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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Latham Corn Tops More F.I.R.S.T. Trials

It has been an incredibly exciting harvest season for a product guy like me! I love looking for products that work well for farmers and the specific challenges they face on their Midwest farms.

This year the product team at Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds decided to put our lineup up against the competition in the F.I.R.S.T. Trials, an independent, third party testing service. We’ve always had a lot of confidence in our corn and soybean lineups. For years, we’ve tracked how we not only compete – but beat – national brands in our marketing footprint.

Just like someone entering a livestock show or a team entering a basketball tournament, one never really knows what the actual performance will be at that particular time and place. All you can do is prepare and try your best. That’s what we did when we entered the F.I.R.S.T. Trials, and the results have been nothing short of amazing!

Soybean trial results came first. Last Wednesday I wrote about how “Latham places first again and again.” I’ve never had so much fun checking my emails in the morning as I have this fall, watching test results show Latham® Hi‑Tech Soybeans at the top.

The final total was 18 location or region summary wins for Latham brand soybeans! Unbelievable. Our soybean lineup was hitting a grand slam homerun!

The more I thought about all of our soybean wins, however, the more anxiety I had over the corn results. I’ve known for years that our corn lineup can compete against anyone. After all, we do our own research against industry-leading products to help us choose our product lineup. Such research has given us confidence in our own lineup, yet there are still a great many farmers who are hesitant to give a “new” corn brand a try.

Latham® Hi‑Tech Hybrids are celebrating their tenth year, and we’ve been fortunate to grow our corn lineup for 10 straight year. Our customers have known for years that Latham has great corn, and now thanks to our performance in 2014 F.I.R.S.T. Trials, more Midwest farmers will know it!

This week we were fortunate to win our 19^th corn test – that’s one more test than our decorated soybean lineup! Eight different Latham corn products have won F.I.R.S.T. Trial locations all the way from 90 to 110 days.

Products like LH 4097 VT2 PRO and LH 5215 VT2 PRO have absolutely dominated their area of adaptation. Latham has had 140 Latham corn products place in the top 10 in FIRST Trial tests, which shows the strength and depth of our lineup. Plus, this broad maturity range will allow more customers to try and most importantly profit from Latham corn hybrids!

Again, I credit Latham’s team approach to product selection for this year’s performance. Unlike the national brands that choose products based on a wide area of adaptability, we focus on choosing the best products for local conditions. Latham’s strategy to choose products that perform in specific soil types and field conditions across our marketing area works. But don’t just take my word for it… Look over all the data at www.firstseedtests.com!

John Latham, President

November 12, 2014

Corn, Crop, Fall, General, Season
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Latham Places 1st Again & Again in F.I.R.S.T. Trials

I’ve always been very confident in the corn and soybean products that we offer at Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds. After all, when your name in literally on each bag of seed, you want to do all that you can to protect your reputation! That’s why we take a team approach to selecting products.

Our Product Team members either farm themselves or call on farmers in the areas where they live. This means they not only review data from breeders and their own research plots, but they watch these crops grow and develop. Our corn and soybean specialists walk fields and test plots, searching for the perfect products to perform in our customer’s field conditions. As a result, they have confidence in the products that go into our lineup.

Latham® brand products are selected for their yield potential, as well as for their ability to overcome specific regional challenges. For example: Latham’s IronClad^TM Soybeans receive this unique designation for their rating on Iron Chlorosis or White Mold. Our Gladiator Corn Hybrids are selected to do yield better in corn-on-corn situations. Even Latham’s alfalfa lineup was chosen to address specific needs like high-salt soils or leaf-hopper resistance.

To showcase our lineup, this year Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds made a much larger investment in the independent F.I.R.S.T. Trials. This third-party testing service is proving how well we compare to the competition… The results this fall have been amazing!

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, to date, has won 29 different F.I.R.S.T. Trial corn and soybean locations and region summaries this fall! We’ve won 18 different soybean tests, including 5 different region summaries in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Illinois.

