Current Practice

Shifting to Sustainable

Yield goal 100 bu/ac

Yield goal equal or higher

Soil chem test in August

Soil chem and biology test in August

Prior to plant, 50 lbs NH3 (late Aug)

Prior to planting, compost or compost tea application at 10 to 15 gal per acre (check tea to make sure organisms present)

Planting – Sept 15
1.5 bu/ac seed, 10 inch drill spacing

Roll seed in compost tea and mycorrhizal spores to promote rapid germination

Starter at planting, 10-34-0 at 30 to 40 lbs/ac

In first transition year, the same amount, but second year, reduce by 30%, third year, drop again by 30%, then check soil chemistry and soil biology

March ­ 40 to 50 lb N, 5 lb S, Herbicide through irrigation or Floater

Compost tea application, add N,P,K through tea application IF needed (first year usually 30% less fertilizer required, second year usually drops even more, may not be required. See below for herbicide replacement

Irrigation ­ 3X

If rust, insect problems, apply compost tea to deal with problem, in irrigation water

Harvest July 1

Weeds: Purselane can be used as a very short-canopy cover crop to maintain biology, maintain root mat to choke out other weeds, but senesces or goes-to-sleep when moisture is limiting. Mustards are only a problem if the soil is too bacterial ­ indication is to add more fungal foods, typically as a fungal compost in the fall. Downy brome indicates a soil chemistry imbalance, need to get Ca:Mg ratio corrected, need to have soil fungi improved. Goat grass- don't know this one, would have to get some experience.

Make certain the organisms to suppress and prevent wire worm, cut worm (Heterorhabditus) is present in the compost and in the compost tea. Stem maggot ­ I need to know more about the life cycle of this pest, but there is a bacterium and several fungi used to kill the larvae and eggs in the soil. Green aphids can be suppressed through use of the compost tea, with particular Bacillus bacteria added to the tea.

Current Practice

Sustainable practices

Yield goal 200 bu/ac

Same or higher, reduced inputs

Soil chemistry in Dec

Soil chemistry and biology tests in October
Use compost or compost tea to add the biology required to have stalks decompose by next spring

March ­ chop stalks

Usually not required

April 1 disc or chisel field

Usually not required; if needed, then
Perform, but soil usually so mellow this is not required

Apply 180 lbs/ac NH3 usually as anhydrous

In first year this may be necessary, but apply as compost or compost tea, or as dry fertilizer; anhydrous kills the biology you are trying to build

In 2 weeks, groom with cultivator

Perform if necessary but within 1 to 2 year not usually necessary

April 20, planting starts
Starter fertilizer 8-20-5.5, 40 lbs P, 15 lbs S, 1 lb Zn, 15 gal app

In the first year, perform as usual. But also roll seed in tea. Place VAM spores in planting row just under seed. Once VAM
established, P, S, Zn additions should be reduced each year until shown not needed

Herbicide program, add N with Herbicide, 20 to 30 lbs

Apply corn gluten, sugar (molasses) if weed problem develops, see below for specific approaches. Compost tea for fertility additions as required

Watering as plant emerges, as weeds need work

Water need reduces typically by 10% in first year, up to 50% in succeeding years.

Cultivate in May

In the first year, may still be required until Soil chemistry and biology is balanced

Weeds: Foxtail indicates a lack of available Fe. Need VAM on roots to have plants obtain needed Fe and out-compete the foxtail. Kosha, sand burr both typically inappropriate balance of bacteria allows them to outcompete corn. Return to a 1:1 ratio of fungi to bacteria. Thistle indicates high nitrate levels, so need to drop nitrate additions and use molasses or corn gluten to remove excess nitrate, into the bacterial biomass. Then need to check balance on the protozoa and nematodes. Protozoan inoculum, compost or compost tea may be needed.

Root-worm, wireworm both need the correct nematode present, which is typically in good compost. Spider mite and corn borer can be suppressed with the right fungal inocula added in the compost or compost tea. Root-knot nematode needs to be combated by getting VAM fungi on roots, improving the beneficial nematodes in the soil, and improving the beneficial fungal biomass.

Current Practice

Sustainable practices

Yield goal 60 bu/ac

Same or higher, reduced inputs

Soil chemistry in Dec

Soil chemistry and biology tests in October
Use compost or compost tea to add the biology required to have plant residues decompose by next spring

Field prep in April

Usually not required; if needed, then perform, but soil usually so mellow this is not required

May 1 planting starts
Apply 20-30 lbs/ac P Starter 8-25-5-0.5 at rate of 15 lb/ac Drill seed, 10 inch spacing

In first year this may be necessary, but as soils build, reductions in needed amounts will occur. Typically want to apply Rhizobium and VAM in same application

Apply round-up third week May, third Week June

As soil chemistry and biology improves, weeds are outcompeted by the crop plant

In 2 weeks, groom with cultivator

Perform if necessary but within 1 to 2 year not usually necessary

Bloom ­ apply 50 lbs N through Irrigation

If the Rhizobium inoculum was ineffective, this may be needed, but once both the VAM and nodules are no longer killed through use of herbicides, this will not be needed

Watering until harvest

If pests, diseases, add compost tea to the Irrigation water

Weeds: Pigweed, grasses, foxtail. Reduce nitrate levels in the soil by adding corn gluten, molasses, or other bacterial foods to tie up excess N. Get VAM back into soil, pigweed will be outcompeted by the beans. Grasses ­ outcompete by balancing equal fug to bacteria.

Insects: Bean leaf beetle, painted lady butterfly. Certain species of bacillus bacteria on the leaf surfaces, applied with the compost tea should retard the beetle. Possibly the caterpillar, but need to study this as we haven't encountered this previously on soybean.