Research on the Farm (ROTF)

Objective

The purpose of this project is to quantify the agronomic and economic impacts of reducing and increasing targeted plant stands from normal seeding rate in Barley.

 Summary

• The grower will seed their normal seeding rate in 4 strips, alternating with 4 strips each of a lower and a higher seeding rate.
• The width of a strip must be at least as wide as a complete combine pass, preferably wider. The harvested length should not be less than 1,000 feet.
• The alternating strips of the barley seeding rates can be planted by using GPS to plant every other strip with one seeding rate and then filling in the skipped passes with the second seeding rate.
• Take a seed sample from the seeder (about ½ an ice cream bucket).
• Harvesting must ensure at least one “pure” combine pass from each treatment (no mixing of yields from two different treatments)

Grower Requirements

• Supply information (if unknown before planting) on location, seeding dates, variety, and treatments etc. by June 30.
• Area containing waterways and headlands should be avoided. All other factors in the trial must be managed the same (planting date, variety, etc.).
• If possible, accurately record where all the treatments were applied using GPS mapping equipment.
• All strips must be harvested on the same day.
• Allow the Manitoba Crop Alliance to use the collected data for research, education, and informative purposes.
• Must be a member in good standing with the MCA.

3rd Party Contractor Partners:

• MCA utilizes third party agronomic contractor services to assist and run on-farm trials.
• MCA will cover the cost of these services, there is no cost to the participant.
• Contractors authorized to conduct this trial on behalf of MCA are:
  • Tone Ag Consulting

MCA and Partners agree to:

• Attempt to collect aerial images from each field and provide them to the grower at no
• Set up trial with growers in field, soil sample, do plant counts after planting but before harvest, weigh individual strips with weigh wagon, take a harvest sample.
• Provide a report analyzing the statistical and economical treatment
• Keep data in a confidential manner that cannot be linked back to the individual producer by other parties.

Benefits to Growers:

• Access to the latest research which can be adapted to your
• Creating a crop production database for your local
• Higher quality of data – multiple evaluations across numerous farms under different management styles, soil types and cropping