Crop | | Latham Hi-Tech Seeds

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Conditions Favor Rootless Corn Syndrome

Rootless corn (left) compared to corn with normal nodal root development. Photo credited to Monsanto.

The change from excessively wet to unusually warm, dry weather has resulted in the development of a substantial crust in fields that were previously worked and planted in late April. Obviously, a thick crust can restrict the emergence of corn and cause underground leafing. The rapid drying of the upper soil layer is also conducive for the development of the “floppy corn,” or Rootless Corn Syndrome.

The aforementioned weather pattern may mirror situations across Latham Country this spring, but it’s actually an excerpt from an article that was originally written in May 1998 by an agronomy professor at Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana. Dry surface soils, shallow planting depths, sidewall compaction and cloddy soils all contribute to Rootless Corn Syndrome. Roots will take the path of least resistance, which means they might grow out the bottom of the seed furrow.

Such corn plants are technically not root-lodged; they are simply broken over at the base of the stem near the crown area. The nodal roots will appear stubbed off but not eaten. The root tips will be dry and shriveled. For a brief description of normal corn root development, click here for R.L. (Bob) Nielsen’s “Primer on Corn Root Development.”

Nodal root growth may resume if more favorable temperatures and moisture conditions return to the fields exhibiting signs of Rootless Corn Syndrome. Cultivation can help by putting soil around the base of plants or aiding in new root development when it does rain. If the ground is hard, cultivation will help with soil aeration.

Team Latham

May 31, 2012

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

Soybean Wind Damage

Recent strong wind events have also taken their toll on soybean seedlings. Shown below is damage post-storm. While it may appear to be bean leaf beetle feeding, it is in fact wind damage. No course of action is needed at this time, but farmers should be vigilant is scouting for potential disease invasion later on in the growing season.

May 29, 2012

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

Row, Row, Row Your Corn

by Corey Catt, Forage Products Manager

Isn’t it exciting when you can finally “row your corn”? It’s such a milestone. It provides us with a sense of accomplishment. It brings some relief as hopefully no replant will be needed. And it makes us eager to see how the crop progresses throughout the growing season.
The average corn plant needs approximately 100 heat units to emerge from the ground. Depending on weather conditions, a seed/seedling will reach 100 heat units in 7 to 10 days. Some hybrids emerge faster than others, while others are slower to emerge but may grow more rapidly. These hybrid differences really depend on genetics.

Raising a corn hybrids somewhat reminds me of horses racing like the Kentucky Derby. Remember last Saturday how Bodemeister led the field around the first turn? I’ll Have Another was in seventh place early but went on to win the race. The same can be said for corn plants. Some emerge from the ground like a rocket, while others make up for lost time as the heat rises.

How quickly do you see hybrids emerging? One of my favorite parts of the job is hearing “from the field” about what you learned during emergence time as you walk and row your fields. I always enjoy hearing things from a farmer’s perspective and hope you’ll share this type of information with me as it adds to our pool of information about Latham® hybrids.

This season Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds will be sharing more stories “From the Field.” We’re following crop development from planting through harvest in several locations across Latham Country. You’ll find our Growing Season Gallery on our Facebook page at www.facebook/LathamSeeds. We also invite you to join us by sharing your own photos “From the Field.” Simply e-mail your photos of Latham® brand corn, soybeans or alfalfa to lathamseeds.fromthefieldtour@gmail.com.

Team Latham

May 7, 2012

Corn, Crop, General
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Fluctuating Spring Temps Create “Wild Ride” for Alfalfa
by Corey Catt

What our alfalfa plants have experienced this spring reminds me of my experience as a kid riding with my grandmother in a car. She drove with both feet: one the gas pedal, the other on the brake. Grandma would speed way up and then apply the brakes, continuing this pattern for the duration of the ride.

