NDSU Soybean Symposium Set for March 20

Feb 03, 2025

By Ana Carcedo

Scientists of all disciplines are invited to participate in accelerating soybean innovation during the fifth annual NDSU Soybean Symposium on March 20, at the NDSU Memorial Union in Fargo, North Dakota. The symposium begins at 8 a.m. and concludes at 6 p.m.

Supported by the North Dakota Soybean Council, the symposium strategically bridges multiple disciplines: soybean pathology, production and agronomy, breeding and new-uses research to foster collaboration. Participants can expect to build exchanges and develop new networks for cutting-edge research.

“The main goal of the symposium is to bring a mix of specializations together, including new research and end-use partnerships,” says Ana Carcedo, NDSU Extension broadleaf crops agronomist and symposium organizer.

The symposium features keynote speakers Daryl Ritchison, North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network director and North Dakota State Climatologist, and Barry McGraw, Airable Research Lab founder and chief lab officer.

The day will conclude with an engaging farmer panel, where North Dakota farmers will share insights into soybean production and discuss the future of the crop.

Students are invited to submit an abstract of their soybean-related research for a chance to present at the symposium, either as a poster or an oral presentation. Students are eligible to win a cash prize while contributing to the future of the soybean industry. Abstract submissions for the competition are due on Feb. 28.

There is no fee to participate, but registration is required. To register for the symposium and submit an abstract, visit ndsu.ag/soybeansymposium.

Source : ndsu.edu

Video: How farmers are protecting the soil and our food security | DW Documentary

For a long time, soil was all but ignored. But for years, the valuable humus layer has been thinning. Farmers in Brandenburg are clearly feeling the effects of this on their sandy fields. Many are now taking steps to prepare their farms for the future.

Years of drought, record rainfall and failed harvests: we are becoming increasingly aware of how sensitively our environment reacts to extreme weather conditions. Farmers' livelihoods are at stake. So is the ability of consumers to afford food.

For a few years now, agriculture that focuses solely on maximum yields has been regarded with increasing skepticism. It is becoming more and more clear just how dependent we are on healthy soils.

Brandenburg is the federal state with the worst soil quality in Germany. The already thin, fertile humus layer has been shrinking for decades. Researchers and farmers who are keen to experiment are combating these developments and looking for solutions. Priority is being given to building up the humus layer, which consists of microorganisms and fungi, as well as springtails, small worms and centipedes.

For Lena and Philipp Adler, two young vegetable farmers, the tiny soil creatures are invaluable helpers. On their three-hectare organic farm, they rely on simple, mechanical weed control, fallow areas where the soil can recover, and diversity. Conventional farmer Mark Dümichen also does everything he can to protect soil life on his land. For years, he has not tilled the soil after the harvest and sows directly into the field. His yields have stabilized since he began to work this way.

Isabella Krause from Regionalwert AG Berlin-Brandenburg is convinced after the experiences of the last hot summers that new crops will thrive on Brandenburg's fields in the long term. She has founded a network of farmers who are promoting the cultivation of chickpeas with support from the scientific community.