Early-relative-maturity soybeans, planted early in the northern Corn Belt, offer great yields — and the possibility of establishing better cover crops after harvest
As an independent agronomist who straddles the intersection of traditional row-crop agronomy and the principles of soil health, I am constantly on the hunt for “system hacks” that integrate these two philosophical camps in ways that ultimately increase productivity and profitability. That’s a big ask, given that many believe the integration of soil health principles — notably reduced tillage and cover crops — comes with significant cost and a yield penalty.
But what if we can have our cake and eat it too? What if there are ways to integrate soil health practices that do not compromise yield and profitability, but instead enhance them? These are the system hacks that I relentlessly pursue, under the belief that there is indeed synergy when combining traditional agronomic principles with soil health practices.
Covering Up North
The best example of a system hack I’ve discovered is the concept of early-planted, early relative maturity (RM) beans. Early-RM beans can deliver similar yield compared to later-RM beans while offering farmers a significantly earlier harvest window, enabling them to then establish a cover crop prior to winter.
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