On Monday  I attended a meeting put on by International Ag Labs titled Soybean Summit - Pushing the Yields on Soybeans, in Fairmont, Minnesota.

I number of experienced agronomists spoke on many items. Here are some of the notes I took;

• Drying soil when doing a lab analysis increases sulfur readings
• Greatest soil S loss when K and Na are high
• Stunted plants and uneven crop emergence can be caused by sulfur deficiency
• 2010 should be a bad white mold year for soybeans
• Sencor can worsen white mold
• If your roots are not bright white you do not have enough available calcium
• May take 3 years to improve soils
• P:K ratio of 1:1 for proper growth and to reduce weeds

To Control Insects:

• Control Nitrate levels in the plant
• Keep plant Sugar high
• Keep available calcium high
• Use the right form of phosphate for your soil

For Higher Yields on Beans

1. Break Compaction
2. Get oxygen into the soil
3. Lime or Gypsum and apply manure
4. Meet early needs of the plant
5. Identify diseases and insect problems
6. Foliar Feed

And what you been waiting for my notes from Kip's talk (In my words)

• Crops should ripen with a green stalk, if not your not fertilizing properly
• Accurate planting is key, drills do not do this
• All seed emerging within 48 hour of the first plant
• 2" tall weeds remove 10% of yield that cannot be recovered

There was much more discussed but my key take-away was fertilize properly first, get your soil balanced and working then move on to other things. This was a great meeting for any farmer looking to improve yields. I highly suggest trying to make it to one of International Ag labs next meetings.