This page is maintained by St. Joseph County MSU Extension

2009 Growing Season Just Around The Corner; Winter Annual Weed Control Research Projects Established in St. Joseph County

Centreville, March 27, 2009:  With the winter educational program season behind us, we can begin to look forward to the promise of the next growing season.  Soil conditions have been improving for field work over the last 2 weeks, and we are beginning to see tillage and fertilizer spreading operations to begin in earnest in the St. Joseph River Valley.  Dr. Christy Sprague, MSU Soybean Weed Control Specialist, has established two research trials in St. Joseph County to evaluate the impact of fall/winter/early spring herbicide programs on controlling winter annual weed species, and their impact on reducing soybean pests such as Soybean Cyst Nematodes, white grubs and black cutworms.  Special thanks to cooperators Phil DuFour and Dave Pueshel/Albert Stutzman for hosting these research trials on their production fields.

The St. Joseph County MSU Extension Office Purchases Weigh Wagon to Help Facilitate On-Farm Research, Soybean Yield Contest

Centreville, March 27, 2009:  While Corn, Wheat and other Michigan grown crops have seen yield increases over the last several years, average soybean yields have remained flat or even have seen slight decreases.   The Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee and the Soybean 2010 Research Program jointly sponsored by the MSPC and MSU Extension have sponsored a soybean yield contest over the last several years.  One goal of this contest is to help identify varieties and practices that help to lead to greater soybean yields and profitability.

Research grant dollars from studies conducted in 2008 have allowed our program to purchase and refurbish a used weigh wagon.  We would like to use this equipment to help producers whom wish to enter this contest to effectively be able to complete their entry as soon as the beans are harvested.   With the new equipment, we hope to be able to help producers to more easily enter the contest without having to invest a lot of time during harvest.  We also hope to use these scales to help producers to verify yields for their own trials that they establish on their farms.  For more information on this contest, you can click on the link below:

http://web1.msue.msu.edu/soybean2010/2008%20Soybean%20%20Yield%20Contest%20Flier.pdf

For further Agricultural and Natural Resources Information/Assistance, contact the following Regional/District Agents: