Join us for a 35 minute segment as farmers tell all about managing no-so-ideal harvest scenarios hosted by Bob Foley.
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Farmer Roundtable: How to Manage a Not-So-Ideal Harvest
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Ask the Agronomist: Will 2020 be an Early Harvest?
Will 2020 bring an early Harvest? Phil Long talks about 3 different examples of how corn is maturing. Learn about what is in your field and the impacts of an early harvest.
:30 — Topic introduction
1:45 — Impact of lack of moisture
2:45 — Example 1: Corn plant dying from the top
4:15 — Example 2: Corn plant firing from the bottom
5:20 — Example 3: Corn plant with red streaking
7:30 — Impacts of an early harvest
10:10 — Final thoughts
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Growth Stage and Greensnap Risk
Bob Foley addresses the implications and watch-out’s associated with greensnap. Watch the video below to learn more! -
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
In-Season Scouting with Phil Long
Tune in for in-season soybean scouting with Phil Long! Phil discusses the current growth stage in soybeans and why we are in a critical time for nutrient uptake. Also learn about the soybean yield potential in your field. #LathamSeeds -
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Ask The Agronomist: Soybean Stress
How much stress can soybeans handle? Phil Long discusses important early season soybeans stresses and their impact on yield. #AskTheAgronomist
1:00 — Scouting Tips: Staging soybeans
3:45 — Post-emergence weed control
6:20 — Yield impact with early season stresses
9:12 — Soybean nodules
10:15 — Final thoughts
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Ask The Agronomist: Early Season Soybean Scouting
Phil Long discusses early season soybean scouting. Tune in to learn the importance of noting emergence, growth and development. #AskTheAgronomist:20 – Welcome1:00 – Topic introduction2:25 – Soybean growth stages3:00 – Herbicide effectiveness5:10 – Soybean stand counts6:42 – Nodule development -
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Effects of Early Planting
Do cool soils affect corn or soybeans more? Tune in as Phil Long discusses how cold temps affect corn and soybeans differently. #LathamSeeds0:12 — Welcome & topic introduction2:00 — Days to emerge5:50 — Corn cold injury potential8:15 — Soybean cold injury potential10:35 — Forecast of opportunity -
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
A Simple Solution to an Even Stand
A great growing season begins with picket fence stands and even emergence. With this goal in mind we are excited to continue offering the TALC USA line of premium Talc, Graphite and Microsurge Innoculant products. Each of these products provides unique qualities to improve planter performance and enhance yield through seed-applied biologicals. Our product line catalog featured at right includes features and benefits for each product, but I’d like to highlight a few I believe farmers across Latham Country can especially benefit from:
Talc and Talc 80/20 Graphite Blend: Why use TALC USA’s talc and talc/graphite blend products? They are a high-grade premium 200 micron grind Talc for improved planter performance but also fortified with iron and manganese for increased yield & plant health.
Inceptive: Inceptive, equipped with a Harpin Protein, is designed to enhance your plant’s defense mechanism. It’s easy to use by mixing with either Talc or 80/20 Talc Graphite to suppress cyst and pest nematodes. Inceptive promotes improved root systems and germination while also increasing photosynthesis and early vigor.
MicroSurge Corn and Soybean Inoculants: Microsurge inoculants can be easily applied by mixing with Talc and 80/20 Talc Graphite as a planter box treatment and are designed to increase mycorrhizal activity for improved soil health.Contact your Latham Representative for information on which products might get your crop off to a great start this growing season.
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Getting to the Root of Hybrid Performance
by Bob Foley of RFS Global
This fall will go down in history as one of the most anticipated harvest seasons ever. Never have we experienced such widely varied circumstances. It doesn’t seem to matter if we are discussing conditions regionally, state to state, farm to farm, or as we have seen way too much of this year, plant to plant.
Walk into almost any field in Latham Country and you’ll notice the variability in studying just one row. The huge difference in ear sizes, plant maturity, and ear-to-ear kernel maturity with a 50-foot circle of plants seems to be widening. Overall, it is apparent that the extremes of the 2019 planting season seem to be widening. There are yellowing patches that we didn’t notice in July or random bunches of plants simply folding up but surrounded by much better plants. While driving down the road and looking in through the lower canopy, suddenly we can see six rows in because the bottom canopy is disintegrating in a matter of a few days.
We might say these things goes back to the spring weather, and for the most part, we would be correct – partially. Depending on where you farm, the conditions we’re seeing now probably stretch back to last fall before most of the harvest took place. Remember when that beautiful crop was 26 to 28% and many of us held off for drier corn before harvesting? Remember the 3+ weeks of rainfall across most of Latham Country?
