Articles by Dan Crummett

Micronutrients, Part 4

Take a 4R Approach to Iron Availability & Management

Most soil-borne iron cannot be taken up for thriving plant health

By Dan Crummett posted on July 18, 2024 | Posted in Nutrient Management

While iron is the fourth most common element in the Earth’s crust and most soils contain abundant levels of it, many times naturally occurring iron is not found in the forms most readily available for plant uptake.

Ahead of the Curve

Bolt-On Sprayer System Cuts Application Rates by More than 30%

New company is fielding technology that monitors actual leaf coverage of ag applications & makes on-the-go recommendations to improve droplet-to-leaf interaction

By Dan Crummett posted on June 4, 2024 | Posted in Precision Agriculture

AgZen, a Boston-based startup backed by venture firm Material Impact, has fielded a bolt-on system that works on any sprayer regardless of brand or configuration.

Ahead of the Curve

Pink Microbes Power Various Biologicals on Market

St. Louis research company commercializes unique pink microbial strains for specific functions & modes of action

By Dan Crummett posted on May 28, 2024 | Posted in Nutrient Management

As the 2024 growing season progresses, there’s a good chance you or another no-tiller you know may be taking advantage of some new pink biological technology while doing important field work.

Micronutrients, Part 3

Chlorine Factors Significantly in Total Plant Health

Chlorine aids in photosynthesis, helps plants stay cool when moisture is abundant & curbs transpiration in drought

By Dan Crummett posted on May 28, 2024 | Posted in Nutrient Management

The micronutrient chlorine suffers from the fact that it doesn’t make up a significant portion of traditional cash crops’ total body mass, and its effects on yields are often overshadowed by nearly all other known plant nutrients.

No-Tiller's 7 Takeaways from Updated GREET Model

By Dan Crummett and Noah Newman posted on May 6, 2024 | Posted in Cover Crops, Soil Health

“This is one of today’s biggest opportunities in conservation ag,” Mitchell Hora says. “The folks with data — the agronomist, the team around each farmer — we all need to be working together with the folks at the biofuel facility to go after these credits together."

Micronutrients part 2

No-Tillers Beware of Copper Deficiency in High Organic Soils

Positively charged copper binds easily on clay particles in soils with high organic matter & can be unavailable for proper plant growth

By Dan Crummett posted on April 18, 2024 | Posted in Nutrient Management

As a micronutrient, copper has a very important place in the plant food smorgasbord selection necessary for good crop yields, particularly for wheat and other small grains, and to a lesser extent for corn and grain sorghum. But a copper little goes a long way.

Twin-Row Cereal Rye Adds 35-Bushel Advantage in No-Tiller’s Irrigated Corn

Novel use of twin-row cereal rye boosted yields, reduced erosion & made no-tiller more profitable on fewer acres

By Dan Crummett posted on April 17, 2024 | Posted in Cover Crops, Equipment

A sharp pencil and skyrocketing rental rates convinced Greg Keller to cut the size of GK Farms near Monroe, Neb., by more than half in 2014 as the dedicated no-tiller opted to fine-tune the efficiency of his operation.

Change to FAA Regulation Allows 1 Operator to Fly 3 Sprayer Drones

FFA regulation exemption for U.S.-based drone maker allows 1 person to operate 3 drones in a swarm, a 3-fold increase in productivity

By Dan Crummett posted on March 28, 2024 | Posted in Precision Agriculture

The FAA recently granted Texas-based drone manufacturer Hylio a regulatory exemption that allows 1 operator to simultaneously pilot 3 heavy-lift drones instead of requiring an operator and observer per 1 drone over 55 pounds.

Ahead of the Curve

Lidar Sensors Show the Invisible in Crops & Indicate Plant Health

New laser-based technology monitors plant health & soil humidity night or day at ranges up to nearly 1,000 feet

By Dan Crummett posted on March 28, 2024 | Posted in Precision Agriculture

Over the past 40 years, agricultural scanning technology has developed rapidly from sprayers able to recognize brown bare soil from very green growing plant material to machines capable of guiding moving sprayers to target individual plants and visually sampling a load of grain for moisture content.

Micronutrients part 1

Adequate Boron Levels a Must for Optimum No-Till Yields

Regular soil & tissue testing can help no-tillers avoid yield losses due to boron deficiency

By Dan Crummett posted on March 27, 2024 | Posted in Nutrient Management

If you talk about plant nutrition with no-tillers who are setting yield records, it’s likely that they’ll quickly mention getting the basics right and then paying close attention to the little things.

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Cover Crops Managed Properly Can Bring Immediate Benefits

Boost Revenue & Soil Health by Integrating Livestock with No-Till

Quake Sensors Show Tillage Weakens Soil

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No-Tiller Plants Entire Corn Crop with Driverless Tractor

On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Titan International, we catch up with young Kentucky no-tiller Quint Pottinger to see how he autonomously planted his entire crop in 2026. Senior editor John Dobberstein checks in from the CTIC Conservation in Action Tour in Scotland Neck, N.C., where no-tiller Zeb Winslow III talks about his multi-species cover crop program.

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Articles by Dan Crummett

Take a 4R Approach to Iron Availability & Management

Bolt-On Sprayer System Cuts Application Rates by More than 30%

Pink Microbes Power Various Biologicals on Market

Chlorine Factors Significantly in Total Plant Health

No-Tiller's 7 Takeaways from Updated GREET Model

No-Tillers Beware of Copper Deficiency in High Organic Soils

Twin-Row Cereal Rye Adds 35-Bushel Advantage in No-Tiller’s Irrigated Corn

Change to FAA Regulation Allows 1 Operator to Fly 3 Sprayer Drones

Lidar Sensors Show the Invisible in Crops & Indicate Plant Health

Adequate Boron Levels a Must for Optimum No-Till Yields

Top Articles

Current Issue

No-Till Farmer

Cover Crops Managed Properly Can Bring Immediate Benefits

Boost Revenue & Soil Health by Integrating Livestock with No-Till

Quake Sensors Show Tillage Weakens Soil

Must Read Free Eguides

Videos

No-Tiller Plants Entire Corn Crop with Driverless Tractor

Estes Performance Concaves

Titan International Inc

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