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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Ear Size and Number of Kernels Being Determined Now
Just as diet and nutrition play a key role in how well an athlete performs, corn plants need a well- balanced diet for optimal performance. We’re at a critical point in the growing season as ear size is being determined, so the slightest nutritional deficiency now can cost you yield in the end. Take a plant tissue analysis to assess where your fertility program is, and then make plans to protect your crop from in-season nitrate loss. In a wet spring like this one, it’s common for nitrate leaching to occur. However, there’s still time to remedy the situation. Nitrogen is a mobile nutrient, so the timing of fertilizer application is critical to meet a plant’s needs. Nitrogen management, spoon feeding the plant when it needs it, unquestionably affects total yield. Once you’ve fed the crop, you control weeds to maximize plant health. Early-season weeds rob yields you cannot see at harvest. Crops have a better chance of reaching optimal yield when they’re not competing with weeds for sunlight, water and nutrients. Weeds should be controlled with tillage, herbicides, or a combination of tactics so the crop can become well established under weed-free conditions. By following 5 small steps, farmers will make giant strides toward weed control:
Rotating between various herbicide traits is important from the standpoint of reducing weed resistance. Rotating traits, especially insect resistance traits in corn, is especially important for the same reasons – to decrease the risk of insects becoming resistant to those traits and also to improve overall trait performance. We need to be good stewards of these traits and rotate them whenever possible!
Webspec Admin

June 26, 2014

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, General, Growth Stages
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Wicked Winds and Rain Wreak Havoc

Once again, this week we were reminded just how cruel Mother Nature can be! Crazy late-spring thunderstorms and tornados swept across Latham Country from eastern Nebraska through eastern Iowa on Monday evening. Heavy rains fell early this week across the Dakotas and into Minnesota and Wisconsin, too.

More than six inches of rain fell on Monday night in some areas of Franklin County, Iowa, with an additional 1.5 to 2 inches falling last night. Winds gusting at 70 miles per hour flattened crops, power lines and grain bins alike. The loss of property is disheartening, and our hearts go out to those who are trying to clean up and put the pieces together again. (Click here for tips on talking with consumers about storm damage.)

“The farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldn’t still be a farmer,” said Will Rogers, the cowboy entertainer who was known for his wit and wisdom. So today, we’re going to talk about the silver lining. Our crops needed moisture. Although they got more than they needed this week, the tile lines are running again. Moisture is building in the soil profile. With first crop hay baled, this rain will get the second cutting of alfalfa off to a good start. The warm temperatures and high humidity we’re experiencing will cause crops to grow like weeds!

Speaking of weeds, let’s hope the top soil dries enough soon for the corn and soybeans to get sprayed before they get too tall. Volunteer corn is prevalent in some areas this year, and volunteer corn must be treated as a weed. It not only competes with plants for moisture and nutrients, but volunteer corn is a food source for rootworm larvae. Volunteer corn that is not controlled by tasseling attracts corn rootworm beetles for egg laying.

It’s imperative that farmers continue scouting fields at least weekly to stay ahead of weed, insect and disease pressure. For an update on what Latham’s Regional Sales Managers are seeing in their territories, click on “From the Field” and choose a region from the drop-down box on the right-hand side.

Team Latham

June 18, 2014

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, General, Growth Stages, Rain, Season, Summer, Weather
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Watch for Little Pests Doing big Damage

Cooler spring temperatures mean slower egg maturation in 2014 for corn rootworm. Last week Iowa State University entomologists reported the corn rootworm hatch is underway.

Blackcutworm moths migrate from the south in the spring and the moths lay eggs in grassy and broad-leaf weeds. Data from moth flight monitoring traps suggests that cutting activity from black cutworms might be noticeable around May 28 in northeast and north central Iowa.

Scout now for black cutworm, and be a vigilant scout from the time corn plants emerge until plants reach the 6-leaf stage.Newly hatched larvae will chew small, irregular holes in corn leaves. While this early injury does not damage plants significantly, it should be used as an early warning of possible black cutworm infestations. As larvae grow, they are capable of cutting the stems and stalks of corn plants and significantly reducing the stands.

Look for plants with wilting, leaf discoloration and damage, and those that are either missing or are cut off at the soil surface. Note areas with suspected damage and return later to assess further damage. A rescue treatment approach is the best strategy for dealing with this pest.

