Minnesota On-Farm Crop Trial Results

Results of recent on-farm crop trials conducted by the University of Minnesota in cooperation with crop producers in northwest and west central Minnesota have been compiled in a summary booklet, sponsored in part by the Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council.

Following are summaries from some of the reports; see the booklet for more details on the on-farm research projects. It can be found on the Internet at www.smallgrains.org

For print copies, contact the MWRPC, ph 1-800-242-6118.

Producing corn with iron coated fertilizer, citric acid
Test: Corn grown on soils where iron chlorosis is a problem for soybeans has frequently shown symptoms of iron chlorosis. A study conducted in cooperation with Bob Ehlers, Elbow Lake, Minn., in 2000 looked at the effect of applying iron in the form of coated fertilizer. 

Results: Neither the type of coated fertilizer, the rate of iron applied, nor the placement had a significant effect on yield. However, compared to the plots which did not receive iron, the use of iron products containing citric acid increased yields by about 9 bu/a. Even though this research was conducted at one site for one year, there is potential that iron in a fertilizer program may improve corn yields on some soils.

Evaluating alternative cover crops
Test: Some producers are interested in a cover crop, which can add organic matter and N to the crop system. Also, there are times when producers don’t get their intended crop seeded, and may want to plant a cover crop instead of leaving the land fallow. A study last year with Monte Casavan, Red Lake Falls, Minn., and Rob and Tim Rynning, Kennedy, Minn., compared a number of cover crops with chickling vetch, a new annual cover crop developed in Canada.

Results: Chickling vetch produced significantly more biomass compared with mung beans and Austrian peas. Chickling vetch stayed green while field peas were already mature at the sampling date. Chickling vetch and hairy vetch were not significantly different in yield. However, it was more difficult to kill the hairy vetch, because it is a biannual.

Niger seeding rate and chemical tolerance
Test: Niger, a type of thistle plant native to Ethiopia that is imported for use in bird seed formulations, may have niche market opportunities for U.S. producers. However, farmers who have experimented with the crop have had irregular stands, and are not sure about correct seeding rates.  Further, little is known about the crop’s tolerance to some herbicides.

Results: Based on two years’ data (2000-01) and visual observations, seeding rates around 6 lbs/a provided quick soil cover and good yields.  Experiments suggest Niger tolerance to MCPA, applied for postemergent broadleaf weed control at 0.5 to 1.5 pts/a, appears to be greatest at the 2-leaf stage.  Further, Select 2EC (clethodim) can be used safely for postemergent grass control at a rate of 6 to 8 fl. oz/a.

Effect of seeding rate, iron coated seed on iron chlorosis in soybeans
Test: The effect of seeding rate and iron coating, as well as iron fertilizers applied with the seed, were tested in several different on-farm soybean trials in west central and southwest Minnesota. Noel Kjesbo, David Janson, David Hasbargan, and Don Reding were the cooperators.

Results: Based on one year’s data (2000), there is a strong indication that higher plant populations are beneficial to yield for fields where iron chlorosis is a problem.  Separately, the use of iron fertilizer either near or on the seed produced a decrease in soybean yield, although all iron treatments produced a yield increase at one test location. These results are also from 2000, where chlorosis was observed throughout the region.  Outcomes are expected to differ in years with less chlorosis.

Organic wheat comparison
Test: Fourteen different spring wheat varieties grown in an organic production system were compared on the Jim and Pat Todahl farm near Fertile, Minn. Fertilizer consisted of fall applied turkey manure at a rate of 3 tons/a.  The crop was harrowed twice for weed control. The previous crop was soybeans.

Results: Yield from Ingot was greater than many of the other tested varieties, but not significantly different in yield from Gunner, Reeder, Waldron, and Kulm. In organic production, protein premiums are a major part of the income.  Gulpro provided the highest protein content in this evaluation last year, followed by Coteau.