Planting depth matters! In this week’s #AskTheAgronomist, our special guest Corn Product Manager Lyle Marcus shows results from some on-farm studies on the effects of planting depth on plant, root and ear development.
Recent heavy rains combined with high temperatures can create isolated cases of soybean disease. In this episode of #AskTheAgronomist, Precision Agronomist Phil Long addresses the basics of the big six and the benefits of late-season scouting to create success for next season.
What gives you a competitive edge?
There are many clever practices that can give athletes an edge. When drug testing became a standard, athletes had to discover legal ways to get an edge. It was noted that athletes who trained at higher elevations tended to perform better. As science progressed, they discovered the oxygen concentration is less at high elevations. Over a long period of time, our bodies will release a hormone to stimulate the production of more red blood cells because red blood cells carry oxygen in the blood. When the athletes returned to lower elevations to perform, they had more capacity to perform because they had significantly more red blood cells.
How in the world does this relate to alfalfa? Think of the seed as an athlete of the acre, competing to germinate quickly and yield more. When we add AlfaShield seed treatment, the alfalfa seed has a performance-enhancing advantage. AlfaShield provides a distinctive winning edge as it combines a list of highly researched ingredients and incorporates them into an osmotic protective type coat.
Think of AlfaShield as wrapping your alfalfa seed in a sponge. It helps protect the fragile germ of the seed. It also helps draw moisture to the seed, which is particularly important when seeding into moisture-stressed soils. Summers-seeded alfalfa is up against the time clock to get four to six weeks of significant growth to develop the crown. That’s why it’s so important for the seed to germinate quickly. If there isn’t any rain, this delay could be costly. You’ll see in the 2022 Latham® product guide that we have added a dry matter (DM) ton advantage of AlfalfaShield compared to the old industry standard. AlfaShield has a bigger advantage in moisture-stressed soils.
We had scheduled alfalfa research trials, including seed treatments, for 2021. Unfortunately, this has been delayed because the university was unable to run it due to Covid-19. Because I already had the seed, I did a quick home study. All the seed came from the same lot: raw seed, old industry-standard treatment, and AlfaShield. I got three flower pots and used regular potting soil for consistency. Then I counted 100 seeds of each.
Note that in the first 65 hours, AlfaShield had ten times more seeds emerge than the other two treatments! Seeds with the other two treatments eventually emerged because this was an ideal situation. However, a farm field is not ideal. We know Mother Nature can be brutal, and the risk to the seed is high. AlfaShield is a tough seed treatment. It helps manage the risk of the acre better than the rest, and it shows up in the yield and quality. Emerge fast. Grow strong. Yield more!
Mother Nature throws a few curveballs each season and 2021 is no exception. Our crops are suffering from drought, but weeds are thriving across Latham Country. Herbicides are not as effective when weeds are not “actively growing” as has been the case this season. Grass herbicide tank mixes were much less effective this year due to dry growing conditions and antagonism in the plant.
Because weeds always find a way to succeed and survive, we need an integrated approach to manage them. Below are few things you can do this year to combat weeds next year:
It’s all about an integrated approach. No matter how many options we have for herbicide traits, weeds will always foil our best efforts. It’s time to put on our fighting gloves and manage each field based on its weed control needs.
Precision Agronomy Advisor Phil Long addresses a series of questions about foliar feeding soybeans and shares some tips and practices to help with return on investment.
Based on a recent needs assessment poll conducted by Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, the top two soybean trait technologies for 2022 planting will be Enlist E3® and XtendFlex® soybeans.
Both technologies have triple-stacked traits, featuring tolerance to glyphosate (Roundup) and glufosinate (Liberty®) herbicides. Enlist E3 soybeans also are resistant to 2,4-D Choline herbicides (Enlist Duo® & Enlist One®). For XtendFlex® soybeans, the 3rd tolerance is to dicamba herbicides like XtendiMax®, Engenia® and Tavium®.
Do everything you can now to keep resistant weeds from gaining a foothold in your fields. Following are five key takeaways for effectively using weed control programs with both trait packages:
For post-emergent applications in XtendFlex soybeans: You CANNOT tank mix any dicamba-based product with Liberty! I like applying XtendiMax (plus applicable tank mix partner/s) either pre-emergence or early post-emergence and then having the flexibility to come back at or before R1 with Liberty. This maximizes the benefits from this new technology while keeping you in compliance with the EPA-approved herbicide labels. Applying XtendiMax early also decreases the chances of off-target dicamba movement to sensitive crops.
As the calendar moves closer to harvest, many farmers are looking to gauge yield expectations in soybean fields. In this week’s segment, Precision Agronomist Phil Long explains the correlation between node count, spacing, population and yield.
Drought-stressed corn can create a range of silage harvest issues. With much of Latham Country experiencing abnormal to extreme drought conditions, risks such as high nitrate levels, variable moisture content and potential for yeasts, molds and mycotoxins must be accounted for and well understood.
Taking extra precautions to ensure a safe and productive corn silage harvest is a worthy investment. Here are a few key considerations to keep in mind this summer and fall.
While Mother Nature can certainly throw some unexpected curve balls our way, these tips can help you make the best of a not-so-ideal harvest scenario.
Which yield factor has the most bearing on final yield: kernel round, ear length or test weight? Precision Agronomist Phil Long and Intern Kirsten Suntken do the math in this segment of #AskTheAgronomist.