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The Soil Nutrient Relationships course serves juniors and seniors with a major or minor in agronomy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Pre-pandemic enrollment averaged 65 students. In 2021 and 2022, course enrollment was 42 and 55, respectively. The course was adjusted to a flipped design in 2017. Moving into 2021, the Soil Nutrient Relationships course underwent a major overhaul by changing the content source materials and organization of lab activities while maintaining the flipped delivery format. While responding to the COVID-19 pandemic limitations, the redesign was intended to focus limited face-to-face meetings (in person or web-conference) on problem-solving activities. This paper reports on course redesign emphasizing changes for and since the pandemic. Surveys were used in both 2021 and 2022 to assess students' learning and reception to the course design. In surveys, students responded that they gained knowledge in all course learning objectives and increased both problem-solving and systems approach skills. The overall responses were similar between 2021 and 2022; however, one difference was that students placed a higher value on the in-person discussion and lecture in 2022 relative to Zoom discussion or video lecture in 2021. Despite working on similar problem-solving activities, 81% responded that discussion helped with problem solving skills when done via Zoom in 2021 while 88% responded that in person discussion helped with problem-solving skills in 2022. Smaller group sizes used in 2021 seemed to improve student opinions of learning; this is the one change that instructors plan to use in the future.

On‐farm research has emerged in recent years as a unique approach to involve farmers and other agricultural stakeholders as active participants in knowledge development and as an effective method of technology and innovation transfer across farms. This study assessed the perspective and knowledge of US farmers regarding on‐farm research via the implementation of a 24‐question survey distributed across most of the US Midwest and South‐Central regions. We found that farmers generally are willing to engage with universities to conduct on‐farm research and were 40% more likely to adopt practices supported by on‐farm research findings than research not conducted on‐farm. Notably, a shift toward conservation practices was made, with cover crops and no‐till at the forefront. Insights of this nature have implications for fostering collaborations, addressing constraints, and maximizing the impact of on‐farm research, offering guidance for sustainable agriculture progress in the United States and beyond. Results from this research survey could be used to initiate much‐needed policies to promote on‐farm research. Further, information on the benefits and drawbacks of on‐farm research could be used in the development of studies that benefit both farmers and researchers. Core Ideas: Farmers are likely to collaborate with universities to conduct on‐farm research.Farmers were 40% more likely to adopt practices supported by findings of on‐farm research compared to off‐farm research.The farmers' primary motivators for doing on‐farm research were productivity and profitability.The farmers' primary source of field information is universities.Results from this research survey can drive further policy and initiatives promoting on‐farm research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corn (Zea mays L.) yields have increased in the United States since the 1930s and in other parts of the world since the 1950s and 1960s because of improvements in agricultural management and genotypes. Despite these increases, production concerns still exist. In July 2016, abnormal ear development (multi‐ears per node, barbell‐ears, and short‐husks) was reported in cornfields that extended from the Texas Panhandle to eastern Colorado and east through Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois. Surveys in Nebraska farmer fields revealed significant productivity losses due to the issues, but little was known about the underlying causes. A research study was conducted in four Nebraska fields during the 2018 and 2019 growing seasons. The research investigated the effects of hybrids, environments, seeding rates, and their interactions on abnormal ears. Eight hybrids, eight environments, and five seeding rates were studied. About 63,500 plants were individually assessed at or after the dent stage (R5). Grain yield ranged from 4.3 to 20.1 Mg ha−1. In 2018, about 5% of ears were abnormal; in 2019, about 11%, if combined, about 8%. Higher‐yielding hybrids were associated with lower percentages of abnormalities. Hybrids, environments, and seeding rates influenced the occurrence of abnormal ears. In most cases, abnormal ears had lower heights in the canopy, suggesting that primary ear loss may be a factor. The results reinforced the overriding hypothesis that ear abnormalities result from environmental, genetic, and management interactions. Depending on the environment, selecting certain hybrids with optimum seeding rates could help mitigate the occurrence of abnormal ears. Core Ideas: Widespread abnormal ears and productivity losses occurred in cornfields in 2016, and new research was needed.Higher‐yielding hybrids were associated with lower percentages of abnormal ears.Abnormal ears were placed lower on stalks, suggesting that primary ear loss may be a factor.Interactions among hybrids, environments, and seeding rates affected the development of abnormal ears. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]