Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Call in Your A-Team

The most successful farmers are those who spend substantial time checking for disease, insects, stand uniformity and plant health. When things don’t look good, it’s time to call in your A-Team!

The Oxford online dictionary defines A-Team as “a group of elite soldiers or top advisors or workers in an organization.” Your A-Team needs to be a group of expert advisors, who can help you diagnose problems and make recommendations to solve those issues. This group might include your Latham® Dealer or RSM, an agronomist from your chemical retailer or local co-op, a county or state Extension expert, or a private consultant that you’ve hired for this specific purpose. Do not rely only on “coffee shop talk” or advice from neighbors or friends.

With your A-Team in mind, below are five things to watch for as we approach soybean pollination:

1. Overall population and stand. I believe that the period between planting and first bloom is the most critical time for soybean growers. Across most of Latham Country, Spring 2021 was dry enough to plant early yet too cool to stimulate consistent growth and vigor. Stands were uneven. Seedlings had a sick, yellow appearance, which can lead to the onset of diseases and pests.

2. Yellow soybeans. Soybeans can turn yellow (or chlorotic) for many reasons, including Iron Deficiency Chlorosis (IDC), Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN), high soluble salts, chemical burns, insects and diseases. Your A-Team can help determine what has caused this.

3. Soybean Aphid. I venture to say the Soybean Aphid is still the #1 insect pest across Latham Country. This insect overwinters in our region as eggs laid on the buckhorn species of trees and shrubs. Winged adults will move to soybeans in early to mid-June. Throughout the summer, most soybean aphids are females that reproduce asexually and rapidly. They can infest a whole field in a matter of days.

4. Soybean Gall Midge. This new insect species is causing damage in areas of southeast South Dakota, southwest Minnesota, eastern Nebraska, western Iowa and more recently in Northwest Missouri. Researchers expect to see adults in early to mid-June, however, information and management for this pest are still in the discovery stage.

5. Hail. Farmers don’t need to look for hail, but it too often finds them! Knowing what to look for and how to react is key when deciding what to do after a hailstorm. Soybean plants that are cut off below the cotyledon node have no chance of surviving. Plants that are severely bruised and easily fold over at the impact site have a very poor chance of surviving. However, plants that are only missing one cotyledon or missing both with the growing point still intact have a very good chance of survival. My best advice is to abstain from evaluating fields that received hail as soon as it is dry enough to do so. Instead, give the plants at least a week to see if new growth will occur. That way you can see what you have for a viable population.

Mark Grundmeier, Product Manager

June 16, 2021

#AskTheAgronomist, Agronomics, Crop, Disease, Emergence, Insects, Season, Soybeans, Summer, Tech Tuesday

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Take Crop Notes to Guide Fall Decisions

Gain some great insights on what to expect this fall with good observations this spring. These observations, when detailed for each field, also provide an excellent long-term understanding of each field’s potential.

Keeping good records will help you repeat positive, productive activities in future years. Below are a few areas you might note when making field observations:

Emergence and Plant Stand Uniformity. Review all your corn fields for emergence. Score them for uniformity, using a 1 to 5 scale. Latham’s Data Forward app makes it easy to track areas of the field with delayed or uneven emergence. Areas of delayed emergence may translate into delayed maturity, resulting in variable moisture content at harvest time. Pay attention to what caused the uneven emergence.

Make notes about what you could do differently the next time you plant corn in this field. For example, did delayed emergence occur in areas with excess residue? What can you do to minimize residue accumulation in those areas? What can you do better to clear trash in your planting pass?

Fertility Issues. Look for deficiency symptoms across your fields. You can focus on those areas that traditionally hold excess moisture, but I recommend thoroughly assessing the entire field. For example, phosphorus and potassium deficiency can translate into weak stalks come fall. Rate your fields and mark trouble spots in your Data Forward app, so you can locate troubled areas this fall and plan your harvest schedule accordingly. Long-term, fertility assessments can aid you in your annual fertilization planning. Should you take soil tests in a smaller grid pattern? Do you need to take soil tests more frequently?

Weed Management. Scouting for escaped weeds from your herbicide applications can provide some very good insight on crop performance in those areas this fall. Weeds use a great deal of moisture and fertility, causing stress on the crop. Heavy infestation in weed escape areas will cause significant yield reductions. Note these areas and follow those areas through harvest to better understand the impact weed pressure had on yield. For future years, you can work with your weed management advisor to minimize weed escape areas.

If you need a great tool to help you with this, Latham’s Data Forward app can aid you in managing the information and observations you make. Making good observations during the season will help you better understand your harvest data. Field observations are a great way to learn best practices for each field that you plant to corn.

Latham Seeds Precision Agronomy Advisors

June 16, 2021

#AskTheAgronomist, Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Season, Spring, Summer

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AskTheAgronomist: Long-Term Effects of Heat Stress in Corn

While heat stress is common in late summer for the upper Midwest, this has been a June for the record books. Precision Agronomist Phil Long discusses the implications these patterns are having on developing corn plants and an outlook for late-season results.

June 16, 2021

#AskTheAgronomist, Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Drought, Season, Summer, Weather

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AskTheAgronomist: Optimal Timing for Side-Dressing Nitrogen

Precision Agronomist Phil Long highlights three key windows for feeding corn plants as well as some other factors to consider as corn growth and development progresses this season.

