Items: Yields
Soybean yields in Kentucky: Past, present and future
By Dennis Egli
Published on Oct. 14, 2025
Kentucky’s soybean crop got off to a good start in 2025. Plentiful rains produced an estimated yield on August 1 of 52 bushels per acre (bu/a) according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). A yield of 52 bu/a is not a record (the Kentucky record is 56 bu/a in 2021), but it was only slightly below the trend line (Fig.
Wheat pays it forward in your grain rotation
By John Grove and Edwin Ritchey
Published on Oct. 13, 2025
We have been hearing that some wheat producers are thinking about reducing the acres of wheat in their rotations, changing from a corn, wheat/double-crop soybean rotation to a corn, full-season soybean rotation.
The Seed: An essential component of yield production
By Dennis Egli
Published on Sep. 16, 2025
We grow grain crops for their seeds, so it makes sense that we should give some thought to how seeds grow. After all, the production of yield is not just about leaves and photosynthesis, seeds are also important.
A wet spring and dry summer make for wild yield swings
By Chad Lee
Published on Sep. 12, 2025
Most of the regions in Kentucky growing corn and soybeans received between 40 to 51 inches of rain by the first week of July. Most of those same regions have received very little or scattered rains since.
Avoiding Lodged Corn
By Kiersten Wise
Published on Sep. 10, 2025
Corn harvest is well underway in western Kentucky, but as the rest of the state begins to harvest, farmers need to be aware of potential lodging issues. Pockets of fields scouted across the state show pre-harvest lodging and/or stalk strength tests have indicated a high potential for lodging to occur (Figure 1).
Well-Filled Ears and High Corn Yields
By Dennis Egli
Published on Aug. 15, 2025
We’ve all seen advertisements for corn hybrids that show a row of corn with an ear on every plant that is filled to the tip. The implication is that well-filled ears are an indication of high yield.
Corn is Demanding a Lot of Water and Our Soils Should Have It
By Chad Lee
Published on Jul. 16, 2025
According to the July 6, 2025 USDA Crop Progress Report, 40% of corn in Kentucky had reached silking and 4% had reached the dough stage. From the earliest appearance of tassels until pollination is complete corn demands the most water and is the most sensitive to a lack of water.
Time and Crop Productivity
By Dennis Egli
Published on Jul. 14, 2025
Time is an important resource. We never seem to have enough, and it often passes too fast. But the truth is, we don’t often think about time when we think about crop productivity.
2025 University of Kentucky Small Grain Variety Trial Results
By Bill Bruening
Published on Jul. 11, 2025
The 2025 University of Kentucky Small Grain Variety Trial results are available at: https://varietytesting.ca.uky.edu/wheat.
Photosynthesis – The Ultimate Yield Producer
By Dennis Egli
Published on Jun. 13, 2025
The keys to high yield include variety selection, planting date, population, fertilizer and control of weeds and pests. Photosynthesis doesn’t make the list, but there is no yield without photosynthesis. High yield requires high photosynthesis.