The University of Nebraska Testing Ag Performance Solutions, or TAPS, program began in 2017 as an innovative way of connecting producers to industry professionals. The program offers a way of testing new advancing technologies through farm management competitions.

The actual plots are hosted at the West Central Research, Extension and Education Center at North Platte.

The 2020 TAPS team gathered Jan. 16 to honor the winners in three cropping categories through a virtual award ceremony. Irrigated corn, subsurface irrigated corn and irrigated sorghum competitions had winners in three different categories. Each cropping system awarded top producers in greatest yield, highest input use efficiency and most profitable.

Along with the final yield numbers for each winner, TAPS team members also noted the seed population, hybrids planted, amount of irrigation used, amount of nitrogen applied and even the type of soil moisture sensor used in their plots.

The sprinkler irrigated sorghum contest, in its third year, had 12 teams. Greatest yield was won by Marc Rasmussen of Cambridge. The highest input use efficiency award went to Scott Jewett of Holdrege, and Paul Hoyt of Culbertson took home the highest recognition of most profitable.

In the second year of the subsurface drip irrigation corn competition, 16 teams competed. The award winners in the SDI competition included Lorn Dizmang of Dizmang Ag of Moorefield, who received the greatest yield award. The Tri-Basin Water Watchers team of Holdrege won the highest input use efficiency accolade, and the Rattlesnake Boys from Wood River won the top award for most profitable.

The Tri-Basin Water Watchers team included Pat Nott, Chris Ecklun, Reed Philips, Rick Reinsch and Curtis Scheele. The Rattlesnake Boys team consisted of Kevin and Amy Harsch, Jay Johnson, and Jeremy Gewecke.

The fourth year of the sprinkler corn competition had 27 teams participate. The greatest yield award was presented to Mark McConnell of Paxton. The M&M’s team of York, which included Ron Makovicka, Jenny Rees, Jerry Stahr and Stuart Spader, earned the highest input use efficiency award. McConnell won the top award for most profitable, as well.

The last award presented was for the outstanding TAPS advocate, which was started last year to honor an organization, person or business that went above and beyond in supporting the TAPS program. This year, the award recipient was Tyler Harris of Nebraska Farmer magazine. See the table for the winners and details of their management decisions in the contest.

A full recording of the awards ceremony and a presentation of the data can be found online at mediahub.unl.edu; search for TAPS. To learn more about the program and the 2021 competitions, contact Krystle Rhoades, TAPS program manager, at taps.unl.edu.

Source: UNL-TAPS, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.