Improving Stakeholder Knowledge and Management in Soybean Using Survey Methods

 

Over the past several years, our research program has aimed to improve stakeholder knowledge of major issues that impact soybean production in Pennsylvania. Through our incorporation into the Pennsylvania Soybean On-Farm Network, as well as recognizing issues related to white mold, we have adapted several different approaches to increase stakeholder knowledge including the use of empirical field and laboratory research and the development of new assessment tools to better quantify the impact of these efforts during educational workshops. Our assessment tools aim to determine what management tactics and strategies are economically feasible for soybean farmers in the state. In this research highlight, we focus on efforts related to two specific projects supported by the Pennsylvania Soybean Board.

 

 

The PA Soybean On-Farm Network, through its use of summer and winter workshops, aims to reach farmers relatively new to working with soybean and are interested in increasing knowledge of best production and management practices. While many of the participants are new to the workshops and the On-Farm Network, the majority of these farmers reported over 10 years of experience in soybean production. Nonetheless, they still indicated that they gained average to extensive knowledge through the use of presentations that effectively explained important production and management concepts. Additionally, most found the topics and print materials provided at these workshops very relevant to their own needs as soybean producers and stakeholders, a result further supported by extension educators reporting that printed resources almost always are taken for later referencing at events.

 

Nearly all workshop participants indicated that they were somewhat or very likely to apply what they learned from these programs, having average to high confidence in their ability to apply new knowledge and skills gained in areas such as good inoculation practices, weed, and insect management, soil fertility, testing for nematodes and more. In a supplemental survey provided to a subset of participants, all indicated they felt that attending the workshop would lead to a positive cash impact on their business of $5-$15 per acre.

 

To delve deeper into the impacts realized by farmers, the workshop surveys were supplemented in 2019 with an electronic survey completed by Extension Educators and one-on-one in-person video interviews with a subset of farmers participating in on-farm research trials. A particularly rewarding aspect of conducting farmer interviews was to hear first-hand the sincere gratitude and satisfaction with the program and farmer’s interactions with the Extension Educators. Farmers indicated a strong appreciation for the work the Extension Educators put into the on-farm research trials, which greatly minimized the burden for the farmer and made their participation in the research easy as well as valuable.

 

Farmer interviews indicated that they had at least 15 years of experience in soybean production and participated in a variety of projects that ranged from slug monitoring, to plant populations, to studies focused on understanding the differences between high and low yielding production fields. Most cited interactions with their Extension Educators as the initial reason for participating in on-farm research and their desire to learn for both their own and other’s production and bottom-line benefits as their rationale for their continued involvement in the research trials. For example, interviewees noted using program information to reduce seed cost by lowering planting populations without impacting yield, saving fuel by using no-till practices, lowering fungicide input costs by knowing when to use or limit their use, and using proper row spacing to benefit soybean yield and the production bottom line. Overall, program research trial information was reported to be a part of their decision-making process, even if sometimes they ultimately chose not to alter their practices.

 

Impacts seen by Extension Educators confirmed the comments provided by farmer participants, especially related to decreasing inputs for economic savings, and expanded on the benefits farmers gained from their participation in the network. Additional observations include increased knowledge of pests, pathogens, and weeds that impact soybean yield, complemented by improved herbicide resistance and disease management practices. For instance, increased usage of integrated pest management practices in soybean production such as better scouting practices, timely pesticide application, and incorporating economic thresholds were observed. Farmers also seemed to have a better awareness of their yield, production costs, and the best planting dates, harvest times, and varieties for their production system. The majority of Extension Educators also reported that their farmer cooperators have average to high confidence in applying knowledge and skills gained from participating in on-farm research trials.

 

Furthermore, these evaluation instruments captured insight into issues to address in future PA Soybean On-Farm Network workshops and research efforts. Farmers expressed questions and concerns related to root health and soilborne and stem diseases like Pythium and white mold, locating markets and expanding marketing opportunities, identifying better methods of managing wildlife pests, and addressing dicamba drift and lodging issues. Farmers also indicated they were interested in learning more about double-crop soybean management, yield effects of rolling beans and in-furrow fertilizer applications, continued nematode monitoring, and understanding more about variety and product types in relation to the different soils and climate regions found in PA.

 

 

White mold is a disease caused by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The fungus thrives in cool, wet weather and infects soybeans during the flowering period. Therefore, the weather at flowering, soybean variety, row spacing, and soybean management practices influences white mold disease development. It is important to manage the disease to prevent spread to new areas of the state since the pathogen can survive in soil for five or more years. In addition, many other host crops can be infected by this pathogen, thus putting other agronomic and vegetable crops at risk if not managed well.

 

Anecdotal evidence suggests that white mold disease in soybean is a larger problem than most growers suspect due to limited knowledge and awareness about this disease, and the possible underreporting of cases in Pennsylvania. Although there is a long list of management tactics, varying factors such as Pennsylvania’s unique microclimatic conditions, differing white mold field histories, farm production systems and goals, and external factors such as accessibility, ease of use, and cost of management practices pose a need for management strategies that are both economically feasible and efficacious for each region and farm.

 

We have created a survey to improve our understanding of the prevalence of white mold disease across Pennsylvania and gain insight on current practices used by soybean growers who have a history of white mold. Sections incorporate discerning Pennsylvania soybean growers’ knowledge of white mold and perceived risk, quantifying the annual yield loss due to white mold at the farm level, collecting information about general soybean management practices, and indicating specific areas of management where growers are willing and able to adopt tactics that are based on economic feasibility and farming goals.

 

Our goal is to send out the survey during the upcoming winter. Every answer we receive in the survey helps us with our research and educational efforts, especially to be able to provide more informed and tailored management recommendations. Responses will be confidential, and data will be aggregated by county to ensure individuals will not be linked to responses.