Increased global demand for small grains emphasizes the need for intensified management strategies and future yield gains. The first study investigated the influence of various fertilizer and fungicide strategies and effects on winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growth and development. Treatments were arranged as a full-factorial, randomized complete block design with two rates of autumn starter (AS), five fungicide timings (FT), and two rates of late-season nitrogen (LN) applied at Feekes 7 following both silage corn (SC) and soybean (SB). All treatments received a blanket N application [84 (SB) or 112 (SC) kg ha−1] at Feekes 5, except for check plots. Following SC, AS increased mean grain yield by 2.2 Mg ha−1 in 2022. Across FT, AS consistently increased mean grain yield by 1.4 – 2.6 Mg ha-1 in SC 2023. Following SB, AS increased mean straw yield by 0.4, and 0.7 MT ha−1, respectively in 2022 and 2023. An interaction between AS and LN significantly influenced straw yield with AS increasing straw yield both with and without LN in SC 2022. Autumn starter increased mean straw yield by 1.3 MT ha-1 than no AS in SC 2023. Autumn starter decreased grain protein content when LN was not applied (SC 2023, SB 2022). Late-season N at Feekes 7 occasionally increased mean grain protein content (SC 2022 and SB 2023). Michigan sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.) nutrient management recommendations include 157-179 kg N ha-1 with an initial 45 kg N ha-1 applied at planting to promote canopy closure. While individually added inputs associated with yield gaps were previously investigated, synergistic influences combined with a standard N program (SN) within an intensive management perspective have not been explored. This second study investigated sugarbeet root yield and recoverable sucrose response to different fertilizer strategies along a stepwise increase in management intensity. In 2022, SN treatment averaged 90.1 Mg ha-1, 148.4 kg Mg-1, and 13,327.9 kg ha-1. The addition of in-furrow P negatively impacted root yield and recoverable sugar by -15.5 Mg ha-1 and - 2,325.7 kg ha-1, respectively. In 2023, pre-plant broadcast lime, in-furrow P, and intensive management increased root yield by 13.7, 11.9, and 13.2 Mg ha-1, respectively. The intensive management and pre-plant broadcast lime increased recoverable sugar per Mg by +7.1 and +8.4 kg Mg-1, respectively, while also improving recoverable sugar per hectare by +2,329.8 and +2,278.0 kg ha-1, respectively. In-furrow P increased sugar per hectare by 2,186.3 kg ha-1.
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