In 2011, the Research and Tech Transfer committee of the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council (MSR&PC) graciously agreed to fund a unique research project focused on investigating how drainage affects soybean yields, but more importantly, studies how management should differ between well-drained and poorly-drained soils. The University of Minnesota/MSR&PC’s Drainage Research site is the only research center of its kind in the world. With this site we can demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits to producers, the public, and legislators of BMP’s already in use by Minnesota soybean producers.
The 14-acre site north of Wells, MN includes eight independently-drained blocks so that four have been left in an undrained condition and four have been drained since tile installation. In 2016, the blocks were further split to allow us to examine the interactions between drainage and tillage (conventional, strip-till, no-till). Within these splits, we can examine 15 management treatments. We have examined two- and three-way interactions with soybean management such as populations, seed treatments, foliar fertilizers and fungicides, and many others.
This unique site allows us to examine not only the effects of drainage and tillage on yield and production efficiencies of soybean in a corn/soybean rotation, but we are able to demonstrate environmental benefits of these strategies as well. Moreover, we are able to examine interactions between tillage, drainage, and soybean management (eg what is the relative value of seed treatments in drained/undrained, tilled/strip/no-till, and drained and strip-tilled, etc?).
The findings from this site have been rich. We have confirmed yield stability attributed to both drainage and conventional tillage and have confirmed that strip-till can be implemented without reducing yields when compared with conventional tillage. We have also been surprised by lack of interactions with management. For instance, we have not noted additional benefit to fungicides (as seed treatments or foliar treatments) on poorly-drained soils. Recently we have made important discoveries regarding increased NOx loss from poorly drained soils and carryover effects of N rates on subsequent soybean crops.
After six successful cropping seasons at this site, we planned to begin a long-term examination of yield results relative to climate and soil water as well as a thorough examination of physical and chemical composition effects of tillage and drainage on southern Minnesota soils. Unfortunately, the project funding for site maintenance and the 2020 research project proposed for the site was rejected by the MSR&PC’s Research. Without base funding in place, we will be forced to abandon this site. Loss of this valuable multi-functional resource will not only represent an important loss of the only dedicated MSR&PC field research site, but it will result in the loss of long-term soil data that would be collected and used to inform researchers, farmers, the public, and legislators. We hope to increase the number of educational tours and events highlighting important research findings at this unique research and educational venue.