The information from our research is allowing us to produce powerful and effective management recommendations about salinity and its various effects on soybeans. This proposal will allow us to communicate our results in the most effective different ways possible and will therefore give us the most output for the research dollars that have been spent.

Update:

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Interpretation and Sharing of Information from Soybean and Pest Pressure Response to Salinity (Year 4)

Principal Investigators:
Abbey Wick, Dept. of Soil Science; Tom DeSutter, Dept. of Soil Science; Jason Harmon, Dept. of Entomology

Technical Support:
Kirsten Butcher, Graduate Student, Dept. of Soil Science
Jackie Eichele, Graduate Student, Dept. of Entomology

FY Year End Report: June 30, 2017; Executive Summary

Soil salinity continues to be a serious problem for North Dakota soybean farmers. Salinity directly reduces soybean yield while creating additional problems such as increased soybean pests that cause additional damage. Over the past four years, we performed numerous research studies to evaluate and refine interactions among salinity, soybean and arthropod pests (spider mites and soybean aphids) in both the field and the greenhouse. In 2016-2017, it was an opportune time to get more information to farmers and also in peer-reviewed scientific publications.

We used several outlets to share information, including video and fact sheet development, mass media, informal discussion groups along with field tours and workshops. Additionally, we published the information in scientific journals.

Videos: Sixteen educational videos addressing both soil health and salinity management were developed. Research results and management recommendations from this research on soybean response to salinity and pest interactions was included. Videos are posted on the NDSU Soil Health Webpage (ndsu.edu/soilhealth).

Fact Sheets: For each video produced, an accompanying two-page fact sheet was developed. This provides an opportunity for farmers to get more information on a specific topic. Fact sheets can be found on the NDSU Soil Health Webpage (ndsu.edu/soilhealth).

Mass Media: The Soil Health Minute series with AgWeek TV was started in the spring of 2017. As of the end of June, seven episodes with accompanying 500-word columns in AgWeek Magazine have been recorded and written. This provides an outlet for reaching 40,000 viewers and subscribers in the region. Videos and columns from the Soil Health Minute are also posted on the NDSU Soil Health Webpage (ndsu.edu/soilhealth).

Café Talks: From January thru February of 2017, 15 informal discussion groups called Soil Health Café Talks were held in Nelson, LaMoure, Ransom, Richland, Sargent and Stutsman counties. Three meetings per location were held, drawing between 15 to 35 attendees. A summary article of information discussed was written for the Soybean Grower Magazine (June 2017 issue, pages 22-23).

Field Days and Workshops: NDSU Soil Health hosted 20 field days and workshops, where salinity management was part of the discussion. Field days drew just over 1,000 attendees. Included in these field days was the 2016 Soil Health Bus Tour, where we highlighted commodity funded research projects related to soil health.

Sharing Research: One manuscript was accepted for publication in Environmental Entomology, one manuscript in Agronomy Journal and we have two additional manuscripts ready to submit. The two graduate students funded by this project have successfully completed their degrees.

North Dakota Soybean farmers received extensive programming related to salinity management and soil health this past year and have online resources available.