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Orthman Manufacturing announces multiple partner Research Farm

Lexington, Nebraska, July 10, 2007 — In 2007, Orthman Manufacturing opened a Tillage Research station at the Lexington, Nebraska headquarters. Under the leadership of Justin Troudt, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, the Orthman Research farm is partnering with agricultural businesses and row crop input manufacturers. Troudt explains, “It is extremely important that the American producer has the opportunity to maximize the performance of every input he invests in his row crop production. Whether it is seed, fertilizer, herbicide, rain, irrigation or tillage, the Orthman 1-tRIPr plays a key role in how these inputs perform.”

Troudt likes to use his laptop computer as an example of his methodology, “My Dell Computer is like the Orthman 1-tRIPr, it is the machine that makes all the other inputs such as the software, processor, printer, etc., function. The Orthman 1-tRIPr and all its capabilities is the complete row crop package! The Orthman Research Farm provides that ‘playground’ allowing the producers and our input partners to see the complete package come together.”

Tillage Comparison Plots

  • To start the research, Orthman created tillage comparison plots. These plots are replicated plots in association with two proactive Seed Companies of the Midwest region, Channel Bio Group and Mycogen Seeds. All varieties are RoundUp Ready and many are Triple Stack varieties.
  • The plots are 12 to 30 inch rows in width and 500 ft. in length, replicated three times under full irrigation.
  • Plots exist of two varieties of corn from each of the partnering companies, 112-114 day length corn varieties, planted at a population of 32,000 seeds per acre.
  • Root studies are carried out twice during the growing season to ascertain root length for an early stage (25-30 days after emergence) and near plant maturity (100-105 days after emergence).
  • Corn plants will be measured for root to leaf area index to provide an indication of plant vigor and health within two tillage systems.
  • Depth of root penetration will also be taken for comparisons sake.
  • Yield of grain will be harvested from each replication for bushel weight, moisture, and total bushels per separate variety.
  • Orthman will also compare Monosem Twin-row corn to single row corn on strip-tilled at three different planting populations.

Future Expectations of the Tillage Study

Orthman expects the tillage study to have two more partners in 2008 and incorporate soybean comparisons under the two tillage scenario system as well. In 2008, they also plan to till and plant with a combo-caddy unit to make the system a true 1 Trip Strip-Till approach. In the future, Orthman will incorporate studies with pre-plant Mycorrhizal fungi incorporation, and to involve Potash & Phosphate Institute and partnering fertilizer companies to study new potassium product effectiveness. Orthman hopes to expand the Twin-Row study to compare in varying tillage operations: strip-till to conventional full ground tillage, with varying populations and two to three hybrids. They expect to join forces with fertilizer companies to study high quality nutrition in strip-till and precision placement of said products in corn and soybean production.

Variety Show Plots

Presently the Orthman Sales and Marketing staff has 11 partners in the seed breeding and sales showing four different hybrids between check plots, all planted into Strip-Tilled soils. They are fertilized equally for high yield potential and will be irrigated to meet ET demands. The companies include Mycogen, Garst, Midwest Seeds, Asgrow, Dekalb, Dyna-Gro, CropLand, NC+, LG Seeds, Crows Seeds, and Hoegemeyer Seeds.

Research Farm Cooperating Partners

  • CropLand Seeds
  • Garst Seeds
  • Hoegemeyer Seeds
  • Orthman Manufacturing
  • Golden Plains Ag Network
  • Case-IH – Fairbanks International
  • Monosem Twin Row Planters
  • Channel Bio Group (NC+, Crows, Midwest Seeds)
  • Trimble
  • Auto-Farm
  • Agri-Inject (Variable Rate Fertilizer)
  • JD Stiles (Variable Rate Seed)
  • All Points COOP
  • Mycogen Seeds
  • Dekalb
  • Dyna-Gro
  • LG Seeds
  • Asgrow

A late summer field event is planned for September 14th, 2007, right after Husker Harvest Days. The event is located on-site in Lexington, Nebraska.

To keep informed and up-to-date about progress, further information on the Field Day and what is happening with Orthman’s work to assist the grower, simply visit us at: www.PrecisionTillage.com

For more information contact Orthman Manufacturing at 1-308-324-7555 or write to P.O. Box B • Lexington, NE 68850.