1 Genetic advancements. New genotypes of major crops are coming along faster with the availability of various genetic engineering technologies, enabling rapid assessment of much larger numbers of lines. This means the time line is shortened and individual genotypes won’t stay around very long — rarely long enough to study the nutrient management and production practice interactions with the genetics. Recent genetic advancements have focused on protecting yield potential, so we may see more attention directed toward this end.
2 Nutrient requirements. Fine-tuning nutrient management means paying careful attention to nutrient supplies at all stages of the growing season. Highest yields depend on systematically eliminating nutrient stress. Secondary and micronutrients will become more important as yield move higher.
3 Water management. Water stress can severely cut yield, especially during the flowering and grain filling periods. Some mild stress earlier in the season may actually enable the crop to increase its ability to resist stress later, by building a more extensive root system. But as we move to higher yields, eliminating water stress becomes more important.
4 Records. To document field-by-field inputs and yields, to build a basis for detailed economic assessment of your management system, and to prove both need for fertilizer and pesticides and to document applications for regulatory and crop insurance requirements, detailed records are becoming essential. If you are developing a record system, make it a GIS-based system so that you and your advisers can take advantage of the added functionality to support detailed, site-specific management decisions that take into account the variability within each field.
5 Team up. The management requirement for modern crop production is a huge challenge. Team up with agronomic advisers and management consultants to supplement your own skill set, experience, and interests. Team up with other farmers to share ideas and try new practices or technology. You will learn more faster … and challenge one another to do better. It usually works best to team up with other farmers who are geographically separated so they aren’t competing for farmland.
