NITROGEN (N) IS ONE of the biggest influencers on corn yield. In fact, University of Illinois plant physiologist Fred Below called it the second most important factor in his “Seven Wonders of the Corn Yield World,” ranked just behind weather.

WATCHING SOME OF the best soils we owned wash away in a big storm accelerated my family’s move to 100% no-till. My father, James, had tried no-tilling in the late 1960s, starting with soybeans behind the small amount of wheat we grew at that point.

There’s little doubt among farmers that data pouring from a myriad of displays, sensors, monitors and other precision farming equipment is going to help them be more efficient. However, analysis and timing often stand in the way of that goal.

It’s a two-sided coin that every farmer wants to achieve: maximum yields with minimum inputs. Crop-sensor technology can, according to ongoing farmer and university research, help accomplish that.

Timing is everything, especially when it comes to controlling weeds, insects and diseases. Spray delays of even a day or two, in some instances, can cause substantial erosion in yield potential.

How you manage your crop residues this fall can have a major impact on the profit of your 2009 crops.