Yara's Crop Nutrition podcast
186 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 30 ratingsYara is the world's crop nutrition leader with over 100 years of experience. In collaboration with customers and partners, Yara grows knowledge to responsibly feed the world and protect the planet, to fulfill its vision of a collaborative society, a world without hunger and a planet respected.
Our crop nutrition solutions and precision farming offerings allow farmers to increase yields and improve product quality while reducing environmental impact.
Yara is the world's crop nutrition leader with over 100 years of experience. In collaboration with customers and partners, Yara grows knowledge to responsibly feed the world and protect the planet, to fulfill its vision of a collaborative society, a world without hunger and a planet respected.
Our crop nutrition solutions and precision farming offerings allow farmers to increase yields and improve product quality while reducing environmental impact.
*This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional advice or recommendations for listeners. The views expressed in this podcast by guests are not necessarily endorsed by Yara North America.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
VIDEO PODCAST: The Wonders of Boron
April 12, 2022 09:00 - 2 minutes - 102 MB VideoIn this video podcast, Yara Sales Agronomist Brady Stover, explains the importance of Boron in crop Nutrition.
Mythbusting: Are Organic Fertilizers Used More Efficiently by Plants
April 05, 2022 09:00 - 15 minutes - 12 MBDr. Rob Mikkelsen, Yara's Director of Agronomic Services, joins us again to bust a common myth that organic fertilizers are preferred by plants. To learn more about Yara please visit us at https://www.yara.us https://www.yaracanada.ca
VIDEO PODCAST: Penny For Your Thoughts?
March 29, 2022 09:00 - 3 minutes - 152 MB VideoWhen we think of pennys, we typically think of copper, but in the last 40 years, Zinc has been the main ingredient in manufacturing US pennys. In this video podcast, Yara Sales Agronomist Brady Stover, explains the basics of zinc as a fertilizer.
How Can we Improve Efficiencies and Maintain On-Farm Profitability?
March 22, 2022 09:00 - 38 minutes - 30.6 MB2022 is another challenging year for farms. Input costs are rising and availability might be limited. As we look to be more efficient with these inputs, change is critical. Peter DeBoer, Yara Regional Sales Manager for Northern California, helps us understand three strategies to be more efficient with our inputs while ensuring profitability and sustainability.
Get the Most Out of Your Iron Applications on Turf
March 15, 2022 09:00 - 30 minutes - 24.5 MBWe recently received a comment and question on our podcast web page that had to do with how Iron (Fe) interacts with turf and how it can help with greening. Yara's turf team of Neil Mayberry, Crop Manager for T&O, with sales agronomists Brian Grill and Cole McNally address this question and help us all understant the interaction of Fe on Turf. Learn more and sign up for our Optimum Turf Newsletter at our Optimum Turf web page. Brian mentioned THIS article about Fe on Turf.
Mythbusting: Are We Losing Fertilizer to Atmosphere and Leaching?
March 08, 2022 10:00 - 19 minutes - 15.6 MBHere is a statement that I read on the internet recently, "...while fertilizers make crops grow better and faster, half of the fixed nitrogen we add is lost. Imagine that--we lose the equivalent of 12 million nitrogen elephants (~165 billion pounds) every year" Dr. Rob Mikkelsen, Yara's Director of Agronomic Services, helps us understand this statement and bust this myth. Submit a comment, question or suggestion by visiting our podcast webpage
VIDEO PODCAST: From ULSD to Better Bread
March 01, 2022 10:00 - 3 minutes - 129 MB VideoThis week, Yara's Sales Agronomist Brady Stover explains how Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel has impacted the availability of sulfur fertilizer and discusses the benefits of an often-overlooked nutrient. If you have a question, comment or suggestion, please go to our podcast webpage and let us know.
Mythbusting: Are Mineral Fertilizers Poisoning the Soil?
February 22, 2022 10:00 - 23 minutes - 18.4 MBDr. Rob Mikkelsen insists that good science rules the day. We look at the statement that mineral fertilizers are poisoning the soil and reduce agricultural productivity and is food grown with mineral fertilizers are less nutritious. He explains that an integrated nutrient management system to acheive the best results. Dr. Rob helps us understand the chemistry, plant physiology and the science-based research in order for us to understand and bust these myths. Rob mentions the Rothams...
