Wallaces Farmer

Iowa Soybean Association's On-Farm Network seeks farmers for fall vs. spring nitrogen studies.

November 12, 2006

2 Min Read

In continuing efforts to help row crop producers minimize fertilizer costs, the Iowa Soybean Association's On-Farm Network is looking for growers to participate in several fall vs. spring nitrogen application strip-trial studies.

"This fall, we're looking more closely at fall vs. spring anhydrous, and differences between a low rate of fall anhydrous applied with and without N-Serve," says Tracy Blackmer, ISA director of research. Another study of interest to livestock producers will focus on manure applied to provide 100% of the anticipated crop's nitrogen needs, compared with additional side-dressed nitrogen.

"We've looked at all these to some extent in the past," Blackmer says, "but we'd like trials across a wider geographic area in order to show when and where N-Serve is effective, and how growers can benefit from using manure."

Growers guaranteed against loss

Protocols for all the fall vs. spring trials can be found at the On-Farm Network website: www.isafarmnet.com/agronstudies, or by following links from the main Iowa Soybean Association website at www.iasoybeans.com.  

As with other On-Farm Network reduced nitrogen rate studies, growers are guaranteed against economic losses in their trials, and are also paid $200 for conducting the study on their farm, once their trial is completed. Growers get aerial imagery of the field where the trial is conducted, along with guided stalk sampling and an end-of-season analysis of their trial.

Funding for these trials is provided in part by grants from USDA's National Resources Conservation Service and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, through the Integrated Farm and Livestock Management program, and the soybean checkoff.

Contact ISA today if you're interested

Iowa farmers who participated in 2006 trials will soon be able to download their pre-harvest stalk nitrate test data at the On-Farm Network website. Watch the site for details. For more information, contact Pat Reeg, field research operations manager, at 515-669-9184 or by email at [email protected].

The ISA On-Farm Network helps coordinate farmer-directed row crop production studies involving new products and practices by providing protocols, technical assistance and data analysis. While all studies are economic in nature, some are also focused on environmental protection and impact assessment.

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