2023
Achieving 100 Bu/A soybean yields: on-farm research and sharing high yield protocols with South Dakota soybean producers
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
Field management Nutrient managementSoil healthTillageYield trials
Lead Principal Investigator:
David Clay, South Dakota State University
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
Institution Funded:
Brief Project Summary:
This project will focus on several priorities including increasing yields through unbiased on-farm testing of different products and precision agriculture methods. The on-farm testing varies from year to year and often includes seeding rates, fungicide biological product usage, and fertilizer rates. In the precision agriculture objective, we will use remote sensing and calculations to develop precision techniques and prescriptions for identifying and reducing yield-limiting factors. We will also use on-farm testing to identify the benefits and barriers to the adoption of sustainable practices, including reductions in tillage, adoption of 4R stewardship and cover crops.
Key Beneficiaries:
#agronomists, #extension specialists, #farmers
Unique Keywords:
#cover crops, #crop management systems, #on-farm research, #precision ag, #sustainability
Information And Results
Project Summary

This project will focus on several priorities that were identified by the SD Soybean Research and Promotion council. These include increasing yields through unbiased on-farm testing of different products, precision agriculture, and sustainability. All three activities will be conducted in on-farm studies. In the on-farm testing of different products what farmers test varies from year to year and often includes the testing seeding rates, the use of fungicides, biological products, and fertilizer rates. In the precision agriculture research, we will use state-of-the-art remote sensing techniques and calculation approaches to develop precision techniques and prescriptions for identifying and reducing yield limiting factors. Additional support for this the precision research is provided by the National Science Foundation. In the sustainability research we will use on-farm testing to determine to identify the benefits and the barriers to the adoption of sustainable practices. The primary treatments in the sustainability research are reductions in the tillage intensity, adoption of the nutrient 4R stewardship, and cover crops. Additional support for these activities are provided by NRCS.

Project Objectives

The activities for 2022-2023 include:
1) Continue the on-farm research program, In these projects the farmer collaborators pick treatments that they wish to test. SDSU helps them set up and analyze the experiment. SDSU undergraduate students are using the on-farm studies for their capstone class. In 2022, sixty-three experiments were conducted.
2) Precision experiments: Expand the testing of using remote sensing to better define the yield limiting factors,
a. In 2021, we purchased a hyperspectral remote sensing scanner that we will be used ion 2022.
3) Sustainability. In this research we will test the impact of adoption sustainable practices, reduced tillage intensity, enhanced nutrient management, and cover crops on soil and plant health. In these on-farm studies, extensive soil and plant health sampling will be conducted.

Project Deliverables

Data will be shared with producers through multiple mechanism. First, individualized project reports will be prepared and distributed to the farmer collaborators. Second, reports will be placed on the on-farm web-site. In addition, this year hard copies of these reports will be prepared and distributed through multiple mechanisms including farmer meetings, Soy100, training sessions, summer field tours, and IPM School. In addition, articles will be placed on extension.sdstate.edu, and in newspapers. Most of the study will take place in farmer fields where we work one on one with individual farmers. The findings will provide unbiased data for SD crop growers. In addition, SDSU students are using data collected in the on-farm studies in several classes.
a. Graduate students are using Artificial Intelligence techniques to predict yields based on reflectance information.
b. College seniors are using the on-farm studies for their final project in the Agronomy Capstone class (PS475)
c. Students enrolled in the use of sensors in precision farming are using data from the on-farm studies in their term papers.
d. The goal of these projects are to help students match solutions to problems and create locally based, flexible, high profit roadmaps, which will be validated in research conducted in producer’s fields when appropriate.

