IN Field Advantage Enrollment Deadline

INFA has traditionally been focused on nitrogen use on corn. The program uses aerial imagery, last season corn stalk nitrate testing and round table discussions to help growers find ways to improve their nitrogen use efficiency and reduce their expenses of producing a bushel of corn. If you apply hog manure and would like to enroll any corn fields, please complete the form enclosed. The expenses related to imagery and CSNT will be funded by Indiana Pork, Indiana Corn and Soy Checkoff.

In 2018 INFA will now be including soybean fields. Building on Dr. Shaun Casteel’s (Purdue University) work applying sulfur to beans, INFA is offering participants a chance to see if their beans will respond similarly. Purdue Soybean has documented soybean yield response to sulfur near LaCrosse, Indiana (sulfur deficient fields) 8.5 to 13 bu/ac with broadcasted dry fertilizer near planting in 2016 and 2017. Fertilizers tested to date were granular ammonium sulfate (AMS, 21-0-0-24S) and MES10 (12-40-0-10S) to supply 20 lb S/acre. The objective of INFA’s program is to determine the distribution of soybean-responsive fields to sulfur across Indiana. INFA is focused on dry fertilizer applications of sulfur prior to planting.

This is a survey across the state, and growers are asked to apply (or leave) at least one check strip so there will be an indication of the yield difference. Yield maps (or raw data) are the BEST WAY to determine the responsiveness of soybean to sulfur. These soybean fields do not require the application of hog manure and will also have imagery and tissue samples collected and the results will be discussed as part of the INFA Winter Meetings.

The expenses related to imagery and tissue collection will be funded by Indiana Corn and Soy Checkoff. There is budget for each INFA participant to enroll one soybean field, though it is a local choice on how many fields to have in each region. To obtain the full project protocol and to sign up, contact the Wabash County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD). Tashina Lahr-Manifold is your INHM Group Leader for Huntington, Wabash and Miami counties.