2021
SHARE Farm Research Projects in Mooreton and Logan Center ND
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Contributor/Checkoff:
North Dakota Soybean Council
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
DiseaseField management Pest
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
Abbey Wick, North Dakota State University
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
QSSB
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
North Dakota Soybean Council
$26,358
Institution Funded:
North Dakota State University
$26,358
Brief Project Summary:

The SHARE Farm project started in Mooreton in 2013 and expanded to Logan Center in 2019. Both farms provide opportunities for field-scale, long-term research, which means cooperating farmers are heavily involved, using their equipment to manage the location. Research is conducted by NDSU, using sampling and analytical approaches suited to each field and project. Long-term sites have high value when assessing how soil health management approaches can achieve on-farm goals. Multiple faculty members will assess systems at each location and make science-based recommendations for adopting soil health building practices that can be relatively high-risk and require specification to each system.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, extension specialists, agronomists

Information And Results
Project Deliverables

1. Data-supported information to be shared using Extension media development
(print and online) and activities (field days, workshops, Café Talks)
2. Academic publications and presentations (state, regional and national meetings)

Final Project Results

Update:
See attached

View uploaded report Word file

View uploaded report 2 Word file

Research
Through two years of research at Logan Center and eight years at the Mooreton Soil Health and Agriculture Research Extension (SHARE) Farms, research efforts have:
• Demonstrated and evaluated field-scale, whole system strategies on saline and non-saline soils
• Evaluated the economics of soil health improving strategies
• Evaluated soil health testing and how it applies to our region
• Studied the differences under conventional and no-till practices
• Studied the impact of tillage practices on crop yield, soil quality, soil moisture, and soil temperature
• Transferred science-based knowledge to ND farmers

Why the research is important to ND soybean farmers
Research being carried out as part of the SHARE Farm projects provides regional, science-based information to farmers so they can reduce risk when adopting new soil health building practices. Though the SHARE Farms are regional, there are basic concepts shown and management practices that can be adopted by farmers across the state. The SHARE Farms also let farmers see the practices first-hand: “it’s a field I can drive by where I know research is being done on the whole field and I can see how it might work on my farm” (Farmer, Richland Co).

Final findings of the research
Several conclusions can be drawn from the SHARE Farm projects:
• Tile-drainage can help manage soil salinity when used with other soil health building practices like reduced tillage, salt-tolerant crop selection and cover crops
• Soil temperature is, on average, lower and has less daily fluctuation in no-tilled as compared to conventionally tilled systems
• No-till systems help to increase soil water content under most conditions
• No-till systems (no-till plus cover crops) have a slightly lower or non-significant yield differences compared to conventional tillage

Benefits/Recommendations to North Dakota soybean farmers and industry
Following harvest this fall, final sampling at the Mooreton site will be carried out, so stay posted for final results and recommendations from that location. For updates on the SHARE Farm project, and other soil health news visit the NDSU Soil Health webpage (NDSU.edu/soilhealth) or follow Abbey Wick on Twitter (@NDSUsoilhealth).

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.