DUNDEE, Mich. — Southeastern Michigan soybean growers gathered at Cabela’s in Dundee on Jan. 15 to learn results of 2014 Soybean Management and Research Technology (SMaRT) on-farm research trials, as well as a multistate agronomic practices research study done by Michigan State University.

With a morning packed with soybean-producing technology, Mike Staton, MSU extension educator and SMaRT coordinator, kicked off the meeting with the skinny on the trials conducted on 43 Michigan farms. In its fourth year of on-farm research trials, SMaRT conducted 15 projects on 53 individual trial locations. Staton walked through each trial, explaining the results. And while several of them resulted in no benefit to the grower, there were a few outstanding trials that proved to increase income. 

The intensive management trial where the seeds were treated, followed by a foliar three-way tank mixture application, was compared to an untreated control treatment. The treated soybeans increased yields by 9.3 bushels per acre at one location. Given the projected 2014/2015 market price and additional costs associated with the intensive management trial, this treatment produced $26 per acre more income than the untreated control. 

Another trial that increased yield was the foliar tank mixture trial. A single foliar application including a fungicide, an insecticide and a fertilizer was compared to an untreated control at 10 locations. The treatments were replicated four times at nine of the locations and five times at one location. The trials found the foliar tank mixture increased yields at six of the 10 locations, producing $6 more income per acre than the untreated control. 

Combines equipped with air-assisted reels were on trial in two locations. The equipment uses high velocity air to move loose beans and cut plants into the auger or belt on combine heads. Combines with the air-assisted reels were operated with the fans turned on for one treatment and with the fans turned off for another. There was a trend for soybean yields to be higher when the fan was turned on at both locations. Air-assisted reels may have a larger impact on yield losses when the plants are short and/or the pods are dry and brittle at harvest. 

The Broadcast Gypsum trial and the Potassium Thiosulfate Starter Fertilizer trial also saw significant increases in yield, while several other trials proved to yield little or no increase in soybean yield. The specifics of each trial are published in the 2014 SMaRT Research Report and can be obtained by contacting Mike Staton at 269-673-0370 or email at staton@msu.edu

MSU research assistant Randy Laurenz provided the results from a multi-state agronomic practices research study. There were 235 soybean varieties tested from 23 private seed companies entered in seven county test sites in the 2014 Soybean Variety Performance Trials. The complete results from these trials can be found at www.varietytrials.msu.edu

Ned Birkey of Spartan Agricultural Consulting LLC provided the results of the 2014 Soybean Yield Contest. The entries ranged from 102 to 38 bushels per acre with 69 total entries from 54 farmers in 23 counties. Don Stall of Eaton County was the farmer who produced 102.12 bushels per acre to win the contest for the fourth year in a row. 

A question-and-answer session concluded the meeting followed by lunch provided by the Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee. For more information about Michigan soybean activities, visit www. michigansoybean.org