It’s almost that time of year again, meeting season time. Winter meetings are a place to pick up technical advice and pointers on crop inputs from Extension specialists and industry professionals. They are also a good time to visit with other growers in the area and learn from them as well. I would strongly encourage…
The dicamba formulations XtendiMax (Monsanto) and Engenia (BASF) both recently received federal registration for use on Xtend cotton and soybeans. It is also likely that Enlist Duo (2,4-D formulation-Dow) will receive approval in the very near future for use on Enlist cotton and soybeans. These products in combination with their auxin-resistant varieties provide growers with…
Proper variety selection is one of the first steps in producing a high-yielding crop. Each variety has specific strengths and weaknesses that make it more or less suited for a given environment. Maturity group, yield potential, disease tolerance, and herbicide technology are all important to consider when selecting a variety. Potential…
Collecting soil samples is just the first step in a nutrient management plan. The results from those samples need to be reviewed and decisions made about what types of fertilizers should be added. While the soil test report can look overwhelming at first, the NCDA actually does a pretty good job of presenting results and…
With over 80% of North Carolina soybeans out of the field, the 2016 season is officially winding down. 2016 was a tough year for many with extensive drought in the west, and drought followed by flooding in the east. Thankfully, it sounds like statewide yields aren’t as bad as originally thought. NCDA’s November estimate has…
Soil fertility is one of the most important components to soybean management, yet many growers only have a general idea of their soil nutrient needs. Since soybeans are thought of as rotational crop by many North Carolina growers, the importance of assessing and meeting the fertility needs of the crop is often overlooked. Regular and…
With things finally starting to dry out across much of the state the 2016 harvest is in full swing for many growers. Getting harvest completed is obviously the top priority, but it is also time to start preparing for next season. The first step in planning for next season is making notes on this season’s…
With many water-damaged soybeans across the state, growers question whether to harvest these crops or not. NCSU’s Ag Resources Economist Dr. Nick Piggot has put together some suggestions for answering this question. The first thing a grower needs to do is calculate what the break-even yield is to warrant combining the field. This is the minimum yield…
As flood waters recede across eastern North Carolina, disaster assessment begins. For soybean farmers one of the first things is to attempt to estimate crop damage. Unfortunately, this can be a difficult task. The extent of damage is dependent on a number of factors including plant growth stage, depth of flood waters, days of flooding,…
In July, NCSU announced the release of three new conventional group VI and VII soybean varieties. The development and release of these three high yielding varieties are the culmination of many years of joint research projects and collaboration between the USDA and NCSU, much of which was funded by either the North Carolina Soybean Producers…