VIDEO PODCAST: A Recipe Your Crop Will Love: Potassium
February 15, 2022 10:00 - 5 minutes - 167 MB VideoIn Episode 3 of this VIDEO PODCAST, Yara's Sales Agronomist in the Pacific Northwest, Brady Stover, provides insight on the origins of potassium. He explains potassium's essential roll in plants, its various forms and how to best apply it.
Mythbusting: Mineral Fertilizers are Not Natural
February 08, 2022 10:00 - 19 minutes - 15.6 MBShould we be afraid of sythetic fertiilzers? Are synthetic fertilizers bad for us? Dr. Rob Mikkelsen, Yara's Director of Agronomic Services, helps us bust some myths about fertilizers and agronomy. In this episode, Rob takes on the statement that mineral fertilizers are not natural. There are many different categories/definitions of fertilizers: organic, natural, mineral, sythetic. Rob helps us define and understand these terms and understand IF there is a danger with mineral fertilize...
VIDEO PODCAST: Your crops have an apatite... for Phosphorus
February 01, 2022 10:00 - 6 minutes - 174 MB VideoIn our second installment of the video podcast series, Yara's Sales Agronomist in the Pacific Northwest, Brady Stover, tests out an unconventional healing method and breaks down the mystery of phosphorus.
Soil Microbes Are Key For Drought Management
January 25, 2022 10:00 - 24 minutes - 19.8 MBDrought in the western United States will continue to be a problem in 2022. What are your strategies for improving water productivity? In this episode, Dr. Karl Wyant discusses how soil microbes can help your soil structure and biology allowing for effective penetration and better infiltration. Once the water is in the soil, the soil bacteria and fungi produce sticky gluelike substances that bind the soil particles and improve the water holding capacity of the soil. Spring is a great ti...
VIDEO PODCAST: Where Does Nitrogen Come From
January 18, 2022 16:27 - 8 minutes - 228 MB VideoYara Sales Agronomist, Brady Stover, explains that our air is 78% nitrogen but our plants cannot use it. Why? He explains the industrial process that was discovered 110 years ago that allows us to convert this atmospheric N to a form that is usable by plants. He continues to explain how to effectively use different N sources by using the 4 R's of nutrient stewardship.
Management Decisions Relative to Record High Fertilizer Prices
November 23, 2021 00:51 - 34 minutes - 27.8 MBWhy are the prices so high and limited availability? How can we maximize our economic yeilds? Yara's Dr. Rob Mikkelsen and Chris Gallo join to discuss pricing and availability issues. We look at the 2022 forecast and what growers and their advisors can do to manage. We talk about Difference between maximum yield and maximum economic yield How to maximize fertilizer use efficiency Role of balanced nutrition Value of soil and tissue samples Focus on ALL of the 4Rs of nutrient ...
Do Synthetic Fertilizers Hurt our Soils?
November 09, 2021 06:37 - 18 minutes - 15.1 MBIn modern farming we need to use synthetic fertilizers in order to grow enough food for our world's population. Are these fertilizers healthy of our soils or hurting our soils? Dr. Rob Mikkelsen, Yara North America's Director of Agronomic Services. Like any tool, we need to use these fertilizers properly. If we don't, we can harm the soil. However, if we implement the 4 Rs of nutrient stewardship to maximize our nutrient use and improve the soil health. We mentioned a couple episode...
Sulfur's Role in Plants
October 26, 2021 05:23 - 23 minutes - 18.8 MBSulfur is a constituent of amino acids in plant proteins and is involved in energy-producing processes in plants. Sometimes a deficiency can be mistaken for Nitrogen deficiency. Dr. Rob Mikkelsen helps us understand how a plant uses sulfur and how to diagnose a deficiency. We also talk about the 4Rs of this nutrient to maximize its efficient use. Find out more about specific crop deficiencies HERE Find out more about Yara's solutions for sulfur, AMIDAS
What Can We Learn About Crop Nutrition in a Drought?
October 05, 2021 15:58 - 26 minutes - 21.2 MBExtremely dry conditions in 2021 at our Saskatoon, Canada incubator farm were looking grim for the research we were conducting. 15% of the average rainfall resulted in poor crop growth on the canola and wheat crops. But looking at some of the data, we found that the Yara complete nutritional treatments showed that the plants were actually able to use more of the water they did receive resulting in earlier root development and access to the stored water in soil deeper then the grower standa...
