What's Happening

How To Interpret Test Plot Data

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 19:41:00 +0000

The 2015 cropping season has come to an end and data entry and analysis are complete. So what can we look at on our print-outs to help us interpret the data and determine if there were any real differences in the treatments that we're testing? First, let's review a few of the steps we took throughout the season to enable us to produce reliable data. - We chose uniform, well-drained field sites with minimal soil variability. - We used proper experimental designs, randomized all treated plots and check (control) plots, and used several (3 to 6) replications of each treatment to help us determine if differences were due to chance or treatment variation. - We chose an optimal plot size and carefully applied all treatments at the necessary times to the pre-determined plots. - We used proper weed and pest control management as needed to prevent variation from non-treatment related sources. - We collected data throughout the growing season on whatever factors were being studied - such as early growth, stand, plant height, weed control, grain yield, grain moisture, test weight, damage to specific plot areas etc.. - We measured our harvested plot areas. - We then entered our data into a statistical software program that performs an "Analysis of Variance" (ANOVA or AOV) on our data. The ANOVA helps us statistically analyze all the information to determine if any differences found were treatment related or due to random chance. So, now we have our data printouts and the ANOVA lists several items at the end of the printout. Three of these items listed are particularly important in evaluating our data. These are the LSD, Standard Deviation, and the CV. What do they mean and how can we tell whether or not our treatments had any effect? Let's briefly discuss what each of these signifies. LSD or LSD P=.05 : Stands for Least Significant Difference associated with a probability (P) at the 5% level. The LSD is used when comparing the averages (means) of treatments to each other. Any differences between treatments that are greater than the LSD value indicate a significant difference between the treatments, with a 95% degree of certainty that there is a real difference - hence not purely by random chance. Often, we will use a P value of .10 in our analyses and this simply indicates that we would have a 90% degree of certainty that treatment differences are real and did not happen by chance. In our summary table of the ANOVA, the treatment means are followed by a letter (a, b, c, d, e, etc.) and any means followed by the same letter are NOT significantly different from each other, whereas those followed by different letters ARE significantly different from each other. Now let's discuss Standard Deviation. Standard Deviation is a value that represents "the experimental error" in a set of data and indicates variability that was not controlled or poorly controlled. Examples of this type of variability include soil differences, natural plant variability, inaccuracy of measurements (weighing, moisture, plot lengths, etc.) and so on. The Standard Deviation is expressed in the same units as the analyzed variable, such as bushels/acre, %weed control, moisture, %vigor etc.. Finally, we will talk about the CV, or Coefficient of Variation. This number represents a ratio of the Standard Deviation divided by the Grand Mean and multiplied by 100 to give us a percent. The CV is an overall test of control or quality of the data collected throughout the experiment. Ideally, a CV should be less than 10%. A CV above 20% indicates that the experiment was very variable and that conclusions made may not be very reliable or robust. CV's can be affected by soil variability, poor data collection measurements, weather events affecting certain areas or plots in the trial, and anything else than introduces variability into the research study area or data collection. Submitted by Brad Farber, ABG AG Services, Toronto SD

How do you get good corn rootworm pressure?

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 15:45:00 +0000

This time of year, companies are trying to place trials in areas that have the type of insect, disease or weed pressure for the product that they are testing. One thing that we do is plant a trap crop to ensure that it will have corn rootworm pressure to test insecticides, seed treatments and traited (BT) genetics. What makes a good trap crop? Over the years we have found that making a good trap crop requires the following: - make it the best place for adult rootworm beetles in the area to lay their eggs - go to the same area year in and year out, to help build populations - provide the right type of plants in the trap crop to ensure that a "smorgesboard" of feeding and laying sites are available What we do: At our Indiana farm we have been doing a trap crop for over 10 years in the same area. We have some rootworms that are considered the "variant" which means they like to lay eggs in soybeans not only in corn. These rootworms have adapted to the corn/soybean rotation as a survival mechanism. Therefore, we often see higher rootworm pressure in corn following soybeans than corn on corn. The primary rootworm that we have in Indiana are Western Corn rootworms (95%). To make the trap crop work for the variant rootworms we plant sweetcorn, pumpkins/squash and soybean. Generally we use 4 rows of sweetcorn, pumpkins and then interplant soybeans over our pumpkins. Rootworm beetles are really attracted to the cucurbits and the sweetcorn silks. We delay planting the trap crop until June to ensure that adult beetles in the area will be drawn into the area, because we will have late silking corn. The late planted soybeans also act as good egg laying sites. Weed control can be a challenge in the trap crop. We use a combination of herbicides and intern labor for keeping it manageable. Rootworm beetles also like Giant Ragweed pollen so leaving a few of these weeds also helps. The late planting can also attract corn earworm, so most of our sweetcorn is not the best. At our South Dakota farm, we do not have the variant so we generally use sweetcorn/pumpkin mix that is also late planted. We have both Westerns and Northerns at this site. We are going into are third year of trap crop at the same site. How do you know you will have good pressure? - By having a late planted trap crop, we have pumpkin blossoms right up to the first frost. In late September and early October we can check the pumpkin blossoms and see how many adult beetles are present. This is generally a good indication that we have attracted adult beetles and they have laid eggs in the area. Sometimes we will see 20-30 adult beetles in a single blossom. - We have been asked to take soil samples to check for egg numbers in the fall. This is an okay method but often soil samples do not find the egg laying sites or the beetles laid eggs in soil cracks deeper than the sampling method. Will having a trap crop gurantee pressure? A trap crop will not gurantee pressure. Cold winter temperatures without snowfall and excessive rainfall at larva hatch can reduce rootworm survival. A trap crop increases the likelihood that high numbers of eggs have been laid in an area. We plant between 3-5 acres of trap crop at each of our locations. Still plenty of room for some trials

Training 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 21:46:00 +0000

We are having a good time at our training session in Reno,NV

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Wed, 24 Dec 2014 14:04:00 +0000

As we celebrate Christmas we are reminded of Luke 2:10-11 "but the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which is for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ The Lord."