Progress Of Work

Updated October 28, 2022:
On-farm studies provide information that producers use to reduce the economic risks associated with new products, test the efficiency of components within their current operation, and test innovative new ideas and concepts. In the project, a producer chooses his/her treatments based on their interest or desire prior to implementation. SDSU agronomists assist in experimental design, treatment application, scouting, and analysis. At the completion of the project, reports are distributed to the farmer collaborator, and they are posted SD Soybean Research and Promotion on-farm web site. Farmers use results from the study to identify treatments that might be success on their farm and reduce the economic risks associated with new products. To date, over 450 experiments have been conducted by SD farmers. SDSU undergraduate students are using the on-farm studies for their capstone class and planning for SOY100 2022 has started. We just received word that the American Ethanol Coalition and SDSU were funded in a UDSA-RCPP project focused on soil health. This project is centered around Madison, and it will provide funding for the adoption and quantification of BMP on soil health. We are in the process of identifying collaborators for this this on-farm study. This new project will help expand our on-farm research on soybeans and soil health. Soy100 planning is being conducted. The project report is provided in the attachment.

View uploaded report Word file

Updated January 30, 2023:
On-farm studies provide information that producers use to reduce the economic risks associated with new products, test the efficiency of components within their current operation, and test innovative new ideas and concepts. In the project, a producer chooses his/her treatments based on their interest or desire prior to implementation. SDSU agronomists assist in experimental design, treatment application, scouting, and analysis. At the completion of the project, reports are distributed to the farmer collaborator, and they are posted SD Soybean Research and Promotion on-farm web site. Farmers use results from the study to identify treatments that might be success on their farm and reduce the economic risks associated with new products. To date, over 450 experiments have been conducted by SD farmers. SDSU undergraduate students are using the on-farm studies for their capstone class and planning for SOY100 2022 is completed. We just received word that the American Ethanol Coalition and SDSU were funded in a UDSA-RCPP project focused on soil health. This project is centered around Madison, and it will provide funding for the adoption and quantification of BMP on soil health. We are in the process of identifying collaborators for this this on-farm study. This new project will help expand our on-farm research on soybeans and soil health.

1) Continue the on-farm research program in 2021;
a. On farm studies
b. Create a remote sensing yield model
2) Continue research designed to determine the importance of soil health in optimizing soybean
3) Deliver information to producers through Soy100, AgOutlook, SD on-farm web-site, news releases, radio interviews, and SDSU websites.
4) Use data collected in the on-farm SDSU classes (PS475 and PS428)

View uploaded report Word file

Updated April 29, 2023:
On-farm studies provide information that producers use to reduce the economic risks associated with new products, test the efficiency of components within their current operation, and test innovative new ideas and concepts. In the project, a producer chooses his/her treatments based on their interest or desire prior to implementation. SDSU agronomists assist in experimental design, treatment application, scouting, and analysis. At the completion of the project, reports are distributed to the farmer collaborator, and they are posted SD Soybean Research and Promotion on-farm web site. Farmers use results from the study to identify treatments that might be success on their farm and reduce the economic risks associated with new products. To date, over 450 experiments have been conducted by SD farmers. SDSU undergraduate students are using the on-farm studies for their capstone class and planning for SOY100 2022 is completed. We just received word that the American Ethanol Coalition and SDSU were funded in a UDSA-RCPP project focused on soil health. This project is centered aroudison, and it will provide funding for the adoption and quantification of BMP on soil health. We are in the process of identifying collaborators for this this on-farm study. This new project will help expand our on-farm research on soybeans and soil health.

1) Continue the on-farm research program, reports from 2022 have been completed
a. On farm studies
b. Create a remote sensing yield model, completed and submitted for review
2) Continue research designed to determine the importance of soil health in optimizing soybean, over 30 projects have been identified for 20223
3) Deliver information to producers through Soy100, AgOutlook, SD on-farm web-site, news releases, radio interviews, and SDSU websites. Completed 139 people attended the meeting
4) Use data collected in the on-farm SDSU classes (PS475 and PS428)

View uploaded report PDF file

Updated July 28, 2023:
n-farm studies provide information that producers use to reduce the economic risks associated with new products, test the efficiency of components within their current operation, and test innovative new ideas and concepts. In the project, a producer chooses his/her treatments based on their interest or desire prior to implementation. SDSU agronomists assist in experimental design, treatment application, scouting, and analysis. At the completion of the project, reports are distributed to the farmer collaborator, and they are posted SD Soybean Research and Promotion on-farm web site. Farmers use results from the study to identify treatments that might be success on their farm and reduce the economic risks associated with new products. To date, over 450 experiments have been conducted by SD farmers. SDSU undergraduate students are using the on-farm studies for their capstone class and planning for SOY100 2022 is completed. We just received word that the American Ethanol Coalition and SDSU were funded in a UDSA-RCPP project focused on soil health. This project is centered aroudison, and it will provide funding for the adoption and quantification of BMP on soil health. We are in the process of identifying collaborators for this this on-farm study. This new project will help expand our on-farm research on soybeans and soil health.

1) Continue the on-farm research program, reports from 2022 have been completed
a. On farm studies
b. Create a remote sensing yield model, completed and submitted for review
2) Continue research designed to determine the importance of soil health in optimizing soybean, over 30 projects have been identified for 20223
3) Deliver information to producers through Soy100, AgOutlook, SD on-farm web-site, news releases, radio interviews, and SDSU websites. Completed 139 people attended the meeting.
4) Use data collected in the on-farm SDSU classes (PS475 and PS428)

View uploaded report Word file

Final Project Results

Updated July 28, 2023:
on-farm studies provide information that producers use to reduce the economic risks associated with new products, test the efficiency of components within their current operation, and test innovative new ideas and concepts. In the project, a producer chooses his/her treatments based on their interest or desire prior to implementation. SDSU agronomists assist in experimental design, treatment application, scouting, and analysis. At the completion of the project, reports are distributed to the farmer collaborator, and they are posted SD Soybean Research and Promotion on-farm web site. Farmers use results from the study to identify treatments that might be success on their farm and reduce the economic risks associated with new products. To date, over 450 experiments have been conducted by SD farmers. SDSU undergraduate students are using the on-farm studies for their capstone class and planning for SOY100 2022 is completed. We just received word that a new project funded by USDA-Cig Classic was funded and will provide addition funds for soil health activities. We are in the process of identifying collaborators for this this on-farm study. This new project will help expand our on-farm research on soybeans and soil health.

1) Continue the on-farm research program, reports from 2022 have been completed
b. Create a remote sensing yield model, completed and submitted for review
2) Continue research designed to determine the importance of soil health in optimizing soybean, currently we have 22 on farm studies focused on biological products, 23 projects focussed on Soybean products and management.
3) Deliver information to producers through Soy100, AgOutlook, SD on-farm web-site, news releases, radio interviews, and SDSU websites. Completed 139 people attended the meeting
4) Use data collected in the on-farm SDSU classes (PS475 and PS428)

View uploaded report Word file

On-farm studies provide information that producers use to reduce the economic risks associated with new products, test the efficiency of components within their current operation, and test innovative new ideas and concepts. In the project, a producer chooses his/her treatments based on their interest or desire prior to implementation. SDSU agronomists assist in experimental design, treatment application, scouting, and analysis. At the completion of the project, reports are distributed to the farmer collaborator, and they are posted SD Soybean Research and Promotion on-farm web site. Farmers use results from the study to identify treatments that might be success on their farm and reduce the economic risks associated with new products. To date, over 450 experiments have been conducted by SD farmers. SDSU undergraduate students are using the on-farm studies for their capstone class and planning for SOY100 2022 is completed. We just received word that additional support on soil health is being provided by NRCS. This work is centered on the eastern side of the state and it provids funding for the adoption and quantification of BMP on soil health. We are in the process of identifying collaborators for this this on-farm study. This new project will help expand our on-farm research on soybeans and soil health.

Benefit To Soybean Farmers

Information will be shared with producers, farmers will test new technologies, and we will organize the soy100 meeting

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.