Wednesday, 9 November 2005
4

Scale Comparison of Tillage and Nitrogen Management Effects on Corn Yield Response.

M. M. Al-Kaisi, M. A. Licht, and D. Kwaw-Mensah. Iowa State University, 2104 Agronomy Hall, Ames, IA 50011-1010

Large scale on-farm trails are often perceived better by producers than small scale research results. This project was developed to address the scale comparison of corn response to tillage and nitrogen managment. The idea was to use a concept called the “Hub and Spokes”, which links small scale field research with large scale on-farm trials, through a number of on-farm sites using the same treatments. Over the course of three years the research site was linked with 38 on-farm trials to investigate the interaction between tillage and nitrogen management and their impacts on corn response. At the research site three tillage systems (chisel plow, strip-tillage, and no-tillage) and four nitrogen rates (0, 85, 170 and 250 kg N/ha) from swine manure and commercial fertilizer sources were used in the study. Each of the on-farm trials maintained the existing tillage system with manure application at rates equivalent to 0, 85, 170, and 250 kg N/ha. At both the research and on-farm sites grain yield, late spring soil nitrate test (LSNT), and fall stalk nitrate test (FSNT), and other parameters were measured for each nitrogen source and rate. Results of this study show that neither different tillage systems nor nitrogen sources significantly affected corn yield. LSNT and FSNT increased with increased nitrogen rates for both nitrogen sources. Corn yield, LSNT, and FSNT results from large scale on-farm trials were similar to that of the small scale research plots.

Handout (.pdf format, 128.0 kb)

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