Production and Harvesting
Agronomic crops provide food, feed grain, oil, and fiber for domestic consumption and are a major component of US export trade. In Pennsylvania, agriculture is one of the most important industries. Visit Penn State Extension’s vast resources to find information on planting, growing, and harvesting agronomic crops such as corn, barley, canola, rye, soybeans, hemp, and wheat. Find the best tips on no-till crop management and crop rotation.
Agronomic Crops Production
A wide variety of agronomic crops are grown in the United States, including corn, soybean, small grains, specialty crops such as malting barley, canola, and industrial hemp, rye, and wheat.
Different factors have to be considered if you want good quality crops and high production. For example, sweet corn production requires a low initial investment and many field operations can be custom-hired. Corn can be grown and harvested for silage where cropland is limited. Nutrient management is also fundamental when it comes to corn and bean production. An integrated pest/crop management strategy also plays an important role in successful agronomic production.
For optimum yield, planting at the right time, temperature, and spacing are crucial. Small grain crops, for example, are currently maturing earlier than normal, thanks to warmer temperatures during the winter and a higher growing degree day accumulation than normal. Wet weather can delay wheat planting, but issues such as these can be overcome if you factor variety selection, rotations, seeding depth and rate into your planting decisions.
Soybeans have a long history of production in Pennsylvania and because of the climate, it’s a crop that lends itself well to double-crop soybean production. Penn State Extension offers a number of different resources for anyone interested in soybean production, such as a Soybean Production Field Days and Soybean Production Workshops.
A number of specialty crops are also being grown such as winter barley, malting barley, and industrial hemp. The successful production of these types of crops requires specialist knowledge and understanding. For the production of industrial hemp, for example, a waiver is required from the USDA and the state must also pass legislation approving hemp production and research. In Pennsylvania, Senate Bill 50 was passed out of committee and this allows and promotes trial hemp production in the state.
Anyone thinking about becoming a producer doesn’t have to make all the decisions on their own. There are lots of resources available such as The Penn State Agronomy Guide, which provides comprehensive information on agronomic crops, soil, and pest management for farms of all sizes.
Crop Days, crop conditions reports and Crop Conferences also provide opportunities for you to learn about pesticide and nutrient management, the latest innovations for the coming seasons as well as courses to help you become a Pennsylvania Certified Crop Adviser. These professionals are well-versed in the crop scouting fundamentals for all the agronomic crops grown in the US today.
Seed Choice and Crop Rotation
If you want a healthy crop next season, there are decisions to be made before you put a single seed in the ground. Hybrid (corn) or variety (soybean) selection is important for successful crop production.
Should you, for example, base your decision on disease resistance ratings? Is it better to look for corn insect-resistant traits? Equally important is the quality of the seed, as it can serve as a vehicle for unwanted pathogens and weeds.
Crop rotation can play a vital role in maximizing profitability of agronomic crops. It increases crop yields by improving soils conditions and reducing weed and insect populations and helps producers use conservation tillage successfully.
No-till Agronomic Crops Production and Best Practices
No-till farming isn’t a new farming practice, but there are lots of things to be aware of when transitioning to that method. No-till is becoming more popular because it’s considered a more sustainable way to produce crops, as it improves soil and water conservation. However, it’s a method that requires commitment and perseverance and you could benefit from access to no-till crop management tips.
Field Crops Harvesting and Yield Assessment
Being able to estimate grain yield, field corn yield, and soybean yield early in the growing season is vital for agronomic crop producers. It’s required for crop insurance purposes, delivery estimates, planning harvest and storage requirements, and cash-flow budgeting.
Knowing the optimum time to harvest crops is another skill producers have to learn. Picking the right moment means losses will be minimal and profits increased. With some crops, the harvesting window is just a few days, making it all the more crucial to get the timing right.
