Corn cobs and fiber, along with stover, are likely to remain the main focus for cellulosic ethanol research and deployment in the Midwest over the next few years, according to the National Corn Growers Association. Cellulosic ethanol is made from the woody parts of plants, rather than the more easily refined grain. Cellulosic studies are now moving from basic research to applications, the NCGA notes.

Earlier this year, Michigan became the sixteenth state in the country to confirm a case of glyphosate-resistant horseweed when it was discovered in a Christmas tree plantation.

No-tillers have a stake in the production of ethanol. Currently, most ethanol is produced from corn, which has driven up demand and prices. But the consensus among researchers is that corn grain eventually will be replaced by other raw materials, possibly including crop residue, which could a revenue source for no-tillers.

With severe dry weather hitting some areas of the Corn Belt this year, a number of no-tillers have voiced concerns about the effectiveness of post-emergence herbicide applications in both no-tilled corn and soybeans.

With a desire to pump up small grain yields, no-tillers are searching for better ways to combat a growing number of costly pests. As a result, attendees at last winter’s 15th National No-Tillage Conference were keenly interested in learning to do a more effective job of controlling yield-grabbing pests.

After the asian soybean rust scare hit in autumn of 2004, many of us in the sprayer industry began advocating the use of twin flat fan nozzles to better treat the disease. It turns out we were wrong. By creating two spray patterns out of one, twin flat fan nozzles reduce the force of each spray by half, meaning there is not much force with which to penetrate the soybean canopy.

With an emphasis on growing fewer soybean acres due to this year's move toward more continuous corn, no-tillers are looking for new ways to boost soybean yields. And attendees at last winter's 15th annual National No-Tillage Conference learned that a number of new pesticide developments can definitely help in the control of insects, diseases and weeds.

Now that most no-tillers have pretty much mastered the chemical side of pesticide management, they’re paying more attention to application costs, timeliness and equipment selection. This means more no-tillers will be doing more of their own pesticide applications in the future.