Q&A_with_a_CCA

By Dusty Sonnenberg, CCA (Adapted from Crop & Soils Magazine, July-August 2021)

Names like Kip Cullers from Stark City, MO, or Randy Dowdy from Pravo, GA are legends in soybean yield contests. In 2010, Cullers raised 160.6 bushel per acre soybeans. In 2019, Dowdy raised 190 bushel per acre contest soybeans. While many sales agronomists have worked alongside of Cullers, Dowdy and other top soybean producers across the country, academia has not thoroughly evaluated the production until recently.

An examination of high-yield practices was undertaken by Larry Purcell, University of Arkansas soybean physiologist, Distinguished Professor of Crop Physiology and Altheimer Chair for Soybean Research. Also in 2020, Shawn Conley, University of Wisconsin-Madison professor and Extension soybean and small-grain specialist and the North Central Soybean Research Program soybean agronomist, and 12 other university agronomists participated in a large collaborative research SOYA project to investigate a high-input system’s impact on soybean yield and profitability.… Continue reading

…With Kevin Otte, Otte AG, LLC, Maria Stein

Q: How much nitrogen (N) do I need to supply my corn crop?

A: Depending on your efficiency factor of nitrogen, you can figure from 0.8 to 1.2 pounds of nitrogen per bushel to be supplied to the crop. You can enhance your nitrogen rate determination by utilizing an economic return to nitrogen model. These models consider the price of nitrogen and the price of corn and give a range of nitrogen rate that will return most dollars per acre.

Q: Should I include a stabilizer with my N source?

A: Anything that can help keep the nitrogen in the field should be looked at. Stabilizers offer protection from nitrogen losses and there are a number of different stabilizer products to choose from. If your nitrogen can be split applied, this can reduce the potential need of a stabilizer. 

Q: The price of N is high.… Continue reading