8
Jan
2019
What has three years of implementing water management practices at our Practical Farm Research (PFR)® facility in southern Illinois (SIL) taught us? That in environments that struggle with drainage, tile has payed dividends. Despite the common belief that tile does not work on clay pan soils, our data has proved otherwise.
So, the question is, why did tile work? To gain a better understanding, we must first dig deeper into the soil moisture and temperature data we have gathered over the past three years with CropX LLC moisture sensors.
Categories: PFR, PFR Reports
Tags: PFR, PFR Report, Water Management, Tile, Soil Moisture, Tile Depth, SIL PFR, CLay Pan, Tile Spacing
7
Mar
2018
Over the last two years, Beck’s Practical Farm Research (PFR)® team in SIL has tested various water management systems. These studies included drip-fertigation and sub-irrigation studies as well as a tile spacing and tile depth studies. These different water management systems have resulted in some of the highest yields ever recorded at the SIL PFR site to date. In the February 2018 PFR report, we discussed the yield advantages we have seen from tile drainage and irrigation, and many of you asked why we saw such a yield increase.
Tags: PFR, PFR Report, Water Management, Sub-Irrigation, Tile, Drip Irrigation, Drip Fertigation, Soil Moisture, Tile Depth
6
Feb
Beck’s Practical Farm Research (PFR)® data has shown that early planting is one of the keys to maximizing yield potential. In 2017, much of the Midwest faced adverse weather conditions which made it a challenge to find optimum windows to plant early. In such situations, many farmers find themselves wondering what options they have.
Tags: PFR, PFR Report, Water Management, Sub Irrigation, Irrigation, Tile
19
May
2017
There is no better time to experience the benefits of water management than after a big rainfall event. And Mother Nature has provided more than enough of those this season.
Fields across the Midwest have been flooded and tractors put on standby as farmers across the Corn Belt waited out torrential rains and wet fields over the last few weeks. Some fields however, fared better than others. Their secret you ask? Well water management of course!
Tags: Beck's Blog, Yield, PFR Report, Water Management, Jim Schwartz, Beck's Agronomy Update, Drip-Irrigation, Sub-Irrigation
4
In this video Jonathan Perkins, Beck’s Practical Farm Research (PFR)® Location Lead & Agronomist, reviews the results of Beck’s 2016 Water Management Study.
Tags: Practical Farm Research, Water Management, TIle Drainage, PFR. PFR Report, Sub Irrigation, sensor-based sub-irrigation, controlled water table, and manual sub-irrigation.
2
2016
In the latest Practical Farm Research (PFR)® Report Jason Webster, Beck’s PFR Innovation Lead, is in the field at the Southern IL PFR site where the field tile is being installed for the new Water Management Study.
Tags: Practical Farm Research, PFR, PFR Report, Water Management, TIle Drainage, Drip Tape Irrigation, Southern IL PFR, Field Tile, Patter tile width, overhead irrigation