Minnesota Crop News

Like their spring counterparts, the ideal seeding depth for winter wheat and rye is right around 1.5". It is the sweet spot between good seed-to-soil contact (and with that, access to moisture) and quick emergence. Seed shallower, and you risk the seed not imbibing enough water to germinate, or the seedling not rooting deep enough quickly enough to sustain itself. Seed deeper and you delay emergence, or worse, the coleoptile does not reach the surface, resulting invariably in a reduced stand.  Soil moisture is a rare commodity across much of Minnesota. The drought monitor has 95% of the state rated as abnormally dry or worse. That begs the question: Do I stick with the ideal seeding depth of 1.5"  or do I dare seed into moisture? There is no simple answer, but I tend to lean towards seeding into moisture rather than sticking to the ideal seeding depth and hoping for rain. After all, September is drier than the preceding three months, while any soil moisture reserves were depl...

Photo: University of Minnesota Extension How do soil health practices—such as minimizing disturbance, maintaining ground cover, and promoting biological activity—interact with the 4Rs of nitrogen management to reduce runoff and nitrate leaching into water sources? How does nitrogen release (mineralize) or become tied up (immobilize) in residue depending on soil moisture, temperature, and microbial activity? Are biological soil tests (like the Haney test and Solvita CO₂ burst) precise tools for calculating exact fertilizer rates, or should they be considered general risk indexes? What role do strong soil structure and expansive root systems play in maximizing nitrogen uptake? Brad Carlson, Anna Cates and Dan Kaiser discuss this and much more on the 41st episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart  podcast.  Read the full transcript here Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Anna Cates, state soil healt...

  By: Extension climate educator Katie Black, Extension soil health educator Bailey Tangen, and Extension soil health specialist Anna Cates Drought has defined five of the last six growing seasons in Minnesota, with below-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures contributing to the spread of D1, D2, and D3 drought conditions across more than 75% of the state this summer. August is normally one of Minnesota's wettest months, but rainfall totals have continued to fall short. Drought is expected to persist  in much of the state through the end of the growing season. While impacts on corn yield are expected to be minimal across much of the state, seeing fields across the state recently had us wondering – beyond looking dry and cracked, what happens to our soils during a drought? Drought and soil health Healthy, productive soils have good soil structure, can cycle nutrients, can filter and retain water, are easily penetrated by plant roots, and support a variety of orga...

 By Liz Stahl, Extension Educator - Crops and Jodi DeJong-Hughes, Extension Educator - Water Quality

The University of Minnesota Manure Team is reminding Commercial Animal Waste Technicians (CAWTs) that recertification for licensure in 2026 is now accessible starting September 1, 2026 through an online course. This digital offering allows CAWT professionals to meet their mandatory training requirements from the convenience of their homes. The course, covering a variety of critical topics, will remain available until October 31st, 2026 . Key focus areas include: Program updates from MDA Manure application timing and nitrification inhibitors Rule and permit regulatory updates from MPCA Water quality considerations for manure management Public perception and promoting the industry The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) emphasizes that anyone who fails to complete the course, whether in person or online, by the late October deadline, will need to retake the certification exam to renew their licensure. With a growing focus on environmental sustainability and safe manure management ...

In this episode of MN CropCast, hosts Dave Nicolai and Dr. Seth Naeve sit down with Dr. Shaun Casteel, Soybean Agronomist at Purdue University. While our agronomic discussion covered a lot of ground, we didn't quite get around to asking whether Boilermakers actually use the term "Hoosier State" when talking about Indiana. We’ll have to tackle that pressing issue in a future episode! Key Episode Highlights The Road to Purdue: While he misses his summers walking beans on his childhood farm in Illinois, Shaun has been helping Indiana producers maximize their yields since 2009. We discuss how his graduate research at NC State laid the foundation for his current work in soil fertility An Interest in Sulfur (S): Dr. Casteel wasn't always strictly focused on sulfur, but diagnosing stubborn yield limitations in soybeans led him directly to this important and elusive nutrient Identifying S Deficiencies: Discover the unique challenges of pinpointing sulfur-responsive fields a...