By Jennifer Jones, CCA, ISA Research Agronomist

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Do you have questions about your insecticide applications and if they really provide the return on investment you are seeking? Have you wondered if insecticide seed treatments in conservation systems hurt more than they help? The Illinois Soybean Association On-Farm Trial Network (OFTN) is coordinating two on-farm research studies with the University of Illinois to answer these questions. Illinois farmers willing to host a trial are needed.

Dr. Nick Seiter, University of Illinois Assistant Professor and Field Crops Entomologist, developed two protocols. His team will visit the trials multiple times throughout the growing season to conduct insect counts and injury assessments.

1. ROI of Soybean Foliar Insecticides Action Trial

The objective of this trial is to determine how often soybean insecticide foliar applications provide a positive return in protected yield and which insect pests are responsible when they do. The treatment is an insecticide application at R3, which will be compared to a control of no insecticide application. The specific treatment is flexible depending on the interest of the farmer. 2027 will be the fourth year of this trial. During the first three years, insect populations did not exceed economic thresholds. Read the full 2027 protocol here.

2. Insecticide Seed Treatments in Conservation Systems

This trial seeks to determine the effect of soybean insecticide seed treatments in conservation systems. The entire field should be cover cropped for this study ahead of the 2027 growing season, with preference for previous cover crop history on the field. Each site will have insecticide treated seed compared to seed with no insecticide treatment. Read the full protocol here.

Enrollment for the ISA On-Farm Trial Network (OFTN) 2027 trials is now open. Fill out the interest form and a team member will follow up with you. If bugs aren’t your thing, check out the other opportunities to participate in our 2027 trials, or join the list to receive updates from the OFTN.

Dr. Nick Seiter studies insect populations through sweep net sampling.