By Steve Prochaska and Jason Hartschuh
The OSU Unger Farm will be the site of a day dedicated to a farming trend of crop combination.
Modified Relay Intercropping (MRI) is the planting of soybeans into standing wheat about the time wheat is flowering.
In 14 years of replicated trials in North Central Ohio on the MRI system, yields have averaged 76 bushels/acre for wheat and 28 bushels/acre for soybeans. Wheat yields in favorable growing seasons have exceeded 90 bushels per acre and while soybeans have yielded well over 40 bushels per acre.
In some years, MRI may offer a greater soybean yield potential than traditional double cropping of soybeans after wheat.
Vyn et al, found that relay intercropping of soybeans yielded better than double cropping of soybeans north of I – 70 in Indiana www.agry.purdue.edu/staffbio/AY316.pdf).
The focus of the field event will be to share information on how the system works, and to view various trials of intercrop soybeans. Intercropped corn and grain sorghum will also be demonstrated.
The event will be held at the OSU Unger Farm on Sept. 4 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The OSU Unger Farm is located a quarter mile west of Bucyrus on Bucyrus-Nevada Road. Watch for signs.