Join Corn Product Manager Lyle Marcus and Pre-Commercial Development Manager Bob Foley as they discuss optimal planting depth for corn and other considerations for emergence success.
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
#AsktheAgronomist: What is Optimal Planting Depth for Corn?
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
#AsktheAgronomist: How To Reach 100% of Your Yield Potential
Join us on April 1 at 8 AM as we discuss how to reach 100% of your yield potential. Phil Long shares a study across high yield results and finds 5 common denominators.
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Tips for Assessing Spring Alfalfa Stands
If you grow alfalfa, you have experienced winter kill.
Alfalfa winterkill is a complex matrix of many factors: variety, fertility, general stand health, previous fall weather conditions, snow cover, winter temperatures, and spring weather patterns. My own experience has proven one type of winterkill is rarer, while the other is more common.
The rarer situation occurs when conditions are ideal for the alfalfa to overwinter, but temperatures warm up in late winter or early spring and are followed by several freeze-thaw events. The rapid thaw causes the snow to melt into and around the permeable alfalfa crown and tap root. The sudden, deep freeze crystalizes that moisture around the crown. I had a case where this type of weather caused the crown to pop two to four inches out of the soil! While this is an extreme example, there was nothing anyone could have done to save this alfalfa. It was an act of nature.
The other type of winter kill also results from Mother Nature but is more subtle and common. This type of winter kill is a combination of many factors, such as a poor and/or diseased stand, a stand with low fertility, a stand that has limited insulating snow cover throughout winter months, and a cheap alfalfa variety with a lower winter hardiness score.
The effects of winterkill can be quite variable in the field due to slopes, soil types, fertility and other factors. If you see a reduced stand after spring green up, walk around the field to evaluate whether it’s time to rotate the crop.
Tips for assessing spring stands:
- Watch for green up; be patient.
- If the alfalfa isn’t greening up in some areas of field, dig roots and split them. If the average stem density is low in some areas of field but not in others, consider interseeding something as a quick rescue like Italian ryegrass. It establishes quickly, provides tonnage, is good quality and allows you to capture the value of the alfalfa that is still alive.
- Calculate yield potential and consider rotating the crop. The University of Wisconsin – Madison Extension provides a calculator to help estimate yield based on the number of stems in a square foot. Once the stem number is determined, use this formula to calculate the yield potential of that stand: Yield (tons/acre) = (Stems/ft2 x 0.1) + 0.38
For example, an alfalfa stand with 50 stems per square foot would have a yield potential of 5.38 tons per acre. Keep in mind that soil, nutrient deficiency, insects, diseases and other factors may affect the actual yield.
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Planting Depth is Critical to Plant Performance
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
#AskTheAgronomist: Spring and In-Season Soil Sampling
Why is soil sampling important? The answers in this episode of Ask the Agronomist. #LathamSeeds
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
#AskTheAgronomist: Herbicide Carryover
Tune in on March 18 at 8 AM as we discuss how to identify and manage herbicide carryover. Phil will walk through corn and soybean rotations and provide insights on various herbicide groups. #LathamSeeds
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Get More from Your Data
We can learn so much from the past. The Data Forward program offered by Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds makes it easier than ever to gather and organize valuable information that can be used to make crop planning decisions, equipment investments, financial decisions and more.
For example, you might be comfortable with the planter you own but would like to invest in newer technology. It might not be as costly or complicated as you think! By using Data Forward, you do not have to choose between “simple to operate” or “best performance.”
Latham’s Precision Advisors can help you consider the options. For example, you might have noticed that late-emerging plants cost you money. Maybe you want consistent singulation and consistent spacing to achieve the highest profitability. Maybe you are considering a planter capable of applying at-plant fertility. We can achieve most of these upgrades by adding them to the planter you already have.
If you are unsure how to assess best planter preparation and performance, we can help! Using your machine-generated data, we can use Data Forward to analyze your current situation. Then we can monitor your crop throughout the season, assess your yield data next fall, and help you make informed decisions for 2022.
Below is an eight-step planter checklist for your consideration.
- Test Bushings– Parallel linkage maintains a level row unit and keeps the row unit running smooth. Test your bushings by moving the row unit up and down and side to side. If there is excess play in the parallel arms, it could be a worn bushing. Replace bushings as necessary.
- Check the Meter Drive System– A kinked chain in any part of the chain system can cause erratic seed spacing. If there is any possible concern, it’s best to replace the chain. If you have cable drives, check the ends for frayed cables. Also spin the cable to make sure they spin freely.
- Level the Planter– A level planter provides the proper orientation of the no-till coulter to the opening disc and seed tube angle. Even the closing wheels won’t perform properly if not level. Hook up the planter and put a level on the main bar to ensure it is perpendicular, running slightly uphill.
- Calibrate Meters– It’s always good practice to have your meters inspected and calibrated annually on a meter stand.
- Create a Proper Seed Trench– Double disk openers require a solid point of contact to create a perfect seed trench. Check your disc openers every season to see if replacement discs or shimming is necessary.