June 10, 2021

#AskTheAgronomist, Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Fertility

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AskTheAgronomist: Evaluating Frost Damage in Corn and Soybeans

Parts of the upper Midwest experienced below-freezing temperatures during the last few days of May. In this week’s #AskTheAgronomist, Latham Precision Agronomist Phil Long covers how to evaluate frost damage in corn and soybeans.

June 2, 2021

#AskTheAgronomist, Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Frost, Season, Soybeans, Spring, Summer, Weather

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AskTheAgronomist: Early Season Soybean Scouting and Stand Counts

Latham Precision Agronomy Advisor Phil Long discusses some tips and tricks to evaluate soybean growth and progress while scouting.

May 26, 2021

#AskTheAgronomist, Agronomics, Crop, Emergence, Season, Soybeans, Spring, Summer

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Tips for Scissor Cutting Alfalfa

Tractor Towing Merger on Cut Alfalfa (Hay) Field

From weather patterns to other fieldwork to insect infestations, many factors can impact when you decide to harvest alfalfa. But if your goal is to harvest based on feed quality, understanding alfalfa’s Relative Feed Value (RFV) is key.

You can measure RFV by taking regular field clippings and analyzing samples. This sampling method is known as “scissor cutting” and it can help you determine the best time to start harvesting alfalfa. It is important to stay consistent and ensure samples are representative of your fields.

Here are six steps to follow when scissor cutting alfalfa:

Start sampling in mid-May; or when alfalfa is about 14-inches tall.
Sample on Mondays and Thursdays so lab results are available on business days. You don’t want to let the crop sit over the weekend while waiting for results!
Stay consistent with the time of day; before 8 a.m. is preferred. This helps reduce day-to-day variability.
Sample two, 2-square-foot areas that are representative of the field. Then choose 5-6 different plants in each area. Be sure the selected plants are random, not just the largest.
Cut 2-3 inches above the soil and collect about a half-pound of fresh weight per location.
Place samples in a paper bag and send to a forage quality testing laboratory. Dairyland Laboratories is a good testing resource in the Midwest.

We recommend cutting alfalfa when RFV hits 170 to get RFV of 150. It will lose about 15-20 RFV points during harvest or about 4-5 RFV points per day depending on the weather.

The PEAQ system is a good tool for estimating RFV in conventional alfalfa without having to use a lab. The method is based on measuring the tallest and most mature stem in a 2-square-foot sample area, then using this table to find an average RFV. If you are using reduced lignin products, the PEAQ measuring method may not be as accurate.

May 21, 2021

#AskTheAgronomist, Agronomics, Alfalfa, Crop

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AskTheAgronomist: What’s Our Next Move?

Phil Long compares this growing season to a hand of blackjack. We started with an early king face up, but the cards have fallen a little slower for farmers across the Midwest since then. What should our next move be? The answer in this week’s episode of #AskTheAgronomist.

May 21, 2021

#AskTheAgronomist, Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Emergence, Season, Soil, Spring, Summer

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AskTheAgronomist: Uneven Corn Emergence

Precision Agronomist Phil Long answers common questions related to uneven corn emergence, scouting tips and thoughts on changes to the planting plan at this stage of #Plant21.

May 16, 2021

#AskTheAgronomist, Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Emergence, Season, Spring

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Execute Your Plan for Seeding Success

Vince Lombardi had many attributes that built his winning record, but I suspect it started with a vision of reaching the end zone. He then built and executed a plan. He kept it simple, often using the same play many times in a row. The power sweep was successful because the focus was on executing it flawlessly.

The same steps can be applied in your pursuit of leaving no yield in the field. Keep the vision clear. Build the plan. Master the basics, and you’ll hit the proverbial end zone of success.

Below are six basic steps to achieve success with alfalfa this growing season:

Check emergence. Alfalfa is a survival of the fittest plant. Some research suggests 60% of seeds won’t become seedlings. Depending on your seeding rate, seeding bed, and weather, you should see 50 live plants per square foot within four weeks of spring seeding. AlfaShield™ improves survival chances.
Check existing stands. The crown is fully developed after one full year, so we transition to stem count. Strive for more than 55 stems per square foot. If a field is not looking good and the stand is young enough, you should be able to no-till some supplemental alfalfa seed.
Control weeds. Be the boss! Mortality rates are often high due to competition from aggressive weeds. Scout early and spray when label advises. The younger the weeds, the more vulnerable they are to herbicides. New seeding can be cut after about 60 days or so, which also can help manage certain weed populations.
Be vigilant against pests. New seedings are vulnerable to leafhoppers, especially when they come from established fields nearby. Temperatures of 70+ degrees Fahrenheit also increase leafhopper reproduction. Eggs hatch in seven to 10 days and become adults in about 14 days. The damage to yield potential is often irreversible, so it’s important to be vigilant.
Cut it short for best quality. A tremendous amount of research has shown a cutting height of two inches is the most economical and provides the best forage quality (See graphs below.) That is, as long as you don’t have rocks and gopher mounds!
Feed the plants. Potash equals plant performance. Every dry matter ton of alfalfa removes about 50 to 60 pounds of potassium per acre. Consider adding sulfur, boron and zinc. Testing soil and tissue help you develop the best fertility program. Most growers apply supplemental fertilizer after first cutting and third cutting for best results.

Total Forage Yeild — Research on ideal cut height.

Total Milk Yeild — Research on ideal cut height.

May 12, 2021

#AskTheAgronomist, Agronomics, Alfalfa, Crop, Emergence, Insects, Season, Spring, Summer, Weed Control