With grain prices on the rise compared to historical levels, some no-tillers are taking a closer look at seeding wheat this fall and no-tilling double-cropped soybeans for 2011. If you’re located in an area where double-cropping can work, this may be a way to boost your 2011 profits.

In recent years, there has been a push to no-till soybeans earlier every year. Although no-tilling early can help maximize your yield potential, there is also a risk associated with planting into cooler, wetter soil, which is ideal for disease development. In fact, the shift toward earlier planting dates is one factor that has contributed to the increased need for preventative disease control.

Sunlight interception is the name of the game when it comes to producing a good no-till soybean crop, maintains Jim Beuerlein, agronomist at Ohio State University.

With polymer based soybean seed coatings expected to be used by a few farmers next spring, many traditional seeding ideas are about to be discarded.