40 Years Of Research And Still Going Strong

40 Years Of Research And Still Going Strong Fred Below has dedicated 40 years to studying crop physiology and sharing his knowledge with Illinois farmers. Now in his early 70s, the University of Illinois Crop Sciences professor isn’t in any hurry to retire. Below is excited about the changes in crop production he expects to see in the coming years. They’re changes he wants to be a part of, as he has with so many changes over the past four decades. “The actual yields we’re seeing today are something I never expected to see when I started in research, whether actual on-farm or in yield contests,” says Below. “A 200-bushel yield would once have been reason for celebration, and now for some producers, it’s a crop failure.” Below admits he thought precision agriculture would be adopted more widely than it has been. That said, he mentioned short corn hybrids as one change he expects to see take off in the near term. “Corn is the last major crop to be dwarfed,” says Below. “I think it’s going to be a game-changer.” He once believed that growing bigger corn was necessary for higher yields. For many years, research on short corn using growth regulators failed to show a value. His views have now changed. “What we overlooked was the way corn expends its energy,” says Below. “If we shorten the internodes below the ear, we put less energy into the stalk and more into yield. It’s a physiological advantage.” Below points out that short corn is tailor-made for higher-density populations and narrower rows. It lets more light reach the leaves, and increased planting density may help with weed control. One change he expects in the coming years is increased focus on root structure. “The root zone is really the last unexplored horizon,” says Below. He suggests that most farmers would be shocked by the variation in root architecture among current hybrids. They differ in surface area, which affects the amount of soil contact. They also vary in weight, which is determined by the amount of energy invested in them. “I think in the future, we’ll see much more attention paid to better understanding our fields,” says Below. Another significant change on the horizon is planting soybeans ahead of corn. He expects a 100% shift in the next five years. “When you plant early, you get an extra node, and that means more pods,” says Below. “That can mean a 15-bushel-per-acre yield boost without increased fertilizer. In fact, early-planted soybeans should be planted in the lowest-fertility fields first. They grow slower, extending the nutrient demand until the soil has warmed up.” Below admits that many old crop production rules are no longer valid due to advances in genetics, seed treatments, equipment and seed quality. These improvements are expected to continue. One long-term forecast Below offers deals with using bacteria to fix nitrogen in corn. “We now have technology bringing that closer,” says Below. “My guess, looking 40 years down the road, is that this technology will be supplying more of the nitrogen.” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Fred Below, 322 E R Madigan Laboratory, 1201 Gregory Dr., Urbana, Ill. 61801 (ph 217-333-9745; fbelow@illinois.edu; https://cropphysiology.cropsci.illinois.edu).

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