jbgruver - 11/29/2011 09:51 good question. Replicated strips (or split field comparisons if replicated strips are not an option) are one good way to evaluate new practices. Another option for farmers who have intensive soil sampling data and yield monitor data is to "data mine" these data sets for soil fertility: yield relationships. Lots of farmers have this kind of data now and some like David Orr (owner of this website) routinely analyze for soil fertility:yield relationships. AFAIK David has not found any relationships between Ca:Mg ratio and yield but I would certainly like to hear about farmers who have... Joel WIU Agriculture jbgruver - 11/29/2011 09:51 good question. Replicated strips (or split field comparisons if replicated strips are not an option) are one good way to evaluate new practices. Another option for farmers who have intensive soil sampling data and yield monitor data is to "data mine" these data sets for soil fertility: yield relationships. Lots of farmers have this kind of data now and some like David Orr (owner of this website) routinely analyze for soil fertility:yield relationships. AFAIK David has not found any relationships between Ca:Mg ratio and yield but I would certainly like to hear about farmers who have... Joel WIU Agriculture Interesting. you would bring up Dave Orr Joel Now as I recall ? Dave Orr has never quoted his field Yields. of yields of any crop that I recall. ? sold across the scales. maybe I missed the Post. Nor have I seen David invite forum members to visit his farm, fields during the growing season. to view his fields. Nor have I seen him post pictures of his fields, with growing crops. Good or sad ? or to ride the combine and observe during His Harvest. ? as I recall. does he grow county average yields ? or below, ? above. ? does he have to depend on P in the row ? for average yields ? Insecticide ? fungicide ? How Much N is applied per Bu. of corn grown. All issues discussed quite often on these forums. Has David Orr done Strip plots as you suggest Joel ? with a long term history of applications of Calcium sulfate, ? High calcium Lime. ? versus dolomite Lime applications. and with David Orr having Calcium readings for comparison at Say ? 40% Ca. versus 60% Ca. versus 70% Ca. with = PH readings acceptable of 5.8 to 6.6 or so ? or having magnesium readings at 5% versus 15% and 30+% consistent with soils found at random across Ohio and Indiana. ( Most all farms can produce average county and State average yields consistently ) with Minimal management skills and enough Band aid products to Boost a yield. then one looks at cost per acre to grow a given Bu. ? Now then is the issue of tile. ??? for every situation, one would have to look at the tile and or natural drainage. soil Percolation and soil tilth. Compaction. quote. ( jbgruver - 11/29/2011 09:51 good question. Replicated strips (or split field comparisons if replicated strips are not an option ) are one good way to evaluate new practices. ) personally I have found that subsoil Clay content, or the % of Sand, silt and clay can alter any and all soil Chemistry issues, % 's as discussed above so we certainly have to be consistent with soil type and soil depth when comparing notes from one farm to the other. Now IF Daved has Reported his ( Sold Bu. Farm Yield s ) I Must have Missed them. that is solely His Business. But You bring up Dave as an example Joel. Are we talking a 140 Bu. 10 year corn average ? or a 240 ? are we talking a 40 Bu 10 year S.B. average ? or a 55 to 60 Plus ? If he openly invites forum members to ride his combine and observe his findings ? Weed control, ? or lack of ? Root digs ? I missed that also. But all of these would have to be considered when visiting about soil amendments and Comparing Yields, total cost of production. | 
dolimitic lime
