By Blake Jackson
On-farm research is one of the most effective ways to turn scientific knowledge into practical farm decisions. By testing practices directly in their fields, farmers can better understand how to use inputs such as fertilizer and seed to achieve strong yields and crop quality.
However, traditional research methods, including replicated strip trials, often require extra time, labor, and equipment that are difficult to manage during the growing season.
To address these challenges, farmers can now use the Single-strip Spatial Evaluation Approach (SSEA), a simplified research method designed to fit seamlessly into normal farm operations.
Rather than testing treatments across multiple strips, SSEA evaluates the effect of a treatment within a single strip of a field, reducing disruption while still providing meaningful results.
The availability of yield monitors during corn grain and silage harvest has made SSEA trials especially practical for New York corn growers. These tools allow farmers to analyze yield differences efficiently, even when treatments are applied to a relatively small area.
Until recently, analysis of SSEA trials required assistance from Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Nutrient Management Spear Program (NMSP) staff. That process involved collecting data from farmers and advisors and completing the analysis manually. A newly developed solution has now streamlined this step.
In December, a new web-based SSEA tool developed by NMSP. This tool automates trial analysis, generates clear visual results, and produces downloadable reports that summarize findings in an easy-to-use format.
Users enter key information such as treatment strip locations, yield stability zone maps, historical yield layers, and current-year yield data. The tool then produces visual outputs showing yield stability distribution and confidence levels in treatment impacts, measured in bushels or tons per acre.
The tool also interprets results and compiles them into a report, helping farmers expand on-farm research with greater accuracy and confidence. For farms already working with NMSP, most required data are readily available, making participation even easier.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-prostock-studio
Categories: New York, Crops, Corn, Education