This report synthesizes the results of seven Torque™ studies in Nebraska between 2010 and 2015. According to product information published by the manufacturer Monsanto BioAg, Torque is a growth promoter designed to improve soil microbial activity and enhance nutrient availability. In these studies Torque was applied as an in-furrow application.
| Year | Location | Soil Texture | Previous Crop | Planting Date | Planting Rate (seeds/ac) | Row Spacing (inches) | Tillage | Irrigation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Dodge | — | — | 4/26/2010 | — | — | — | Pivot |
| 2011 | Dodge | — | Corn | 5/3/2011 | — | — | — | Pivot |
| 2013 | Clay |
Silt Loam |
Corn | 5/10/2013 | 34,000 | 30 | Conventional | Pivot |
| 2014 | Clay | Silt Loam | Soybean | 5/1/2014 | 33,000 | 30 | No-Till | Pivot |
| 2014 | York | Silt Loam | Soybean | 4/29/2014 | 34,000 | 30 | Ridge | Pivot |
| 2014 | Saunders | Silty Clay Loam | CRP | 5/18/2014 | 26,000 | 15 | No-Till | None |
| 2015 | Saunders | Silty Clay Loam | Soybean | 5/22/2015 | 28,000 | 15 | No-Till | None |
| * Detailed site characteristics and production practices are not available for all sites. In these cases, a dash is used to indicate the data is not available. | ||||||||
The product was applied at a rate of 8 oz/acre in all studies except the two Saunders County studies, where it was applied at a rate of 16 oz/acre. Site-specific data is included in Table 1. Most studies reported data for yield and grain moisture; this data is presented in Table 2. Torque's active ingredient of 2 x 10-7 percent lipo-chiooligosaccharide (LCO) is formulated for corn applications in an aqueous carrier accounting for more than 99% of the product.
| Study Information | Moisture (%) | Yield† (bu/ac) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | County | Reps* | Torque | Check | P-Value | Torque | Check | Diff. | P-Value |
| 2010 | Dodge | — | 15.2 | 15.3 | 0.052 | 178 | 180 | -2 | 0.357 |
| 2011 | Dodge | — | 16.3 | 16.3 | — | 184 | 188 | -4 | 0.055 |
| 2013 | Clay | 8 | 18.4 | 18.4 | 0.632 | 255.3 | 254.8 | 0.5 | 0.764 |
| 2014 | Clay | 6 | 16.9 | 16.8 | 0.175 | 284 | 283 | 1 | 0.216 |
| 2014 | York | 6 | 17 | 16.9 | 0.102 | 204 | 205 | -1 | 0.382 |
| 2014 | SaundersA | 5 | 16.9 | 16.4 | 0.18 | 181 | 164 | 17 | 0.014 |
| 2015 | SaundersA | 8 | 14.64 | 14.58 | 0.045 | 215 | 213 | 2 | 0.149 |
| * Number of replications is not available for all sites, however Nebraska On-Farm Research Network standards require a minimum of three replications for inclusion. † All data except for the 2010 data is corrected to 15.5% moisture. A Indicates that Torque was applied at a rate of 16 oz/acre at the site. At all other sites, Torque was applied at 8 oz/acre. Indicates yield is significantly lower for the Torque treatment at alpha = 0.1. Indicates yield is significantly higher for the Torque treatment at alpha = 0.1. |
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Summary In one of seven studies applying Torque resulted in a 17 bu/acre yield increase. At another site, Torque resulted in a 4 bu/acre yield decrease. The remaining five sites saw no statistical yield difference for using Torque.
This report has been posted to the Compendium of Research Reports on Use of Non-Traditional Materials for Crop Production, a searchable compilation of university research reports on non-traditional soil amendments and growth stimulants.
Nebraska On-Farm Research Network
For more information about the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network and to view other study results, visit https://cropwatch.unl.edu/on-farm-research.
Growers are currently working with Extension educators and specialists to establish protocols for 2018 studies. If you're interested, contact your local extension educator soon.
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