Gypsum, which has roots in the past as a farm soil treatment, also may have a bright future, and not just as a booster of crops but also a protector of water.

As federal and state government begins to take action to monitor and prevent fertilizer runoff into watersheds — especially in the Great Lakes region — some farmers see strip-till as preventative measure.

The federal "pollution diet" imposed on Virginia and other bay states is supposed to reduce the phosphorus, nitrogen and sediment dumped into the Chesapeake Bay and its feeder rivers. Computer models based on a suite of reduction practices estimate that diet is mostly working. But real-world monitoring data shows a different story, according to the Environmental Integrity Project, a nonprofit anti-pollution group based in Washington.

In our last edition of Strip-Till Strategies, I shared some perspectives on best practices and precautions for building phosphorus levels in strip-till. We also asked our readers to share their experiences and advice on how they manage phosphorus in strip-tilled fields. Based on the feedback we received, it seemed worth revisiting the topic here.

Soybean is a crop that can remove significant amounts of nutrients per bushel of grain harvested. Because of this, soybeans can respond to starter fertilizer applications on low-testing soils, particularly phosphorus.

Manure is a valuable asset to livestock farmers who grow crops. It provides nutrients - nitrogen, phosphorus and potash - and helps maintain or increase soil health.

Many producers could benefit by using starter fertilizer when planting corn. Starter fertilizer is simply the placement of some fertilizer, usually nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), near the seed - which "jump starts" growth in the spring.

The keys to maximizing the economic returns from phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilizer applications are a comprehensive soil testing program and maintaining P and K soil test levels above their respective critical levels.

Once harvest comes to an end, some growers will shift their focus to strip-tillage. Fabian Fernandez, University of Illinois Extension specialist in plant nutrition and soil fertility, offers a few thoughts on applying nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium with strip-till this season.