Similarly to the wild ride I had with Grandma, alfalfa is getting “jerked around” this spring:
1. Quick Speed Up –The abnormal early season warmth made the alfalfa want to grow, which broke winter dormancy early and began the seasonal growth cycle. Fortunately, alfalfa’s unique growing style will initiate new buds from the crown to help recover from this event.
2. Quick Slow Down – The freezing conditions experienced in areas last week may have caused some damage to the plants. Some growers report that not all areas of the fields were affected. Low lying areas, such as hollows and valleys, received the full effect of Mother Nature’s crispy spring chill.
Although this type of cold injury event doesn’t occur often with alfalfa, universities have responded quickly. Recent publications by the University of Wisconsin Extension and by Iowa State University Extension provide some good stand evaluators that will help growers make decisions in the days and weeks ahead.

There will likely be leaf damage in areas where overnight temperatures dipped to 27 degrees Fahrenheit or below for several hours. Well established, developing forage plants have lost their winter cold hardiness, so exposed tissue is susceptible to cold temperature injury. Alfalfa and most legume seedlings have good cold tolerance at emergence, but spring cold snaps can hurt new seedings. Slope position, soil temperature, companion crop of oats, wind, snow cover, all will influence what occurs in a particular field or part of a field.

We’ll have to take a “wait and see approach” for about a week before we can determine the extent of the damage. The severity of damage with obviously effect yield and quality. Be aware this may alter the PEAQ forage evaluation, as well, as it’s dependent on plant height.
Team Latham

April 16, 2012

Alfalfa, Crop, General
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Latham Hi‑Tech Equals High-Quality Alfalfa

The demand for hay is high, and the prices being offered for top-quality forage are making farmers sit up and take notice. Quite a few fields will be planted to alfalfa in the next few weeks. That’s why Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is making three of the very best alfalfa brands available. Following is a short summary of each.

LH9100 Prolific II: This alfalfa features a superior branch-root structure, which is located high in the soil zone above the water table. A high water table often severely damages or kills tap roots of traditional varieties, exposing those plants to disease or winterkill. The distribution of roots closer to the soil surface, however, increases the plant’s ability to better uptake nutrients. It also allows LH9100 to be an exceptional performer for hay producers under most soil conditions and especially in poorly drained soils. LH9100 carries an exceptional disease package. It’s highly resistant to most major pathogens, including Aphanomyces Root Rot (races 1 and 2). This new Latham^® variety allows for very good alfalfa in more areas that previously were not even considered for hay production.

LH9600HY: This product is the next generation of branch-rooted hybrid alfalfas with the msSuntra technology. It’s characterized by aggressive re-growth, high quality and high yields. LH9600 is a fine-stemmed product with a similar disease package to LH9100 Prolific II. An added benefit is that LH9600 is also highly resistant to stem nematodes and Northern Root Knot nematodes. It also features excellent drought tolerance and a very high leaf-to-stem ratio.

AmeriStand 405T RR: Our first Roundup-Ready^® alfalfa, this product is a high-yielding, Traffic-Tested™ brand that carries high resistance to seven major yield-robbing pests. Supplied to us by America’s Alfalfa, this is an excellent choice to maximize yield and profitability while reaping the benefits of the Genuity^® Roundup-Ready weed control system. It’s ideally suited for those areas where stand establishment can be a challenge due to tough-to-control weeds. Keep in mind that once a stand is established, it’s always best to rotate your use of herbicides to help prevent weeds from building resistance to glyphosate-based products.

For additional information on pricing and product placement, contact me or your Latham Regional Sales Manager. Have a great spring!

March 21, 2012

Alfalfa, Crop, General, Industry News, Seed Technology
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Extend Weed Control with New Xtend Crop System

Water hemp, giant ragweed and marestail have become nightmares for farmers who have experienced weed resistance. Although it’s been a bigger problem in the South, we’re also seeing signs of weed resistance right here in the Midwest.

Fortunately, there will soon be another “tool in the toolbox” to help fight weed resistance. Pending regulatory approvals, the Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System is expected to be available to U.S. farmers for 2014 planting.

