Two-pass Weed Management Programs in Corn

The purpose of this study was to evaluate various herbicides for corn injury and weed control when applied preemergence and postemergence.

Evaluation of Soybean Varieties Resistant to Soybean Cyst Nematode

Use of resistant soybean varieties is a very effective strategy for managing soybean cyst nematode (SCN), and numerous SCN-resistant soybean varieties are available for Iowa soybean growers. Each year, public and private SCN-resistant soybean varieties are evaluated in SCN-infested fields in Iowa by Iowa State University personnel. The research described in this report was performed to assess the agronomic performance of SCNresistant soybean varieties and to determine the effects of the varieties on SCN numbers or population densities.

Northern Research Farm Summary

Includes Farm and Weather Summary, Information on Experiments in Previous Annual Progress Reports and Research Farm Projects.

Hydraulic Performance of the Denitrification Bioreactor

Denitrification bioreactors, also known as woodchip bioreactors, are a new strategy for improving drainage water quality before these flows arrive at local streams, rivers, and lakes. A bioreactor is an excavated, woodchip-filled pit that is capable of supporting native microbes that convert nitrate in the drainage water to nitrogen gas. The idea of these edgeof-field treatment systems is still relatively new, meaning it is important for investigations to be made into how to design these “pits” and to determine how drainage water moves through the woodchips. Because the bioreactor at the ISU Northeast Research Farm (NERF) is one of the best monitored bioreactor sites in the state, it provided an ideal location to not only monitor bioreactor nitrate-reduction performance, but also to investigate design hydraulics.

Weed Management Programs in Soybeans

The purpose of this study was to evaluate various herbicides and application timings in soybean for crop injury and weed control.

Tomato Cultivar Trial

The 2011 tomato trial evaluated 16 fresh market cultivars for yield potential and fruit quality.

Thinning Scab-resistant Apples with Liquid Lime Sulfur Sprays during Bloom

Growing scab-resistant apple cultivars on fully dwarfing rootstocks increases the feasibility for producing organically grown apples in the Midwest. However, in an organic orchard, fruit thinning to optimize crop load must be done by hand at a very high labor expense. The alternative is biennial bearing and inconsistent supply to meet consumer demands. Recently, sprays containing organicapproved materials such as liquid lime sulfur, fish, and various vegetable oils, salts, and kaolin have been tried alone or in combination for thinning apples with some degree of success. Lime sulfur alone or in combination with spray oil was recently labeled for use in Washington state orchards. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of liquid lime sulfur alone and in combination with spray oil applied at various times during bloom on thinning three scab-resistant apple cultivars under Iowa conditions.

Conservation Tillage Study

The project goal was to compare yields of three different tillage systems on a sloping, moderately well drained soil (Nira) and on a nearly level, poorly drained soil (Kalona) in a continuous corn and a corn-soybean system. The plots began in 1990.

Northwest Iowa On-farm Research Soybean Yield Response to Headline Fungicide

Six years ago the Northwest Iowa On-Farm Research Project was started to cooperate with local farmers to compare crop production methods on a field scale size. Through this project, over 300 replicated comparisons have been done. Beginning in 2012, the Northwest Iowa On-Farm Research project will be recognized as a part of Iowa State University Farmer Assisted Research and Management (FARM) program. This program will also expand to southwest Iowa, north central Iowa, and central Iowa.

Soybean Response to Sulfur Fertilization

The objective of this trial was to investigate response of soybean to sulfur fertilization when grown on irrigated coarse sand soil with low organic matter.

Controlling Bacterial Wilt in Muskmelon with Perimeter Trap Cropping

Perimeter trap cropping (PTC) involves planting one or more rows of a cucurbit crop that is highly attractive to cucumber beetles around the border of a main cucurbit cash crop that is less attractive to the beetles. Cucumber beetles attempting to migrate into the field are concentrated in the relatively more attractive border crop, where they can be controlled by insecticides. In New England, perimeter trap cropping using Blue Hubbard squash as the border crop around pumpkin, cucumber, or butternut squash controlled cucumber beetle/bacterial wilt with as few as one border spray of insecticide. This strategy reduced insecticide use on the main crop by up to 94 percent, nearly eliminating sprays on the main cash crop. In on-farm trials, 8 of 10 Massachusetts growers found that using perimeter trap cropping saved them money. The same tactic also effectively managed cucumber beetles on muskmelon and squash in Oklahoma.

The University Compost Facility after Three Years

The University Compost Facility, 52274 260th St., Ames, Iowa has completed three full years of operation. The facility is managed by the ISU Research Farms and has a separate revolving account that receives fees and sales, and pays expenses. The facility is designed to be self-supporting, i.e. not receive allocations for its operations. The facility consists of seven, 80 × 140 ft hoop barns and a new 55 × 120 ft hoop barn, all with paved floors. The facility also has a Mettler-Toledo electronic scale with a 10 ft × 70 ft platform to weigh all materials. Key machinery is 1) compost turner, a used pull-type Aeromaster PT-170, 14 ft wide made by Midwest Biosystems, Tampico, IL; 2) a converted dump truck trailer used to construct windrows and haul material; 3) telehandler, Caterpillar TH407 with cab and 2.75 cubic yard bucket; and 4) tractor, John Deere 7520 (125 hp) with IVT (Infinite Variable Transmission) and front-wheel assist used to pull the turner and dump trailer.

Long-term Tillage and Crop Rotation Effects on Soil Carbon and Soil Productivity

Tillage system and crop rotation have a significant, long-term effect on soil productivity and soil quality components such as soil carbon and other soil physical, biological, and chemical properties. In addition, both tillage and crop rotation have effects on weed and soil disease control. There is a definite need for well-defined, long-term tillage and crop rotation studies across the different soils and climate conditions in the state. The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects of different tillage systems and crop rotations on soil productivity

Broadcast and Band Phosphorus and Potassium Placement for Corn and Soybean Managed with Till or No Till

No-till minimizes the incorporation of crop residue and fertilizer with soil; resulting in wetter, colder soils and the accumulation of organic matter, phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) near the soil surface. Banding of P and Kcould be more effective than broadcast fertilization by counteracting stratification, applying nutrients in the root zone (starter effect), and minimizing reactions with the soil that may reduce their availability to plants. Therefore, a long-term study was established in 1994 to evaluate P and K fertilizer rates and placement methods for grain yield of corn and soybean managed with no-till and chiselplow/disk tillage.

Biochar and Managed Perennial Ecosystems

Biochar is a carbon-rich material that is similar to charcoal. It is produced when biomass is burned in the absence of oxygen, a process otherwise known as pyrolysis. Pyrolysis and the production of biochar are currently being promoted as a means to both produce domestic fuel (bio-oil) while concurrently producing a co-product that increases crop yield and sequesters carbon in the soil (biochar). While there may be many potential benefits in the application of biochar to agricultural soils, such as enhanced soil fertility and improved soil water status, there are no studies of higher-order ecological and ecosystem effects of biochar and its potential synergistic interactions (either positive or negative) on complex perennial systems. The goal of this field experiment is to determine how biochar and manure addition directly affect ecosystem structure and function in perennial systems, specifically soil nutrients, water, plants, and soil organisms.