Research has shown that both cover crops and perennial biofuel crops can relieve soil compaction. Cover crops are generally planted between cash crops such as corn and soybeans to protect the bare soil.

With so little moisture in the soil in June, it’s conceivable that roots were not capable of taking up most of the N that was traditionally applied at the V6 stage, says Michigan State University Extension.

Conducting an infiltration test will allow growers to get an idea of how much water their soil can hold for crop use, says Michigan State University Extension.

In wet conditions, the best choice a grower can make is to stay away from the field and avoid trafifc on wet soil to reduce soil compaction, says Iowa State University Extension.

With an earlier spring and lower soil moisture, no-tillers with cover crops that overwintered should consider terminating their cover crops earlier than usual, says Ohio State University Extension.

How much nitrogen does it take to produce 200 bushels of corn per acre?

How well did your nitrogen (N) program work in this “unusual” year?

Correcting acid soil conditions through the application of lime can have a significant impact on crop yields, especially with alfalfa. Liming is one of the most essential, but often overlooked, management decisions a producer can make.

Scientists working with data from NASA's Aquarius instrument have released worldwide maps of soil moisture, showing how the wetness of the land fluctuates with the seasons and weather phenomena.

As soybean planting wraps up, it's time to consider evaluating soybean stands. Planting conditions were not always ideal this year. Soil conditions were a little wet when planting started and now have turned fairly dry in most areas. Here are some points to keep in mind when evaluating soybean stand.