By Stephanie Karhoff
OSU Extension

MEDIA RELEASE__The Agronomic Crop Management session will offer the latest research on a wide range of agronomic topics at the 2026 Conservation Tillage & Technology Conference (CTTC) on March 10-11, at the MacIntosh Center at Ohio Northern University.

This year’s speaker line-up includes Dr. Dan Quinn, Extension Corn Specialist at Purdue University, who will share multi-year, multi-location research comparing short-stature and full-stature corn hybrids across nitrogen rates, seeding rates, and row spacings as part of his ongoing work exploring the potential benefits and challenges of this emerging production system.

Also sharing their expertise this year during the Agronomic Crop Management Session are Ohio State University Extension State Specialists Dr. Laura Lindsey and Dr. Osler Ortez. As planting season approaches, Laura and Osler will recap findings from the multi-year, multi-location “Battle for the Belt” planting priority study, and ongoing work to revise corn and soybean replant recommendations in Ohio.

Wrapping up the first day of CTTC will be Dr. Simer Virk, Extension Specialist of Machine Systems Engineering at Auburn University. High fertilizer prices have reemphasized the importance of precision soil sampling strategies, such as grid and zone sampling, to effectively capture in-field variability while remaining cost-effective. Simer will explore the accuracy of different soil sampling grid sizes and the effectiveness of management zones.

Insect and disease threats remain challenges in conservation-tillage and no-till systems. On the second and last day of the CTTC Agronomic Crop Management session, we will be joined by Dr. John Tooker of Penn State University, who will cover effective management practices for slugs and current research demonstrating that cover crops and natural enemies can provide slug control when combined with other integrated pest management (IPM) practices.

Following the mid-morning break on Wednesday, March 11, OSU Extension State Specialist Dr. Pierce Paul will give an update on new risk prediction and management strategies for Gibberella ear rot and vomitoxin (DON) contamination in corn.

Farmers who are considering using a biological nitrogen product this growing season will benefit from Dr. Nicole Fiorellino’s presentation “Hacking Agronomy:  The Science Behind Big Claims from Novel Input Products.” Nicole is the Extension Specialist in Agronomy at the University of Maryland, College Park, and will share on-farm data collected from 2023 to 2025, demonstrating the limited efficacy of biological nitrogen products tested and the importance of local evaluations of these emerging products.

All four concurrent sessions will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 10, following the presentation of the Master Farmer Awards, the Ohio Certified Crop Adviser of the Year, and the keynote presentation from Monte Bottens, a fifth-generation Illinois farmer and entrepreneur. Early-bird registration is $100, with online registration available at www.cttcohio.com. Registration after February 28, or on-site, will be $150.