Reduced Water? How to Improve your Water Use Efficiency
September 28, 2021 14:28 - 21 minutes - 17.3 MBDr. Rob Mikkelsen, Yara's Director of Agronomic Services, helps us understand the interdependence of water, soil and nutrients. Can a better management of these three components improve water use efficiency in a time of drought? We refer to an article he wrote in September 2012 for the International Plant Nutrition Institute called, "What about Water?" Dr. Mikkelsen explains that an important step towards improving water use efficiency is to encourage healthy plant roots. Maintaining ...
Nitrogen Use Efficiency - Why Should We Care?
September 14, 2021 14:02 - 21 minutes - 17.2 MBNitrogen is a very important nutrient for growing crops and can be one of the most expensive inputs. Using this valuable input efficiently can help with overall crop health and environmental sustainability. Dr. Rob Mikkelsen, Yara North America's Director of Agronomic Services, helps us understand The concept of nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) The difference between maximizing and optimizing NUE How to measure NUE Some practical measures that can be done to monitor NUE How an indiv...
Ep 5 on Drought Tools: Reducing Drought Stress with Healthier Soils with Dr. Karl Wyant
August 31, 2021 09:00 - 34 minutes - 28 MBThere is a connection between microbiomes, soil health/structure, and drought resilience. Dr. Karl Wyant, VP of Ag Science at Heliae Agriculture helps us understand how to build healthier soils that can mitigate drought stress improve water holding capacity improve erosion resistance improve nutrient use sequester carbon reduce externalities improve profits Find out more about soil health at the Soil Health Institute Article on drought-resilient crop production Dr. Wy...
What is this Carbon Marketplace We Keep Hearing About?
August 03, 2021 09:00 - 28 minutes - 22.5 MBEverywhere you turn, you bump into talk about carbon market, carbon footprint, carbon credits, etc. What does all this mean and why is it important to us in agriculture? Carbon footprint is the total greenhouse gas emissions caused by an individual, event, organization, service, place or product, expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent. Agriculture is responsible for 10% of the greenhouse gas emissions Yara recently created the Agoro Carbon Alliance to take action on a global scale to...
Helping Our Plants During Heat Stress
July 06, 2021 09:00 - 19 minutes - 15.3 MBThe Pacific Northwest and many other areas are experiencing record high temperatures. How does heat stress and water stress affect plants? What can we do to manage these plants through these stressful times? Jimmy Ridgeway and Kacey Kiehn, Regional Sales Managers, help us grow our knowledge. Learn more from this recent article, "Heat Stress: Let Calcium Help" Download and use Yara's Farm Water Advisor FREE! In less than 1 minute you can have your first field set up and calculating ...
EP 4 Drought Tools - Sebastian Braum
June 29, 2021 13:26 - 42 minutes - 33.7 MBThe days of limitless water are far behind us. Dr. Sebastian Braum joins Yara's Dr. Rob Mikkelsen to discuss how water is the number one driver of growth and yield. Dr. Braum talks about the improvement in the irrigation equipment being installed and that we now need to improve how we use this equipment. He also looks into his crystal ball of what farming might look like in 15-20 years. Dr. Braum is the Director of Agronomy at Farm(x) and a soil scientist. He is experienced in nutrient ...
EP 3 Drought Tools - with Dr. Tim Ellsworth
June 22, 2021 19:49 - 44 minutes - 35.3 MBDr. Tim Ellsworth is a professor at West Hills College in California. He has many years experience working as a soil scientist with the USDA and over 30 years of teaching experience in agriculture. He has expertise in soil science, geology and irrigation. Tim joins us to talk about how irrigation can improve plant health and yield, what effects the drought might have on crops and some golden nuggets that might be implemented if you are dealing with a deficit of water. You can reach Tim ...
Don’t Treat Your Soil Like Dirt Part 2
June 15, 2021 09:00 - 42 minutes - 33.7 MBSoil structure and health is critical growers to improve crop productivity and sustainability. Dr. Karl Wyant, VP of Ag Science at Heliae Agriculture helps us understand the importance of soil health and quality in a two part series: Our first episode from Feb 23, 2021, “Don’t Treat Your Soil Like Dirt” delt with the physical and chemical components of soil This episode we talk about biological components Karl shares five strategies that you may implement to improve your soil health wh...
