Plants or Crops

All Plants or Crops Content

Colorful coleus growing in a garden.

Coleus: A Color for Every Garden

Coleus have long been a great plant for gardens, generally grown as foliage plants that offer a huge variety of foliage colors, and can be grown in a variety of soils in part-shade to sun.

tall trees in the Black Hills

Tree Issue Treatments

Publications of the most commonly available in pesticides for use in South Dakota for Turf & Ornamentals.

A red tractor and seed drill planting in a no-till field.

Project to Study Soil Health Economics in South Dakota

Soil degradation has become one of the most pressing global issues, because of its adverse effects on world food security, environment and quality of life.

A green tractor planting seeds in a no-till field. Courtesy: United Soybean Board [CC BY 2.0] via Flickr

Farm Practices That Improve Soil Health: Crop Rotations and No-Till

Implementing crop rotations and no-till practices are common suggestions to reduce erosion, control pests, and improve yields. These practices can also improve soil health through an increase in soil carbon levels.

Rows of soybean growing in corn residue in a diverse, no-till crop rotation.

Economics of Different Crop Rotation Systems in South Dakota

Economic returns are an important factor to consider when selecting crop rotation systems.

Sun rising over cropland.

Crop Changes in South Dakota: 2017-2022

According to the recently released 2022 Census of Agriculture, crop variety has slightly increased in South Dakota over the past five years (2017-2022).

A lush field with corn, soybean, and forage rotation.

Crop Rotation Potential: Improving Soil Health & Farm Profitability

Two-year corn-soybean rotation coupled with heavy chemical inputs has become the routine practice of agricultural production in the Midwestern United States. According to USDA/NASS data, corn and soybean prices received by producers in South Dakota both reached the peak levels of $7.39 and $16.00 per bushel, respectively, in August, 2012.

mixture of cover crops planted next to a corn field

Cover Crop Usage in South Dakota is on the Rise

The number of South Dakota producers who use cover crops has been increasing at an accelerating rate over the past ten years.

Cover Crop Adoption: Farmers’ perceived benefits & barriers

Cover crops are generally defined as crops planted between cash crops to cover and protect the soil. Some demonstrated benefits of cover crops include: reduced soil erosion, increased soil organic matter, increased biological variety, increased nitrogen supply, and weed control. Depending on the farmers’ objectives, different species of cover crops can be planted. For example, if a farmer’s main objective is to increase nitrogen supply, then legume cover crops best suited to the farm area should be selected.

A family farm with the sun setting in the background.

USDA-ARMS Survey Data: Benefits for university agriculture research & outreach

Conducted since the mid-1990s, the USDA Agricultural Management Resource Survey (ARMS) is a multi-phase, multi-level nationwide survey of agricultural producers that collects information on a large sample of farms and their characteristics.