- Inspect Seed Tubes– Inspect your seed tubes for wear at the bottom the tube. Worn out or cracked seed tubes could cause seed ricochet and erratic seed placement in the furrow. There are seed tube replacement options with carbide tips to prevent wear from happening.
- Look at Gauge Wheels– Gauge wheel arms take a lot of stress. With the planter in transport position, raise the gauge wheel up and look at the tolerance between the edge of the gauge wheel and the opening disc. If the gap is large enough to fit your fingers in, you may need to look at adjusting the gauge wheel arm or even replacing.
- Align Closing Wheel– Be certain your closing wheels are centered over the seed trench. One way
to check this is to lower the planter onto the concrete and pull forward about a foot. The disc openers should leave a mark on the concrete to gauge your closing wheel alignment.
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Product Placement is Key to Success
Planting a product in the field it was chosen for creates the greatest success.
We spend a lot of time at Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds working with our dealers and customers on the proper placement of our products in their fields. The suggestions we offer in our product guide and tech sheets provide a great amount of detail. In addition, our product team members offer face-to-face support for these recommendations while giving tours to dealers and customers throughout the season.
A Field x Field™ recommendation for your farm creates optimum performance opportunities for the Latham® products you purchased. Our Field x Field guide can either be a paper document provided by your dealer or an electronic version inside your Data ForwardSM App that your dealer or one of our precision agronomists helped you design.
Now that you have this detailed plan, what steps can you take to implement it accurately? Here are a few suggestions to help execute your plan:
- Review your plan and be sure it matches each field.
- Did you add a field that needs seed? If so, contact your Latham dealer to get a plan for that field and seed ordered.
- Take delivery of your seed early. Document that you have all the products and correct volume of each to match your plan for each field.
- Sort your seed purchases by field.
- Label where you plan to plant the seed, the seeding rate and suggested timing.
Before planting starts, gather everyone on your team who helps with planting. Review the crop plan with them. Be sure everyone understands the importance of planting each product in the correct field.
Following the steps listed above will help ensure the time spent building your crop plan with your Latham dealer or RSM was time well spent. A well-executed plan can add value to your operation in 2021.
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
#AsktheAgronomist: Prep for a Dry Spring Part 2
Join us as we discuss part 2 of how to plan for a dry spring! Phil Long will expand on the topics of herbicide effectiveness and in-furrow applications.
:30 – Topic introduction
:55 – Herbicide effectiveness
6:00 – In-furrow applications
10:00 – In-furrow application placement
12:10 – Final thoughts
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Fighting Aphanomyces in Alfalfa
Photo sourced from the UW Extension Forage. The world of soils is made up of a complex living biology. Uncovering production-limiting factors can be one of the many links to selecting the best products and seed treatments for that acre. More specifically, it is helpful to know the most prominent diseases that could hamper emergence and yield. There are steps you can take to reduce that risk.
Aphanomyces Root Rot is a big word to describe a microscopic pathogen with the power to cause big problems. The fungus responsible, Aphanomyces euteiches, is an oomycete that is present in many Midwest soils. It’s especially prevalent in heavy, wet, poorly drained soils. The pathogen spreads by zoospores, which move easily in wet soils. Many years ago, scientists discovered two dominant races of this particular pathogen: Race 1 and Race 2. The latter proves more virulent or infectious. There is speculation of a “Race 3” although testing is still taking place.
Aphanomyces often presents as stunted, yellow plants with poor root development and very few lateral roots. If the seedling becomes infected, symptoms escalate to include yellow cotyledons and first leaves with chlorosis. The roots and stems will first appear grey (often water soaked) and then change to brown. Yield reduction results from poor root growth and significantly less nodules.
Photo sourced from the UW Extension Forage. Rebound is also extremely slow after harvest. If you are concerned you have Aphanomyces and want to know which races you have, you can submit a soil sample to the UW Plant Disease and Diagnostic Clinic.
Plant breeders rose to the challenge and have done a great job selecting varieties of alfalfa with high resistance to Race 1. When Race 2 was discovered, they also began selecting for that. On page 69 of the 2021 Latham® product guide, you will find our disease resistance chart with Aphanomyces Race 1 and 2 index ratings.
In addition to genetic resistance, we also equip our alfalfa varieties with an additional layer of protection with AlfaShield seed treatment. The success of a multi-year alfalfa stand rests on good emergence and seedling survival. Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds includes Stamina® in its seed treatment to provide that needed broad-spectrum protection against soil-borne pathogens.
Seed treatments that don’t include Stamina can suffer mortality rates of up to 75% in the seedling year. Discount seed companies tend to use older plant genetics and cheaper seed treatments, which can offer significantly less protection. In addition to high mortality rates, the risk includes reduced stands and less yield.
Latham Seeds can we reduce that risk, increase your yield potential and promote greater stand longevity thanks to good genetic resistance and seed treatments. Talk with your Latham rep to learn more. Now is a great time to buy alfalfa for spring seeding!