Another pest of concern is corn rootworm, which has earned the nickname the “billion-dollar bug.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates damage caused by this pest and costs associated with controlling it typically total $1 billion annually!

Best management practices are key to effectively controlling black cutworm and corn rootworm populations: Manage weeds, Respect the refuge, Rotate rootworm-resistant traits and Practice crop rotation.

Webspec Admin

June 12, 2014

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, General, Insects
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Attention Turns to Controlling Weeds & Insects

Corn and soybean crops are making excellent progress for the most part now that temperatures have warmed and ample rain has fallen. For a look at local planting progress and crop conditions around our six state territory, click here and select a region from the drop down menu.

Iowa’s corn emergence rating of 98% is slightly ahead of the five-year average. Soybean emergence is rated 87 percent, which is just over a week ahead of normal. The exception to this week’s positive crop report is southwest Iowa and eastern Nebraska, which was pounded by hail on June 3.

Hailed fields must be watched closely for weed flushes, although weed pressure is a challenge on all acres this spring. Recent rainfalls is making it difficult for the timely application of post-emergence herbicides in some territories across Latham Country. Crops are developing quickly, and many post-herbicides are limited by growth stage and/or crop height. Be sure to check crop development before entering a field, and carefully read all product labels. Also check weed speed and direction to avoid herbicide drift.

Team Latham

June 11, 2014

Agronomics, General, Insects, Weed Control
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Tips for Preventing Soybean Seedling Diseases
Post-planting is an ideal time to begin early season crop scouting. Many soilborne pathogens strike as soon as the seed begins to take on water; others strike young seedlings.

While walking fields this spring, I’ve noticed everything from poor stand counts caused by inadequate seedbed preparation, soil compaction or soil crusting. All of these situations can promote seedling diseases. Understanding the symptoms of common diseases and diagnosing the problems will help you manage these diseases in the future.

The first step in combating soybean seedling disease is to choose high quality soybean seed. There’s a reason “quality” is literally stamped on each bag of Latham® High-Tech Soybeans. The Latham family has nearly 70 years of experience, producing the highest quality seed. Also be sure to check disease ratings in the seed product catalogs.

The second step to achieving higher soybean yields is seed treatment. Recently released research results show seed treatment is the best defense against seedling disease. Choose a seed treatment like Latham’s proprietary SoyShield® fungicide and SoyShield Plus, a fungicide-insecticide combination. It’s especially important to protect early-planted soybeans from seedling diseases and insects.

While it stands to reason that earlier-planted soybeans will have more potential for yield due to greater access to sunlight, there are risks associated with early planting. Plant in fit conditions to set up your crop for success. Optimal planting conditions for soybeans include dry soils that are consistently 60 degrees at planting time. Soybeans are a light-sensitive crop, so yields are strongly influenced by the amount of solar radiation the crop receives throughout the growing season.

Learn what you can this season to increase soybean yields in the future. If there’s an area where seedlings aren’t emerging, dig into the soils and see what’s happening underground. Some pathogens attack the seed. Some seeds are killed before germination. You may notice rotting seeds. Sometimes “damping off” occurs right before or right after emergence.

There are three main categories of seedling diseases: seed rot, seedling mortality, and root or lower stem decay. Watch for these in 2014:
Webspec Admin

June 5, 2014

Agronomics, Disease, Emergence, General
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Rotary Hoe Can Help Seedlings Emerge

To rotary hoe or not to rotary hoe? That is a question worth asking.

Sunshine and warm temperatures like we’ve experienced for the past week are definitely needed to push along emergence of recently planted seed. However, we’re starting to see some instances where seedlings are struggling to break through the crusted soil surface as a result of either conditions at planting time or heavy rainfalls afterwards.

Wet planting conditions, fine soil textures, intensive tillage, or heavy rains after planting can result in delayed or uniform emergence. Some seedlings may not even emerge at all, which lowers stand counts and may reduce overall yield. Another problem that can result from crusted soils is rootless corn. Roots will take the path of least resistance, which means they might grow out the bottom of the seed furrow.

