Another wet spring could put more emphasis on postemergence weed control. (DTN photo by Greg Horstmeier) Few New Products for Corn Weed Control More Generic Herbicides Could Translate to More Competition, Lower Prices Mon Feb 8, 2010 08:13 AM CST A few new actives, and some new premixes, lead the list of corn weed control products for the 2010 season.

"After more than 110 side-by-side comparisons of sensor-based management versus a grower's normal fertilization practice, we've seen an average benefit of $15 to $20 per acre using sensors," says Newell Kitchen, soil scientist for USDA-ARS in Columbia, Mo. (Progressive Farmer image by Kurt Lawton) Making Sense of Sensors New Optical Technologies Multiply as More Companies Get Into the Game Subscriber Content Thu Dec 24, 2009 12:20 PM CST Variable-rate nitrogen fertilizer applications using in-field sensing of crop leaves make sense.

???If 150 bushels per acre is the average and we manage it for 150 bushels, then we may be undermanaging the higher-producing areas and overproducing the lower-yielding areas,??? says Illinois grower Kelly Robertson. (Progressive Farmer image by Denny Eilers/Grant Heilman Photography) Find Your Profit Per Field All Acres Are Not Created Equal, So It Makes Sense To Manage Fields According To Income Potential Subscriber Content Wed Dec 16, 2009 08:39 AM CST And some fields, it turns out, simply may not be worth farming based on current management practices -- at least according to Robertson's scenarios.

New rules could make companies disclose the inert or "other" ingredients which often make up the majority of a pesticide's formulation. (DTN Photo by Greg Horstmeier) EPA Opens Inert Discussions Pesticide Labels May Have to Disclose All Ingredients Subscriber Content Wed Dec 23, 2009 05:59 PM CST The Environmental Protection Agency may require pesticide makers to disclose all or some of their "inert" ingredients on the product label. Environmental groups say consumers have the right to know if they're using hazardous materials. Manufacturers say ingredient recipes are trade secrets.

Genes from the corn rootworm are being tested as a way to control the pest itself. (Photo by Iowa State University) New Weapon for Rootworm? Biotech "Trick" Technique Turns Pest Against Itself Subscriber Content Fri Dec 11, 2009 05:11 PM CST Monsanto research shows corn rootworm genes, when copied and introduced into transgenic hybrids, can kill rootworms that feed on those plants. The technique could have big implications on insect control and the issue of rootworm resistance to current Bt genes. Results were presented at annual seed trade association meeting.