Update:
10 of 30 trial yield files received as of November 20, 2017. Waiting for QSSB's to submit final yield data for processing and stand count information. Once received, the data will be process, reports generated and posted online for public viewing.

The request for funding in 2017 was to further support the Multi-State On-Farm Partnership Program built upon the successes of the efforts in 2015 and 2016. The initial contract with the United Soybean Board engaged 11 states with on-farm research programs and 18 trials in 2015. The interest was so high that the project was expanded to as many as 30 trials in 2016 with several states, like Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin supporting additional project fields through their on-farm research programs. The interest and support for this project has grown significantly in the last two years, resulting in the largest participation ever in 2017. The geography and partnership was been larger and more active than originally envisioned. The granted funding for this expanded pilot project engaged new partners and helped produce valuable data for soybean farmers.

The primary goal of the third year of this project aimed to continue to organize and coordinate the efforts of states ready to move forward together in a multi-state effort as represented by participation in the 2015 and 2016 projects. In 2017, utilizing replicated strip trials, the project assessed several soybean management practices. Originally, four topics of soybean research were to be considered in the 2017 growing season.
1. Soybean Row Spacing
2. In-Furrow Fungicide
3. Starter Fertilizer
4.Soybean Population

Due to local research desires, as well as challenges from mother nature, additional topics were researched beyond the initial scope. The following soybean research topics were completed in the 2017 growing season:
1. Soybean Population
2.Soybean Row Spacing
3.Starter Fertilizer
4.Foliar Plant Growth Regulator
5.In-Furrow Boron vs. Foliar applied
6.Foliar Plant Growth Regulator vs. Fungicide
Through the previously listed state partnerships, we collected and analyzed yield data, stand count information and collected aerial imagery for each trial location. Results were generated into reports and posted online for public viewing in an online database through the United Soybean Board website and will also be linked through the NCSRP website.


Research Results
The 2017 NCSRP Multi-State soybean trial program was incredibly successful with over 95% of trials being successfully executed. Across the 9 participating states, including South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Kansas and Indiana, 29 soybean research trials were established and submitted for analysis and final report generation.
Plant Growth Regulator vs Fungicide
Several of these research topics had more than one location, while others were limited to a single location. Foliar PGR vs. Fungicide was a single trial conducted in South Dakota. Comparing Priaxor fungicide to Ascend, the trial showed very little difference in response (0.5 bu/acre) with the fungicide losing and not providing enough return to justify the cost this year.

Boron
In-furrow boron showed a large response compared to foliar application boron. While limited to a single trial in Indiana, a 5.39 bu/acre response in favor of the in-furrow application. This type of response, though only in a single location, warrants additional research in the 2018 multi-state on-farm partnership.
Plant Growth Regulator
Three locations studied the effects of a plant growth regulator, applied at R1-R2 growth stage. Researchers used two different, but similar industry products called Ascend and Vigeo. Both products promote flowering, pod development and seed filling. Results from these locations were flat, averaging about -0.5 bu/acre response.

Soybean Row Spacing
Researchers conducted four soybean row spacing trials across three states in 2017. Comparisons typically consisted of 15 inch row spacing versus 30 inch row spacing. A single location also included 7.5 inch drilled row spacing. Results from the majority of these trials were consistent with previous years research showing a positive yield response for 15 inch soybean spacing versus 30 in soybean spacing. Across the three 15 vs. 30 inch row spacing soybean trials, the 15 inch soybeans maintained a 3.4 bu/ac advantage.

In the Nebraska location, which also studied the 7.5 inch drilled row width, results favored the 7.5 in row spacing on irrigated ground. Drilled soybeans saw a 3.5 bu/acre advantage over 30 inch row spacing and a 4.2 bu/acre advantage over 15 inch row spacing. Results from this location are reflective of the early season stand counts collected. Comments from the Nebraska research team include: “The 15” treatment had a poor stand due to the way it was double planted (dirt thrown over last planted rows). Additionally, some rows in this treatment were just plain missing. Despite this, it yielded well.”

Starter
Starter versus no starter trials were conducted across five locations in four different states. Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota all did research comparisons using slightly different starter fertilizers. The most common starter was a 10-34-0 applied in-furrow at planting. Harvest populations favored starter trials, but across all locations, no measurable yield response was found between the treatments. These results are consistent with the 2016 starter versus no-starter trials as well.

Soybean Population
The most popular research topic in 2017 (and 2016) is soybean population trials. Researchers from 8 states conducted 16 soybean population trials with populations pushing the extremes on both ends. Four trial locations featured 80,000 as the low soybean population and 190,000 to 200,000 as the high population. Results from the population trials varied greatly. In two research locations in Ohio, the 80,000 soybean population out yielded the highest populations (190,000 and 200,000) with one location showing 80,000 seeding rating with a 10.1 bu/ac advantage over the 190,000 rate. Averaged across all locations, the optimal seeding rate was between 120,000 and 160,000 seed per acre. Yield results need to be compared with rainfall amounts and timing for a more thorough analysis as to which conditions best favored which soybean population. It is recommended that trial results be analyzed on an individual basis to understand population performance comparisons.

Deliverables and Key Performance Indicators:
The development, continuation and expansion of a successful partnership framework necessitates considerable planning and strategizing. To-date, the multi-state On-Farm Partnership has been highly successful and continues to grow. This program brings great value to US soybean farmers. Indicators of performance for this project included the following deliverables and indicators:

1.Establish agreement and a collaborative set of operating principles among partners on leadership, priorities, governance and next steps.
2.Based on Step 1, implement a cooperative primary leadership structure representing the array of key science, industry, non-profit, and agency stakeholders.
3.Continue to establish subgroups or working teams to develop further proposals, structure, standards, and/or guidelines that enable the formation of the network.
4.Implement the formation of the network based on the foundations established in steps 1-3.
5.Continue to establish and utilize a publicly available, multi-state, online research database to provide agronomic and management data for soybean farmers.

This project has met each of the deliverables and key performance indicators for 2017. Collaborative research with 9 different state partners successfully conducted 29 soybean research trials under similar trial protocols and research methods. The research with these teams entered its 3rd year of collaboration and the demand for this multi-state research is continuing to grow. Most of the data from 2017 has been posted online through the United Soybean Association website in the Soybean Strip Trial Database and the rest of the data, when collected, analyzed and processed, will be posted this winter.