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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

9 Reasons to Try LibertyLink® GT27™ Soybeans
While Enlist E3™ soybeans have been grabbing all the attention, LLGT27 soybeans have been quietly performing very well for both weed control and yield. This new technology has a real opportunity to capture market share due to its outstanding performance plus the flexibility of using Liberty®, glyphosate herbicides or BOTH.

Another reason LLGT27 appeals to farmers is because they’re seeing much less stunting and better yields when LLGT27 soybeans are planted in fields with carryover of HPPD (group 27) herbicides. Remember, NO group 27 herbicide is approved for post-emergent application on LibertyLink GT27 soybeans.

Need more reasons to take a second look at LLGT27? Below is a brief summary of some 2019 yield reports from new Latham soybean lines:
- L 1359 LLGT27– Topped Latham® SuperStrip™ near Watertown, SD; placed 3rd in Latham Elite Research Test in Alexander, Iowa; placed 3rd in F.I.R.S.T. trials in Clear Lake, MN and Wheaton, ND.
- L 1429 LLGT27– Placed 1st near Sanborn, MN; eight more Top 10 finishes in Latham SuperStrip plots across Minnesota and South Dakota; Top 10 in Latham’s research trials in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa.
- L 1648 LLGT27– Topped F.I.R.S.T. trial at Webster, SD; won two Latham SuperStrip plots near Groton, SD, and Ward, SD; four other Top 10 finishes in Minnesota and South Dakota.
- L 1739 LLGT27– Placed 9th in F.I.R.S.T. trials at Cannon Falls, MN; six Top 10 finishes in SuperStrip plots across South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota.
- L 1983 LLGT27– Won at Alexander; placed 4th at Kensett, Iowa, and 7th at Linn Grove, Iowa; three Top 10 finishes in Minnesota F.I.R.S.T. trials; six Top 10 finishes in Latham SuperStrips in Iowa and Minnesota.
- L 2178 LLGT27– Won Latham SuperStrip near Pocahontas, Iowa; scored two 2nd place finishes at Sheldon, Iowa, and Janesville, Wisc.; 11 other Top 10 finishes in SuperStrips across Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota; placed 3rd at LuVerne, Iowa, F.I.R.S.T. trial.
- L 2395 LLGT27– Seven Top 10 finishes in F.I.R.S.T. trials across Iowa and South Dakota; topped two SuperStrips near Vail and Albert City, Iowa; 11 Top 10 finishes in SuperStrip plots across Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin!
- L 2578 LLGT27– 2nd place in F.I.R.S.T. trial at Central City, Iowa and 2nd in the IASC overall summary! Topped Latham SuperStrip near Olin, Iowa; placed 2nd at both Princeton and South English, Iowa; four other Top 10 finishes in other Iowa SuperStrips.
- L 2839 LLGT27– Took 3rd at F.I.R.S.T. trials in Boyden, Iowa; 4th at Dell Rapids, SD and 10th at Moorland, Iowa. In Latham SuperStrips plots, placed 2nd at Moorhead, Iowa; 3rd at Olin, Iowa; three other Top 10 finishes.
  Put Latham LLGT27 soybeans the test in your own fields! Order seed today for 2020 planting.
Mark Grundmeier, Product Manager

December 17, 2019

Crop, Industry News, Seed Technology, Soybeans, Tech Tuesday
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AskTheAgronomist: Fall Fertilizer
Tune in for today’s #AskTheAgronomist as we discuss Fall fertilizer application.
- 0:20 — Crop Report Update
- 1:30 — Topic Introduction
- 1:40 — Soil sampling and fertility
- 4:15 — Know critical test levels
- 5:15 — Yearly fertilizer application
- 7:15 — Corn and soybean must-haves
- 10:15 — Organic manure advantage
- 12:00 — Know your pH levels
Laura Cunningham

November 14, 2019

#AskTheAgronomist, Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Fertility, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Test for Soybean Cyst Nematode
One comment I often hear from farmers is “I just can’t seem to get an increase in soybean yields as I do for my corn yields.” This is the perfect time of year to reflect on the growing season while analyzing yield results. It’s also the best time to sample for soybean cyst nematodes.

What is SCN?

Soybean cyst nematode is a microscopic ground worm. When analyzing soybean roots, it’s important to correctly identify the difference between nitrogen-fixing nodules and cysts. Nodules for nitrogen production are larger and the size of a pea. Cysts are microscopic and smaller than a grain of sand.

One of the biggest challenges when identifying SCN is that it is not accompanied with many symptoms, but can cause up to a 30% yield loss. Usually SCN shows up in hot spots, where you can see severe stunting, yellowing, shorter crop, lack of canopy or early maturity. These symptoms tend to show up on lighter soil or during tough growing seasons. Wherever soybeans are grown, typically SCN is an issue. Below are two maps to show the growth of SCN over the years.

What is the life cycle of SCN?

Essentially the cyst is the life cycle of a nematode. Juvenile nematodes come in and infect the root. Typically, just the females feed on the root which takes away nutrients from the plants results in a loss of yield. They will then mate and produce eggs. When they produce eggs, they expand in the root, erupt and spread 20 to 500 eggs throughout the soil. The cysts then harden on the root and the process begins again.

