Besides looking at new traits, plant breeders are paying close attention to each new corn hybrid’s reaction to various production practices. These include a hybrid’s performance with post-emergence herbicides, foliar fungicides, different seeding rates, various planting dates, continuous corn and nitrogen usage.

Even with many new cost-cutting cropping developments, no-tillers are definitely worried about having to deal with increasing input costs in 2009.

With higher fertilizer prices taking a bite out of profits, the thought of getting free fertilizer from more unconventional sources sounds appealing.

John Barker is convinced that precision ag technologies can produce a real payoff for growers in his region — today more than ever.

While it might seem hard to believe, the no-tiller who grew the highest yields in the nation last year calls corn just a rotational crop. That’s because David Hula has a thriving soybean and small grains seed production business.