Much of what we faced this spring, as well as what is occurring in our fields now, started last fall during field activities. Compaction resulted when combines, carts, trucks, spreaders and tractors rolled across wet fields. This spring just added to it. We were beyond wet, so we invented ways to cut corners to plant when the window opened. How many of us know of a field where the headlands pollinated 3 weeks before most of the field?
In 2019, 51% of the U.S. corn crop was planted after May 25. Much of this acreage was planted because time was simply running out. For the most part, we experienced a gentle July and August, which probably has given many of us alarm as we see parts of this crop folding up.
Roots don’t stay shallow because there is water available. Roots stay shallow because they’re blocked from growing deeper. By and large, most of this variability and early death is coming from the culmination of factors that we’ve discussed at Latham field days, meetings, and in this article. Contrary to the coffee shop discussion,roots don’t stay shallow because there is water available. Roots stay shallow because they’re blocked from growing deeper. Roots don’t grow deep in some “hunt and search” mission. They grow down because of gravity. Furthermore, when plants pollinate well but have sub-par roots, the plant withers early, ears hang, field get spotty, and we notice the crop maturating in spots.
The short answer to this “my field has more weak spots than I thought” boils down to a two basics: roots and compaction. For the most part, compaction could not be avoided. Last fall and this spring simply didn’t allow for the best stewardship practices.
However, I would like to consider what we might have done or what we may be thinking of doing next year in the way of roots (besides a good field ripping). I have spoken often on the strength of later hybrids (relative maturity or RM) versus earlier hybrids. Without question, later is better in most agronomic factors. In general, later RM hybrids genetically have higher yield capabilities, are better in heat, are better in stress, provide more leaf area for sugar production, are typically healthier, have better standing in the fall, are easier to harvest, have higher test weights, etc.
And this year, I would support the idea that later hybrids generally handled some of the compaction issues better. They might have improved root growth/penetration, but I think it is more practical to assume that they just start out with a better toolbox to take the pressures of a season vs the early RM hybrid. I hear the discussion about “wetter corn” and “drying cost” and I won’t argue with each man’s economies. However…
Let’s consider the huge data set against switching to earlier hybrids in late-planting situations (later wins). The cheapest water to remove from a kernel is the 30% to 20% moisture. Here are a few things to consider:
- We probably need to rip more acres due to compaction. A deep frost would be on order, as well.
- Don’t jump to earlier RM products. The drier harvest will not outweigh the performance.
- It’s always about the roots. Roots are the plant’s radiator and the foundation for your next successful crop.
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
September 18, 2019 Crop Reports
Northwest North Dakota
Brian McNamee
This little farmer is showing off some fantastic ears of LH 4240 Conventional at Triple B Seed at Fredonia, ND. We experimented a bit this year after Latham Forage Manager Corey Catt suggested using multiple hybrids in our silage fields. This was a combo of 4240/4940. The objective was to utilize 4240 for its ear size and high starch levels, and complement it with LH 4940 conv/leafy for its pure plant mass and tremendous tonnage.
All of us involved believe this will not only be the highest tonnage per acre we have ever achieved on this farm. The quality of this silage will be at top levels, as well. We will be testing these fields this week, and I can’t wait to see the results!
Southeast North Dakota
Gary Geske
We enjoyed a nice, warm evening for a plot tour. Latham’s Regional Sales Manager Ken Highness talks about Latham® E3TM Soybeans at C-W Valley Co-op near Comstock, MN.
We’re finally accumulating some important heat units to help this year’s crop mature. During the last three days, we have received over 65 growing degree units (GDUs). That’s more GDUs than the previous 10 days combined! Soybeans are really ripening fast with this heat, so harvest of some early planted soybeans may only be a week away.
Southeast South Dakota
Ramie Coughlin
If anyone was curious as to whether silage bales float, the answer is yes. Yes, they do. Last week South Dakota receive torrential rain, which caused major flooding across most of the southeast corner of the state. With 12 + inches of rain falling in less than 24 hours, combined with already very saturated ground, many communities and roadways were flooded. Many schools had to close. Interstate 90, as well as Highways 38 and 34, are just a few of the roads that were closed. Most main roads have reopened, but there are still many county and township roads in repair as gravel and culverts washed away. This is just one more hurdle we will have to leap over this fall. On the bright side of things, we have corn! Fields look rough and the ground is muddy, but we are finding many large, full ears in the corn fields. The last few days have brought highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s. We need this weather to stick around, so this crop can finish. Fingers crossed.