To help break up the crust and improve seedling emergence, consider using a rotary hoe.Get off the tractor and check for stand loss when starting a field. If loss seems greater than 3 to 5 percent, you may want to slow your travel speed to be less aggressive with the tool. Take care so soybean cotyledons aren’t broken off by the hoe. Expect a minor stand loss from hoeing, but this should be insignificant if your crop is truly having difficulty breaking through a crust.

Be sure to wait until soils have dried before using a hoe, so you don’t exacerbate the situation with soil compaction. Use a quick field test to check soil moisture. Simply mold a length of soil between your index finger and thumb, or roll it into a ball in your hand. Observe whether the soil breaks apart as you work it. If you toss the ball of soil into the air and it shatters or cracks upon falling to the ground, then conditions are likely suitable for tillage.

Webspec Admin

May 29, 2014

Agronomics, Emergence, General, Season, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Switching to Beans

Planting population study

Warm temperatures and below normal precipitation allowed soybean planting and crop progress to advance rapidly. At Latham headquarters in Alexander, we finished planting our corn plots and are nearly done with planting soybeans. Yesterday a welcome one inch of rain fell, which brought planting to a halt.

Statewide corn has been planted on 96% of the acres intended for 2014, as of the week ending May 25. Soybean planting is 80% complete, which was double the previous week’s progress. Nationally, corn has been planted on 88% of the acres and has emerged on 60%, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Soybeans have been planted on 59% of the U.S. acres and with 25% emerged.

“With just sporadic rainfall last week, crop planting proceeded quickly and now both corn and soybean planting progress is slightly ahead of the 5 year average,” notes Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey in his May 27 crop report. “After the extremely late planting last year farmers are excited to get the crop in the ground in a more-timely manner this year.”

For a look at crop conditions around our six state territory, click here, or select a region from the drop down above.

Team Latham

May 28, 2014

Agronomics, Crop, General, Growth Stages, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Don’t give up too soon…

PLANTING SEASON IS A MARATHON NOT A SPRINT

We’ve all heard the saying, “Anything worth having is worth waiting for.” But did you ever think about how this familiar quote applies to farming? We must remember that planting season is more like running a marathon than a sprint.

Highly competitive runners have to deliberately pace themselves. They also have to avoid jumping the gun. This, too, applies to farming. You see, many farmers jump the gun and switching corn hybrid maturities too soon. Corn planted in early June can make decent yields, and there’s no need to switch from corn to soybeans until after that.

When you switch maturities, you forfeit maximum potential and have essentially decided to lower your yield expectations! Based on my experiences over the past 35 years – as well as research findings from many Midwest land grant institutions – I can tell you with confidence that full-season hybrids and varieties outperform early maturing hybrids and varieties.

There becomes a point in time where the advantages of planting a full-season hybrid diminishes to the point where shifting to a shorter-season hybrid or variety will generally result in drier corn and higher yields come fall. Following is a summary of factors to consider when deciding whether to switch corn or soybean maturities.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN SWITCHING MATURITIES

I’ll use northern Iowa and southern Minnesota as an example. If your maturity range is 98- to 109-days (which is what I use for the Latham Research Farm), then you should generally not deviate from those maturities until at least May 25. If all you have left to plant is your 98-day hybrids, then you can safely extend your planting window to about June 7-10. On the other hand, if you only have your 109-day hybrids left to plant, you’ll probably be better off switching to 95- or 99-day products.

That brings us to the next subject… if you must switch, how early of a hybrid is needed? You don’t need to take it to extreme and switch from 109 RM to an 85-day hybrid. Research has proven that it pays to stay closer to your “normal” maturity. Switch to hybrids that are about 5 to 7 relative maturity units earlier than full season for the region. Yields in this scenario will be greatly improved if northern Iowa and southern Minnesota farmers (from the example above) move toward a 92- to 95-day hybrid that is more closely adapted to the area.

The decision to switch maturity with delayed corn planting is difficult because of so many variables including: available GDUs, first frost date and fall drying conditions. With this in mind, here are some general guidelines:

Location
within Iowa Full Season RM Switch to
on May 20 Switch to
on May 30

South of I-80 114-117 108-111 108-111

Central 110-115 107-110 107-110

North of I-80 109-113 105-108 105-108

Webspec Admin

May 15, 2014

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, General, Growth Stages, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Study Shows Seed Treatment is Best Defense Against Seedling Diseases

Recent studies* across the North Central Region of the U.S. have uncovered some disturbing results in the field of seedling pathogens, specifically Pythium and Fusarium. Most farmers and many crop consultants have considered each of these to be a singular disease with common characteristics, but new research completely dispels such theories.

