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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Ways to Reduce Soil Compaction
After unseasonably wet, cold weather this spring, farmers are eager to get their seed in the ground but they must be conscientious of soil compaction. We understand their sense of urgency, but we also know they’ll have better results if they wait for more suitable field conditions.

The best rule of thumb is to let the field dry before doing fieldwork. Use a quick field test to check the soil moisture: 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 or planting.

Working soils that are too wet this spring could have negative impacts on your crops during the growing season including: stunted plant growth; slow infiltration of water and/or ponding; high surface runoff and soil erosion under normal or light rainfall; poor root system establishment; and nutrient deficiency.

To reduce or minimize soil compaction:
- Avoid working wet soil. Soil is most susceptible to compaction when it’s saturated and cannot absorb any more water. Use the quick field test method above to access the soil conditions, and begin planting or working the soil only if the proper conditions exist.
- Reduce tillage. Crop residue can intercept raindrops and prevent the soil surface from sealing and compacting.
- Use the right implements. The degree of compaction is determined by the moisture content of the soil, as well as the weight of the equipment in the field. Reduce the weight on each axle, choose wider tires and adjust air pressure to reduce the load on the soil surface. Iowa State University research shows that using equipment with 6 pounds per square inch (psi) of surface pressure yielded 9 bushels per acre more than equipment with 16 psi.
Soil compaction can be avoided with better management. For more information, click here to download Iowa State University Extension’s publication, Understanding & Managing Soil Compaction.
Webspec Admin

April 27, 2011

Agronomics, Soil, Tech Tuesday
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Make Variable Rate Planting Pay
Peter Bixel, Seed2Soil powered by Sci Max representative

With increasing input costs and strong market prices, many farmers are asking about Variable Rate Planting as a way to make the most efficient use of their seed while increasing their overall yield.

“The complexity of this technology can be intimidating to farmers but variable rate planting can pay off and the research proves it,” said Dustin Blunier of Precision Planting based in Tremont, Ill., in a recent Iowa Farmer Today article.

According to 2009-2010 data from SciMax Solutions, farmers who followed recommendations for Variable Rate Planting saw an 8-bushel yield increase on marginal ground and a 4-bushel per acre increase on better ground of similar soil types.

Variable rate planting has proven successful on Latham® dealer Frank Wyatt’s farm in northeast Iowa. He says they’ve been able to identify ways to save time and money, as well as maximize yields.

“In the spring of 2010, we had a lot of equipment running that was providing lots of information from chemical application records to yield data,” says Frank. “We were challenged by how to organize all of that data and use it to make better decisions on the farm. That’s when we decided to implement variable rate planting through the Seed2Soil program.”

Variable rate planting is a viable option for any farmer with a properly equipped planter. Below are a few steps that can be taken to help ensure your variable rate planting recommendations are as accurate as possible:
1. Conduct Grid Sampling. Taking 2.5-acre grid samples will take your soil sample data and yield data to the next level. The benefits of grid sampling far outweigh the costs, and when managed properly, it can actually make money by increasing yield in certain areas.
2. Organize Data. If you’re like most growers, you already have years of yield data, fertilizer application records and chemical application records. An important step in variable rate planting is to organize years’ worth of yield data, fertilizer application records and chemical application records. This will help you identify “A through D zones,” which allows you to manage areas differently. The A zones typically have better yields and offer a strong return on investment; the C or D zones are very inconsistent and aren’t really strong-producing areas.
3. Form a Partnership. To put variable rate planting to work on your farm, make sure there’s solid communication between your seed advisor, technology advisor, and you! Growers often know their land better than the data does, so it’s important to take a “team approach” to ensure the right steps are being taken to put the most effective plan into action.
For more information about Variable Rate Planting, contact the trusted experts at Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds.
Webspec Admin

April 21, 2011

Agronomics, General, Precision Ag, Season, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

The Time is Right to Grid Sample

Peter Bixel, Seed2Soil powered by Sci Max representative

It all starts with the soil, whether you’re growing grain or vegetables. Knowing what the soil is capable of is very important to reach your field’s yield potential and to make the best use of inputs.

Learn how to better place fertilizer and to better time fertilizer applications with information gleaned from Latham’s hallmark Seed2Soil® program, powered by SciMax. Grid sampling takes your soil sample data and your yield data to the next level. We highly recommend 2.5 acre grids for our grid sampling protocol.

