Illinois Agronomy Lab
A go-to source for the latest research and agronomic information for field crops in Illinois
A major focus of the Illinois Agronomy Lab is exploring ways to advance the productivity and environmental performance of row-crop systems in Illinois and the upper Midwest. To do it, our team takes an interdisciplinary approach to document and understand the implications of a variety of in-field conservation practices (e.g., 4R nutrient stewardship, cover cropping, and conservation tillage) on crop productivity and profitability, soil and water quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and nutrient losses. This knowledge is then integrated and delivered through our Extension program.
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Here you can find information and crop management in Illinois
Crop Performance Trials
Looking for information on crop performance to help you select suitable hybrids and varieties? Check out the University of Illinois Variety Testing trials here.
From the Blog:
Even with this recent slowdown, Illinois soybean is ahead of most of the Corn Belt, with 57% of the soybean crop planted by May 10, up 11 percentage points from the previous week. This is also well ahead of both last year (48%) and the five-year average (47% for 2021-2025). Corn planting has also progressed…
March was wetter than normal across much of Illinois, with statewide precipitation averaging 4.85 inches, 1.91 inches above normal. The wet trend continued into the first two weeks of April, particularly in northern Illinois, which has received between 3 and 5 inches of rainfall since April 1…
The 2025 growing season in Illinois delivered another storyline characterized by sharp weather contrasts, average crop condition ratings, some disease pressure in places, and very good — if not record-setting — yields in many, but not all, areas. As we have seen before, crops showed their ability to translate good mid-season conditions to good yields…
This project aimed to evaluate whether growers can maintain productivity and profitability while using reduced tillage and cover crops, systems that protect soil but are often perceived as risky. A second objective was to understand whether starter fertilizer (nitrogen + sulfur) could offset early-season challenges in these systems, such as cool soils, heavy residue, and…
There is a growing interest in wheat/soybean double-cropping systems in Illinois, extending into parts of central Illinois where wheat acreage has been limited in recent decades. This article summarizes findings from field trials evaluating management practices for double-crop soybean in central Illinois
While August rainfall is the “soybean maker,” July rainfall is also important to the podsetting process that sets up yield potential. July rainfall was plentiful overall in Illinois, but varied from an inch or two less than normal in parts of southern Illinois to more than twice normal amounts in western and northwestern Illinois…