The Xtend Crop System is Monsanto’s newest Genuity® soybean trait that includes tolerance to dicamba herbicide. It will be stacked with the current Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Soybean trait technology. Roundup Xtend is an enhanced dicamba and glyphosate herbicide premix that will help farmers manage weeds before planting and during the season as an over-the-top option.

Dual modes of action in Xtend will give farmers another choice for broad control of glyphosate-resistant and tough-to-control broadleaf weeds. And as the crop system’s name implies, it will extend application and planting flexibility. It also will extend the window for post-emergence applications.

We’re optimistic that Xtend will also help save glyphosate and extend the life of high-yielding Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield Soybeans. Diversity of tactics is key to consistent weed management and high crop yields, says ISU Extension Crop Weed Specialist Mike Owen. In a blog article, Dr. Owen says no single tactic will protect the potential crop yield nor deter the evolution of herbicide-resistant weed populations.

As farmers make plans for their 2012 soybean weed control programs, Seed-2-Soil® team lead Peter Bixel recommends using FULL rates of pre-emergence herbicides. Research shows that a pre-emergence herbicide applied before soybean planting reduced late-season waterhemp density by 97 percent! Click here for more information on how you can enhance your weed management program this season.

Team Latham

March 14, 2012

Agronomics, Crop, General, Herbicide Technology, Industry News, Soybeans, Weed Control
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Sometimes the late bird can still catch a worm

An article published on wallacesfarmer.com this week highlighted that there’s still time to test soil for the presence of soybean cyst nematode (SCN). The small, plant-parasitic roundworm feeds on roots and can cause significant yield losses, especially in dry growing seasons.

While SCN is a devastating pest, its risk is often overlooked because SCN damage isn’t readily apparent during growing seasons with excess moisture. SCN is an incredibly persistent pest, however, and adequate moisture or not, has the ability to live more than a decade in infested soils without the presence of soybeans, and produce more than three generations in just one growing season.

In a recent Iowa State University Integrated Crop Management article, Greg Tylka, with the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, highlighted the need to remain offensive against SCN, this year especially.

“As we approach spring planting season, increased vigilance about SCN is warranted for the 2012 growing season because of the dry soil conditions statewide,” Greg said. SCN can cause substantial yield loss to susceptible soybean varieties under dry soil conditions, even when SCN egg population densities are low. If soybeans will be produced in 2012 in fields infested with SCN, high-yielding, SCN-resistant varieties should be grown.”

For more information about SCN, and to find tips for collecting a soil sample to detect whether or not it’s present in your field, visit http://farmprogress.com/wallaces-farmer-story-still-time-check-fields-scn-9-57633.

Team Latham

March 1, 2012

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

Corn Plants Need Well-Balanced Diets, Too

Dr. Fred Below, plant physiologist and professor with the University of Illinois at Champagne-Urbana

Eating healthy is always a favorite topic around the New Year when people make resolutions, but have you ever considered the importance of providing a well-balanced diet for your corn crop? After all, corn plants are living, breathing organisms! They have needs, too.

Dr. Fred Below, plant physiologist and professor with the University of Illinois at Champagne-Urbana, says 50% of corn yield is determined by weather and nitrogen. We can all agree that weather greatly affects nitrogen usage and efficiency. While no one can control Mother Nature, Dr. Below says farmers can manage nitrogen to have as much impact on yield as weather.

Nitrogen is a mobile nutrient, so the timing of fertilizer application is critical to meet a plant’s needs. The plant’s biggest need for fertilizer is between V12-R1. With this in mind, Dr. Below asks why so many farmers are applying nitrogen seven months before the plant needs it. Consider this analogy:

You want to throw a party during the third week of June 2012. However, canned beverages can be purchased cheaper in early November 2011. You stock up on drinks and store them, on the edge of your field, near the road for seven months. Will those beverages still be located in the same spot on June 22, a hot, dry day when you’re especially thirsty and want to drink 7 cans?