EP 2 Drought Tools - Strategies for Management
June 08, 2021 09:00 - 35 minutes - 28.8 MBRichard Kreps and Robert Smith, UltraGro, both consult with growers in California but are also growers themselves. They help uncover some great strategies for the areas that are most affected by the drought and shortage of surface water delivered and ground water. How are you creating your irrigation schedules this year? Yara's Farm Water Advisor calculates your field specific plant water use for the next week and then advises you how long and frequent to irrigate. And it's FREE! Downl...
EP 1 Drought Tools - How Bad is the Drought in the Western US in 2021?
June 02, 2021 09:00 - 38 minutes - 30.4 MB2021 looks like it might be a continuation of one of the worst geographical droughts in the last 20 years. 80% of the Western U.S. in drought and nearly 1/2 in "extreme" or Exceptional" drought. This series of episodes will be focused on the drought, the challenges and some strategies that might help advisors and grower manage through the drought. In this episode, William Bourdeau joins us to help us understand the severity of the drought in California. William is a grower (EVP at Harris...
How To Deal With Impacts of Weather Variations and Climate Change with Dr. Matt Yost
May 11, 2021 09:00 - 26 minutes - 21.4 MBClimate change and weather are dynamic. How can we adjust our inputs, specifically irrigation and nutrition, to be more successful with these changes? Our guest, Matt Yost develops land management practices that promote resiliency to weather variations and changing climate. Precise management of the 4 R practices and relationships with irrigation to improve soil health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and maintain profitability. Matt discusses the grant that he received from the 4R Resea...
Calcium: Do I Need to Apply More?
April 27, 2021 09:00 - 26 minutes - 21.1 MBWhat is the difference in total calcium, soluble calcium, and exchangeable calcium? All calcium sources need to be considered and know how it is behaving in the soil in order to get the plants to use it. Dr. Jim Walworth, Professor of Soil Science Extension Specialist st the University of Arizona, joins Dr. Rob Mikkelsen, Yara Director of Agronomic Services to discuss these topics with a bonus conversation on pecans!
Citrus: Transitioning from Spring Flush to Flowering
April 20, 2021 09:00 - 32 minutes - 26.2 MBSpring flush for citrus is a critical growth stage. John Martzen, agronomist with GAR Bennett, joins Vanessa Dominguez (Vicencio) to talk about some of the nutritional concerns and strategies. Zinc and Manganese are important to maximize growth and fruit development during this time. Read Vanessa's article we mentioned and sign up for the Citrus Newsletter HERE To find out more go to Yara.us or YaraCanada.ca
Dr. Isaac Madsen Has X-Ray Vision
April 13, 2021 09:00 - 28 minutes - 23.2 MBWouldn't it be nice if we could see how the roots of a plant respond to treatments? Dr. Isaac Madsen, Extension Agronomist at Washington State University, teaches us about the innovative work he as been doing with scanner technology and root observation. What is the advantage of looking at roots instead of at the shoots? What crops can we do this with? What do we learn from these observations? Are there other forms of nitrate-based fertilizers that eliminate the NH4-induced root dama...
How to Transition your Turf in the Spring
April 06, 2021 09:00 - 45 minutes - 36.1 MBSpring is here and our turf is transitioning out of dormancy, depending on where you live. What knowledge do turf managers need to make smart choices for feeding their turf as we go from winter to spring and then to summer? Our two guests, Dr. Brian Unruh and Dr. Marcos Schiavon compliment our own Turf & Ornamental Crop Manager, Neil Mayberry with some things to look out for and some golden nuggets for an amazing summer. They explain some of the key regional differences and key indicators...
Wine Grape Nutrition During Spring Bud Break
March 30, 2021 09:00 - 37 minutes - 29.8 MBAs wine grapes come out of winter dormancy and begin bud break, proper balanced nutrition is critical for quality and yield goals. Paul Crout, CCA/PCA, Product Manager/Agronomist, for Helena Agri-Enterprises teach us more about this important stage of the wine grape life cycle. Wine grapes may be the highest value fruit crop in the US with nearly 1 million acres of grape-bearing land. Understanding a complete and balanced nutrition plan can help achieve the yield and quality goals of t...
