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Agronomy Contest

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Agronomy contest participants evaluate crops for seed and factors affecting market quality. They also identify crop seeds, weed seeds, plants, insects, equipment and agronomic disorders and test their soil knowledge.

Sections

Who May Enter

Counties may enter any number of participants in the Junior and Senior divisions.

Counties having fewer than three participants in a division may combine with other counties to form a team of three or four, provided no county involved has more than two participants in that division. Combination teams must be agreed upon by the county coaches and Extension agents.

Age Requirements

Junior division: 4‐H members age 8‐13 at the start of the 4‐H year (before September 1).*
Senior division: 4‐H members age 14‐18 at the start of the 4‐H year (before September 1
- *Note: youth age 13 at the start of the 4‐H year are eligible in either the junior or senior 4‐H division.

Levels of Involvement
County: Contact your county Extension office for local dates.
State: The State 4‐H Agronomy Contest usually takes place during the third Saturday of March.

Registration
Contact your NDSU Extension County 4-H Agent for required registration information.

Seed Grain Classes (Pan Classes)

Content and supplies for the 4-H Senior/Junior Agronomy Contest Seed Grain Classes (reason(s) and placing) {pan class}

Resources:
Seed Grain Class Scorecard GCA677 (pan class) and Seed Grain Class Grading Cut Card GCA693

Information:

Four samples of Wheat, hard red spring or durum - 100 points (40 for placing, 60 for reasons)
Four samples of Barley - 100 points (40 for placing, 60 for reasons)
Four samples of Oats - 100 points (40 for placing, 60 for reasons)
Stirring stick (tongue depressor) and large white paper plate for each sample numbered appropriately (HRSW/Durum numbered 10, 11, 12, 13; barley numbered 21, 22, 23, 24; oats numbered 31, 32, 33, 34).
A paper must be supplied for each crop having the test weight and germination rate for each seed lot.
Good lighting
Up to 3 factors (reasons) are placed within each crop sample. A minimum of 6 items for each specific factor must be present in a sample. Fewer than 6 items of a specific factor will not be considered a reason.
Only the name of the identified factor is listed in the reason section of the scorecard – NOT the number of each factor in the sample.

Additional details and rules for this section of the contest can be found in the ND 4-H Agronomy Contest Handbook on the 4-H Google Drive

Plant and Seed Weed and Crop Identification

Content and supplies for the 4-H Senior/Junior Agronomy Contest Plant and Seed Weed and Crop Identification

Crop and Weed Seed Identification

Resources:
Weed Seed ID Scorecard GCA674 for Junior division and Weed and Crop Seed ID Scorecard GCA687 for Senior division

Information:

Identification of 10 weed seeds for Junior division. Numbered 1-10.
Identification of 15 crop and/or weed seeds for Senior division. Numbered 1-15.
Display each seed sample in a clear unmarked container or on a white paper plate.
Good lighting.

Crop and Weed Plant Identification

Resources: Weed Plant ID Scorecard GCA675 for Junior division and Weed and Crop Plant ID Scorecard GCA688 for Senior division

Information:

Identification of 10 plant mounts, photos, or live specimens for Junior division. Numbered 1-10.
Identification of 15 plant mounts, photos, or live specimens for Senior division. Numbered 1-15.

Additional details and rules for this section of the contest can be found in the ND 4-H Agronomy Contest Handbook on the 4-H Google Drive

Market Grade Factor Identification in Hard Red Spring Wheat

Content and supplies for the 4-H Market Grade Factor Identification in Hard Red Spring Wheat (Junior division only)

Resources:
Market Grade Factor Identification Scorecard GCA673

Information:

Ten samples of Hard Red Spring Wheat containing a single market factor. Numbered 1-10.
A minimum of 6 items for each specific market factor must be present in each sample.
A paper must be supplied for this class providing the test weight for each of the ten samples.

Additional details and rules for this section of the contest can be found in the ND 4-H Agronomy Contest Handbook on the 4-H Google Drive

Market Grade Description and Evaluation (Grain Grading/Paper Class)

Content and supplies for the 4-H Senior/Junior Agronomy Contest Market Grade Description and Evaluation (Grain Grading/Paper Class)

Resources: Market Grade Description and Evaluation Scorecard GCA676, Grain Inspection Report GCA678 (blank), and Wheat Grain Grading Requirements chart GCA696

Information:

Contestants will compare information given in the Grain Inspection Report to the official Wheat Grain
Grading Requirements chart that will be provided to determine the grade, subclass, special grade, and grade determining factor(s) for each of five (5) lots. Contestants will write the correct provided numbers (rounded to the nearest tenth of a percent) for dockage and protein.
Each sample on the Grain Inspection Report is graded and ranked according to the lowest grade determining factor.
A Grain Inspection Report will be provided for hard red spring wheat (HRSW) and/or durum.
The Junior division does not record percent protein and grade determining factor(s) in the shaded area of the card and will not be required to add total defects. Participants in the Senior division may have to calculate total defects and must record percent protein and grade determining factor(s).

Additional details and rules for this section of the contest can be found in the ND 4-H Agronomy Contest Handbook on the 4-H Google Drive

Agronomic Disorders

Content and supplies for the 4-H Agronomy Contest Agronomic Disorders (Senior division only)

Resources:
Agronomic Disorders Scorecard GCA689

Information:

Ten samples and/or pictures will be identified according to causal category and agent. Pictures must demonstrate how the agent has affected the plant. For example: pictures of nematodes are not acceptable. Rather, the picture(s) will be of plants affected by nematodes. Numbered 1-10.

Additional details and rules for this section of the contest can be found in the ND 4-H Agronomy Contest Handbook on the 4-H Google Drive

Equipment Identification

Content and supplies for the 4-H Senior/Junior Agronomy Contest Equipment Identification

Resources:
Insect and Equipment ID Scorecard GCA679 for Junior division and Equipment ID Scorecard GCA682 for Senior division

Information:

Identification of 10 equipment items and/or pictures for Junior division. Numbered 1-10.
Identification of 20 equipment items and/or pictures for Senior division. Numbered 1-20.

Additional details and rules for this section of the contest can be found in the ND 4-H Agronomy Contest Handbook on the 4-H Google Drive

Insect Identification

Content and supplies for the 4-H Senior/Junior Agronomy Contest Insect Identification

Resources:
Insect and Equipment ID Scorecard GCA679 for Junior division and Insect ID Scorecard GCA691 for Senior division

Information:

Identification of 10 insect mounts or pictures for Junior division. Numbered 11-20.
Identification of 10 insect mounts or pictures (4 points) and economic impact, life cycle, and mouth parts (each 2 points) for Senior division. Numbered 1-10.
Good lighting for viewing insect mounts.

Additional details and rules for this section of the contest can be found in the ND 4-H Agronomy Contest Handbook on the 4-H Google Drive

Soils Practicum

Content and supplies for the 4-H Agronomy Contest Soils Practicum (Senior division only)

Resources:
Soils Practicum scorecard GCA692

Information:

The soils practicum will be 10 questions taken from County Soil Survey Reports. The Soil Survey maps/reports will be provided by contest coordinators at each event. Questions on the scorecard will be numbered 1-10. The exam will have 10 multiple choice questions from the resources provided and the participant will circle the letter on the scorecard for each question matching the exam.

Additional details and rules for this section of the contest can be found in the ND 4-H Agronomy Contest Handbook on the 4-H Google Drive

Agronomy Contest

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