Eleven different Latham soybean products have won F.I.R.S.T. Trial tests from Group 0 all the way to 2.7 maturity. Many of these locations contain as many as 84 different competitive products! In the state of South Dakota alone, Latham won 6 different F.I.R.S.T. Trial Tests with 6 different Latham® Hi‑Tech Soybean products. In the state of Minnesota, Latham L1858R2 is the top yielding soybean in any test in Minnesota, Wisconsin or the Dakotas with a yield of 82.9 bushel per acre!

Latham brand corn is performing extremely well, too. Tests remain to be harvested, but already Latham corn has won 11 different F.I.R.S.T. Trial locations across Iowa, Minnesota and North Dakota. Latham LH 5215 VT2 PRO has won 5 different tests across Iowa and Minnesota PLUS it won the West Central region of Minnesota. In the north, Latham LH 4097 VT2 PRO and Latham LH 4455 VT3 PRO together have won 4 locations so far. In Central Iowa, Latham LH 5829 SS won the Winterset, Iowa, location at 247.9 bushels.

So what’s the secret to Latham’s stellar product performance? Unlike the national brands that choose products based on a wide area of adaptability, we focus on choosing the best products for local conditions. Latham’s strategy to choose products that perform in specific soil types and field conditions across our marketing area works. But don’t just take my word for it… Look over all the data at www.firstseedtests.com!

John Latham, President

November 5, 2014

Corn, Crop, Fall, General, Season, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

How to Interpret Yield Data
This fall Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds has done very well in the F.I.R.S.T. trials all over the Midwest, winning many locations and Regional Performance Summaries. With such great data, it’s no wonder that farmers want to call in and order the winners. If we’re doing our job, however, we may not let you!

Why wouldn’t we let farmers order what they want without asking any questions? The answer is simple: Just because a product placed first in a yield trial in one location, in one year, across one predominant soil type, doesn’t guarantee it will be the yield winner given another farm and a different management style.

When study yield results from independent yield trials, be sure to analyze the information. Here are some tips for interpreting yield data:
To help you select the right seed for your given situation, we’ll ask discovery questions first to determine needs like fighting weed resistance or corn rootworm. We’ll also visit with you about our hallmark Seed-2-Soil program for crop planning and/or nutrient management to help support your product selection.

Don’t get me wrong… Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is thrilled with how well we’ve performed this season in third party, unbiased, independent yield trials! It is great that we can win yield trials but winning on the farm is what really counts. We want to combine our yield data – with your own farm data – to help ensure you get the best products for your acres.
Webspec Admin

October 23, 2014

Corn, Crop, Fall, General, Season, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Don’t Pinch Pennies on Potassium!

by Peter Bixel, Seed-2-Soil

With commodity prices lower, it’s certainly prudent for farmers to rethink each input expense. Crop inputs are certainly one big investment! I’m a farmer myself, so I understand the value in evaluating investments.

Analyzing investments is really an exercise in managing expectations. We might settle for returns of 2 to 5% on our bank savings accounts and 401K, right? We don’t want to skimp on investments that will help us in the future. So why skimp on your Phosphorus (P) & Potassium (K) fertilizer investments? After all, an investment in P & K has the potential to return 100-700%!

Phosphorus aids in healthy root growth, as well as flower and seed production. Potassium is responsible for improving overall health and disease.

Local data is critical for analyzing where your fertilizer dollars are best spent. Our data shows that across 400,000 acres, phosphorous values continue to be in the High category of soil test values with an average of 28ppm. This is more than likely because of manure history, fertilizer application and soil types in our area. However, potassium levels continue to be an area that needs to be addressed in order for us to not mine what we have invested in building up. Potassium levels are in the medium category with an average of 160ppm, while we are trying to reach 200ppm and higher.

Take a look at the Potassium Calibration Curve below. With low soil test K values, your potential for high yielding crops dramatically decreases. Take your 2013 Local Data, looking at Corn on Corn Yield to Soil Test K, as soil test levels go from Low to High categories, yield increased 20bu/ac. How do these returns look to you?

Potassium plays an important role in the utilization and uptake of Nitrogen and in turn meaning improved N use and higher yields. Higher rates of K allow for efficient use of more N, which resulted in better early vegetative growth and higher yields. K fertility is another important piece of the puzzle for high yielding crops.

With tighter margins moving into 2015 crop year, it is important to remember to use YOUR data to help make the best investment decisions and to make sure you don’t mine your soil fertility.

Make sure you’re not losing a dollar by trying to save a penny!

Team Latham

October 16, 2014

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

Tips to Maximize Bushels during Soybean Harvest
Latham® dealer Kyle Geske starting harvest on Latham L00938RR soybeans

Harvesting soybeans on a timely basis should be every farmer’s goal. Yields are maximized when each field is harvested at 13% moisture and combines are adjusted properly from the start. That being said, I’ve been asked numerous times just what the yield loss is when moisture falls below 13% and how to prevent soybeans from “shattering.”

Let’s tackle the first part of the question right away: “What is my yield loss when soybeans come in below 13%?” A recent article published by Gary Zoubek and Chuck Burr from the University of Nebraska Extension states the following:

Moisture at Harvest

% Yield Lost

12%

1.14

11%

2.25

10%

3.30

9%

4.40

8%

5.43

Using this information, a field yielding 75 bushels per acre harvested at 9% results in 3.3 fewer bushels per acre than if it would have been harvested at 13%. You will lose $33 per acre if the soybean market is at $10 per bushel!

Because life isn’t always perfect and we sometimes are prohibited from harvesting exactly at 13% moisture, here are a few simple suggestions that can help you put more in the hopper:
Another tip for harvesting soybeans on a timely basis is to spread out the maturities. Keep this in mind now as when selecting your soybean seed for next year. Don’t place “all of your eggs in one basket” when it comes to selecting the maturity of soybean seed.

Moving on to the second part of the question stated in the first paragraph: “How can I keep soybeans from shattering?” “Shattering” implies that something is wrong or abnormal. However, I truly believe it’s natural for a pod to split open and soybeans fall to the ground because these plants were created to spread their seeds and propagate! To prevent “shattering,” spread out your maturities so you may harvest your soybeans in a timely manner.

Wishing you a safe and productive harvest!
Webspec Admin

October 2, 2014

Crop, Fall, General, Season, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Late-Season Scouting Leads to Better Seed Decisions

Rootworm pressure may be low, but it’s present. Latham Corn Specialist Nick Benson (@LathamCornGuy) saw evident this week in a continuous corn field.

The effects of our wet, cold planting season continue to surface. As one drives the back roads now, you’ll see where Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) is affecting many soybean fields. You also may notice soybean fields turning yellow, which is a common symptom of Iron Deficiency Chlorosis (IDC). IDC is a function of the soil type, so it’s most common in poorly-drained soils with higher-than-normal pH values.

Plants under stress get taken advantage of by pests like Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN). Doing a “drive by” or even walking through the fields may not be enough to detect SCN. Visual symptoms, such as above-ground stunting and/or yellowing, may not be evident for years. That’s why it’s best to check fields for the presence of SCN during the growing season by digging roots. You can also sample this fall for SCN by gently removing soil from the roots. Look for the egg-filled, round, white SCN females on the roots.

While your shovel is at the ready, also be sure to conduct a few root digs in your corn fields. Latham Corn Product Specialist Nick Benson dug roots Sept. 2 in Fayette County Iowa, where he found evidence of rootworm feeding. In addition to looking for corn rootworm damage, note signs of sidewall compaction and hard pans. Also look at leaves and ears for signs of disease.

It’s important to identify late-season corn and soybean diseases, as well as insect damage, so you can better manage them in the future. One way to control corn rootworms, for example, is to rotate rootworm-resistance traits developed by Monsanto, Syngenta and Dow.

As an independent seed company, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds has access to traits and technologies from all the major providers. We can work with you to develop a diverse crop plan that include Latham’s Gladiator^TM Hybrids, which combine the best genetics and traits available to help maximize yields from corn-on-corn acres.