A great time to have your acres grid sampled is right after planting. Soil sample data gathered this spring could help you adjust the timing of your fertilizer applications during the growing season, plus it will leave you with one less thing to worry about while you’re in the combine next fall. After finding out what the soil test results are, you can start planning for the next crop and have it in place by September.

We’re able to use actual yield data for crop removal values, soil sample test values, and management zones for recommendations. We can also use Learning Blocks to measure the most economic return on your investment. A learning block is put within an area with a high or low rate of nutrients. We can also help you determine the correct amount of nitrogen for your field through our variable rate Nitrogen program which has its own trade secret.

The benefits of grid sampling far out-weigh the costs. In fact, when managed properly, grid sampling can make you money by increasing yield and identifying areas where you can push plant populations. Learn more about grid soil sampling by contacting trusted experts at Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds.

Webspec Admin

April 14, 2011

Agronomics, General, Soil
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Keep An Eye on Soil Temperatures
While there are many benefits to planting early, planting too early can have negative impact on yield. Planting in soils that are too cold or too wet will cause seeds to sit dormant and become more vulnerable to diseases, insects and animal predators.

Let soil temperatures and soil conditions – not the calendar – dictate your planting date. For a map of current soil conditions throughout Iowa, click here. We recommend waiting until soil temperatures in a region reach between 55 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit before you plant soybeans or 50 degrees before you plant corn. Remember, soil temperature for soybean planting is more critical than for corn. The main reason for this is because soybeans can germinate in a soil environment of about 55 degrees Fahrenheit, but if the air temperature after germination hits 28 degrees Fahrenheit or less, the young seedling can be killed with the growing point of the plant right at emergence. Adversely for corn, the growing point stays under the surface until much later.

If planting conditions aren’t fit for planting, yield may be sacrificed due to:
- Chilling Injury – Imbibitional chilling can negatively affect both corn and soybeans. This happens often when farmers jump the gun and plant in soils that are too cold. For a seed to germinate, it must absorb water, which usually happens within a few hours of planting. If the water is too cold, tissue damage will occur within the seedling and will either kill it or drastically slow down emergence. This can allow diseases and other problems to enter. Typical symptoms of chilling injury may include a swollen seed that has not germinated, as well as a fragile or absent primary root.
- Soil Compaction – If mud sticks to your tires and ruts are deeper than an inch, the field is too wet to work. Compaction will likely result, causing decreased germination, root and plant growth, as well as nutrient uptake.
- Soil Crusting – Wet soil at planting can cause a crusted layer to form, which may delay or prevent seedling emergence. Soybean hypocotyls can easily break as they push through the crust, which may result in significant stand reductions and lower yield potential.
Webspec Admin

April 12, 2011

Agronomics, General, Soil
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Establishing a Good Soybean Stand

Farmers are continually working to increase their soybean yields. The statewide average in Iowa is now more than 50 bushels per acre, but last year several farmers broke the 80-bushel yield barrier with Latham soybean genetics and the Genuity® Roundup® Ready 2 technology.

Raising record-breaking soybeans begins before the seed even hits the soil. Mark Grundmeier, Latham’s product manager, recently contributed to a Wallaces Farmer article with tips on how to establish a good soybean stand.

In the article, Mark says the first step to establishing a good soybean stand starts with treated seed. The benefit from seed treatments far outweigh the costs. He adds that fungicide-treated seed is a must to prevent damping off from Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Phytopthora and Fusarium. It’s no secret soybean plants are subject to thousands of variables throughout the growing season.

Proper planting conditions are crucial, and Mark says it’s important to remember that it’s much better to plant correctly than to plant quickly. Soil temperature sets the stage for healthy growth, and he recommends a temperature of 50 degrees or more at planting. It’s also important to wait for soils to dry. Wet soils cause trouble from the beginning, and compaction resulting from wet soil can kill root growth.

For Mark’s full list of tips to establish a good soybean stand, click here to read the article in Wallaces Farmer.

Team Latham

April 7, 2011

Agronomics, Crop, Emergence, General, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Monitor Updates Key to VR Planting

Peter Bixel, Seed2Soil Team Leader

There’s nothing quite like sunshine and the 70-degree temperatures we experienced last weekend to get a farmer thinking about planting! As you prepare for the upcoming planting season, remember to also update your monitors. Monitor updates are especially important for Variable Rate Planting.

