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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Tips for Increasing Corn Yields in 2016
There are literally a thousand variables that affect how good of a crop you raise. Many of these variables, like the weather, are out of your control. So why not control the ones you can?

The decisions you make now can influence yield before any seed goes in the ground. That’s why I’m sharing the factors I believe you can control to produce the best corn yields in the year ahead:
1. Hybrid Selection. Selecting the right hybrid for a given field / soil type is probably the most important decisions a farmer makes. That’s why at Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, we have developed a FieldXField^TM worksheet to guide our customers through a proven process.
2. Seedbed Preparation / Planting Date. Remember that early planting dates only have the potential to out-yield later plantings if conditions are right. Wait to plant until soil temps are consistently above 50° F and are expected to rise. Don’t “mud it in” just to be the first one in the field! Yield doesn’t significantly decline until later in the planting season, so practice patience.
3. Planting Depth.The optimal planting depth for corn is 2 inches – for good reasons. If you plant to shallow, corn plants may germinate too quickly and then shut down if ground temperatures drop. Shallow planting also prohibits plants from developing the root system needed for plant health or stalk strength. If you plant too deep, emergence may be delayed.
4. Planting Speed. While racing against time, some farmers have a tendency to plant at too high of speed. Planting speed affects the accuracy of seed placement, so travel between 4 and 5 miles per hour to encourage the best seed-to-soil contact.
5. Soil Fertility. Accurate soil samples are necessary, so you can be sure the plants are getting the food they need. There are 16 essential nutrients for plant development, and each one is important in various amounts. A proper balance of macro- and micro-nutrients is necessary for optimal performance. Keep in mind that starter fertilizer, put down at planting time, can help get the crop off a quick start.
Webspec Admin

March 30, 2016

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

Soybean Seed: To Inoculate or Not To Inoculate?
It’s that time of year again… Harvest is over. The holidays are upon us, and once more, it’s time to turn our attention to the next crop year! During this crop planning time, I am frequently asked if I recommend using an inoculant on soybean seed. The answer is more complicated than a simple “yes” or “no.”

Proper nitrogen fixation is absolutely crucial to obtain high soybean yields. For this to happen, nitrogen-fixing bacteria (specifically Bradyrhizobia japonicum) must be present in sufficient quantities in the soil. This bacteria stimulates plant roots to produce nodules that absorb nitrogen from the air and convert it into ammonia, which is a useable form that the plant can then take up through its root system. This nitrogen is then used to make amino acids, which are the building blocks for proteins, and also chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the molecule that converts sunlight, an energy source, into carbohydrates through the process of photosynthesis. Researchers estimate that between 50 and 80% of the nitrogen needed to produce a normal soybean crop can be provided in this way.

Active fixation usually starts at the V2 stage. From there on, more nodules develop and the amount of nitrogen that is fixed continues to increase. The highest demand for nitrogen begins when seeds begin to form in the pods and continues through full maturity.

So when should farmers use inoculants? That’s always a tough question to answer since each crop year is different and there are literally a 1,000 variables that can factor into the decision. Let’s start with the “no-brainers.” I would use an inoculant when:
- Soybeans have NEVER been grown in this field.
- Soybeans have not been in the field for three years.
- You are planting into soils that have a pH of 6.0 or lower.
- You are planting into high pH soils. I would use an inoculant at a pH of 8.3 and above.
- Your soil has a high sand content. Rhizobia bacteria do not survive as well in sandy soils as they do in soils with high organic matter content.
Times when an inoculant might be recommended include if a field was flooded the previous year for more than a week and also in cool, wet soils like no-till fields. The downside of not using an inoculant when one is needed can be as much as a 50% loss in yield! For the cost, inoculants can be a great insurance policy.

Feel free to call me with any questions related to this or other crop production practices.
Webspec Admin

February 3, 2016

Crop, General, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Top Ten Tips for Increasing Corn Yields
As you know, there are about one thousand factors that determine the yield in any crop year. Continual crop improvement, including higher yield, is a common desire among farmers.

