Minnesota Crop News

This article was originally published by The Farmer online on July 2, 2019, and will appear in the August 2019 print issue of The Farmer magazine.

By: Dan Kaiser, Extension soil fertility specialist

Low commodity prices prompt ever-increasing questions about what crop inputs are necessary.

Fertilizer represents a major cost in cropping systems, and over-application of nutrients can lead to decreased profitability.

In 2018, the 20% most profitable farms made $24 per acre more than the 20% least profitable farms on rented land, and $21 more on own-ground, according to FINBIN data.

While the use of commercial fertilizers has been vital for increasing and maintaining high productivity, there are a few things to consider that can help to trim fertilizer costs and maintain profitability.

1. Soil tests give you the likelihood that a crop will respond to a nutrient. Soil test results for phosphorus and potassium are indexes of nutrient availability for crops. This index represents the probabil…

In this installment of the Gopher Coffee Shop podcast, Extension Educators Ryan Miller and Brad Carlson sit down with Seth Naeve, Soybean agronomist, to reflect on 2019 soybean planting. We talk about trend-line yields, later planting dates, soybean maturities, and realistic yield expectations. In addition, we discuss season specific observations: widespread IDC in West Central and Northern Minnesota, soybeans growing in wet/flooded soils, a lack of 2018 fall tillage that lead to more no-till and drilled soybeans, fungicides, and late season management decisions. Enjoy!Listen to the podcastThe Gopher Coffee Shop Podcast is available on Stitcher and iTunes.

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Minnesota Crop News blog:https://z.umn.edu/cropnewsSign up to receive Minnesota Crop News: https://z.umn.edu/CropNewsSignupFor more information, visit University of Minnesota Extension Crop Production at http://z.umn.edu/crops.

Jochum Wiersma and Albert Sims

The rather lengthy post that is following below is a partial reprint from a Minnesota Crop News article written in 2006. The purpose of the reprint is to refresh everyone's memory how the current practice of late-season foliar application of nitrogen to improve grain protein came about and what the expected results and pitfalls are.
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The interest to improve grain protein in hard red spring wheat (HRSW) with an in-season application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer usually peaks following years with large grain protein discounts/premiums. With the price outlook of N fertilizer and the desire to reduce overall fertilizer input costs, the practice of in-season applications of nitrogen warrants some review.

The objective of split applications of N is to supply N when the crops needs it and improve the overall N use efficiency and consequently allow maximum grain yield and/or grain protein to …

Jochum Wiersma, Extension small grains specialist

In the past week, I have had several calls about wheat fields that showed severe ‘disease’ on the flag leaf. The symptoms were always described as a dying back of the flag leaf from the tip of the leaf downwards (Photo 1 and 2).


This is not a disease but these symptoms are either caused by hot, dry and windy weather (Photo 1), a physiological phenomenon called leaf tip necrosis (Photo 2), or the combination of both. Some may mistakenly identify this symptomology for barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV). Both physiological injuries distinguish themselves from BYDV in the absence of the corn yellow color of the flag leaf but rather show true necrosis in which the leaf tissue has died off.

The weather injury is caused when the tender flag leaf just emerges and is exacerbated with drought stress. The whole tip of the flag leaf tends to be necrotic and will often fold over. Leaf tip necrosis progresses from the margins of the flag leaf tip and…

Jared Goplen and Liz Stahl, Extension educators

A large quantity of forage will likely be harvested from prevented plant acres in Minnesota this year, given the 2019 changes to USDA RMA’s prevented planting rules. Changing the date when cover crops may be hayed or grazed from November 1 to September 1 has opened up a window for livestock producers to produce high quality forage.

There are numerous factors, however, to consider in order to be successful. The University of Minnesota Extension has some great resources to help make these decisions and several are included below. Before making decisions, it is paramount to check with your crop insurance agent to ensure prevented planting payments are not forfeited by utilizing unapproved species or practices.

Cover crop and forage options for prevented plant acres:
https://extension.umn.edu/forage-variety-selection/prevented-plant-cover-crop-and-forage-options
Species Selection Although seed availability can be a challenge this year giv…

In this episode of the Nutrient Management Podcast, University of Minnesota researchers meet in Crookston at the Northwest Research and Outreach Center to discuss their ongoing research across the state.

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Support for the Nutrient Management Podcast was provided in part by the Agricultural Fertilizer Research & Education Council (AFREC).