Purdue-Indiana Seed Industry Forum: Crop Production Shawn P. Conley

Research and Extension PI’s and Staff 7 Faculty Shawn P. Conley Bob Nielsen Tony Vyn Sylvie Brouder Brad Joern Dev Niyogi Jim Camberato 3 technicians 13 graduate students

Application Technology and Plant Health Promotion

Spray Canopy Penetration Growth stage at application Height in canopy (in.) R1 R3 R5 -------------Spray coverage (%)------------- 8.5 2.0 1.1 12 62.4 2.5 1.0 24 90.9 21.0 4.4 35 - 59.6 49.9 47 70.4 LSD (0.05) 9.8 3.3 4.1

Row spacing by wheel track damage Row spacing (inches) Non wheel track Wheel track Non wheel vs. wheel --------Yield(bu/ac)-------- P-Value 7.5 70.2 64.6 P < 0.0001 15 70.5 66.0 30 65.6 64.1 P ≥ 0.05 LSD (0.05) 2.3 -

Yield loss by boom width 30 3.6% 45 2.4% 60 1.8% 75 1.4% 90 1.1%

Application timing by wheel track damage Non wheel track Wheel track Non wheel vs. wheel -------Yield (bu/ac)------- P-value R1 67.9 65.8 P ≥ 0.05 R3 70.5 65.5 P < 0.0001 R5 68.0 63.1 R3+R5 69.8 R1+R3+R5 69.0 65.4 P < 0.005 Control 67.4 66.9 P ≥ 0.61 LSD (0.05) 3.3 -

Implications of Aerial Application

Seed Quality and Composition Data Seed size and percent oil and protein Uniformity Seed vigor/viability Disease considerations (FLS) Late glyphosate tank-mix applications

Crop Phenology and Climatology High Yield Soybean Systems Micro-Nutrient Applications

Revisit Current Recommendations Seeding rate issues Cost Herbicide technology Equipment – row spacing Seed applied technology Validation of soybean yield estimate tables

Cropping Systems Research: Some Examples Tony J. Vyn, with assistance from farmers, graduate students, technicians, and colleagues

Corn Yield Response to Tillage and Rotation, Clay Loam, West Lafayette, IN, 1975-2004. Corn yields are only 2% lower for no-till than for plow when corn follows soybean on this dark prairie soil. No-till more profitable than either chisel or moldboard plow in the corn-bean rotation. However, not when corn follows corn.

Long-term Tillage Effects on Soil Organic Matter (1975-2003, West Lafayette, IN) Soil Depth (in) Organic matter accumulates near the surface in no-till, but below the plowing depth (plowing to only 8-10”) in moldboard plowing. The worst tillage system from a soil C and N point of view is not moldboard, but chisel plowing. Organic Matter (%)

Isoflavone concentrations at different seed yield levels.† c b a a Yield levels (Mg ha-1) c b a a c b a a High soybean yields result in higher concentrations of isoflavones, but no change in oil or protein concentrations. This is based on my Ontario soybean research and Dr. Yin’s work as a grad student with me. We have a lot to learn in management influence on soybean quality, but no money to pursue it in Indiana. b b a a

Plant to Plant Variability in Corn We are measuring corn growth and development daily at certain times like seedling and silk emergence to understand better why some plants have small versus larg ears. It is important that all plant yields be as uniform as possible when corn plant populations keep increasing. This is a big focus from graduate student research bu the funding has been very hard to get. We are using a bar code system (see paper tags on right) to keep track of each plant. We measured about 4000 plants per year in this very detailed way. Mainly looking at planting date, population, tillage and nitrogen fertilizer effects on plant to plant uniformity.

Uniform Ear Size in High Yield Corn Accepted Hypothesis: Delayed Seedling Emergence Shorter Plants Delayed Silk Emergence Most farmers think that a small ear or a barren ear is because that plant emerged later. In the extreme case (like a plant being one or two collars behind in development) that is the case. But most of our fields are emerging within 1 leaf unit of each other, and still we see big differences in yields per plant. Delayed Maturity Smaller ears at harvest

For consistent individual ear weights Tentative Conclusions: For consistent individual ear weights and high yields we need to make sure “No Plant Left Behind!” - Emergence date This means that all of our management needs to be focused on creating the soil conditions that give each plant an equal opportunity to access nutrients, water, etc. Effect + Silking Date & Plant Height Individual Plant Yield

Large Plot Corn Research Examples Effect of uneven plant spacing and ear size characteristics on grain yield and replant decisions Interaction between corn seeding rates and nitrogen application rates Evaluating the consequences of one-time yield monitor calibrations on estimated grain flow rates throughout the harvest season

Questions