Welcome back to our Ask the Agronomist! Today Phil talks about IDC in fields and how to plan for it next year. Tune in for some helpful hints and to learn more about IDC.
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Podcast: Ask the Agronomist About IDC
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Crop Scouting Can Lead to Seed Selection in 2018
While you may not get paid directly to walk your fields, I can say without a doubt that it will pay for itself. Mid-season crop scouting is important for two reasons: (1) different weed, insect and disease pressures become evident this time of year; and (2) summer months are a crucial time to decide which traits to implement when buying seed for the next crop year.
By walking fields, you can catch any type of stress early that enhances the likelihood of opportunistic insects such as corn leaf aphids, European corn borer and armyworms. High humidity and heavy dew creates ideal conditions for diseases like we saw last season with Northern Corn Leaf Blight (NCLB).
Black cutworm could be a larger problem this year as they’re known to cause more damage in fields where corn is planted later, and quite a few acres were replanted due to heavy spring rains and ponding. Fields of higher risk also include those that are poorly drained and low-lying; those next to areas of natural vegetation; and those that are weedy or have reduced tillage.
The wide variance in planting dates also may cause rootworm beetles to move between fields. A late-maturing corn field may attract large numbers of beetles if neighboring corn stopped producing pollen, for example. Rootworm beetles may also move into corn and/or soybean fields that have an abundance of pollen-producing weeds, including volunteer corn, ragweed or foxtails.
Controlling weeds will help control corn rootworm populations, as well as other insects like Two-spotted Spider Mites and aphids. Mites and aphids begin feeding along field edges, especially in weedy areas, before eventually developing into a field-wide infestation.
Noting weed infestations can provide you with an opportunity to discuss this with your Latham Dealer and allow them give you to suggestions to mix up modes of action when selecting next year’s seed products. Latham’s Regional Field Days display the trait options available for 2018 planting. Make plans now to attend one of these regional plot days and discover more about the options Latham has to offer next year! Stay tuned for updated information about field day dates and locations in the coming editions of TECHtuesday.
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Plant into the Best Seedbed Possible
One of the things I like most about spring is you get to enjoy all four seasons in just a few days. In mid-April, we had snow flurries with an overnight low of 16 on a Sunday. A warm wind brought temperatures into the 70s by mid-week, and that weekend rain fell. That’s why I always tell people to plant by the conditions, not the date on the calendar!
Soil conditions are far more important than planting date. Rather than mudding in your seed to say that it was planted early, you’ll have a better chance of achieving maximum yield by planting into properly tilled soil. Working soils that are too wet leads to yield loss and more problems during the growing season from soil compaction. Restricted root development, nutrient deficiency and reduced infiltration rate are among the top 10 reasons to avoid soil compaction.
Adapted full-season corn hybrids can compensate somewhat for later plantings. As planting is delayed, hybrids shorten the time between planting and silking. Research shows that development and final yield of these hybrids will not be largely affected unless frost occurs especially early in the fall. That’s why we recommend waiting until May 15 in North Dakota and May 25 in Iowa before switching to an earlier maturing corn hybrid or switching to soybeans.
Patience is also key when planting soybeans. Planting into a field that is too wet will reduce emergence and plant population, which most often leads to reduced yield. Another cause of reduced yield is weed pressure. Make sure the sprayer is right behind the planters. Otherwise, soybeans might poke through the ground before your pre-emerge was applied.
We get one chance every spring to create the best seedbed possible for planting, so let’s take advantage of it! This may require a different piece of tillage equipment than originally planned, but taking the time to make the equipment switch will pay big dividends by resulting in better seed-to-soil contact that enhances germination and early growth.
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Podcast: Create Value in your Drone Photos
Tune into week 4 of our Ask the Agronomist Podcast! Today we have a special guest who explains how to put your drone photos to work for you. Link on the link below to listen.Ask the Agronomist Podcast Week 4
0:40 – What is HTS Ag?
1:13 – Where do drones fit into the market?
2:18 – What is Drone Deploy?
3:30 – How does a flight plan work?
4:45 – Is there special equipment or camera needed to use HTS Ag’s software?
6:45 – What is the resolution of photos produced?
Remember to submit your questions to us on social media! Find us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Thanks for tuning in!
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
It Pays to Watch Crops Pop Up in Rows
There are more than 1,000 variables that can affect crop development throughout the growing season. Soil conditions, planter settings, seed spacing and seed planting depth are of utmost importance at the time the crop goes into the ground.Frequent rain showers delayed planting longer than farmers across the Upper Midwest would like. Some are feeling additional pressure to get the seed in the ground as fast as possible. Keep in mind that haste makes waste! Take the time to:
- Verify correct depth and kernel spacing at planting time.
- Check germination and early seedling growth for problems.
- Assess early emergence scores for adequate final stand numbers if soil conditions weren’t ideal.
Also keep in mind that spring rains might have created crusting issues in some of the earlier planted fields, especially in fields without residue. To help break up the crust and improve seedling emergence, many farmers will use a rotary hoe.
If you decide to till the soil, wait until soils have dried to avoid exacerbating the situation with soil compaction. Use a quick field test to check soil moisture.
Starting with clean fields, and keeping the fields clean, is most important. A pre-plant or pre-emerge herbicide application:
- Aids in controlling resistant or tolerant weeds.
- Helps keep the field clean all season long.
- Helps your crops reach their maximum yield potential as they’re not competing with weeds for water, sunlight and nutrients.
