Want to Conduct a Field Trial on your Farm? Use the SEED method.

On farm trials are a way for farmers to learn how practices, products and equipment will work in their own farming operations under realistic growing conditions. Setting up and implementing on-farm trials have resulted in different levels of success.  Not all on-farm trial methods are created equal. Some are too simplistic while others are very complicated. Having a successful on-farm trial that generates answers for farmers is the end goal, however, all too often farmers get discouraged and feel they are not worth the time and effort for the information they receive. The key to a successful on-farm trial is as simple as remembering the SEED method for trial execution.

S - Simple Questions

• Formulate a simple yes/no question with only 1 variable compared against a practice that is already being done. The more variables you have the more opportunity for unclear results.
  • Good practice: does adding 25lb/ac of sulfur increase corn yields compared to no sulfur application in my field?
  • Bad practice: does adding 15lbs/ac, 25lbs/ac, or 35lb/ac of sulfur increase my corn yields across the field at 28, 32, and 36 thousand seeds per acre seeding rates?
• Randomize strips in the field to account for field variability to detect differences between variables. Know your fields to avoid major trouble areas.
  • Good practice: three strips of variable A alternating with three strips of variable B (grower standard practice) as the control strips.
  • Bad practice: splitting a field in half or adding one treatment to whole field without leaving 3 or more check strips for comparison.

E - Equipment Available

• Utilize your own equipment to make operations easier. Consider the operational width of all equipment when determining strip width size.
  • Good practice: planting two soybean varieties at a 16 row (40 ft) width and harvesting with a platform width of 40 ft.
  • Bad practice: UAV spraying a fungicide with an 8 row (20 ft) coverage width and harvesting with a 12 row (30 ft) corn head width.
• Use Technology to assist in collecting data.
  • Guidance systems allow easier determination of correct strip locations.
  • Use of display monitors and pre-loaded prescriptions in tractors to help seamlessly implement on-farm trials.
  • Combine yield monitors and grain cart load cells provide accurate harvest data.

E - Evaluate Information

• Take in-field notes and observation throughout the growing season.
  • Take special note of weather events, equipment or application errors, and plant health that can bias data.
• Analyze data using statistics.
  • Number comparisons may indicate yield or profit differences but often do not factor in variance from one field strip to another.
  • Statistics determine if variations are attributed to the on-farm trial or to uncontrollable factors such as soil variation, weed pressure, moisture availability etc.
• A complete statistical analysis to determine grain yield differences as well as return on investment differences should be conducted.
  • A return on investment should factor in the cost of product, application, and labor along with commodity price.
• There are many online tools available to help with statistical analysis.
  • Universities, commodity organizations, and industry resources are available to assist farmers in getting the answers. (see Additional Resources below)

D - Deliver Results

• Use the data to make a decision on your operation.
  • Data that shows no statistical differences is just as valuable as data with large statistical differences and could save farmers thousands of dollars.
• Sharing your local data or experiences with others is citizen science at it best.
  • Sharing is contagious and can spur conversations that drive the next round of on-farm trials. Plus, the more farmers share locally, the more profit available for all.

A properly designed and executed on-farm trial should be simple for farmers to see results without feeling overwhelmed with added time and costs. SEED is not a revolutionary concept; however, it allows farmers to move through all the noise of complicated trial methods to get at what everyone truly wants – local answers to questions that can improve farmer profitability.

Additional Resources

• FarmStat (University of Nebraska – Lincoln)
• FarmTest
• Guide to On-Farm Trials (Iowa Soybean Association)