3 minute read
DELIVERING DYNAMIC DATA
ISOFAST OFFERS NEW, INTERACTIVE WAY TO HELP FARMERS PUT RESEARCH DATA TO WORK
BY LAUREN HOUSKA
Farmers make countless decisions throughout the year — some easy, some difficult. Now, they have access to a free, one-of-a-kind tool to aid in making tough agronomic and economic decisions using results from on-farm replicated trials.
The Interactive Summary of On-Farm Strip Trials (ISOFAST) tool was developed by the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) in partnership with Iowa State University (ISU). It provides growers with an edge on the probability that specific products, practices and technology will offer a return on the investment. The summaries are comprehensive by including the interactions of field management, soil and weather on yield response.
Peter Kyveryga and Aaron Prestholt collect samples from a soybean field during the growing season.
Joseph L. Murphy/Iowa Soybean Association
“The role of ISA as a research entity is to communicate what works, to ask bigger questions and to seek a deeper understanding of agronomic and economic impacts,” says Peter Kyveryga, ISA director of analytics and affiliate assistant professor of agronomy at ISU.
ISOFAST can help farmers answer those questions (and more), which is critical when every cost is being carefully considered as farmers try to balance the ledger.
“It’s an easy way to figure out if something will pencil out on my operation,” says Brent Renner, ISA At Large director. The Klemme soybean farmer has utilized the tool a few times. “I like that no one is trying to sell me anything. It’s verified and unbiased information I can trust.”
Aaron Prestholt, ISA data analyst, weighs and catalogs stalk samples.
Joseph L. Murphy/Iowa Soybean Association
Reliable results
The tool is based on field-level data, measuring yield response in about 1,300 on-farm replicated trials conducted across Iowa by farmers working with ISA’s Research Center for Farming Innovation. There are 27 trial categories for soybeans and 21 categories for corn collected during the last 15 years.
On-farm trials reflect conditions farmers are likely to experience in their own fields, says Kyveryga.
“We’re here to serve farmers and they expect us to offer objective data they can use on their operations,” says Suzanne Fey, ISA data analyst. “The data from our trials is all quality-assured, and all data is reported, regardless of whether it shows a favorable result for the product or practice.”
For each on-farm study category, ISOFAST:
• Identifies on-farm study rationale, specific trial locations, field management and weather;
• Allows users to track trial identification numbers throughout the trial summaries;
• Shows dynamic graphs to better communicate statistical summaries, variability and uncertainty in yield differences within and across trials;
• Provides break-even economic analyses using cost and price inputs provided by users online;
• Summarizes key scouting, soil and tissue observations for tested treatments; and
• Creates short summaries and tailored, downloadable reports to aid in decision-making.
“A positive yield result doesn’t always equate to improved profitability,” says Fey. “It can, but in times of lower grain prices, a product or practice might not make sense financially. This tool is meant to help farmers and agronomists make that determination.”
General view of ISOFAST interactive tool, with a list of soybean studies. The map shows trial locations for Priaxor foliar fungicide and an example of interactive of PDF report generated by the tool. The tool also offers insights on corn trials, which are funded by industry partners and other sources.
More on the horizon
“The project is a great example of scientists from ISU and ISA
working together to deliver research-based information and tools to help Iowa soybean farmers be more productive and profitable, says Greg Tylka, director of the Iowa Soybean Research Center and a professor of plant pathology and microbiology at ISU.
The center provided funding that, combined with soybean checkoff funds, helped launch ISOFAST. Fernando Miguez, associate professor of agronomy at ISU, and agronomy graduate student Anabelle Laurent helped to develop ISOFAST with ISA.
The tool was rolled out to farmers last winter during ISA’s Farmer Research Tour and will be featured in this year’s ISA Research & Results Forum in February (see page 25 for more details).
“As more trials are conducted and processed by ISA, new summaries will be added and categories will expand,” says Kyveryga. “The more data that farmers share with us, the more questions we can answer to continue helping farmers improve their bottom lines.”
FIND ISOFAST AT IASOYBEANS.COM > ISA RESEARCH> TOOLS AND SERVICES > ONLINE TOOLS
Contact Lauren Houska at lhouska@iasoybeans.com.