To help simplify your soybean seed selection process, our website lists Latham® IRONCLAD™ Soybeans that include exceptional genetics and industry-leading protective traits to battle against yield-robbing threats from pests and diseases. Each IRONCLAD soybean brand must be Soybean Cyst Nematode resistant and carry an Iron Deficiency Chlorosis rating of 2.2 or better. IRONCLAD brands must protect against either White Mold or Sudden Death Syndrome with a rating of 2.2 or higher.

White Mold and SDS have both been an issue this season in different parts of our territory, so farmers will want to plant IRONCLAD soybeans on affected acres in the future. Plus, IRONCLAD products have strong defensive ratings against Phytophthora Root Rot and Brown Stem Rot.

For more information about selecting the right seed for your situation, visit with your local Latham® representative. Also feel free to contact me at 1-877-GO-LATHAM (1.877.465.2842).

Webspec Admin

September 4, 2014

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

Combating Goss’s Wilt and SDS
Last year Goss’s Wilt and Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) reared their ugly heads for many growers throughout the Midwest. Unfortunately for those farmers who had to deal with the effects first-hand, Latham Product Manager Mark Grundmeier says likelihood is they will present challenges for Midwest growers again this year. Below are some tips to keep top of mind to help battle these diseases.

Tips to Manage Goss’s Wilt
- Hybrid selection. One of the best ways to protect against Goss’s Wilt is hybrid selection. If you battled Goss last year, Mark recommends either rotating to soybeans or planting only highly resistant hybrids to help avoid significant yield loss.
- Bacteria versus fungus. Mark says oftentimes farmers will spray fungicide and believe they’re taking care of diseases like Goss’s Wilt, but because Goss’s is bacterial, the fungicide has no effect. To help farmers identify corn diseases, Iowa State University Extension has compiled a helpful Scouting Guide available here.
- Tillage. Because Goss’s overwinters in the previous year’s crop residue, tillage will help prevent spread. If a field was affected by Goss last year, Mark recommends aggressive tillage to help suppress the susceptibility for the coming year.
Tips to Manage SDS

When SDS spread last year, Mark compiled a video series with tips from variety selection to SDS management to help farmers in the field. Below is a video about how to prevent SDS prevention. If time allows, take just a few minutes to read Mark’s previous blog posts that offer tips to help you identify and manage SDS.

Pictured above is Sudden Death Syndrome. Photo Credit to Iowa State University Extension
Mark Grundmeier, Product Manager

September 3, 2014

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Disease, Soybeans, Tech Tuesday
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Seed Selection is Key to Avoiding Sudden Death

Photo courtesy of Purdue University Extension

The effects of our wet, cold planting season continue to surface. As one drives the back roads now, you’ll see where Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) is affecting many soybean fields across Latham country.

Although SDS infects soybean plants right after germination and emergence, symptoms generally do not appear until mid- to late summer. Leaf symptoms first appear as yellow spots between leaf veins. Eventually, the leaves turn yellow and brown streaks develop between the leaf veins while the veins remain green. Leaflets eventually drop but the petioles remain on the stem. Diseased plants may have rotted root systems.

Understanding the extent of SDS infection in each field is key to effectively managing the disease. Future management tactics include: reducing soil compaction; planting fields with a history of SDS towards the end of a planting schedule when soils may be warmer and drier; and testing for the presence of Soybean Cyst Nematodes.

Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) is usually associated with SDS. You may see more severe cases of SDS in soybean varieties that are SCN-susceptible. When selecting soybean seed, it’s best to read through the SDS score rather than judge a bean solely by SCN tolerance.

Planting tolerant varieties, or avoiding very susceptible varieties, is the most effective way to reduce losses from SDS. Keeping good field records from year-to-year will help determine which characteristics are most crucial when selecting soybean varieties to plant in a given field in a given year.

