Recent News
Balancing Management with Profitability: Impacts of Tillage and Nutrient Management on Soybean Performance in the Midwest
As spring approaches, many in the Illinois ag community are thinking about soil moisture, or lack thereof, with approximately two-thirds of the state under moderate to severe drought conditions as of February 3. Although we still have at least a couple months for spring rains to come before most farmers in the state will be thinking about planting, current conditions...
Biologicals, Another Tool in the Sustainability Toolkit?
The ISAP Science Committee recently invited researchers, Assistant Professor Dr. John Jones and Research Assistant Professor Dr. Connor Sible, from the University of Illinois for an in-depth conversation on the state of biologicals / biostimulants in the agricultural industry. There is growing interest within the sustainable and regenerative agriculture landscapes, and the goal of this conversation was to clarify the...
Reducing Nitrate Loading Without Sacrificing Crop Yields
Soil nitrogen, in the form of nitrate, is highly soluble and held weakly to soil which can be a cause of concern for water quality when rain or irrigation moves nitrate below the root zone into tile lines or groundwater. Largely from fall applied nitrogen, asynchronous availability of plant N and uptake of N can result in high tile nitrate...
Considerations for Overwintering Barley
As farmers emerge from winter and go about spring field activities, those who use cover crops are also evaluating their stands for success in establishment and overwintering. This year we are seeing more instances of certain species not overwintering as well as we might like. Barley is a winter cereal grain that has seen increased interest as a cover crop...