AMES, Iowa — Results from dozens of research projects conducted last year at Iowa State University Research and Demonstration Farms are available in reports online.
The reports include results from projects dealing mostly with crop production, with some related to animal science. The research projects include those done on private farms through a program in which research farm personnel cooperates with farmers in doing field trials.
The reports are available at no charge in PDF format listed by farm at: http://farms.ag.iastate.edu/farms
Many studies are duplicated at several research farms to provide site-specific guidance for producers. The research projects are mostly for row-crop farmers with some studies designed for specialty produce growers.
The reports of last year’s projects include:
- Research at several farms tested corn and soybean yield response to micronutrients (boron, copper, manganese and zinc) applied to the soil or foliage.
- A study of diesel fuel consumption in tractors by shifting up to a higher transmission gear and throttling back the engine’s speed during moldboard plowing and planting.
- Foliage-applied micronutrients, growth regulator, lime and calcium were studied to see if they would increase production of alfalfa at the Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm.
- Testing corn-yield response to nitrogen fertilizer applications based on readings of the crop’s canopy measuring its condition during the mid-vegetative growth stage.
Iowa State operates 13 research farms across the state, eight of which are owned by associations of farmers that provide management input. More than 130 Iowa State faculty members use the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ farms for teaching, research and extension. A similar number of staff members are involved as project leaders and workers.