top of page

Research Locations Across Kansas

Performance Crop Research maintains strategically selected trial locations across Kansas to provide diverse agronomic environments for agricultural research. From the High Plains to the Flint Hills, each site offers unique combinations of soil profiles, irrigation capability, climate conditions, and regional pest pressures.

 

This geographic flexibility allows research programs to be placed in environments most relevant to product objectives — supporting reliable performance data and meaningful trial outcomes.

DJI_0320.JPG

KANSAS RESEARCH FOOTPRINT

With both irrigated and dryland research capacity, PCR supports trials across multiple production zones representative of Central U.S. agriculture.

Primary Research Locations include:

PCR KS map.png

  • Hoxie, Kansas — Northwest Kansas | Irrigated + Dryland

  • Great Bend, Kansas — Central Kansas | Irrigated + Dryland

  • Hugoton, Kansas — Southwest Kansas | Irrigated

  • Junction City, Kansas — East Kansas / Flint Hills | Irrigated + Dryland  

White and Blue Minimalist Product Comparison Chart Graph.png

GREAT BEND, KANSAS (Headquarters Region)

Region: Central Kansas

Research Capacity: Irrigated and Dryland

Typical Annual Rainfall: 27.5"

Average Summer Temperature: 76.1°F

Soil pH: 7.1-7.9

Primary Soil Types: Pratt loamy fine sand

 

Agronomic Environment

The Great Bend research area represents a balanced Central Plains production environment with moderate rainfall and diverse soil conditions. This location supports a wide range of crop research objectives.

 

Typical Crops Supported

  • Corn (Planting Range April 15 - May 20)

  • Soybeans (Planting Range May 10 - May 30)

  • Winter Wheat (Planting Range Sept. 15 - Oct. 20)

  • Sorghum (Planting Range May 20 - June 20)

  • Specialty crops

 

Common Weed Pressures

  • Palmer amaranth

  • Crabgrass

  • Velvetleaf

  • Marestail (horseweed)

  • Johnsongrass

 

Common Insect Pressures

  • Corn 

    • Spider mites​

    • Western corn rootworms

    • Lepidoptera

  • Soybeans

    • Soybean loopers​

    • Lepidoptera

    • Isabella tiger moth

  • Sorghum

    • Lepidoptera​

    • Chinch bugs

 

Common Disease Considerations

  • Corn 

    • Grey leaf spot​

    • Southern rust 

    • Stalk Rot

    • Nematodes

  • Soybeans

    • Sudden death syndrome​

 

This central location is ideal for broad product performance studies, seed development research, and integrated agronomic evaluations.

Hoxie, Kansas

Region: Western High Plains

Research Capacity: Irrigated and Dryland

Typical Annual Rainfall: 22"

Average Summer Temperature: 75.7°F

Soil pH: 6.5-7.9

Primary Soil Types: Keith silt loan

 

Agronomic Environment

The Hoxie location provides a semi-arid research environment representative of western production systems. Trial placement here allows evaluation under lower rainfall conditions and variable moisture availability.

 

Typical Crops Supported

  • Corn (Planting Range - April 20 - May 20)

  • Soybeans (Planting Range May 10 - 30)

  • Winter Wheat (Planting Range Sept 10 - 30)

  • Sorghum (Planting Range May 25 - June 15)

​

Common Weed Pressures

  • Palmer amaranth

  • Kochia

  • Field bindweed

  • Western ragweed 

  • Multiple grass species

 

Common Insect Pressures

  • Corn

    • Spider mites

    • Southern and Western rootworms

    • Lepidoptera

    • Western bean cutworms 

  • Soybeans

    • Soybean aphids​

    • Soybean loopers

    • Lepidoptera

  • Sorghum 

    • Lepidoptera​

    • Chinch bugs

​

Common Disease Considerations

  • Corn 

    • Grey leaf spot​

    • Southern rust

    • Goss's bacterial wilt 

  • Sorghum

    • Rust ​

    • Common leaf spot

 

This site is well suited for drought response evaluations, herbicide performance trials, and western-region agronomic studies.

Hugoton, Kansas

Region: Southwest Kansas

Research Capacity: Primarily Irrigated

Typical Annual Rainfall: 20"

Average Summer Temperature: 78°F

Soil pH: 7.8 - 8.2

Primary Soil Types:  Hugoton & Zella Soils

 

Agronomic Environment

Hugoton offers a drier High Plains research setting with strong irrigation capability. This environment is valuable for studying crop performance under controlled moisture management and higher heat stress conditions.

 

Typical Crops Supported

  • Corn (Planting Range: April 15 - May 20)

  • Cotton (Planting Range: May 10 - May 30)

  • Winter Wheat (Planting Range: September 15 - October 20) 

  • Sorghum (Planting Range: May 20 - June 20)

  • Emerging and specialty crops

 

Common Weed Pressures

  • Palmer amaranth

  • Crabgrass

  • Velvetleaf

  • Marstail (horseweed)

  • Johnsongrass

 

Common Insect Pressures

  • Corn

    • Spider mites

    • Western corn rootworms

    • Lepidoptera

  • Cotton 

    • Cotton fleahoppers​

    • Stink bugs

    • Lygus bugs

    • Thrips

  • Sorghum

    • Lepidopteran

    • Chinch bugs​

​

Common Disease Considerations

  • Corn 

    • Grey leaf spot​

    • Southern rust

    • Stalk rot

    • Nematodes

  • Soybeans

    • Sudden death syndrome​

    • Frogeye leafspot

    • Septoria brown spot

 

This site is well suited for irrigation management studies, drought tolerance evaluations, and herbicide efficacy trials in southwestern production systems.

Junction City, Kansas

Region: Eastern Kansas / Flint Hills

Research Capacity: Irrigated and Dryland

Typical Annual Rainfall: 33.4" 

Average Summer Temperature: 76.7°F

Soil pH: 5.7 - 7.5

Primary Soil Types: Clay loam and silty clay variability

 

Agronomic Environment

The Junction City location provides a higher rainfall research environment with heavier soil profiles typical of eastern Kansas production agriculture.

 

Typical Crops Supported

  • Corn (Planting Range: April 1 - May 10)

  • Soybeans (Planting Range: May 5 - May 30)

  • Wheat (Planting Range: September 25 - October 20)

  • Sorghum (Planting Range: May 20 - June 20)

  • Specialty and rotational crops

 

Common Weed Pressures

  • Palmer amaranth

  • Waterhemp

  • Velvetleaf

  • Ivy-leaf Morning glory

  • Multiple grass species

 

Common Insect Pressures

  • Corn

    • Japanese Beetle

    • Lepidoptera

  • Soybeans

    • Japanese Beetle​

    • Stinkbug

  • Alfalfa

    • Alfalfa weevil ​

    • Spotted alfalfa aphid

  • Sunflowers 

    • Sunflower head moth​

    • Dectes stem borer

 

Common Disease Considerations

  • Corn

    • Grey leaf spot​

  • Soybeans

    • Sudden death syndrome​​

  • Sunflowers 

    • Rhizopus head rot

    • Bacterial leaf spot

 

This eastern research site supports disease pressure studies, herbicide evaluations, and performance trials in higher moisture production systems.

Helping You Place Trials in the Right Environment

 

PCR works closely with research sponsors to identify the most appropriate Kansas location based on crop type, protocol requirements, environmental objectives, and product development goals.

 

By matching trials to specific agronomic conditions, the PCR team helps ensure research programs generate meaningful, actionable results.

Ready to discuss research placement?

Contact Performance Crop Research to determine the best location for your next field trial.

bottom of page