Instead of providing a feast or famine situation for a corn plant, Dr. Below says farmers can benefit from controlling the release of fertilizer and by managing micronutrients. During a presentation to a group of farmers and Seed-2-Soil® clients in Clear Lake last Thursday, he showed how taking a system approach that combines seed technology with fertilizer technology can significantly – and consistently – improve corn yields.

Have you set a goal of consistently raising 250- or 300-bushel corn? Nitrogen management is key, but it’s not the only factor influencing yield. Click here to see Dr. Below’s 7 Wonders of the Corn World, which are the seven factors that have the most influence on yield.

Team Latham

January 16, 2012

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

Golden Opportunity Awaits Soybean Growers

The USDA, on Dec. 16, 2011, announced it had deregulated the biotech trait MON 87705, which is found in Monsanto’s Vistive® Gold soybeans.

Many Latham customers are familiar with the first generation of Vistive (low-linolenic) soybeans that produced an oil which reduced the trans-fat levels in food products. This new wave of soybeans will produce an oil that is more similar to olive oil in its content and usefulness, yet will be much easier and cheaper to produce.

In addition to maintaining next-to-zero trans fats in their food products, Vistive Gold soybean oil will allow food companies to significantly reduce saturated fats. As an example, French fries cooked in the fry oil/shortening commonly used results in 23.4% saturated fats and 15.7% trans-fat. Using oil from Vistive Gold soybeans will lower those numbers to 13.2% for saturated fast and 0.3% for trans-fat! Additional testing within the food industry has shown that Vistive Gold soybean oil also has excellent stability and flavor.
This new oil from the Vistive Gold soybeans will enable U.S. soybean growers to compete once again for food oil business while also helping provide a healthier lifestyle for themselves and for consumers. Over the past several years, other vegetable oils including palm, sunflower and canola have taken away a fairly large portion of the global food oils market that soybean oil once held. This was, in large part, due to the heart-healthy consciousness of the general public and the FDA’s mandate for displaying the percentage of trans fats on food product labels.

Soybean varieties that carry the Vistive Gold trait are currently in the Phase 4 (pre-launch) stage of development. Monsanto has also announced that this new trait will be combined with its current Genuity® Roundup Ready® 2 Yield technology, giving farmers soybean varieties that deliver excellent agronomic and yield performance.

Keep watching our website and our blog, TheFieldPosition.com, for updates on this exciting new “golden opportunity”!

January 11, 2012

Agriculture, Crop, General, Industry News, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Soybean Selection: It’s an Internal Battle!

It’s not often that a company shares its “internal battles,” but today we’re airing one! Just as many football teams across the nation are preparing for bowl games this holiday season, the product team at Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is trying to determine the value of both offense and defense.

“Defense is the best offense there is!” says Latham Product Manager Mark Grundmeier. He stands by the defensive power of L2183R2. This Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield® soybean has the best defensive package in the industry. It has the industry’s best store (1.5 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the best) for Iron Chlorosis. Place it on medium to heavy soils and Marks says it’s tough to beat.

President John Latham, on the other hand, insists that Latham® Hi‑Tech Soybeans L2182R2 is the way to go. “Offense, offense, offense,” chants John. He wants to raise 80-bushel beans and insists that L2182R2 is the way to do it. While L2182R2 is a great offensive product, John says it also has a solid defense package.

Which matters more, offense or defense? Our Seed-2-Soil® specialist says that one of the best predictors of a soybean product’s performance is its field position. “Just as it is on the gridiron, a good field position makes it easier for the offense to score,” says Peter Bixel, team lead for Latham’s Seed-2-Soil program. “Teams with poor defenses provide poor field position, which allows their offense to gain more yards but probably results in fewer points scored. Placement can help soybean products maximize yield potential.”

Can soybean growers – and championship football teams alike – benefit from having both a strong offense and a strong defense? Watch the video link below to see Mark and John go “head to head” on this issue.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtQoUEhaQjU&feature=related[/youtube]

Team Latham

December 21, 2011

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, General, Soybeans