Soil Management

Spring and Winter Camelina in South Dakota

In the semi-arid, western portion of South Dakota, camelina has potential value as a fall-seeded cover crop, providing flexibility in crop rotations for improving soil health.

Early Yellowing in a Soybean Field May Indicate Presence of the Soybean Cyst Nematode

Some portions of soybean fields may show clusters of plants yellowing while the rest of the field is still green. One of the factors that could lead to soybean plants showing early yellowing in clusters is soybean cyst nematode (SCN).

Implications of Excessive Soil Moisture for Disease Development in Winter Wheat

Although it is too early to start thinking about disease issues in winter wheat at this time, current flooding in some areas may have implications on diseases that may develop on winter wheat.

Consider SCN Sampling This Spring 

Soybean cyst nematode management starts with a soil test to determine the presence or absence of this nematode in the soil.

Creating Management Zones Using Electrical Conductivity

The first step to practicing zone management is to identify the variations that control yield. There are various methods for characterizing soil variations within a field, and among them, electrical conductivity measurement is one of the most-reliable.

Determining an Economically Optimal Nitrogen Rate for Corn in 2022

While we can't know what the prices of corn and nitrogen fertilizer will be next year, it is very important to understand how the level of both prices will influence corn profitability for 2022.

Fall Soil Sampling

With fertilizer prices on the rise, it’s more important than ever to understand your soil test levels and crop response to applied fertilizers. Fall is a great time to soil sample before freeze up.

Fall Fire Safety

The moisture and cooler temperatures of fall make it easy to become lax about fire danger, however, conditions can still lead to easy ignition and rapid growth of wildfires.

Precision Agriculture and Zone Management

Precision agriculture tools can address the variations in a production system to enhance plant growth and crop yield. Zone management controls the variable rate of inputs for optimal performance within a defined field zone.

Ruth Beck to Retire from SDSU Extension Agronomy Team

October 12, 2021

After 17 years providing education and service to South Dakota growers and agribusiness professionals, SDSU Extension Agronomy Field Specialist Ruth Beck has announced her retirement.