Soil Moisture

Soil moisture is critical for crop production in most years in northwest and west central Iowa

Soil Moisture

Soil moisture samples were taken at 11 sites in northwest Iowa during the first few days of November 2008. Moisture samples were pulled at 1-ft increments down to a 5-ft depth. Samples were weighed, oven dried, and reweighed at the Northwest Research Farm. The moisture percentage was calculated from these data, and then used to calculate the inches of plant available moisture in the soil. The data from these sites are listed in the following table

Livestock and the environment in Sioux County

Why don\u27t livestock producers make the best use of their manure resources? How can they do a better job? Focus groups and a countywide survey in Iowa\u27s Sioux County, a major livestock producing area, were used to answer this question

Liquid Manure Analysis Comparisons

Sioux County, Iowa, has by far the highest concentration of livestock in northwest Iowa. According to the 1997 Census of Agriculture, there were 174,053 cattle and calves, and 762,294 hogs and pigs. Land application of manure can create environmental risks to surface and ground water. The main objective of the Sioux County Manure Project is to (a) identify problems with manure application and (b) develop information that livestock producers can use to improve management of manure as a fertilizer source, match manure nutrient application to crop needs, and reduce negative environmental impacts. This part of the project was to identify nutrient levels present in manure so that better nutrient planning for crops can take place. Manure from several operations was compared for nutrient value; then, manure samples collected during application of manure were compared with samples collected before application

Soybean Yield Response to Late Soybean Aphid Treatment

Soybean aphids have emerged as a major pest in soybean production in the last four years. This pest was first widely observed in Northwest Iowa in 2002, and in 2003 this pest caused widespread yield loss. In Northwest Iowa the pest reached peak populations later than many models indicated would be likely. Research is needed to better understand what impact late season insecticide applications have on soybean yields when aphid populations are high

Liquid Manure Applicator Calibration

Sioux County, Iowa, has by far the highest concentration of livestock in northwest Iowa. According to the 1997 Census of Agriculture, there were 174,053 cattle and calves, and 762,294 hogs and pigs. Land application of manure can create environmental risks to surface and ground water. The main objective of the Sioux County Manure Project is to (a) identify problems with manure application, and (b) develop information that livestock producers can use to improve management of manure as a fertilizer source, match manure nutrient application to crop needs, and reduce negative environmental impacts. This segment of the project was developed to evaluate the actual rate of manure applied to a field and to compare that rate with the rate a producer thought was being applied

Northwest Iowa On-farm Research Soybean Yield Response to Headline Fungicide

Six years ago the Northwest Iowa On-Farm Research Project was started to cooperate with local farmers to compare crop production methods on a field scale size. Through this project, over 300 replicated comparisons have been done. Beginning in 2012, the Northwest Iowa On-Farm Research project will be recognized as a part of Iowa State University Farmer Assisted Research and Management (FARM) program. This program will also expand to southwest Iowa, north central Iowa, and central Iowa