USA: MSU extension conducting most on-farm research trials yet

Michigan State University is studying the largest group of soybean research trials to date with farmer partners.

Soybean educator Mike Staton tells Brownfield he’s excited to lead more than 70 research trials this year, but it hasn’t come without challenges from Mother Nature, “We have had some trial mortality because of flooding, seed corn maggot, but by and large we have a really good diverse slate of projects,” he says.

Volunteer farmers are providing plots and doing the research with Staton help to identify best management practices for tillage, seed treatments, fungicide applications and other new products, “The growers really value having this information on their farm and then they get to see this new product or practice, or equipment preformed for them under their conditions, on their soil, and they can adopt to that technology faster,” he explains.

The most widely adapted change over the past 10 years he says has been lowering soybean planting rates.

Some research is also expanded at MSU and Thursday researchers gave updates during the MSU Soybean Research and Crop Management Field Day.