Elizabeth Hawkins, OSU Extension Agronomy Systems Field Specialist provided the following description of and examples from the 2107 eFields report from the Precision Agriculture and Digital Information Extension Team.

The 2017 eFields Research Report is now available. This report highlights 39 on-farm research projects conducted on over 3,000 acres across Ohio. In addition to the study design and yield results, each project report outlines the county where the research trial was located, general information about farm management practices at that location, and county-level weather information for the season. Some highlights of the 2017 report include high-speed planting, soybean seeding rate trials, and the sidedressing of corn with manure using a drag hose. Excerpts from these three studies are provided as examples of what you can find within the eFields report.

In order to better understand the capability of today’s high-speed planters to accurately and precisely place seed, we tested a 16-row Case IH 2150 planter at five different speeds ranging from 5 to 17 mph. We measured and compared average singulation, average emergence, and yield. Check out the results on pages 20-21 of the report.

With the need to find ways to apply manure more responsibly, OSU Extension has been evaluating methods to use liquid manures to side-dress corn. Trials conducted in Darke and Fulton counties are highlighted in the 2017 eFields Report. Liquid swine and dairy manure sidedress treatments were compared to commercial nitrogen sources. See if it worked on pages 44-47.

Soybean seeding rate trials were planted at 13 on-farm locations across Ohio. Target seeding rates ranged from 60,000 - 240,000 seeds/acre. Information from these trials will be used to improve recommendations for variable-rate seeding prescriptions. Check out the results on pages 76-89 of the report.

You can download the full report at go.osu.edu/eFields or request a printed copy by contacting: digitalag@osu.edu or your local Extension office.