Collaborative On-farm Research... Return to the Extension Model By Terry A. Hejny & Gary L. Zoubek Extension Educators University of Nebraska Lincoln

Hamilton County Producer Survey... Which of the following are used by you? Often Some  Ag Scope 55% 28%  Ag Hot Line 33% 47%  Light trap info 37% 51%  Extension office 10% 60%

Survey continued... 54% of Producers Used Consultants Use of Ag Hot Line/Extension Office Ag Hot LineExt. Office With Consultants17% 44% Without Consultants22% 63%

Survey continued... Preferred Method to Obtain Information  Field Demonstrations  Meetings  One-on-one  Newspaper/magazine  Internet How likely would you conduct on-farm research?  90% likely

Applied Research Extension EducatorFarmer Basic Research Private sector $

Applied Research Extension EducatorFarmer Basic Research Private sector $

Applied Research Extension EducatorFarmer Basic Research Private sector $

Producers’ Ideas, Land, Equipment and Results

Greater Quad Counties On-Farm Research Farmers, Extension Educators & Specialists... Working Together!

Greater Quad Counties On-Farm Research

History... Since 1998  University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension has teamed with over 25 farmers in Clay, Fillmore, Hamilton & York Counties for on- farm research trials.  Diverse, yet similar – all participants deal with deep, silt/loam, irrigated soils in a 4 county region.

Team Objectives...  Conduct quality research.  Research issues that UNL lacks the resources for UNL farm research.  Provide “field truth” of UNL recommendations.  Replicate research on diverse farm settings.  Utilize new technology that allows easier collection of data from farms.  Teach farmers scientific methods and train critical thinkers.

How it works...  Farmers identify the research topics.  Extension Educators write the research protocols, plot layouts, may also assist with treatments and data collection.  Research trials are replicated on their farms.  Strengthens the validity of the research & gains replications.  Findings are summarized.  Extension Specialists analyze data.

How it works, continued...  Farmers, Extension Educators and Specialists meet to discuss research findings.  Results are released to the cooperators.  Results are published and presented during winter workshops.  The group is flexible and growing to include neighboring counties.

Plots are Field Sized Using Growers’ Equipment From Planting to Harvest

Treatments are documented and soil qualities are quantified soil qualities are quantified

On-Farm Yields Are Carefully Measured And Documented

On-Farm Yields Are Discussed

Joint Benefits...  Farmers save money.  Researchers save time and money.  Response to new situations.  Collaboration generates grant dollars.

Farmers Save Money “The data from the population study is saving me $4,000 per year in seed costs.” Hunnicutt Population Population Study

Researchers Save Time and Money  2000 Chloride and Stalk Rot Study  42 replications at 14 sites produced 7,000 bits of data that led to the conclusion: “Chloride did not reduce stalk rot in South Central Nebraska.”

Dry fertilizer applied using a producer-owned Gandy applicator, which blew granular product onto the row.

Response To New Situations...  Prior to StarLink, farmers asked “is it possible to deliver on a <1% Bt contract?”  How large of a buffer is required?  How does orientation of rows affect pollen contamination?  After StarLink, the question was “Can I deliver on a 0% contract?”

Negative for Bt Positive for Bt North side Field B EASTEAST BtStripBtStrip BtStripBtStrip 200’ 150’ 100’ 50’ 50’ 100’ 150’ 200’

North South East <1% of kernels are yellow>1% of kernels are yellow

Collaboration for Grants...  Farmer objective to test planter speed effect on yield.  UNL Researcher objective to test variability of plant spacing effect on yield.  Heuermann Foundation funds project, specifically noting the collaboration between UNL and a farmer researcher group.

Planter Speed Study a 2.87 a 3.12 a Plant Spacing (in.-st dev) 206 a 3.2 a a a 6 mph 206 a 3.2 a b 9.94 b 4 mph 207 a 3.3 a b 9.99 b 2 mph Yield (bu/ac) Vegetative Stage Plants Per Acre Plant Height (in.) Superscripts with different letters are significant at 5%.

Highlights from 2003  Soybean Credit for Nitrogen  YieldGard Rootworm®

2003 Soybean Credit for Nitrogen Superscripts with different letters are significant at 5% a bu/A224.0 a bu/A217.4 b bu/AAverage 141 lbs. N/A111 lbs. N/A80 lbs. N/AN Applied bu/A Yield Goal UNL assumed soil N + 45 lb N credit Actual soil N + 45 lb N Credit Actual soil N + 75 lb N credit Combine Harvested Replicated Yields

2003 YieldGard Rootworm® * Indicates highly significant yield advantage over its near isoline (1 or 2.5%) Treatment GH- BtGH-nonMW-BtMW-Bt Corn on Corn * Corn on Beans *

Benefits... To Cooperators  Recent survey indicated that all participants gained a better appreciation for research method  Reinforce or improve production practices  Participants utilize expertise of all Educators involved “ “I have a better understanding of the need for randomization of plots and the value of replication” - Producer “With this group of producers, I trust the data. This is unbiased data collected from some very good producers in this region” - Producer

Other Benefits...  Educators have an opportunity to work with producers that value education.  Builds support for extension programs and the University of Nebraska.  Allows Educators to become known regionally.  Involves Specialists, Educators, and producers working together to improve production.

Program Impact... Producers surveyed at a recent Hamilton County Field Day were asked if they were familiar with the UNL Quad County On-farm Research effort?  Nearly 80% were. Have the project results influenced your management?  63% responded yes. One month following a program where the soybean credit information was presented, a producer reported that following the program he recalculated his fertilizer program and his fertilizer bill will be reduced over $4,000!

Program Impact Getting the Word Out...  Greater Quad County Research Reports  Field Days/Tours  Mass Media – Radio, Newspaper, Nebraska Farmer, CropWatch  PAT/Winter Workshops – Virtual Field Day  One-on-One

Whole Farm Demonstration NUFarmResearch.unl.edu Coming in 2004…

For more information contact: Terry Hejny Gary Zoubek Charles Burr Andrew Christiansen Roger Elmore