4Rs of Nutrient Stewardship Success Stories
March 02, 2021 10:00 - 27 minutes - 22.2 MBFor the last ten years, The Fertilizer Institute has designated five growers and their retailer as advocates of the 4Rs of nutrient stewardship. Each pair that are selected play a crucial role in showcasing the real-world economic and environmental benefits of implementing 4R Nutrient Stewardship principles. Myron Johnson, with Double J Farms, a 4th generation farmer in Alabama and his retail advisor, Drew Schrimsher with GreenPoint Ag join Christy Hicks, Yara Sales Agronomist, to help u...
Don't Treat Your Soil Like Dirt
February 23, 2021 10:00 - 37 minutes - 30.2 MBSoil structure and health is critical growers to improve crop productivity and sustainability. Dr. Karl Wyant, VP of Ag Science at Heliae Agriculture helps us understand the importance of soil health and quality. Our new Director of Agronomic Services, Dr. Rob Mikkelsen also joins to add insight to the discussion. In this part 1 discussion we are going to look at the physical and chemical connection to soil health. In Part 2, we will discuss the Biological component. We refer to Karl's ar...
Resiliency of Our Turf Grass Industry
February 02, 2021 10:00 - 36 minutes - 29.2 MB2020 was a challenge for all of us but there were many silver linings and lessons learned. Tim Kreger, Executive Director of the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association, joins with Yara Sales Agronomists Brian Grill (#turfbeard) and Cole McNally to discuss the challenges that faced the Turf Grass industry and how our professional managers turned these into lemons. Tim is also a co-host with Allen Knight of the popular Pullin' Weeds Podcast. For more information about Yara's Op...
Calcium is Critical for Short and Long Term Plant Health and Production - Part 2
January 26, 2021 10:00 - 28 minutes - 23.2 MBPart 2 Last week we discussed the importance of calcium and that you cannot rely on soil tests to identify difficiencies in Ca. This week we talk about how to make Ca an important part of your overall nutrition plan. We unfold the four R's of Nutrient Stewardship with Ca. If applied properly, your overall input costs can be reduced while improving quality and yield in a sustainable way.
Why Should You Be Applying Calcium Even if Your Soil Analysis Says You Have Plenty?
January 19, 2021 10:00 - 22 minutes - 18.2 MBPart 1 of 2: Calcium levels that are shown on soil reports can mislead you to believe that you don't need supplemental applications. This could prove to short and long-term catastrophe. Join Dr. Steve Petrie and Devin Clarke as we discuss this major nutrient, its importance and how to know how much to supplement.
Complete Citrus: Good Agronomics Always Wins
January 12, 2021 10:00 - 41 minutes - 32.9 MBA good consistent agronomic plan is key to success with permanent crops. In this episode, we talk about citrus: What are the economic impacts to the US economy? What are some of the challenges with citrus today? What are some strategies that can improve sustainability and maximize on-farm profits Learn more about Yara's Complete Citrus suggestions here. Take a look at Yara's "Field Talk Friday" video series we mentioned.
The Alchemy of Air with Author Thomas Hager
December 22, 2020 21:11 - 53 minutes - 42.9 MBWe did a short podcast back in October about the discovery of synthetic fertilizer and mentioned the book, "The Alchemy of Air: A Jewish Genius, a Doomed Tycoon, and the Scientific Discovery That Fed the World but Fueled the Rise of Hitler". After the publication of that episode, we were introduced to the Author, Thomas Hager, who generously agreed to come on the podcast. Thomas recounts stories about two chemists, Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch, who together discovered a way to create synthet...
Incubator Farms: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
November 25, 2020 10:00 - 28 minutes - 23.1 MBThis is the final of three episodes dedicated to Yara's incubator farms in North America. Through collaborative efforts with customers, partners, and various technology providers, Yara plans to utilize these farms to study and advance insights into all aspects of the cropping system. The Saskatoon incubator farm is 80-acres of row crops that feature Western Canada's cropping system including canola, wheat, barley, peas, lentils, etc. To find out more about the Saskatoon field click HERE ...
