By: Elizabeth Hawkins on behalf of the Digital Ag Team and contributors to eFields, Ohio State University Extension
eFields is an Ohio State University program dedicated to advancing production agriculture through the use of field-scale research. Investigations are designed to answer questions that matter to farmers and insights from these studies are used to help farmers and their advisors understand how new practices and techniques can improve farm efficiency and profitability. Projects focus on precision nutrient management strategies and technologies to improve efficiency of fertilizer placement, enhance placement of pesticides and seed, automate machinery, and to develop analytical tools for digital agriculture.
The 2017 eFields Research Report is now available. This report highlights 39 on-farm research projects that were conducted on over 3,000 acres across Ohio. In addition to the study design and yield results, each project report outlines the county where the research trial was located, general information about farm management practices at that location, and county-level weather information for the season. This information helps make it possible to identify research trials and results that align most closely with your operation.
Some highlights of the 2017 report include high speed planting, soybean seeding rate trials, and the sidedressing of corn with manure using a drag hose. Excerpts from these three studies are provided as examples of what you can find within the eFields report.
In order to better understand the capability of today’s high speed planters to accurately and precisely place seed, we tested a 16-row Case IH 2150 planter at five different speeds ranging from 5 to 17 mph. We measured and compared average singulation, average emergence, and yield. Check out the results on pages 20-21 of the report.
With the need to find ways to apply manure more responsibly, OSU Extension has been evaluating methods to use liquid manures to side-dress corn. Trials conducted in Darke and Fulton counties are highlighted in the 2017 eFields Report. Liquid swine and dairy manure sidedress treatments were compared to commercial nitrogen sources. See if it worked on pages 44-47.
Soybean seeding rate trials were planted at 13 on-farm locations across Ohio. Target seeding rates ranged from 60,000 – 240,000 seeds/acre. Information from these trials will be used to improve recommendations for variable-rate seeding prescriptions. Interested to see how your county compares to others? Check out the results on pages 76-89 of the report.
You can download the full report at: go.osu.edu/eFields or request a printed copy by contacting: digitalag@osu.edu or your local Extension office.