Farm Science Review is coming up next week, September 21st – 23rd with lots of excitement in store for farmers young and old. There will be a lot of new equipment and technology to view as you walk around the showgrounds and of course milk shakes and delicious sandwiches from the OSU student organizations. OSU also has some exciting areas for you to stop by and learn more about agricultural practices being studied at OSU and view some of the latest technology in action.
One major yield thief in both corn and soybeans is compaction. We will show how the utilization of tracks and various types of tires can affect your crop, especially in pinch row compaction in the Agronomy plots area. Very high flexation tires can decrease field compaction by lowering inflation pressure once in the field. Deflating after road travel will maximize the tire footprint. See this demonstrated in the plots with a tractor that has tires on one side inflated to road pressure and the other to field pressure. Knowing the correct inflation pressure to the exact psi is critical. Stop in the morning, to enter a raffle to win a high accuracy tire pressure gauge by guessing the inflation pressures on this tractor both for road travel and field use. The winner of the raffle with the proper inflation pressure will be announced each day at noon.
Our work with producers around that state to maximize corn and soybean yields is demonstrated in a set of high yield plots. The plots are receiving the exact amount of water they need each week utilizing soil moisture sensors to determine the irrigation amount needed. The plots are also being spoon-fed nutrients to make sure nothing limits their ability to maximize yield. These maximum yield plots are much taller and greener this year than the traditional management plots.
Another area we have focused on is cover crops and how to help producers implement them into their operation. Cover crop management can be a challenge though at times. One of the management challenges demonstrated this year is the tough decision of, should your agronomic crop be planted once the cover crop is terminated or while it is still green. Cover crops can be killed utilizing herbicide or a roller-crimper. Crimping these cover crops at the proper growth stage is important for termination. Before we terminate cover crops, we must establish them. One of the challenges with establishment is
herbicide carryover. Various herbicides have different effects on our ability to establish the cover crop. Learn more about the interaction of herbicides and cover crops in our plots. We also inter-seeded 11 different species of potential cover crops for you to see how well they can survive under a corn canopy in this year’s plots.
While cover crops can protect the soil during heavy rainfall events and their roots can help improve soil health, they can also be utilized as a forage source for livestock. Selecting the best cover crop for both needs can increase farm profitability. These cover crop forages can be summer or winter annuals. The incorporation of perennial forages into your farm can have numerous benefits. We have planted many of these perennial forages for you to view and understand why they may be right for your farm.
There is nowhere near enough space in the agronomy plots to show you all the research being done in Ohio to assist growers. To learn about more research, we have going on around the state or how to conduct research on your farm, pick up your own copy of the eFields on-farm research report. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to learn even more about our research by taking virtual reality tours of our research stations while visiting us at the agronomic plots. Take time to learn more about where wheat in Ohio goes and how it ends up on your neighbor's plate. You can also interact with our water quality team to learn more about conservation practices for your farm that will improve the quality of water leaving your farm.
New for the 2021 Farm Science Review is the iFarm Immersive Theatre! Visit the iFarm Immersive Theatre for an experience like an IMAX theater for viewing agriculture-based films. Topics include a ride on a crop duster applying fungicide, exploration of natural habitats, inside a beehive, multiple machinery demonstrations, and more! The iFarm Immersive Theatre is brought to you by Nationwide, Ohio Farm Bureau, and OSU Extension.
The “Ag Innovation Demos” is a proving ground for evaluating future technologies and data driven cropping practices. This 15-acre field is located in the demonstration fields at Farm Science Review. This area will feature Automated Turn Demonstration (John Deere and Case IH); OminiDrive – Autonomous Grain Cart (Precision Agri Services and CNH Industrial); Drone Scouting (Integrated Ag/Taranus); Intra Canopy Drone Scouting (Ohio State); Drone Spraying (Rantizo, Hylio and Beck’s Hybrids). Come see this and many field demonstrations and equipment at this year’s Farm Science Review. Tickets are available at the Hardin County Extension office through Monday, September 20 for $7 each, or get yours at the gate. The Farm Science Review is located at the intersection of US 40 and State Route 38, London, Ohio. More information about this annual farm show is available at fsr.osu.edu.
Article written by OSU Extension-Ag Crops Team and edited by Mark Badertscher, OSU Extension-Hardin County.