Many of the decisions you make that influence yield the most are made before any seed goes in the ground, so today I’m sharing with you the Top 10 factors I believe are most critical to increasing corn yields in the year ahead:
1. Hybrid Selection. Not all hybrids are created equal, so be sure to select the hybrids that are best suited to your need – and your ground. Some hybrids are better for suited for silage or grain. Some racehorse hybrids have different fertility requirements. Be sure to select the hybrid for each field in the correct maturity.
2. Crop Rotation. Crop rotation requires more planning today. It’s not enough to rotate between crops. Remember to also rotate traits and chemistries. Consider management practices that include weed control and residue management.
3. Planting Depth and Row Spacing. Planting depth should be between 1.5 and 2 inches but no shallower. Even planting depth with no seed bounce is imperative to a good stand and high yields. Uneven emergence can create uneven competition between plants that continues throughout the year. Plus, uneven tasseling can occur. The crop canopy should absorb about 95% of available sunlight so some hybrids with a more upright leaf angle may benefit from narrower rows.
4. Soil testing and fertility. Accurate soil samples are necessary, so you can be sure the plants are getting the food they need. There are 16 essential nutrients for plant development, and each one is important in various amounts. A proper balance of macro- and micro-nutrients is necessary for the optimum use of applied fertilizers.
5. Timely planting. Planting conditions greatly impact emergence and stand. Remember that early planting dates only have the potential to out-yield later plantings if conditions are right. Don’t “mud it in” just to be the first one in the field! Yield doesn’t significantly decline until later in the planting season, so practice patience. Plant when soil temps are consistently above 50° F and are expected to rise.
6. Scouting Fields. Crop scouting begins at the planter. Check planting depth and then emergence. Mid-season crop scouting is especially important because different insect and disease pressures become evident. tissue sampling, fungicide application timing, and finally find out when the field is ready to harvest.
7. Weed Pressure and Herbicide Selections. Manage troublesome weeds through crop rotation and other tactics. Know what weeds you are targeting, so you can apply the correct herbicide and rate. Follow up on applications for missed weeds or respray conditions.
8. Fungicide applications. Some hybrids in some growing conditions will benefit from one or two applications of a fungicide to keep the plant growing and healthy. You’ll see in the Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds’ product guide that we recommend fungicide for certain hybrids. Remember, the application timing is key for maximum benefit.
9. Timely Harvest. Everyone would like to harvest dry corn but sometimes that’s not practical for maximum yield. Scout your fields often to prioritize fields for harvest. Check for stalk lodging potential. Determine stalk integrity with the pinch and push tests. Are the plants getting “rooty,” or leaning and lodging from the root? Conduct a shake test to make sure the ears are still hanging on with less chance of ear droppage and plant health to allow for delayed harvest if necessary.
10. Soil Prep for Next Year. Soil tillage or preparation for next year’s crop should help improve soil tilth. Avoid working wet soils to prevent compaction and to provide a consistent seed bed across the field to help achieve good seed-to-soil contact.
Related Posts:
Webspec Admin

January 27, 2016

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

High Quality Soybean Seed and Record-Setting Yields in 2015

Although I’ve spent my career in agriculture, I don’t remember a harvest season in North Central Iowa where combines rolled almost non-stop for six weeks or more without a single rain day. The hours were long for everyone involved, but it was such a rewarding year.

We saw some of the best yields I’ve ever seen in the 19 years that I’ve worked at Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds. An all-time record yield of 77.21 bu/A from a 105-acre production field came in October 7. Two days later, that record was broken when a 137-acre field yielded 81.13 bu/A! Both of these fields were Latham L 2228 R2 brand soybeans.

Not only were yields this fall impressive, but the quality is equally impressive. Once our growers deliver their soybeans to Alexander, our crew places each variety in a bin and takes a composite sample. We take samples from every one of our 50+ bins to check that seed for germination, and the germination percentage of all samples were in upper 90s! Keep in mind that these samples are the raw seed taken directly from the bin, and conditioned lots can be even better since we strive to remove all of the lower quality seeds before we bag them.

