What Limits Yield – The Source or the Sink? Does it Matter?

By Dennis Egli
Published on Feb. 21, 2025

Crop Physiologists often analyze the yield production process in grain crops by dividing the process into two components – the source and the sink. The source is the photosynthetic machinery that supplies the raw materials and energy for plant growth. The sink is the seed that utilizes simple sugars from the source to grow.

Winter Wheat in February

By Chad Lee
Published on Feb. 21, 2025

Most winter wheat survived well during the previous cold weather. While the air temperatures dropped near zero most soil temperatures at 2 inches below the surface remained above freezing (Kentucky Mesonet).

Corn Yield Recovery with At-Tasseling/Early Silking N Application

By John Grove and Edwin Ritchey
Published on Feb. 21, 2025

In the past decade, over 50 % of the years have given corn growers some difficulty with wet early season conditions. These conditions can complicate corn nitrogen (N) management. Sustained wetness can delay/prevent N application, resulting in uncertainty in corn’s N status at-tasseling/early silking (VT/R1), when ear development commences.

Too Wet to Soil Sample but Ideal to Check for Soil Compaction

By Edwin Ritchey and John Grove
Published on Feb. 21, 2025

We know producers are ready for the soil to dry out so they can start topdressing wheat with their first shot of nitrogen. This also makes us think about soil compaction, which is simply compressing a given volume of soil into a smaller volume. Compaction can occur in different places in the field and can be due to different reasons.

Abundance of the Silver-Spotted Skipper in Soybeans in Kentucky in 2024

By Felipe Batista and Raul Villanueva
Published on Jan. 22, 2025

Background and Description of Silver-spotted skipper 

Yield Gaps, Potential Yield and Crop Productivity

By Dennis Egli
Published on Jan. 21, 2025

Are there ‘yield gaps’ on your farm? Finding a yield gap suggests that your yields are less than they could be, so some combination of improved management practices will increase yield and reduce the yield gap. This seems like a simple way to evaluate productivity.

Biochar

By John Grove
Published on Jan. 21, 2025

Co-authored with Dr. Eugenia Pena-Yewtukhiw, West Virginia University

Soil Temperatures Remain Above Freezing Across Kentucky

By Chad Lee
Published on Jan. 20, 2025

Soils at 2-inch depths are staying above freezing so far around the state. The Kentucky Mesonet records soil temperatures at certain locations. For the sites we checked, all the soils are still above 32°F.