Through Latham’s hallmark Seed2Soil® program, we can write prescriptions for your planter and seed variety, on an individual field basis. We can write population prescriptions using information about past yield history from a yield monitor, soil types within the field, hybrid variety selection, tillage practices, fertility levels and more, with special consideration.

Even if you’re not interested in or your current equipment isn’t capable of planting variable rates, it’s still important to keep up-to-date on planter technology. Below is a brief summary of updates available to some of the more popular models. Also included are links that will direct you to the Internet sites where you can either download the upgrades yourself or have your dealer assist you.

Ag Leader
In February, Ag Leader Technology released Advanced Seed Monitoring through the SeedCommand™ system. Available on the INTEGRA™ display, Advanced Seed Monitoring provides planter performance monitoring of seed meter singulation, skips/doubles and spacing quality, along with population and spacing information for all rows when planting corn. All of these features are available while the display is simultaneously performing guidance, mapping and autosteer functions.

Case
Case IH on March 17 announced the release of Version 26 (v26) software for the Advanced Farming System (AFS) Pro 600 and new AFS Pro 700 color touchscreen displays. A few changes and new features available in v26 include: autoguidance optimizations for Case IH Patriot self-propelled sprayers; improved user-interface for adjusting overlap control settings; and support for up to 3 clutch ECUs, allowing single-row AFS AccuRow clutch control even on 36-row planters

John Deere
Updates are available for the 1800 Displays and GS2. The new GS3monitor will be shipped with the right display, but there are controller and receiver updates. For additional information, contact a John Deere dealer or visit http://stellarsupport.deere.com/en_US_new/ where you’ll get product information and can participate in on-line forums and discussions.

Webspec Admin

April 6, 2011

Agronomics, General, Precision Ag
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Determining the Correct Nitrogen Rate for Your Field
Spring planting is just around the corner, and with it comes the age old question, “What is the right rate of Nitrogen for my field?”

A recent research paper published by Purdue University sums up Nitrogen (N) management succinctly: Nitrogen fertilizer costs remain volatile but continue to be one of the most expensive variable costs for corn. Applying “more than enough N” is no longer cheap “insurance” as it once was many years ago. Applying “more than enough N” is also not environmentally friendly.

High fertilizer costs and environmental impacts should encourage growers to critically evaluate their N fertility program, including application rate, fertilizer material, and timing.Here are a few tips for you to consider the right Nitrogen rate for your field this spring:
- Customize applications. Tailor Nitrogen applications to each individual field. Because farmers are constantly striving to achieve higher yields, it’s not effective to try and use a general “one size fits all” recommendation. That’s why it’s so important to first determine your needs with a soil test.
- Soil test. Conduct a soil test to obtain a guideline of soil nutrients and needs. Purdue’s research paper stated some soils provide as little as 25% of the crop N requirement, the remainder coming from fertilizer N, while other soils provide in excess of 50% of the crop N demand, with a lesser amount needed from applied N. Thus, it’s vitally important to first determine soil needs before application. Through Latham’s Seed2Soil®program, we work with customers to conduct an Amino Sugar Nitrogen Test to help determine where Nitrogen rates need to be increased, maintained, or decreased.
- Recognize timing differences. Certain hybrids respond better to Nitrogen at different times of the growing season. For instance, some hybrids will require an extra shot of Nitrogen when they begin the grain fill period directly after pollination. Work with your seed representative to determine the best timing for the products in your field.
- Better for your pocketbook and the environment. The goal with Nitrogen management should be to place the right amount on the right acres at the right time. Latham’s Seed2Soil program helped reduce Nitrogen needs by 20-25 pounds, according to four years of research and in-field studies. Learn more about Latham’s Seed2Soil program.
Do you have any questions regarding Nitrogen management for your field?
Webspec Admin

March 31, 2011

Agronomics, Fertility, General
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Fertility Levels Key to Raising Top Soybeans, Part II

A common practice for farmers in a corn-soybean rotation is to apply enough P&K prior to planting corn to supply their crops for two years. This works well until corn yields are higher than expected, and no extra nutrients are added for the subsequent soybean crop. Soybeans are big users of Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K), and soybean yields will suffer unless more nutrients are applied to compensate for the higher corn yields.