You can count on our professionals in the conditioning plant to do their very best to keep with the tradition of producing top quality, Latham® soybean seed. “Hat’s off” to plant manager Greg Jaacks and the crew in Alexander for doing another outstanding job of keeping all the soybeans that came in separated and stored in the best possible condition. They know that quality seed in the bag leads to high yields in the field.

We believe quality seed, combined with industry-leading genetics and geographic selection, are key to Latham Seeds’ standings in the independent F.I.R.S.T. Trials. For the second year in a row, Latham’s L 1858 R2 was the highest yielding product across Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota!

Latham brand soybean products won 36 times in 2014-2015 F.I.R.S.T. Trials, and Latham corn products won 29 times! During this time period, our products earned 289 Top 10 finishes in soybeans and 291 in corn.

Increase the odds of winning on your farm with Latham Seeds! Apply the rule of multiplicity. Contact your local Latham® representative or call 1-877-G0-LATHAM (1.877.465.2842).

Webspec Admin

December 30, 2015

Crop, General, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

TIPS FOR INTERPRETING CORN SILAGE DATA
Now that most farmers have finished with harvest and fall tillage, it’s time to head inside and finalize plans for next season’s crop! Similar to corn and soybeans, YIELD IN THE FIELD IS IMPORTANT FOR CORN SILAGE. There are some additional metrics that help us compare corn silage varieties.

Corn silage reports can get complicated, so I’ll try to simplify a few major elements:
- Milk 2006 – an evaluation system that helps provide an energy score from a combination of Fat, Ash, Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), Neutral Detergent Fiber Digestibility (NDFD), Protein and Starch.
- Milk/ Ton – The amount of milk or animal response is predicted per ton of corn silage, which directly reflects the quality of the corn silage. Higher numbers indicate better corn silage.
- Milk / Acre – The amount of milk is predicted per acre of corn silage. It’s a combination of dry matter tons harvested and the quality of the corn silage. Higher numbers are better.
Our goal is to provide quality information to help guide you, and your team of agronomy and nutrition professionals to help achieve best return on investment including:
- Excellent Tonnage comes from top yields with top quality.
- Excellent Quality is a result of hybrid selection and management. Corn Silage management practices are the most vital factor to achieving peak quality, from planting to harvest.
- Prime harvest moisture of 65% to 70% whole-plant moisture helps ensure proper packing and fermentation, which helps reduce free oxygen and potential for mold and mycotoxin growth.
Feel free to contact me if you need help discerning starch types or selecting the best trait package for each field. Top performance is a team effort at Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds!
Webspec Admin

November 25, 2015

Agronomics, Corn Silage, Crop, Tech Tuesday
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Order Early as Demand for LibertyLink® Soybeans May Exceed Supply

Throughout the growing season, we’ve talked about how keeping good field notes helps farmers select the best seed for each of their fields. One challenge that many farmers across the Upper Midwest have encountered this season is weed pressure. Waterhemp and ragweed, in particular, are showing resistance to glyphosate. That’s why it’s so important to put a weed management strategy in place.

Weed specialists like Dr. Mike Owen at Iowa State University say that “diversity of tactics” is key to combatting weeds. One such tactic involves using different modes of action, or switching from glyphosate to glufonsinate herbicides. LibertyLink soybeans are the only non-selective option on the market to combat glyphosate-resistant weeds and break the cycle of continuous glyphosate use.

Liberty is effective for control of many ALS- and glyphosate-resistant weeds, including waterhemp, marestail and common and giant ragweed. Using residual herbicides can reduce weed populations, slow weed growth and provide flexibility in the post-emergence application window. Make sure you apply Liberty post-emergence at the proper time, according to weed size, and use the full recommended rate.