Incubator Farms: Auburn, Alabama
November 17, 2020 10:00 - 24 minutes - 20 MBThis is the second of three episodes dedicated to Yara's incubator farms in North America. Through collaborative efforts with Auburn University, as well as customers, partners, and various technology providers, Yara plans to utilize these farms to study and advance insights into all aspects of the cropping system. The Auburn incubator farm is a multi-acre plot of row crops including corn, cotton and soybeans on 80 acres. To find out more about the Auburn field click HERE To find out more...
Incubator Farms: Where Knowledge Grows
November 10, 2020 10:00 - 29 minutes - 23.9 MBIn the next two episodes, we will introduce you to the three incubator farms that Yara is directing in North America. Through collaborative efforts with customers, partners, and various technology providers, Yara plans to utilize these farms to study and advance insights into all aspects of the cropping system. Modesto, California is the site of nearly 80 acres of almonds and walnuts. Devin Clarke discusses what we are accomplishing in this multi-year, production scale farm. To find out...
An Unsung Hero: Norman Borlaug
November 03, 2020 10:00 - 31 minutes - 25.1 MBIf you don't know who Norman Borlaug is, you are not alone BUT need to listen to this episode. Norman has been responsible for saving billions of lives based on his research and revolutionary breeding. Early on he was responsible for helping Mexico, India and Pakistan become self-sustaining in their wheat production during a time of possible famine! This is the 50th anniversary of Dr. Borlaug receiving the Nobel Prize for Peace. You will want to share this episode with your friends, famil...
The Alchemy of Air - Changing the World Through Mineral Fertilizer
October 27, 2020 09:00 - 25 minutes - 20.3 MBRecently on October 13, we celebrated Global Fertilizer Day. Mineral fertilizer is the world's most life-saving innovation. How did this innovation evolve? Yara's Dr. Bill Easterwood, Dr. Trey Cutts, Markus Braaten tell this amazing story - one that began with a dire problem and solved through collaboration between many individuals and companies. The Book, The Alchemy of Air, can be beneficial homework for you post podcast degree :-)
Balancing Your Budget and Investing for Future Success
September 01, 2020 09:00 - 36 minutes - 28.9 MBOne of the key decisions a grower and advisor has to make is how to plan for the future and how resources can be most effectively used. This year the nut industry is expected to have record crop yields. Almonds, for example, will be an all-time record. In contrast, the market price for almonds is looking to be near break-even rates. So what do we do? Devin Clarke, Yara's Permanent Crop Manager, helps us understand the long-term consequences of short-term decisions. If you would li...
Calcium Nitrate for the Win!
August 26, 2020 13:54 - 42 minutes - 33.6 MBAn avocado grower sees dramatic increases in his fruit set and quality when he switches from traditional forms of Nitrogen to Calcium Nitrate this year. Join Yara Regional Sales Manager, Patricia Dingus and Sales Agronomist, Eddie Muro and our retail partner Sunny Brucker PCA CCA, AgRx, as we discuss this 80-acre field trial. Even if you don't grow avocados, there are some great golden nuggets that you might be able to transfer into your advising and growing. Find out more about avocado...
Monitoring Your Crops - ATW EP 42
July 28, 2020 19:26 - 20 minutes - 16.4 MBDr. Steve Petrie talks about the different ways we can monitor our crops throughout the season. Each of these methods are valuable and the more you include, will likely help you understand more and use your crop inputs more precisely. Visual Inspection Tissue sample/analysis Soil & Water sample/analysis Digital tools and remote sensing
Water Quality Part 3 - ATW EP 41
July 14, 2020 09:00 - 16 minutes - 12.9 MBJust because water is wet, doesn't mean it is good for your soil or crop. Soil will take on the characteristics of the water that is applied. Water quality can play a critical role in fertilizer use efficiency. Dr. Steve Petrie starts the discussion on water quality in this final of three parts of Agronomic Tips of the Week that will help us understand why we should be concerned about the quality of the water we are irrigating with and how we can mitigate some of common issues found in...
Water Quality - ATW EP 40
July 07, 2020 09:00 - 16 minutes - 13.2 MBJust because water is wet, doesn't mean it is good for your soil or crop. Soil will take on the characteristics of the water that is applied. Water quality can play a critical role in fertilizer use efficiency. Dr. Steve Petrie starts the discussion on water quality in this part two of three Agronomic Tips of the Week that will help us understand why we should be concerned about the quality of the water we are irrigating with and how we can mitigate some of common issues found in water.