Nitrogen is essential to photosynthesis. Nitrogen is usually supplied to soybean plants by a process called nitrogen fixation, which is associated with Rhizobia bacteria in the soil. It’s important to note, however, that these bacteria are not always present – especially if soybeans haven’t been grown in that field for a few years. Recent studies show that adding an inoculant to seed may have beneficial effects if planted in soils with low organic matter content or in fields that have undergone significant flooding in recent years. Try inoculants in your own fields and study whether they benefit your production levels.

In addition, be sure to monitor the calcium levels in your fields. There are soils in the Upper Midwest that contain too much calcium. Known as alkali soils, they can cause other problems for soybean development including stunting, poor root development and iron deficiency chlorosis.

Soybean yields will also suffer if micronutrient levels are deficient, even if there is adequate P & K present. If soil tests show low levels of Sulfur, Zinc and Boron, add them to your fertilizer blends.

Managing nutrient levels will help produce maximum yields – and returns – from your soybean crop given the high market values.

Webspec Admin

February 24, 2011

Agronomics, Crop, Fertility, General, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Fertility Levels Key to Raising Top Soybeans
You can only yield what you put into your crops. If you supplied enough of all of the nutrients required to produce 70-bushel soybeans but provided only enough of one nutrient to produce 40-bushel soybeans, then your yield will only be 40 bushels per acre! Simply stated, this is what the computer industry refers to as “garbage in – garbage out.”

To better manage nutrients for your soybean crop, pay particular attention to:
1. N, P and K;
2. Secondary nutrients like Calcium and Sulfur;
3. Micronutrients like Manganese, Zinc and Boron.
Begin by establishing a soil sampling protocol for all of your fields. Not only will this give you the best field-by-field fertilizer history, but it will be invaluable to your long-term nutrient management strategy.

A common practice for farmers in a corn-soybean rotation is to apply enough P & K prior to planting corn to supply their crops for two years. This works well until corn yields are higher than expected, and no extra nutrients are added for the subsequent soybean crop. Soybeans are big users of Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K), and soybean yields will suffer unless more nutrients are applied to compensate for the higher corn yields.

Nitrogen is essential to photosynthesis. Nitrogen is usually supplied to soybean plants by a process called nitrogen fixation, which is associated with Rhizobia bacteria in the soil. It’s important to note, however, that these bacteria are not always present – especially if soybeans haven’t been grown in that field for a few years. Recent studies show that adding an inoculant to seed may have beneficial effects if planted in soils with low organic matter content or in fields that have undergone significant flooding in recent years. Try inoculants in your own fields and study whether they benefit your production levels.

In addition, be sure to monitor the calcium levels in your fields. There are soils in the Upper Midwest that contain too much calcium. Known as alkali soils, they can cause other problems for soybean development including stunting, poor root development and iron deficiency chlorosis.

Soybean yields will also suffer if micronutrient levels are deficient, even if there is adequate P & K present. If soil tests show low levels of Sulfur, Zinc and Boron, add them to your fertilizer blends.

Managing nutrient levels will help produce maximum yields – and returns – from your soybean crop.
Webspec Admin

February 23, 2011

Agronomics, Crop, Fertility, General, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

New Tool to ID Soybean Diseases

A colorful, 36-page guide with information on 24 soybean diseases is now available for free – including shipping – through Iowa State University Extension’s online store at www.extension.iastate.edu/store.

“Soybean Diseases” (CSI 0004), gives farmers a comprehensive look at soybean diseases and outlines management options once the disease is identified.

The publication was written by Daren Mueller, Extension specialist; Alison Robertson, plant pathologist; Greg Tylka, nematologist; and Adam Sisson with the ISU Corn and Soybean Initiative. Funding was supplied by the Iowa Soybean Checkoff, Iowa Soybean Association and ISU Extension.

Team Latham

January 25, 2011

Agronomics, Disease, General

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Ways to Reduce Soil Compaction

To reduce or minimize soil compaction:

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Make Variable Rate Planting Pay

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

The Time is Right to Grid Sample

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Keep An Eye on Soil Temperatures

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Establishing a Good Soybean Stand

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Monitor Updates Key to VR Planting

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Determining the Correct Nitrogen Rate for Your Field

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Fertility Levels Key to Raising Top Soybeans, Part II

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Fertility Levels Key to Raising Top Soybeans

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

New Tool to ID Soybean Diseases