Merry Christmas from ABG Ag Services!

Indiana Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 11:50:00 +0000

The last 10-14 days have been very productive for harvest in Indiana. As of today we have 7 soybean trials and 2 corn trials left to harvest.

We finished planting the remaining wheat trial in Monday (10/27) and were able to start fall tillage yesterday (10/30).

We hope to finish soybeans by early next week and switch the ALMACO plot combine to corn.

Bracing for the first blast of cold and snow tonight and tomorrow. This will give us time to catch up on paperwork.

Big Yields

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 13:23:00 +0000

We are experiencing record corn yields in Indiana this year. Many if our trials are averaging 250/260 bushels per acre. Grain moisture is between 18-22% as of this week.

We are not seeing much ear rot even though we've had a wet fall.

We are hoping to get back to soybeans today. We haven't harvested any soybeans since 10/8. Many of the growers in Central Indiana have been working in corn. There are still a lot of soybeans to harvest.

Cool and Wet

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 11:46:00 +0000

A post from Indiana: The last two weeks of September were warm and dry which allowed us to get a good start on harvest. The 1st 10 days of October have not been so cooperative. It's been cool and wet with some of our farms receiving over three inches of rain in the past week. In light of that, Wednesday 10/8, was sunny which allowed us to shell some corn, cut some soybeans and plant wheat. Forecast calling for more rain early next week followed by drier weather. Lets hope that happens.

New planter for 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 21:28:00 +0000

We are custom building a new planter. All the snow makes it feel like we have plenty of time. We are only 90 days from planting

Show time

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 02:10:00 +0000

Alton ProShop

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 22:20:00 +0000

All applications applied at Alton! First ProShop of year ready for tours

Wheat Harvest has started

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 00:08:00 +0000

Alton corn growing well

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 19:01:00 +0000

Recent EPA audit

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 15:53:00 +0000

On June 19, 2013 we had an audit by the US EPA. They looked at five of our studies that were submitted to EPA. All went well and EPA had no negative findings. Jay did a great job of getting things ready and it was a good experience.

May 3rd Snow in MN

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Fri, 03 May 2013 21:07:00 +0000

Here is a picture of the May 3rd snow in MN. Lots if snow in north central IA as well. It was 75 here last weekend with some corn planted. Unbelievable!

Great Plains

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Fri, 03 May 2013 21:01:00 +0000

Here is the John Deere 5115 hooked to the Great Plains Twin Row in Bruce, SD. It's a heavy planter! It makes the rear tires squat quite a bit!

Starting to look like an office!

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 21:23:00 +0000

South Dakota progress

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 17:30:00 +0000

The new office in Bruce SD is coming along nicely. The office area has been dry walled, painted, and the lights have been hung. We are currently in the process of getting the floor painted and the carpet down. We hope to have this completed by the end of the week. As for the shed, the lean to has been taken down and the new garage door will be installed this week.

Go west young man, go west.

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Taking the first load of equipment to South Dakota.

New Paint?

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 20:03:00 +0000

There's a debate going on whether we need to reprint it.....red? Actually Shannon has done a great job re-wiring the lights and fixing multiple leaks. Good job!

New year

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:35:00 +0000

We are excited about 2013! There are many new challenges and opportunties.

Tractor Maintenance

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 18:41:00 +0000

The guys are working hard on tractor maintenance. We are installing electrical disconnect switches on the two New Holland tractors to keep the batteries from going dead. That seems to be a problem with all the electronics we have installed. There is a constant drain when tractors are not used daily.

Crop Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 16:28:00 +0000

Dry, Dry, Dry is the theme for this update. It continues to stay hot and dry with temps in the upper 80's to mid 90's.
We are on day 19 with no measurable rainfall. It feels like a desert climate, minus the sand, with lower humidity, no rain and hot during the day. The long term forecast is not favorable either.
We are trusting the Lord that it will rain sometime. In the meantime we're wearing our sunscreen and drinking plenty of water. On a positive note, we don't have to mow the lawn.

Planting Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Thu, 31 May 2012 16:37:00 +0000

We have finally finished planting efficacy trials. Most of our plots look very good with corn growth stage ranging from V4-V8 and our soybeans from VC-V2.

We were able to get our side dress applied last week. We are able to see the effects manifested as green corn.

It has been extremely dry here with very little rain for the past 3-4 weeks. We are seeing some emergence problems with corn planted in the past two weeks. A pop up thunder shower that dropped 0.8 inches on 5/25/12 has helped crops here near the shop. The rest of our research sites still remain dry and could use a timely rain.

A Blast From The Past

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:54:00 +0000

We're "running with the big boys" now that we have a high boy.
This unit is set up for N applications primarily for side dress. In this case we're using it for pre plant N application.
Don't count on us doing custom work anytime soon.

How to use a 5 gallon bucket.

noreply@blogger.com (Ag Services) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:17:00 +0000

You've heard of 101 ways to use a 5 gallon bucket? Here's one!
We needed a solution to let us apply both an in-furrow and 2x2 starter simultaneously. Since our planter has only one tank we needed a second one for this application.