John Riley and Chris Holovach live hundreds of miles apart and farm under quite different environments. But both agree that producing sunflower under a strip-till system appears to have a definite place in their farming operation.

Because of the high cost of intensive tillage along with frequent stand loss due to blowing soil, interest in some type of strip-till for sugarbeet has been strong for many years.

A few key steps can help maximize soybean yields — and profits. Selecting soybean varieties that match the needs of individual fields, using seed treatments and determining when to put the seed in the ground are decisions that directly impact yields.

There is a method called “frost seeding� where you apply seed to the ground and the freezing and thawing of the soil in February and early March will provide seed to soil contact allowing germination of the seed.

There may not be much corn growers can do to prevent the spread of ear molds and mycotoxins if weather conditions are right for development, as was the case in 2009. However, there are some production practices they can follow to help reduce the risk.

A planter must accomplish three key responsibilities in a no-till system: planting seed at a uniform depth, closing the furrow so that the seed is in proper contact with soil to start germination and maintaining uniform seed spacing.

As 2010 gets underway and growers plan for the upcoming crop season, applying potassium (K) fertilizer may be more important than ever. According to a study released last fall by the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI), 39 percent of the soils across North America were in negative balance for K, and this study didn't take into consideration the cutbacks of the 2009 growing season.

Weeds and cover crops could be a good host to nematodes. Reduced tillage may spread other pests, like soybean cyst nematode, but that's not a concern with corn nematodes. They are in every field already. However, reduced-tillage producers should be aware that some corn nematodes are sensitive to soil movement and research suggests no-till or strip-till may actually increase corn nematode populations.

When Jason Lay attended a conference last year with other Illinois farmers, he was amazed by the level of interest in strip-till, a system in which the crop is planted in a narrowly tilled strip and most crop residue is preserved to protect the soil from erosion.

Variety selection is one of the best ways to manage iron-deficiency chlorosis (IDC) problems in soybeans. IDC symptoms include yellowing between the veins of the trifoliate leaves and can result in growing-point death. With precision planting and global positioning systems, it is may be possible in the future to plant two different varieties on the same field.