Northeast South Dakota
James Keltgen
Wet continues to be the theme as another half inch of rain fell near Watertown, SD. Fortunately, the temperatures have been above normal this past week! Since May 12, we have accumulated 2,169 growing degree units (GDU). We’re still 143 GDU’s behind average, which affects the crop’s maturity. A hybrid with a relative maturity (RM) of 95 days needs approximately 2,350 GDU’s to reach black layer. If every day here on out was 80 degrees, black layer could be achieved in about two weeks!
Soybeans are turning yellow with the warmer temperatures. This heat is helping push along crop development and dry out waterlogged fields. We will need dry conditions to start harvest. I expect will begin in about two weeks.
This Latham SuperStrip™ is showings signs of fall! SuperStrips play an important part in Latham’s research program, which helps us select the best products for each geography we serve.
LH 3937 VT2 PRO looks stellar! With the wet growing season, however, nitrogen deficiency is present everywhere across Northeast South Dakota.
It’s field day season! Attendees are enjoying an equipment demo at Mork Farms’ plot tour.
Northern Minnesota
Ken Highness
Pictured here is Gary Geske, comparing experimental silage in Latham Seeds’ research plot in Emerado, ND. It looks like there’s big tonnage in our very near feature!
Southern Minnesota
Justin Prokosch
Farmers are getting very busy in some parts of the territory as sugar beet harvest has begun near the Renville plant. Edible bean growers are also planning to harvest by the end of the week. With the extensive rains we received last week, it may be a challenge for some to harvest some early sugar beets. This farmer is using dump carts instead of driving the trucks through the fields.
Northern Wisconsin
Joe Salter
Silage harvest is starting… finally. Soybeans are really starting to turn. We received several inches of rain during the last week, but the past few days have been really warm and very helpful in progressing our crop.
I had the chance to walk some fields last week. Pictured below are my two favorite hybrids for our area, LH 3937 VT2 PRO and LH 4937 VT2 PRO. Both of these hybrids look really good this year! I really like LH 3937 north of Highway 8 west of Barron and north and south of Highway 29 east of Cadott. I really like LH 4937 south and west of Chippewa Falls. Remember, you reduce some risk when you plant a package of products. Talk to your Latham® dealer about placing three or four hybrids, field-by-field.
North Central Iowa
Cory Greiman
This field of Latham® LH 4795 VT2 PRO RIB was planted May 12 near Klemme, Iowa. It’s really looking good and is starting to black layer.
Northwest Iowa
Jeremy Joynt
When will we get our first frost in Northwest Iowa? If you’re thinking about cover crop growth or a maturity risk, use the image below provide by the Iowa Environmental Mesonet (IEM). This map shows the date when 50% of the previous years (1989-2018) experienced temperatures below 28 degrees Fahrenheit.
The actual forecast is keeping temperatures very mild for this time of year with no present hint that such cold temperatures are possible in the near future. But we all know that our weather can change without much warning!
Northeast Iowa
Craig Haaland
Latham’s LH 5847 VT2 PRO RIB is one to keep your eye on! I pulled this ear from a field in Butler County where this hybrid looks fantastic. It has a very sturdy stalk with good late-season intactness. This hybrid has a great overall disease package, and it responds to high management. Last week from 2 to 5 inches of rain fell in our area. Fortunately, we got some sunshine and lots of heat so far this week. Soybean fields are really turning now, and some silage is getting chopped now.
Eastern Iowa
Jerry Broders
We continue to march toward harvest in Eastern Iowa as soybeans are turning. Pictured here are Latham® Hi‑Tech Soybeans L 2682 R2X and L 2886 R2X, which were planted May 27. Both varieties would be a great choice for your acres. Unfortunately, a storm rolled through Saturday night into Sunday morning. Significant wind damage is evident in corn fields across northern Clinton County.
Western Iowa
Larry Krapfl
Historic flooding wreaked havoc to our area in March. Flooded ground followed by heavy spring rains made it hard for farmers to get seeds in the ground. We didn’t even get a chance to catch our breath before a second flood caused replanting or prevented them from planting. Now we’re preparing for a third round of flooding after heavy rains fell last week in the north. It’s hard to think about fall harvest or anything else when communities are being evacuated and roads are closing. Please keep residents, including farmers, along the Missouri River in your thoughts and prayers.
West North Central Iowa
Bart Peterson
This picture was taken near Palmer, Iowa, where it looks like harvest will begin the first of next week. Most soybeans in this area still need another two or three weeks before they’ll be ready.
Central Iowa
Aaron Steenhoek
Signs and smells of fall are appearing everywhere! The last of the hay is being made for the year and harvest is just around the corner.