In Iowa, we can see that happen for at least three generations per season. Each cyst can have between 20 and 500 eggs inside, creating opportunity for juveniles to come back and begin feeding on the soybean root.

Once the eggs get in the soil, it’s important to understand the number that you have in the soil. Those eggs can stay dormant year-over-year in the soil. Since these eggs are so small, they require very little oxygen to survive.

Management of SCN

The most important management practice of SCN is IPM – Integrated Pest Management. In the Midwest, having a corn and soybean rotation is a great start. Corn is not a host crop whereas soybeans are. I also suggest soil sampling this fall to identify the egg population in your soil. Pull a core from about 8 inches down, right next to the soybean plant right in the root zone.

I also advise to stay away from sampling in the middle of a hot spot for SCN. Often the eggs are concentrated along the edge of the hot spot, so sampling that area will give most accurate results. Population thresholds vary by state. I suggest looking closely to your management practices if results are anywhere from 2,000 – 5,000 eggs per sample. Once you know what is in your field, you can begin to manage it.

Here are three ways to help manage this pest:
1. Plant Latham® brand resistant soybeans. Reference product characteristics on our website to identify the disease rating
2. Use Latham SoyShield Plus® with Saltro® seed treatment. This will fight SCN and Sudden Death Sydrome.
3. TALC USA. Protect corn and soybeans against parasitic nematodes.
Feel free to call into the Latham Seeds office or email me at phill@lathamseeds.com with any questions.
Team Latham

October 21, 2019

Agronomics, Crop, Fall, Insects, Soybeans, Spring, Summer, Tech Tuesday
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AskTheAgronomist: Soybean Cyst Nematode

Is SCN really a problem in your fields? Tune in to find out! #AskTheAgronomist

:40 — Topic introduction

2:10 — What is SCN?

2:50 — The life cycle of SCN

6:20 — Soil sampling

8:55 — SCN egg populations

9:45 — Product selection for 2020

The maps below sourced from ISU show the growth of SCN from 1990 to 2017.

Laura Cunningham

October 17, 2019

#AskTheAgronomist, Agronomics, Crop, Insects, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Ask the Agronomist: Projecting Soybean Yield

Today on our #AsktheAgronomist segment we are discussing what to expect when combines hit soybean fields this year! Tune in to learn more.

0:10 — Crop report update

0:55 — Projecting soybean yield

2:07 — Plant growth vs. planting date

2:45 — Effects of decreased GDUs

3:22 — Soybean vegetative growth needs

4:35 — Decreased node count factors

5:25 — Soybean reproduction

6:40 — Vegetative growth vs. pod fill

7:50 — Plant internodes

8:13 — 15 inch rows vs 30 inch rows

Laura Cunningham

September 19, 2019

#AskTheAgronomist, Crop, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Product Observations Can Identify Seed Needs

Latham product team members have been busy traveling to our SuperStrip™ and other research plot locations across the Upper Midwest.

It’s our job to take notes to help our company offer the best possible product lineup, as well as to assist our customers in choosing the best products for their given situations.

We also encourage you to take notes on your own fields to help identify your seed needs for next year. We recommend keeping an eye out for the following:

Physoderma in corn: While this isn’t a new disease, it’s been getting more publicity recently because some fields have suffered economic damage. Physoderma is a soil-borne fungus that seems to surface when there are warm early season temperatures followed by rainy periods, causing water to sit in the whorls during the v5 to v9 stage. Sporangia release huge amounts of zoospores that can literally swim their way to attack plant cells. Leaf symptoms include yellow-to-brown spots on the leaves and dark purple oval spots along the midrib. The real damage happens on the lower nodes of the plant that become weak and thus susceptible to breakage. Look for a brown to black ring of decay around the node. I’ve heard reports of fields in Illinois where 75% of the plants have broken. While physoderma seems to be more of a problem on the eastern side of our area, it has been identified in Nebraska.

Soybean Gall Midge: This insect pest is so new that entomologists aren’t entirely certain what species it is. It was reported in Nebraska in 2011 and South Dakota in 2015. Just last fall SGM was recorded in 69 counties of Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota.

Sudden Death Syndrome and White Mold: Scout your fields all the way to maturity, So you don’t have any big surprises come harvest. Also remember to plant Latham® IRONCLAD™ products in these affected areas in the future. I’ve heard of some areas In southern Iowa and northern Illinois that are showing signs of Frogeye Leaf Spot, but I haven’t seen any of those myself – yet!

Weed resistance continues to be a growing issue. Last year I noticed serious problem fields in Wisconsin. Previously, Wisconsin farmers controlled weeds with glyphosate and some tank mix combinations. It’s becoming very obvious that weed resistance in Wisconsin is catching up quickly with the rest of the Upper Midwest. Exercise your weed control options in 2019 with Independent Latham Hi-tech Seeds.

