2012 Research and Demonstration Project Ideas
Practical Farmers of Iowa cooperators’ top project ideas for 2012 by research and demonstration area:
Energy Project Ideas
- How does the energy use and cost for a farm built, walk-in cooler using a CoolBot system compare to a commercial cooler of the same size?
- What is the energy savings and payback period for adding insulating foam to the outside of a commercial vegetable cooler?
- How does the energy use and cost in our newly constructed farmhouse, which is designed for energy efficiency, compare to our previous farmhouse?
Field Crops Project Ideas
- What is a cover crop's effect on soil quality and weed control?
- What are the differences between planting a cover crop with a hi-boy or no-till drill?
- How does transgenic corn compare with same iso-line that is non-transgenic?
- Does seeding oats and red clover cover crops decrease corn N use?
- What are the yields and aphid counts of aphid-resistant soybeans?
- What are the yields of improved organic and non-GMO corn hybrids?
- Does seeding hairy vetch with a cultivator at last cultivation increase nitrogen?
- Can tillage radish be established in a clover crop?
- What cultivator modifications are best to improve weed control?
Grazing Project Ideas
- How does stockpiling and grazing in fall and winter affect spring grass growth?
- What winter feeding regimes work best in a no-grain system?
- How do we monitor fly populations on cattle to determine threshold levels for animal welfare and profitability, and to determine the efficacy of a treatment?
- Is high protein content in forages and feed affecting livestock health, and the health of livestock products for people?
- Can annual forages inter-seeded into a warm-season prairie grass stand improve forage quality?
- Can compaction in pastures be alleviated using an Aerway or Keyline plow?
Horticulture Project Ideas
- Will the yields of marketable tubers increase by lifting sweet potato vine?
- Does planting thyme along with brassica prevent the damages of cabbage worms?
- Are living mulches suitable for weed control without competing for nutrients and light with my peppers (cash crop)?
- Can a soybean “smother crop” be used to effectively reduce weed pressure in organic asparagus production? What is the impact of a soybean cover crop on asparagus’ fertility and yield?
- Does organic commercial paper mulch control weed better than bare soil?
- Which non-toxic methods (kaolin clay and row covers) are effective in controlling flea beetle populations?
- Which cover crop species grow adequately between spring and fall crops to add a rotation, build soil, and suppress weeds?
- What are the Ideal green bean seeding rates?
- Does planting clover as living mulch control weed in sweet corn production?
- How much cover crops benefit is eradicated with tillage?
- Recordkeeping project: collect records on production and sales from fruit and vegetable farms to provide agencies with information to create better insurance options for fruit and vegetable farmers.
Poultry Production Project Ideas
- What is the cost of production, processing, and marketing for my particular poultry system?
- What are economic and soil impacts of the rotation system in poultry production (cover crops - cash crop versus poultry - cash crop)?
Pig Production Project Ideas
- How do alternative hog rations compare to typical corn-soy diet in terms of cost?
- Is Linseed meal a viable alternative feed for pastured pigs?