Soils that contain high salt content are a critical problem for agriculture in many parts of the world. Saline soils are a major stress on plants, and also limit the growth of beneficial soil bacteria. Salt also inhibits nodulation for those plants that depend on it for nitrogen. Recently in the country of Uzbekistan, A […]
Read MoreNitrogen fertilizer management is important for the success of any crop. It is an expensive input, so growers are always looking for the best way to reduce application costs while still increasing yields. Nitrogen fertilizer is produced from natural gas, which makes the cost of the fertilizer vulnerable to changes in the supply and price […]
Read MoreFarmers benefit as much as anyone from healthy and active soils. A variety of life lives within the soil, ranging from microscopic bacteria to earthworms several inches long, most of them contributing to making the soil a vibrant growing environment for plants. Here are several processes performed by soil organisms that directly impact farmers: Nutrient […]
Read MoreIt’s common knowledge that Mother Nature can be cruel to farmers. Once crops have been seeded, they can be left exposed and vulnerable to the harshest of weather conditions. Farmers know this, and take every precaution they can to protect their investment. Nothing can provide guaranteed protection, but every step taken gives their crops a […]
Read MoreFarmers never want to hear that their crops have been infected with a virus or fungus, but it may not be long before that attitude begins to change. Scientists are discovering that some viruses have the ability to help infected plants better tolerate different stresses. Dr. Marilyn Roossinck is a professor at Penn State University […]
Read MoreFor farmers, the impact of a drought is not only felt while it is happening, but also for several years after. According to Randall Miles at the University of Missouri, dry soil can take at least two years to recover to normal conditions. Randall found that soil in the Midwest was dry as deep as […]
Read MoreThe arrival of winter snow generally brings a halt to field work until spring. However, if you are growing winter wheat, that does not mean that nothing is happening in the field. The presence of snow is essential for the survival of a winter wheat crop when growing in cold weather regions. An adequate layer of […]
Read MoreMany Midwest farmers choose not to use an inoculant for their soybeans. They feel, due to the high number of nitrogen fixing bacteria already in the soil, that inoculating offers little benefit. However, after the record-setting drought of 2012, they may want to reconsider. Jim Beuerlein and Harold Watters, agronomists with the Ohio State University, […]
Read More2012 will be a profitable year for Canadian agriculture. That’s the conclusion of a report released by the Bank of Montreal. Canadian agricultural output is expected to improve 7.5% by the end of the year when compared to 2011, growth that is largely supported by more profitable crop production. While agriculture is always vulnerable in a constantly changing economy, there […]
Read MoreBarely half of U.S. soybean farmers are aware that the oil and protein level in their seed directly impacts their profits. That is according to a survey done by the United Soybean Board in 2010. Increasing yields is commonly seen as the driving force to higher profits, but this may be coming at the expense […]
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