use in dicamba tolerant soybeans. The Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans will have tolerance to both glyphosate as well as dicamba. Currently, the XtendiMax label only has a two-year registration. The EPA has reserved the right to rescind the label if they feel the product is being misused, is having a negative impact on the environment and general public impact, or is having a high number of off-target incidents.
Tags: soybeans, Practical Farm Research, Agronomy, Herbicide, Ohio Agronomy, PFR, weed control, Ag Chat, Ag Talk, LUKE SCHULTE, Xtendimax, Roundup Ready 2 Xtend, Clarity, Glyphosate tolerant, Dicamba, Monsanto, Vaporgrip Technology
24
Oct
For many of us, fall is about seeing the “payoff” from all our hard work during the past season. While harvest does allow us to make observations and summarize our findings from the past season, I’d encourage you to also consider preparing your seed bed for next year. For some of you that means tillage, for others who do not intend to till their acres, this means controlling those fall emerged weeds.
Tags: Practical Farm Research, Agronomy, Marestail, Ohio Agronomy, PFR, Ag Chat, Ag Talk, harvest 2016, LUKE SCHULTE, Winter Annual Weeds, Controlling fall emerged weeds, fall weeds, residual herbicide, clean fields, Planting Date
17
After a slow start to the 2016 harvest, farmers throughout Ohio are now in full swing. Harvest marks the final stage to our 2016 crop, it is also the first step in preparing for your 2017 crop. Sitting in the combine at harvest is the perfect time to evaluate the various inputs and practices we implemented throughout the past growing season.
Tags: Practical Farm Research, Agronomy, Fertility, Nitrogen, Ohio Agronomy, management practices, Fungicide, PFR, Ag Chat, Ag Talk, harvest 2016, LUKE SCHULTE, Preparing for 2017, hybrid evaluation, population
4
Cover crops offer a variety of benefits from reducing erosion to adding nutrients to your soil. When I start a conversation with a farmer about cover crops, my first question is always, “what are your goals for the cover crop?” Cover crops are used for many different reasons so it’s important to know why you need them before you plant. A pre-determined goal will help you decide which cover crop or cover crop mixture you should plant on your farm.
Categories: Agronomy, Kentucky, Tennessee
Tags: Practical Farm Research, Agronomy, Beck's, Cover Crops, PFR, Austin Scott, Kentucky Agronomy, Tennessee Agronomy, Ag Chat, Cover Crop Solutions, Fall Cover Crop, yield benefits, fall harvest, herbicide carryover on cover crops, cover crop mix
10
Jun
A common service call I have received over the past week is yellowed corn. What causes yellow corn? Should you be concerned? What is important to remember is that the type of yellowing you see on your corn will be indicative of what caused the yellowing.
Tags: Practical Farm Research, Agronomy, Rapid Growth Syndrome, Ohio Agronomy, PFR, PFR Report, Alexandra Knight, yellowing corn, nutrient deficiency in corn
7
Low commodity prices have drastically reduced margins this year and the best way to make a profit will be to utilize all of your tools to their fullest potential. That means making sure your planter is ready for the field before its time to plant. I’ve made a list of a few things to check before you pull out of the shop.
Tags: Practical Farm Research, PFR, Austin Scott, prepping your planter, closing wheel, seed tubes, gauge wheels
20
Jul
2015
In many areas we are looking at corn tasseling or very close to it. Now is the time to evaluate last chance programs to improve yield. The first is fungicide applications. According to our Practical Farm Research (PFR)® data, VT applications on corn have been the most profitable when weather conditions warrant disease development. How susceptible are the hybrids you have planted? Your dealer or seed advisor can walk you through which hybrids will give the best return on fungicide. In soybeans scout for diseases prior to R3 growth stage. If you’ve had wet, or damp conditions in your field and see diseases, look at a fungicide application at R3-R4.
Categories: Agronomy Talk
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, Practical Farm Research, Agronomy, Beck's, Steve Gauck, Agronomy Talk, Fungicide, Farmserver, PFR