Photo credited to the ISU Extension. Click for original photo

In Iowa alone, approximately 20 species of Pythium were identified in diseased seedlings and more than 50 were recovered across the entire North Region! At least 12 different species of Fusarium were identified across the North Central Region. Many of these species were able to infect both soybean and corn crops, which means that crop rotation might not be an effective management tool.

Another area of concern is the temperatures in which these pathogens do the worst damage. For many years, Pythium was considered a disease that flourished in a cool, damp environment. New research by Iowa State and Michigan State Universities shows that some species actually favor warmer soil temperatures. In addition, changes in the environment from one year to the next can cause different species of pathogens to become more prolific in different years.

The use of seed treatments appears to be the best management tool that farmers can use against these diseases, but a more integrated approach might be necessary to prevent severe infestations. Typically, the industry has used the metalaxyl compounds (e.g. Apron, Allegiance, etc.) almost exclusively against Pythium and included a blend of other fungicides to help control Fusarium, Rhizoctonia and seedling Phytophthora. In the future, expect to see other components being added to these blends to help or replace the metalaxyl.

At Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, we are testing different fungicide components in our 2014 research trials to see which of these new compounds will be the most beneficial for our customers. We’re always striving to provide the very best in soybean seed treatments to place under the SoyShield^TM and SoyShield Plus brands.

*Funding for this ongoing research was provided by USDA-NIFA, the United Soybean Board, the North Central Soybean Research Program and the Iowa Soybean Association.

Webspec Admin

May 8, 2014

Agronomics, Disease, Emergence, General, Seed Treatment
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Looking for the Silver Lining

After awaking once again this morning to loud, booming thunder and sharp streaks of lightning, I lay still and willed my body to return to slumber. That’s easier said than done! My mind started to drift…

Mason City, which is about 20 miles from where we live, set a record on Sunday for the maximum daily rainfall. Nearly 2.5 inches of rain fell on Easter, breaking the previous record of 1.7 inches set in 1977.

Then I began to think about the weekly rain totals that I researched in order to write yesterday’s crop report. For the week ending April 20, rain fall varied across the state from 0.07 inches at Rock Rapids in Northwest Iowa to 4.87 inches at Pella in Central Iowa. The statewide average precipitation was 1.52 inches or nearly double the weekly normal of 0.85 inches. This was the wettest week in 42 weeks, which brings us to late June 2013. (Like any of us really want to remember just how wet the planting season was last year!)

Because I’m an optimist – as any farmer must be to keep planting for 40 or so seasons – I decided to look for the silver lining. Rain is needed, albeit we wouldn’t vote for rain at this particular moment. We’d like to schedule timely rains throughout the growing season, but the weather is obviously beyond our control. Hopefully, this rain will soak in where it’s needed.

The U.S. Drought Monitor shows many areas across Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa remain in a moderate drought. Topsoil moisture levels statewide are reported by the department of agriculture as 6% very short, 22% short, 65% adequate and 7% surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 16% very short, 39% short, 44% adequate and 1% surplus. Northwest Iowa is the driest with 18% of topsoil reported in very short condition.

Planting season is a test of patience, but time has shown us that good things come to those who wait for the right seedbed conditions! Don’t push the panic button. Let soil conditions – not the calendar – dictate planting dates. At this point, fields are not yet fit for planting and yield potential will be more negatively affected by planting in wet soils than waiting even a couple of weeks for better conditions.

Corn planted into wet soils is prone to problems throughout the growing season such as: stunted plant growth; slow infiltration of water and/or ponding; high surface runoff under normal or light rainfall; poor root system development, or rootless corn; and even nutrient deficiency. Potassium deficiency is caused by corn roots not being able to take up potassium from compacted soils.

Set up #crop14 for success! Work your crop plan. Remember, we’re still within the window of opportunity for maximum yields. There are literally weeks of planting dates remaining, so be patient and wait for suitable conditions.

Team Latham

April 24, 2014

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, General, Rain, Season, Soybeans, Spring, Weather