http://hymark.blogspot.com/2012/10/making-200-bushel-ground-out-of-150.html click on link to see picture.
My response would be that finding your lowest common denominator is the key. For me, that was taking soil tests regularly in the same zone using the Midwest Soil Test which is similar to the old OARDC REALab numbers I worked with all my life. The tissue test has helped me understand how what I had and what I applied got into the plant or failed to get there. This has resulted in my applying more lime, P, K, and micronutrients than formerly had been applied. I usually apply Manganese Sulfate and Boron now finally seem to have my Zinc and Copper in line. I seem to not be able to get too much calicium on these soils and am waiting for 2 tons per acre applied to all our ground right now. Drainage is a big issue. If drainage is the limiting factor, the farmer is going to gain more from installing tile than the above listed method. How do you drain someone else's land? A few have worked out a deal but not many. The tile plow craze has helped but it is still darned expensive to tile someone else's farm, I don't care how you look at it. I have pretty much done what the post asks in nine years. My corn APH is 190, wheat a lousy 70 bushels, soybeans 61 bushels and double crop soybeans 40 bushels. It was a third less than that or so 9 years ago. I see more more and more farmers applying calcium to help pH, soil structure and nutrient flow but it is still a small number. I see more farmers "spoon feeding" nutrients as they have become so expensive and we have learned how to apply them a little at a critical time. On cover crops, I think the radish is helping break my soil pans and putting nutrient where my crop roots can get to. The verdict is still out how much cover crops help but the increases I have seen with radish planted in wheat and corn and beans after radish and blends look good. I thought this was a good blog topic today so I thank Pat H in Illinois for posting his question on Crop Talk. Ed Winkle | 
making 200bpa ground out of 150bpa ground....
