NEPAC 2025 Research
Northeast Purdue Ag Center
Research and Demonstration Projects for 2025
Chris Lake, Superintendent
4821 East 400 South Columbia City, IN 46725
(260) 244-7290 office
(260) 750-6814 cell
cclake@purdue.edu
https://ag.purdue.edu/department/arge/PACs/nepac/index.html
Department of Agronomy
Corn Yield Response to Application of Proven 400S, Nitrogen-Fixing Microbial Salute and Nitrogen-Fixing Microbial Envita
Evaluate corn response to applications of biologicals and nitrogen-fixing microbial.
Contact: Dan Quinn, Agronomy
Corn Yield Response and Disease Pressure to Application of Xyway LFR
Evaluate corn response on yield and disease pressure of Xyway LFR applications using two different methods: Treatment 1 applied at planting via 2x2 system, treatment 2 applied at side-dressing.
Contact: Dan Quinn, Agronomy
Corn Mycotoxin Risk to Hybrid, Harvest Timing, and Fungicide Application
Evaluate hybrid response to foliar fungicide application and the effect on mycotoxin disease pressure.
Contact: Dan Quinn, Agronomy
Soybean Response to Cover Crops, Sulfur, and Nitrogen Fertilization
Evaluate soybean response to interactions of cereal rye, sulfur, and nitrogen combinations. Contact: Shaun Casteel, Agronomy
Potassium Budgets in Indiana Corn and Soybean Production
Evaluate the agronomic efficiency of currently potassium (K) fertilizer rates and evaluate theoretically improved soil potassium tests for ability to predict soil K supply. Contact: Dan Quinn, Shaun Casteel, Agronomy
Long-Term Impact of Cover Crops on Cash Crop Nutrient Uptake, Yield and N Application Rate and Products
Purpose: To elucidate barriers in cover crop inclusion, deepen our understanding of cover crop to affect the availability of manure and inorganic N to cash crops in multiple cropping systems. Contact: Shalamar Armstrong, Agronomy
Biological Residue Digestors for Cornstalks
Study to determine the effectiveness of commercial biological residue breakdown products on corn stalks.
Contact: Mark Carter, Purdue Extension Blackford County – Dan Quinn, Agronomy
DIFM (Data-Intensive Farm Management Program) Study Testing Soybean Population
Trial to determine the optimum soybean planting rate using the DIFM program. The DIFM program uses precision agriculture technology to conduct large-scale, on farm “checkerboard field
trials.
Contact: Shaun Casteel, Agronomy and Northeast Purdue Ag. Center
Purdue Automated Agricultural Weather Station (PAAWS)
Automated collection of weather data from this site is sent to the Indiana State Climate Office at
Purdue University - data can be observed at: http://climate.agry.purdue.edu
Contact: Beth Hall, Agronomy
Department of Entomology
Corn Ear Worm Trapping
Monitor the presence of corn ear worm across Indiana
Contacts: John Obermeyer & Laura Ingwell, Entomology
SARE - Ecology of Organic Cropping Systems
Evaluate various organic cropping systems and their effect on weed, insect, and pathogen
pressure on corn, soybeans, and other small grains
Contacts: Christian Krupke and Ashley Adair, Extension
Study of Cover Cropping Systems on Ant Populations and the affect the on Common Pests
Investigation into what ant species present no-till and cover cropped corn/soy fields in Indiana. How they act as predators of common pests and weed seeds and whether the presence of a cover crop affects the ant populations. Contacts: Christian Krupke and Sophia Marie Yager-Motl
Ants as a Model System for Island Biogeography in Isolated Forest Stands
Equilibrium Theory of Island Biogeography (ETIB), ecologists have attempted to apply island
biogeography principles to isolated habitats other than oceanic islands. One such habitat is isolated forest stands within agricultural fields, which are understudied when it comes to their patterns of biodiversity. We investigated whether the principles of the ETIB apply to these
isolated forest stands, using Formicidae as a model system. Contacts: Layton Rosen and Dr. Grzegorz Buczkowski
Department of FNR
UAS Wildlife Inventory Method Testing
Purpose: Monitor activity of Northern Long-eared bats through various collection methods.
Contact: Tina Jackson, Dr. Patrick Zollner, Forest and Natural Resources
Department of Botany and Plant Pathology
Corn Yield Response to Fungicide Applications
Evaluate corn response to fungicide applications using spray drone technology and ground rig equipment.
Contacts: Darcy Telenko, Botany and Plant Pathology
Soybean Yield Response to Fungicide Applications
Evaluate soybean response to fungicide applications using spray drone technology and ground
rig equipment.
Contacts: Darcy Telenko, Botany and Plant Pathology
Soybean Cyst Nematode Response to various cropping systems, seed treatments, and Soybean genetic and production practice resistance to SCN Evaluate SCN response to wheat cover crop, tillage and no-till; seed treated vs. non-treated with Ilevo; and Soybean variety SCN Resistance PI88788 and Peking
Contact: Darcy Telenko, Botany and Plant Pathology – Northeast Purdue Ag. Center
Collaborations and Extension Demonstrations
Soybean Aphid Suction Trap Network
A network of traps across the country to monitor soybean aphid’s levels throughout the year.
Contact: Dave Voegtlin, National Soybean Research Center
Diagnostic Training Center (DTC)
Small plot demonstrations conducted by NEPAC staff to be used as talking points during workshops and field day events
Contacts: Chris Lake and Carl Emley, NEPAC
DIFM (Data-Intensive Farm Management Program) Study Testing the Optimal Fertilizer rate
of AMS and MAP for Wheat Production
Trial to determine the optimum AMS and MAP fertilizer application rate in wheat production using
the DIFM program. The DIFM program uses precision agriculture technology to conduct largescale, on farm “checkerboard field trials.
Contact: Northeast Purdue Ag. Center
Soybean Intensive Management study using AI tools compared to NEPAC standard practices Trial to determine whether AI tools can improve soybean yields by comparing three treatment options: a no-cost AI-assisted treatment, a cost-factored AI-assisted treatment, and the standard treatment options recommended by NEPAC. Contact: Northeast Purdue Ag. Center