- Articles
Corn Silage Approaching Maturity – Moving Past Thumb Rules
Corn growth and physiological development is largely driven by growing degree day accumulation. So, why should we continue to let calendar days describe crop progression and maturity? - Articles
Managing Crops During a Severe Drought: Q and A
Drought and high temperatures during the summer months can affect many commodities grown by Pennsylvania field croppers. This article contains a list of questions and information for growers to utilize when experiencing such conditions. - News
Weather Outlook for the Week of July 16, 2024
Date Posted 7/16/2024With drought conditions persisting over the southern half of the state, some rainfall expected early in this period could help to cut into deficits. - News
PA Corn and Soybean Contest Deadlines Approaching
Date Posted 7/9/2024The Pennsylvania Corn and Soybean Yield Contests are designed to focus farmer attention on agronomic and management skills that will increase profitability. - News
Fungicide Considerations for Corn and Soybean
Date Posted 7/9/2024As we hit critical growth stages in corn and soybean, does it pay to spray? - News
What to Expect When You're Harvesting Wheat in 2024
Date Posted 6/25/2024After a banner year in 2023 for small grain yields and quality, many are finding themselves less impressed with this year's wheat. - Articles
Dairy Sense: Hot Weather Ration Sense
Feeding milk cows differently during hot summer months helps to offset reduced feed intake. - News
2024 Wheat Tour Predicts Variable Yields and Vomitoxin
Date Posted 6/5/2024Glume blotch and suspicious purpling abound statewide, while yield and quality are variable by region this year. - Articles
Assessing Corn and Soybean Populations and Replanting Decisions
Replanting decisions can be difficult to make. This article explains how to go about making the call objectively. - News
Burcucumber: Don't Let it Get Out of Control
Date Posted 5/20/2024Burcucumber is rapidly growing at this time of year. Make sure to stay ahead of it now, instead of trying to combat it late in the season. - Tools and Apps
Estimating Soybean Stands with a Cell Phone App
Bean Cam is a free App developed to help farmers with early stand count assessments in soybeans. - Articles
Early Season Herbicide Injury to Corn
Sometimes, early-season crop injury can occur from herbicides. This article overviews specific symptoms and conditions typically associated with herbicide injury in corn and soybeans. - Articles
Summer Cover Crop Options
Harvesting crops in summer opens a window for a variety of cover crop species - Tools and Apps
The Open Crop Manager Platform for Crop Production and Scouting
The Open Crop Manager (OCM) platform provides a system for crop production information, scouting, and database management to help increase knowledge, crop sustainability, and profitability. - News
Spring Oat Herbicide Options
Date Posted 4/30/2024Weeds can be a problem in spring oat fields. This article provides some herbicide options to consider. - News
Burndown after Ryelage Harvest
Date Posted 4/23/2024Here are some suggestions to control ryelage stubble after spring harvest. - Articles
Corn Growth Stages
Crop growth staging is a crucial agronomic skill; this article presents two methods for expressing corn vegetative growth stages. - Articles
Mitigating Production Risks in Hemp for Fiber, Grain, and Essential Oils
Choosing to grow an emerging crop can be full of production, storage, sale, and financial risk. One of the best ways to reduce risk is to arm yourself with knowledge to make informed choices for your operation. - News
Hay, Grassy Weeds, and Prowl
Date Posted 3/25/2024As first cutting hay is being harvested, grassy weeds tend to emerge. The below article provides details about which pendimethalin products can be used in these settings. - News
Spring Weedy Grass Control in Grass Hay and Pasture
Date Posted 3/25/2024Considerations for weedy grass and broadleaf control options in grass forages during early spring. - News
Corn and Soybean Planter Tune-up for Improved Seed Emergence
Date Posted 2/20/2024Spending time on planter maintenance in the winter can help you hit the ground running in the spring. - News
Hemp Crop Outlook 2024
Date Posted 1/23/2024Trends in hemp fiber and grain production and new improvements to the Pennsylvania hemp growers' permitting process. - Videos
CBD Hemp: Research, Production, Harvest, and Processing
Industrial hemp is reported to have hundreds, if not thousands of uses. Penn State Extension educators spend some time with growers on their farms looking at hemp growing for CBD extraction. - Articles
La calidad del grano es clave para el mercadeo y producción de cebada para malta
Cultivar cebada destinada para la producción de malta no es una tarea fácil y difiere significativamente de la cebada cultivada para la alimentación animal. - Articles
Grain Quality Is Key for Malting Barley Production and Marketing
Growing malting barley is not an easy task and differs significantly from barley grown for animal feed.