Many of our customers have achieved their best soybean yields ever with Latham’s Liberty soybeans. (Side bar: Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds released its first LibertyLink soybeans in 2009, so there’s no need to worry about yield drag!) Several customers have told us all growing season long that they’re impressed by the weed control they’ve seen this season and are eager to see yield results from #harvest15.

With so much concern about weed resistance, an industry-wide shortage of LibertyLink soybeans is expected. We have seen demand double for LibertyLink Soybeans each of the past two sales years, so we increased production of our LibertyLink soybean brands for 2016 planting.

Another major concern this growing season has been soybean diseases. Latham® IRONCLAD^TM offer the industry’s strongest defensive package to combat Soybean Cyst Nematodes (SCN), Iron Deficiency Chlorosis (IDC), Phytopthora Root Rot, Brown Stem Rot (BSR), Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) or White Mold.

Selecting seed is one of the single most important decisions a farmer makes each year. That’s why we work with farmers to get the right seed for each particular field. As an independent, family-owned company, Latham Seeds’ top priority is helping farmers select the best possible products – regardless of whether the traits came from Monsanto, Dow or Syngenta. Contact your local Latham® representative by October 15^th for the best pricing and availability.

Webspec Admin

September 17, 2015

Crop, General, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

White Mold? Your Best Offense is a Good Defense!

Weekly “From the Field” crop reports filed by Latham’s regional sales managers show that diseases from Iron Deficiency Chlorosis to Sudden Death Syndrome and White Mold are prevalent this season in soybean fields across the Upper Midwest. What can you do if your crops are suffering?

The best thing you can do now is take good field notes. That way, if you practice a corn-soybean rotation, you’ll remember to plant more defensive soybean products on those fields in the future. Seed selection is key to reducing risk and minimizing damage.

Be sure you note the rating given to each product in a seed catalog before you select it for a particular field. Plant tolerant varieties, or avoid very susceptible varieties, is to manage soybean disease. Also remember the seed treatments are effective insurance policies.

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds’ signature SoyShield^TM, a fungicide-only package, and SoyShield Plus^TM with fungicide and insecticide, protect seeds from disease and insect damage for up to 30 days. This time frame is longer than many other seed treatments and is typically an adequate window of protection. SoyShield includes an exclusive fungicide combination that provides excellent protection against seed and soil borne diseases including: Pythium, Phytophthora, Fusarium and Rhizoctonia. SoyShield Plus features that same fungicide combination with an imidacloprid insecticide that gives early season control of many seedling insects. In addition, seed treatments can provide health benefits for more rapid and increased germination under certain conditions.

Do what you can now to protect yield in 2016 and order Latham® IRONCLAD soybeans. To make seed selection easier, below is a list of products in our 2016 lineup with the best White Mold tolerance. Contact your local Latham dealer or the Latham Seeds’ office for help choosing the best product for each of your fields. FieldXField^SM Yields!

2016 Latham® Soybeans with the best White Mold tolerance:

*rating score of 2.2 or better

L 0256 R2

L 0683 L

L 0765R 2

L 0836 L

L 1156 R2

L 1328 L

L 1438 R2

L 1548 L

L 1673 R2

L 1848 L
L 1882 R2
L 1968 R2
L 1985 R2
L2083L
L2084R2
L2128R2

L2186L
L2228R2

L2358L
L2482R2

L2558L

L2628L
L2758R2

L2787L
L2884R2

L2978L
L3048R2
L3158L

L3384L

Webspec Admin

September 3, 2015

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

Latham® IRONCLAD is Your Best Defense Against IDC

With warmer temperatures, soybean plants across the Upper Midwest are entering a rapid growth phase. It’s no wonder so many of our sales managers, in Wednesday’s #FromtheField crop updates, reported seeing signs of Iron Deficiency Chlorosis (IDC) symptoms now.

The most common symptom, interveinal chlrosis, is a yellowing of the leaf tissue between the veins while the veins themselves remain green. The yellowed portions eventually turn brown, and the entire leaflet may drop off the plant. If severe, entire plants can be stunted or even die causing major yield loss.

