From the Field...

Strip Tillage and Fertilizer Placement in Corn
A strip tillage and fertilizer placement trial in corn was initiated with the support of the Missouri Corn Growers Association. Strip till was compared to no-till and conventional tillage with anhydrous ammonia, urea and ESN (stabilized N), P and K with placement in a band, surface applied or incorporated. First year yield results indicated strip till yields were equivalent to conventional tillage and nearly 9 bu/A higher than no-till. Banded P and K gave equal yields to broadcast applications.

Soybean Fungicides: Plant Health and Yield Effects
Dr. Laura Sweets evaluated thirty soybean foliar fungicide treatments for disease control and yield benefits at HWRC in 2007. Past results have shown an on again off again benefit to using foliar fungicides for yield enhancement. Yield results in 2007 showed no significant yield differences between any of the fungicide treatments and the untreated check. Yields ranged from 59 to 68 bu/A. No differences were observed in delayed senescence (stay green ability).

Bermuda grass Winterkill
Ozarka Bermuda grass sprigged in 2004 at HWRC died this past winter. Two factors contributing to the loss include a hard ice storm in the winter with an inch of sheet ice covering the plants and the hard spring freeze in April. Similar results were observed at the Forage Systems Research Center near Linneus. Based on these observations Bermuda grass may not fit as a long-term forage or hay type grass for northern Missouri.

Selecting High Yielding Varieties and Hybrids
The statewide and Hundley Whaley sponsored yield trials continue to show wide variation in yield potential of commercially available soybean varieties and corn hybrids. In the statewide trial conducted at HWRC, corn yields ranged from 208 to 125 bu/A. Soybean yields ranged from 65 to 48 bu/A. Try to target your seed selection to the highest yielding numbers from several testing locations. Trial results are available on the web at http://agebb.missouri.edu/cropperf/index.htm or in paper form at your local extension office.

A complete listing of 2007 HWRC trial results are available at our web site http://aes.missouri.edu/hundwhal/ or will be available in our Annual Report.