Crop Production

Although Nebraska is best known for the commodities of cattle and corn, soybeans land in the third-place spot among the top commodity rankings in the state, according to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) is adding soybean to the lineup of Testing Ag Performance Solutions (TAPS) farm management competitions for 2024. The new soybean competition will be facilitated at UNL’s Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center (ENREEC) near Mead, Nebraska. The soybean competition will be supported by the Nebraska Soybean Board.

Nitrogen is an essential plant nutrient but increasingly found in our water. Here is a brief history:

The first Nebraska Soil Health School of 2024 will feature presentations on the impact of tillage, biochar and cover crops, soil health measurement and carbon markets, and more.

This Nebraska Extension article highlights the impact of factors such as plant genetics and improved production practices to fertilizer consumption in Nebraska over numerous decades.

An often asked question is, "how much manure do I need?". The answer is not as simple as the question. It depends on the crop you are growing and the expected yield, existing soil nutrients, knowing your goals, the type of manure you wish to use, and any other fertilizer nutrients you expect to apply.

Nebraskans in the eastern part of the state have recently experienced good rainfall during April and early May. This was a much-needed relief, especially considering the dry winter with minimal rainfall/snowfall and the dry 2023 growing season. While rainfall is always welcomed, assessing whether the received rainfall was sufficient to recharge soil moisture to adequate levels is not an easy task. This information plays a crucial role in planning the first irrigation event of the season and estimating the duration until water deficit begins to affect crops in dryland fields.

Alfalfa is a tough perennial with established rooting depths down eight feet or more. Depending on deep soil profile moisture, some varieties can extend spring dormancy and survive up to 45 days without rainfall. However, forage yields drop dramatically, since alfalfa requires about six inches of root available water to produce one ton of forage per acre.

Inspired by an extension event survey comment, Dr. Bijesh Maharjan, associate professor and extension specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center, conceptualized the soil health cycle (SHC) as an iterative soil health management cycle to achieve agricultural sustainability.

Several factors affect corn and soybean survival in flooded soils at early season growth stages. This Nebraska Extension article reviews considerations for growers concerned about impacts to seed germination for these crops.

Insights on how wet field conditions affect compaction and ways to mitigate compaction when field work can't be delayed.

This year's 4Rs Field Day will feature a demonstration on UNL's newly developed web-based N tool, designed to increase efficiency of nitrogen use, as well as ease of record-keeping.