Harvest is Complete at the Pleasant Plains Research Farm
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois (October 3, 2017) – High temperatures and dry weather allowed the BRANDT research team to manage harvest with very few obstacles this season. Harvest has been completed, lime spread, fertilizer applied, tillage complete and cover crop broadcast all in a 3-week window. The 300 acre research farm serves as a proving ground for the latest products and practices in corn and soybean production while focusing on a return on investment for farmers.
Results will be calculated over the upcoming weeks, but a few observations stood out clearly during harvest.
Corn:
-Early planting dates produced the highest yields and dropped off with later plantings
-Conventional tillage lead over strip-till and no-till/cover crop
-Split and banded applications of soil applied N with Sulfur maximized yield
-BRANDT foliar nutrients with post crop protection products improved yield and harvest dry-down
-Fungicide applications with BRANDT foliar nutrients improved yield/ROI
-Starter fertilizers with Zinc (Zn) improved early growth, improving yield and dry-down
Soybeans:
-Early planting dates produced the highest yields and dropped off with later plantings
-Conventional tillage and no-till/cover crop had higher yields than no-till alone
-Applications of N, K and S were a key factor of high yields
-BRANDT foliar nutrients with crop protection products reduced stress/increased yield
-Fungicide applications with BRANDT foliar nutrients increased ROI
-Insect feeding @ R1 created "green stem syndrome"
Overall, yields were higher than anticipated based on rainfall at the BRANDT Research Farm. Implementation of the 2018 plan has already underway. Look for full results from both the Pleasant Plains, IL and Lexington, IL BRANDT Research Farms later this year in our annual results publication.
About BRANDT
A leading agricultural company, BRANDT serves growers around the globe. Founded in 1953 by Glen Brandt and his sister Evelyn Brandt Thomas to help Illinois farmers adopt new and profitable technologies, the company has experienced aggressive growth under the leadership of President and CEO Rick Brandt. BRANDT’s focus is providing the products and services that give growers the best opportunity for return while building a stronger, healthier and more abundant food supply.