Laura Thompson - Extension Educator

Laura Thompson

student, faculty
Graduate Student
Agronomy
Work
103 East 35th St Ste B Falls City NE 68355
US

Degrees
B.S. Agronomy (Soil Science focus), University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2012
M.S. Agronomy, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2014

Areas of Focus: On-farm research, ag technologies

Extension Interests: Co-coordinates the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network, through which innovative growers from across the state use on-farm research to address critical production, profitability, and sustainability questions.

CW Profile: Thompson Pursues the Puzzles of On-Farm Research

Anhydrous application in field
Nebraska farmers working with the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network evaluated ability of nitrification inhibitors to protect N fertilizer, increase yield and profit.

Evaluation of Nitrification Inhibitors through the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network

April 7, 2021
This article summarizes the results of 10 on-farm research studies that evaluated similar inhibitor products. as part of the Precision Nitrogen Management on-farm research project.

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Extension educators analyze soybean field
Nebraska farmers can evaluate three soybean management practices aimed at increasing yields by working with the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network.

Three Practices May Help Farmers Achieve Higher Soybean Yields, Profits

April 5, 2021
Results of an on-farm research study that evaluated three management practices — planting date, seeding rate and the use of foliar fungicides and insecticides — to increase soybean yields. 

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Herz farm cover crop field

Effects and Economics of Grazing Cover Crops in a Three-Year Non-Irrigated Rotation

February 18, 2021
Nebraska Extension reveals findings from long-term crop and livestock system On-Farm Research study.

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Tractor in field

Growers Statewide to Share On-Farm Research via In Person and Online Events

January 29, 2021
The February meetings will feature discussion from growers who conducted on-farm research during the 2020 growing season.

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Soil in field
Figure 1. Ammonia loss can be significant where the surface applied urea is not timely incorporated.

Interested in Testing Nitrogen Stabilizers on Your Farm?

January 19, 2021
Nutrient Management Specialist Javed Iqbal analyzes the use of fertilizer stabilizers to mitigate nitrogen fertilizer loss and increase productivity.

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example aerial imagery

Using Aerial Imagery to Help Determine the Impact of Cover Crops on Cash Crop Growth and Development

October 15, 2020
Through education and on-farm assessment, Nebraska landowners part of the Soil Health Initiative (SHI) are evaluating the effects of diverse cover crop mixtures on both soil properties and agronomic indicators of soil health.

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example aerial imagery

Assessing Cover Crop Biomass Using Aerial Imagery: Lessons Learned During the UNL-NRCS Soil Health Initiative

October 15, 2020
Using aerial imagery, a non-destructive and easy-to apply method, we are able to gain insight into cover crop biomass production across an entire field, which would not be possible with traditional, boots-on-the-ground biomass sampling.

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Location by county for soybean seeding rate studies
Figure 1. Location by county (shown by red fill) for soybean seeding rate studies through the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network from 1990 to 2019 based on the resultsfinder.unl.edu database. Counties with studies not currently in the database are noted by red lines and have been reported in CropWatch articles.

Soybean Seeding Rate On-Farm Research

April 16, 2020
The Nebraska On-Farm Research Network has shown that a seeding rate of 120,000 seeds per acre has performed well across counties, farms, and fields in Nebraska.

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