Beck’s data about water management revealed

LONDON, Ohio — Recent Beck’s Practical Farm Research data can provide farmers with water management solutions to increase profitability and value.

“When it comes to water drainage, the presence of tile is extremely beneficial when increasing yield regardless of spacing,” said Jared Chester, Ohio PFR/agronomy data and information specialist.

“In a five-year corn and soybean study at Beck’s PFR location in London, Ohio, the data indicates there was little yield differentiation when it comes to the actual spacing of tile.”

Beck’s PFR team expanded its tile research by incorporating tile depth at Beck’s Southern Illinois PFR location in Effingham.

When planting soybeans, data concludes that farmers can have a 10 bushel per acre yield advantage with 15-foot tile spacing at a 36-inch depth, whereas farmers can expect a 28 bushel per acre yield advantage with 15-foot tile spacing at a 24-inch depth when planting corn.

When it comes to water input in fields, drip lines are generally placed 12 to18 inches deep every 60 inches and are expected to have a lifespan of over 20 years.

According to a Southern Illinois PFR corn study, drip line paired with tile shows a 20 bushel per acre yield advantage.