With grain prices at higher levels, farmers may be willing to try something new on the farm this growing season. But, it is easy to do in a manner that may not give you the information you need to make a change or major purchase decision in the future.

A research trial is different than a demonstration plot, which is used to showcase a new technology, product or production practice. 

An ideal field research project is replicated and even randomized and has at least three replications, with ideally six replications, in a field of a uniform soil type and drainage. The length and width of each replication is not particularly important. And the replications do not need to be the same length to get an accurate acreage for each one. 

In past work with wheat, corn and soybeans, it makes sense to have each replication wide enough for a nice, full combine pass, and ideally one full round to minimize harvest delays and maximize efficiency. In the fall of the year, you want to keep the combine moving, even in a research plot. 

World record holders for corn and soybeans have all tried things on their farms to increase yields and profits. At past educational meetings, Herman Warsaw, Francis Childs, Kip Cullers, Randy Dowdy, Dave Hula and Don Stall have spoken. 

All said they tried something on a field near the house so they could keep an eye on the situation and crop progress. And all said they did not make a profit on their experimental fields, but something they did could be adapted to the rest of their acreage that did make them more money.

Pick out one new idea, technology or product to try and compare it to your “farm standard” procedure or practice. Be sure to identify the replications with some kind of field marker as finding flags or stakes in a mature crop can be difficult, and in some cases, the wind has blown the marker flag away. 

Be in the field weekly to document what was done, as well as the weather and other conditions, as no two years ever seem to be the same. Ideally, try something new for more than one year.   

Document outcome

Does the crop with the new product yield more? Did the yield increase pay for the product? In a Feb. 15 MSU Field Crops corn zoom meeting with Joe Lauer from the University of Wisconsin, he said their research shows that hybrid selection is the No. 1 yield-limiting factor. 

He said that adding traits usually does not increase yields but is “defensive” in protecting yield. Drought tolerance is the main “offensive” trait he has observed.

Crop rotation was his second yield-limiting factor. A monocropping system of any crop will cause a yield drag, sometimes even in year two. No. 3 on his list was tillage, with no or minimum tillage outyielding conventional tillage in a rotation. 

Part of that reasoning is the added expense of horsepower, fuel and tillage tools. The No. 4 yield-limiting factor was early-season weed control. Then came harvest timing, land, marketing and equipment. 

Planting date is very important, and April 28 was the long-term, best-yielding corn planting date in southern Wisconsin. Nontraditional products, such as sugar, were at the bottom of Lauer's list of profitable practices. 

He didn’t specifically mention fertility, although the new Purdue, Ohio State and MSU Tri-State Fertilizer recommendations are now available at agcrops.osu.edu.

Farmers interested in getting help to set up an on-farm research project can contact Ricardo Costa-Silva at MSU Extension or Ned Birkey. 

Birkey is an MSU Extension educator emeritus and owner of Spartan Ag.