The Rural Voice, 1978-08, Page 28Advice on Farming
Testing new
crop ideas
Each year Ontario farmers try new ways
to reduce crop production costs or increase
net returns. These methods may include
testing new varieties, changing fertilizer
rates or analyses. or using a new tillage
method. Based on the results of these
tests. a farmer may change part of his
cropping program for two or three years.
Therefore. it is important that this initial
test be set up accurately without built-in
bias.
in a completely uniform field there can
bra 10 bushel/acre difference in corn yield
between two one acre strips planted side
by side and treated identically. Similarly. it
is common to have a 2 percent difference in
crop moisture in the same row.
Tests conducted last year by the Perth
and Huron Soil and Crop Improvement
Associations showed available soil fertility
can be twice as great from one acre to the
next even in apparently uniform soil. It is
this unaccountable variability ►ye must
consider when setting out on-farm tests.
t hu• arca farmer used a surtactant with
his corn herbicide and got good weed
control. On the basis of this result. he
derided to use surfactants on all his crops
the second year. Unfortunately. the second
year he had weed escapes and damaged his
crop.
the point here is. if he had included a
check strip with herbicide and no
surfactant. he probably. would have found
he had good weed control evert without a
surfactant. He should also have left a check
strip x‘ ith no chemical to ensure there were
weeds there. and to sec if the chemical
injured the crop.
When comparing varieties of fertilizers
generally crop height or color arc no
indication of real differences. Weight
yields arc the only true inidcator. For
instance. early phosphorus deficiencies
will give shorter plants at emergence. but
generally by the end of the summer there
\\ ill he no yield difference.
I\ccssive nitrogen can give a darker
green color ‘yithout increasing yield. If
ci.hcd yields are to be taken. at least two
areas of each treatment should be sampled
and averaged. The test will increase in
accuracy the more times it is repeated.
Finally, there are ninny oimmmick pro-
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Brussels
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I. 28 THE RURAL VOiCE AUGUST 1978
ducts on the market guaranteed to reduce
crop costs and many other things. if
someone approaches you with a new
product. read the label for its registered
use. If the salesperson claims more than
what is on the label, be cautious if you want
to try it. set out an on-farm trial without
built-in bias.
List your herd
The Holstein Friesian Association of
Canada is endorsing the Brucellosis -Free
Listing Program.
This is a testing program that has been
developed by Agriculture Canada's Health
of Animals Branch for the protection of
individual herds.
A farmer should list his herd so he can
be confident that his herd is free of the
disease and so he can certify this to others.
the Association says.
The program is recommended for
farmers who are selling cattle since soon
major sales organizations will be able to
insist on consignments only from listed
herds. it is reported that already sales to
the U.S.A. have resumed and a large
percentage of the animals involved are
from listed herds.