To help simplify your seed selection process, we’ve made a list of Latham® brand soybeans with Excellent and Good Tolerance to SDS. Our website includes more information about each product. Also feel free to contact your local Latham representative or call 1-877-GO-LATHAM (1.877.465.2842) for additional information.

Latham® Soybeans with Excellent SDS Tolerance (1.6 – 1.9 ratings):

L1383R2 L1968R2 L2128R2 L2787L

L2884R2 L2978L L3158L L3248R2

Latham® Soybeans with Very Good SDS Tolerance (2.0 – 2.2 ratings):

L1985R2 L2083L L2084R2 L21B53R2

L2183R2 L2253R2 L2258L L2558L

L2585R2 L2758R2 L2948R2 L3184R2

Webspec Admin

August 28, 2014

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

Moisture is Critical During Pod Fill

July makes corn and August makes soybeans, as the saying goes. That’s because adequate moisture levels are especially crucial during two key developmental stages: germination and reproduction-seed development. Having adequate moisture wasn’t an issue at germination time as record rain fell in Iowa after Easter. The Midwest experienced wet, cold weather in May and into June, yet some areas haven’t received a drop of moisture for the past three or four weeks.

Moisture during the reproductive stages has a major impact on yield potential. When water is short during this growth stage, soybeans show signs of drought stress. Plants may abort flowers, and the numbers of pods set is reduced. Fewer seeds per pod are produced per pod, and smaller seed may result. Because dry conditions can slow or stop the nitrogen fixation needed by the plant to produce soybeans, yields will be lowered.

Anytime you get this type of weather, other stress factors arise. You may notice soybean fields turning yellow, which is a common symptom of Iron Deficiency Chlorosis (IDC). IDC is a function of the soil type, so it’s most common in poorly-drained soils with higher-than-normal pH values.

Unfortunately, it’s too late to really manage IDC properly by the time it’s noticed in a field. The best defense is a good offense. Note trouble spots now, and then be proactive when choosing future soybean brands for these fields. In fact, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds gives the IRONCLAD^TM designation only to those soybeans bred for high yields with a strong defensive package.

There is no such thing as complete resistance to IDC, but some soybean brands (i.e. varieties) are better than others at handling this condition. Because Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is headquartered North Central Iowa – where Iron Chlorosis is a familiar challenge – we have always tried to choose soybean genetics that have the best possible scores against this condition. Visit with your local Latham® dealer about specific products that would best fit your farm, or feel free to call our office directly at 1-877-GO-LATHAM.

Webspec Admin

August 21, 2014

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

Intensify Scouting Efforts to Stay Ahead of Aphids

More than 100 soybean aphids collect on the underside of a soybean leaf. Pest feeding can inhibit the plant’s ability to make grain, or kill it outright.

There are several yield-determining factors that are beyond a farmer’s control, but insect pressure can often be managed. Soybean fields are entering the critical reproductive stages and yields hang in the balance. Scout every field now to see if there is any type of pressure, and keep a watchful eye to see if conditions warrant treatment.

With the varying stages of soybean growth and development due to an extended planting season and many late replants, 2019 should prove to be an interesting aphid year. The varying soybean growth stages throughout the state – and even your neighbor’s field – could mean more than one application of insecticide will be necessary. It’s important to continue scouting past your first insecticide application. We recommend applying insecticide at a threshold of 250 aphids per plant. Start scouting at the top of the plant, as aphids gravitate towards new growth. Remember to check fields thoroughly and identify consistency of insect pressure.

Seed selection and soybean treatment are key to managing soybean aphids in the future. Our experience indicates that soybeans treated with Latham’s combined fungicide and insecticide seed treatment, SOYSHIELD^TM PLUS, has experienced lower aphid populations along with delayed infestations.

Talk with your local Latham® representative for more information about our products and services. Be sure to ask about our hallmark precision ag Seed-2-Soil® program that helps farmers determine the best products to place in their fields, as well as provides agronomic and management tips.

Webspec Admin

August 7, 2014

Agronomics, Crop, Insects, Soybeans