About 6 years ago, Loran and Bryce Naber shifted to no-tilling to capture major fuel, equipment and labor savings. The Albion, Neb., corn and soybean producers are also in their fourth season of reaping additional efficiencies with variable-rate dual banding of directly injected liquid anhydrous ammonia and liquid fertilizer.

Pipes can be mounted on the front edge of a planter to act as a lean bar to knock down corn stalks and reduce the amount of residue catching on planter components, says Paul Jasa, an agricul-tural engineer for the University of Nebraska.

Soil scientist Richard Mulvaney and several colleagues at the University of Illinois believe they have developed a reliable way to determine the optimum nitrogen fertilizer application rate for crops.

Gypsum applications on no-till fields could decrease surface crusting while improving aeration and water infiltration, thus aiding crop emergence, according to Warren Dick, an Ohio State University soil scientist.