Although not completely understood by researchers, the most likely cause of IDC is a soil pH level above 7.3. Symptoms are severe in soils with pH levels of 7.8. However, soil pH alone may not be the only factor in limiting iron. Other factors are poor drainage, high soluble salt content and excess calcium carbonates.

Research has proven planting IDC-tolerant soybean brands is really the best management practice. To help farmers better identify those soybeans that have high tolerance to IDC, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds has designed a lineup of soybeans as IRONCLAD™.

Only a soybean brand that is Soybean Cyst Nematode resistant with an Iron Deficiency Chlorosis rating of 2.2 or better can earn the IRONCLAD designation. Depending on your specific needs, IRONCLAD brands must also protect against either White Mold or Sudden Death Syndrome with a rating of 2.2 or higher. Furthermore, these products must have strong defensive ratings against Phytophthora Root Rot and Brown Stem Rot.

IRONCLAD soybeans have been especially developed to withstand the high pH, high salt soils in our marketing area. Be assured these Latham brand soybeans have undergone thorough testing and are the best possible choices for fields with a history of severe Iron Chlorosis. Protect yield with Latham® soybean brands proven to have good IDC tolerance.

P.S. Just because these products are selected for their “defensive” characteristics, however, doesn’t mean you’re sacrificing yield. Check out our 2014 F.I.R.S.T. Trial results!

Webspec Admin

June 25, 2015

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

Watch for Early Soybean Insects & Diseases
Guest post by Kilah Hemesath, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds Marketing Intern

With nearly all of the soybeans for the 2015 planting season in the ground, crop scouting becomes a necessity. Early soybean pests and diseases can create issues for newly emerged soybean seedlings. Becoming knowledgeable on what to look for in a field can make identification of these pests and diseases simpler.

As soybeans emerge, the bean leaf beetle may make a presence in your fields. This pest is distinguished by a small black triangle located at the base of the forewings. Adult bean leaf beetles are approximately ¼-inch long. They feed on the cotyledons, stems, unifoliate leaves and emerging trifoliates. Discolored, moldy, shriveled or diseased beans may be the result of bean leaf beetles in your field.

Even if seedlings are emerged, stay on the lookout for Pythium. Pythium can cause post-emergence damping off under wet conditions. This disease commonly occurs during wet and cool conditions, particularly in poorly drained fields with compacted soil. Properly manage soil drainage in your fields to combat this issue.

Septoria leaf blight, more commonly known as brown spot, is a soybean disease that spreads from the soil to the soybean plant by splashing rain. The infection of the soybean plant will leave small, irregular brown spots on the lower leaves. Favorable weather for this disease is warm, wet weather. Brown spot can move up the plant, causing leaves to turn yellow and drop. It is necessary to be aware of this disease and what is going on in your fields.

Not necessarily a disease, iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) is described as poor condition between the soil and plant. If your fields have a history of high pH and without enough iron to grow a healthy plant, the best decision is to choose an IDC-resistant seed brand.

At Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, we make it easy to choose such brands by designating them as IRONCLAD^TM. Latham® IRONCLAD Soybeans include exceptional genetics and industry-leading protective traits, battling against yield-robbing threats from pests and diseases. To bear the IRONCLAD distinction, each soybean brand must be Soybean Cyst Nematode resistant and carry an Iron Deficiency Chlorosis rating of 2.2 or better.

Also remember to watch for aphids, too. Latham Product Manager Mark Grundmeier stresses the importance of crop scouting regularly from within the field, not just a drive-by. To inquire about soybean pests or diseases in your area, contact your local Latham® representative by calling 1.877.GO.LATHAM (1.877.465.2842)

Sources:
Gary Geske

June 12, 2015

Agronomics, Crop, Disease, General, Insects, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Calculating Stand Counts

As crops emerge across Latham territory, the time has arrived to evaluate planting results. Here’s a quick how-to on taking stand counts in your fields.

Webspec Admin

May 28, 2015

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Emergence, General