Crop Management
Corn yield response to N-fertilizer in old and new hybrids (1.0 CM)
Sotirios Archontoulis, professor, Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Wednesday, 3:00-3:50 PM in Bishop C
Wednesday, 4:00-4:50 PM in Bishop C
The optimum N rate for corn is variable and changing. He will focus on the effect ofhybrids. Nitrogen use efficiencies and progress over time will also be discussed.
Handling and storage of the 2024 corn and soybean harvest in Iowa (0.5 CM)
Charles Hurburgh, professor, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering and professor in charge, Iowa Grain Quality Initiative, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Wednesday, 11:00-11:25 AM in Bishop C
Wednesday, 1:00-1:25 PM in Bishop C
Big yields in 2024 will create storage shortages but fortunately favorable weather in the grain fill period has prevented many quality and storability issues. This presentation will review the current grain storage and distribution situation. The growing trends for food safety and carbon intensity (environmental) factors are creating pressure to track and identify properties of grain that are not easily measureable by physical tests nor are visually apparent in the grain. The challenges created for efficient handling of commodity grain will be discussed.
Land market insights: Trends, drivers, and foreign ownership (0.5 CM)
Rabail Chandio, assistant professor and extension economist, Economics, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Wednesday, 11:00-11:25 AM in Bishop AB
Wednesday, 1:00-1:25 PM in Bishop AB
Looking ahead, we’ll explore potential shifts in land values, examining how agricultural trends, economic conditions, and foreign ownership patterns are shaping the market in Iowa and the Midwest. We’ll also review the key drivers behind land prices over the past year, providing an outlook for the future.
Ag market outlook for 2025 and beyond (1.0 CM)
Chad Hart, professor and extension economist, Economics, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Thursday, 8:00-8:50 AM in Bishop AB
Thursday, 9:00-9:50 AM in Bishop AB
We will explore the factors currently shaping the ag economy and the various sectors that drive economic growth in the sector. We will investigate the connections among feed, fuel, and export markets and examine potential changes to federal agricultural policy (i.e., the Farm Bill). We will discuss the potential for agricultural profitability over the next few years and outline the challenges to reaching robust economic gains.
Can we farm and produce solar power in the same place? (0.5 CM)
Matt O’Neal, professor, Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology, and Wallace Chair for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Thursday, 10:30-10:55 AM in Bishop AB
Thursday, 11:00-11:25 AM in Bishop AB
As utility companies around the Midwest are expanding their energy portfolios to include solar power, landowners are being contacted about leasing land currently in production. A multi-disciplinary team at ISU is exploring if farming can continue under solar panels. This presentation will explore what is possible for landowners and farmers to generate multiple sources of income from land developed for solar power generation.
How early should you plant soybeans? Seriously. (1.0 CM)
Seth Naeve, professor and extension soybean agronomist, Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
Wednesday, 9:00-9:50 AM in Bishop AB
Wednesday, 10:00-10:50 AM in Bishop AB
There has been a LOT of talk of very early planted soybeans in recent years. What is the value and risk of early planted soybeans? Where you should you plant your earliest soybeans and how to manage early (and late) planted soybeans? These and other related questions will be answered in this session. Seriously.
When soybean yield is decided: the critical period as a tool for optimizing crop management (1.0 CM)
Anibal Cerrudo, visiting professor, Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN and research scientist, Argentinian National Institute for Agriculture
Wednesday, 9:00-9:50 AM in Bishop C
Wednesday, 10:00-10:50 AM in Bishop C
Maximizing soybean yield begins with understanding the crop’s critical growth periods. In this talk, we’ll examine how stress impacts two key yield components: grain number and grain weight, and why timing is crucial. We’ll discuss new research showing that the most critical period for soybean yield spans from the R4 to R7 growth stages, with peak sensitivity to stress occurring around R5.5. Grain number per area is highly sensitive between R3 and R6, while grain weight sensitivity extends from R5 to R7. The goal is to provide practical insights for soybean management, emphasizing the importance of optimizing source capacity during these critical stages to maximize yield. Ultimately, understanding the critical period for yield determination serves as a powerful tool for more informed crop management.
Exploring opportunities of prussic-acid free sorghum for livestock (0.5 CM)
Shelby Gruss, assistant professor and extension forage specialist, Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Thursday, 10:30-10:55 AM in Bishop C
Thursday, 11:00-11:25 AM in Bishop C
Sorghum is a resilient grain and forage crop due to its high drought tolerance and can thrive in low-N environments. Sorghum produces a cyanogenic glucoside, dhurrin, that can be toxic to animals when converted to prussic acid. A mutation was discovered that inhibits the production of dhurrin so no production of prussic acid, eliminating the risk of poisoning in animals. Understanding its impacts and ways to integrate this new technology into our forage systems is invaluable in understanding future use and implications.
Playing limbo with soybean seeding rates and row spacing (1.0 CM)
Mark Licht, associate professor and extension cropping systems specialist, Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Wednesday, 3:00-3:50 PM in Skinner A
Wednesday, 4:00-4:50 PM in Skinner A
Crop profit outlooks are looking tight going into the 2025 growing season. Is lowering soybean seeding rates an option? Can soybean yields be increased with narrowing of row spacings? This session will explore new datasets that can help with this decision.
Unlocking farm profitability with carbon intensity scoring: Corn and soybean metrics (1.0 CM)
Daniel Andersen, associate professor and extension agricultural engineer, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA; Alejandro Plastina, associate professor of Agricultural Finance and FaFF Director, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO; and Kristine Tidgren, associate professor, Director of Center of Ag Law and Taxation, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Thursday, 1:00-1:50 PM in Skinner B
Thursday, 2:00-2:50 PM in Skinner B
Are you ready to elevate your farm’s profitability while staying ahead of evolving market and regulatory trends? Join us for an insightful 45-minute seminar focused on Carbon Intensity Scoring for Corn and Soybeans—an essential tool for unlocking new revenue opportunities and ensuring your farm’s future success. Learn actionable strategies to enhance your carbon score, including optimizing fuel use, effective nutrient management, and incorporating cover crops. Understand how practices like reduced tillage, harvesting stover, and manure utilization can positively influence your carbon score and enhance market opportunities.