Once plants have emerged, it’s time to:
- Identify any early season stresses on young plants.
- Look at plants’ visual appearance for nitrogen or other nutrient deficiencies.
- Look for weed escapes. Make a plan for a season long weed-free field!
Watch for additional agronomic tips and tricks to be shared each Tuesday & Thursday during the growing season on TheFieldPosition.com
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Hail Damage: Replant?
Ask the Agronomist Week 3 — Hail Damage: Replant?
00:43 — From the Field Crop Update
2:20 — To Replant or Not?
3:21 — Disease Infection Possibility
5:22 — Is it time to switch hybrids in the field?
6:22 — Importance of stand counts
Remember to submit your questions to us on social media. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Thanks for tuning in!
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Soybean Emergence: The Halo Effect & ILeVO
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This week we cover the Halo Effect in result of ILEVO seed treatment.
0:33 — What is the Halo Effect?
1:09 — Why does the Halo Effect happen?
2:51 — Does it result in a yield loss?
We invite you to submit any questions weighing on your mind from agronomy diagnostics to new seed technologies. Phil will answer those questions on a Thursday weekly interview.
Thanks for tuning in!
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Planting Corn: Seed Conditions vs. Planting Date
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We are featuring a series called “Ask the Latham Agronomist”. Each week Latham Agronomist Phil Long will answer viewer submitted questions about agronomy and seed industry topics.
This week we cover 3 #plant17 scenarios farmers in our marketing territory have experienced.
0:55 — Scenario 1: Farmers who planted last week
2:35 — Scenario 2: Farmers who planted 3-4 weeks ago
5:05 — Scenario 3: Farmers who are waiting to plant
We invite you to submit any questions weighing on your mind from agronomy diagnostics to new seed technologies. Phil will answer those questions on a Thursday weekly interview.
Thanks for tuning in!
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Quick Steps to Slow Spread of Soybean Aphid Resistance
The number one soybean insect pest is growing across the Upper Midwest. Recent reports indicate some aphid populations are developing resistance to insecticides, especially pyrethroid products.
While we may not be able to stop the spread of this resistance, we can certainly slow it down by using these best management practices:
- Avoid spraying any insecticide if the economic threshold has not been reached. The accepted economic threshold is 250 aphids per plant in 80% of the field as long as the aphid population is increasing. This should not be confused with the injury threshold, which ranges from 600 to 700 aphids per plant. The economic threshold is designed to give farmers time to apply insecticide before the field reaches the injury threshold.
- Use insecticides with different modes of action just like we use herbicides with different modes of action to help control resistant weeds. Some common examples of pyrethroid products include Warrior®, Mustang®, Asana®, Baythroid® and Pounce®, as well as a host of generic products. Lorsban® is an example of an organophosphate insecticide that may be used for aphid control.
- Avoid adding insecticide to herbicide application just as “insurance” or to save a trip across the field, as this can easily lead to resistance problems.
- When applying insecticides, good coverage is essential. Higher spray volumes and pressure help to move the product down into the soybean canopy.
- As with many potential threats, scouting early and often is crucial to overall success!Soybean aphids can greatly increase in numbers if the weather is cooler than normal and if natural predators are not present.
First identified in Wisconsin during the summer of 2000, soybean aphids are found in 21 states and three Canadian provinces. Besides the damage they do by sucking sap from plants, aphids also are vectors of several viruses that attack soybeans.
Scouting for aphids is key for maintaining the health of your soybean crop now… and in the future. Do what you can now to keep numbers down and to avoid insecticide resistance from building.
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Address These 3 Key Areas During Planter Prep
Only so much preparation can be done in the shop. Take the time to get out of the cab — or have someone else help — to check row spacing and planting depth. Observations and planter adjustments are key to successful emergence scores.
It doesn’t pay to have your equipment in top working condition if you don’t wait for fit planting conditions. Missing the optimum planting window may have a 2-5% impact on final yield but an uneven emergence could cause 5-9% yield loss! Plant according to soil and weather conditions rather than by the calendar.
Our Product Team spends countless hours in research plots and in our customers’ fields, taking field notes. Our mutual goal is to help you maximize yield potential by placing the right Latham® product in the right field. FieldXField™ yields!
Keep these three key areas in mind as you prepare your planter for spring:
- Level the Planter Frame: As planters get wider, it’s important that frames are leveled from side to side and from front to back. This assures all row units have the same operating positions for disc openers and the parallel linkage works correctly. Also be sure all tires are properly inflated.
- Proper Meter Calibration is Critical in Seed Singulation for Precision Planting: If possible, take your row units someplace where they can run on a calibration stand. While the planter boxes are removed, check all drive chains or cables for rust or kinks. The drives must work smoothly, so the meters run consistently.
- Seed Drop and Placement: Inspect seed tubes for wear and replace as necessary. Installing a good seed firmer helps transition seed from the drop tube; it also firmly presses seed into the bottom of the trench, which aids planting depth consistency.
Be sure the opening wheels have a serviceable diameter and proper spacing, so the blades have a contact area of 1˝ to 2˝. If they are too wide, you will get more of a “W” in the seed trench, which affects planting depth. If there is too much pressure, discs will wear prematurely.
Gauge wheels and arms should be adjusted to just touch the side of the seed disc. Keep mud and debris from building up on the seed disc as it affects planting depth. Also ensure the closing wheels run true, so the trench closes over the seed.