Mark Grundmeier, Product Manager

September 8, 2019

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

Reducing Harvest Loss Begins at the Header
Half of corn harvest loss and a whopping 80% of soybean harvest loss can occur at the header. It’s easy to overlook adjustments to the header because there aren’t any sensors to tell us what’s wrong. That’s why a relatively quick inspection is well worth your time.

A combine performs five key operations during harvest: cuts the crop; threshes the crop (first part of the rotor); separates the grain from the chaff (back part of the rotor); cleans the grain with fans and the cleaning shoe; and handles the crop to move it through the combine and into the grain cart or wagon. We all do our best to adjust our combines for each of these five areas.

Harvest loss can add up in a hurry as 1 bushel/acre of harvest loss is only 2 kernels of corn or just 4 soybeans per square foot.

Be sure to check the following two areas, which are often overlooked when making adjustments at harvest time:
- Reel speed is typically set automatically based on tire speed in modern combines. However, you can adjust reel speed on-the-go and stop loss due to changing field conditions. The reel should be hitting soybeans about one-half to 3/4 of the way up the plant and at a speed that lays them back onto the platform. If your reel speed is too fast, it will cause premature shatter losses.
- Corn harvest loss typically comes from whole ear loss or “butt-shelling” at the deck plates. Whole ear loss can be minimized by installing different things like ear savers for over the throat and at the front of the gathering chains. Upgrades that extend the height of each end of the header help when corn is down. “Butt-shelling” should be adjusted for by adjusting deck plates to stalk size and by making sure there is not extra wear where the ears continually snap.
Adjusting monitors in your combine cab is another area that can have a significant impact on your data collection. Following are a few noteworthy areas for your consideration:
- Don’t lag behind. Inaccurate Flow Delay is the most common issue with yield mapping. Are you noticing red streaks or a gap at the beginning and ending of each pass? This means the flow delay is not set appropriately. The delay is typically between 10 and 20 seconds. If you see lots of red as you start a pass, increase that time. If you see a gap of data points between the end of a pass and the headlands, you need to decrease the delay.
- Calibrate. Yield monitors can be off as much as 100%. Even if you diligently calibrated your monitor in corn last year, you must calibrate it again this year in corn. Make sure the moisture sensor is accurate because that calibration also impacts yield calibration. Electronic sensors are especially prone to needing adjustments.
- Do you run Auto Steer? If you don’t run auto-steer on your combine, you’ll need to adjust the swath width for soybeans if you’re running at an angle or harvesting drilled beans. For example, if you’re leaving about a two-foot gap on a 35-foot header, your swath width should be changed to 33 feet.
Focus on making the adjustments that can have a significant impact on the quality of your data, but don’t sweat the small stuff. For example, if you must stop on a dime for a tile blowout that would swallow your combine or if you skirt around a waterway, that data can be cleaned up later. Feel free to call me if you have any questions or need assistance.
Team Latham

September 3, 2019

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Fall, Precision Ag, Season, Soybeans, Tech Tuesday
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

See XtendFlex® Soybeans at Sept. 6 Field Day

Are you ready for the next new soybean technology? XtendFlex® from Bayer is expected to attain full global approval by mid-spring of 2020.

These soybeans will be the next triple-stack option for farmers, who continue to battle weed resistance. XtendFlex soybeans will be tolerant to glyphosate (Roundup), dicamba (XtendiMax, Engenia, etc.) and gluphosinate (Liberty®) herbicides.

The last hurdle for Bayer to clear is the European Union (EU). All other major soybean importing countries, including China and the Philippines, have granted their approval for this technology. Bayer has recently received a positive opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which is a key milestone in preparation for full commercialization in all markets.

Bayer has XtendFlex Ground Breaker Field Trials in place this growing season. In fact, Latham Seeds has an EPA-stewarded trial at our research farm near Alexander, Iowa.

Get a first-hand look at XtendFlex soybeans during our annual field day on Friday, September 6!

Join us to learn about all the exciting new traits and genetics that Latham offers in corn, soybeans and alfalfa! If you can’t make it to Alexander on September 6, contact your Latham® representative to set up a personal tour. You’re welcome to bring other farmers with you either to our field day or to a personalized tour. Load up the truck and head our way! We look forward to seeing you soon.

Mark Grundmeier, Product Manager

August 27, 2019

Crop, Industry News, Seed Technology, Soybeans, Tech Tuesday
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Scout for Soybean Gall Midge

Gall midge larvae and damage under the soybean stem epidermis. Photo by Dr. Bruce Potter, University of Minnesota

Soybean Gall Midge (SGM) caused extensive damage in 2018. It already has been reported in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota this season.

Scout around the edges of your soybean fields, especially those areas that are closest to fields where SGM was spotted last year. The adult stage of this pest is a fly from the genus Resseliella. The adult insects are so small that they go unnoticed in everyday scouting activities. Other midge flies are the Hessian Fly and the Wheat Blossom Midge.

The SGM may be spotted in the larval stages as they feed on a variety of items like decaying organic matter, fungi and, of course, galls on the stems of plants. Affected plants will appear wilted and eventually die.

Wilting also is symptom of Phytophthora Root Rot and Fusarium Wilt, so you’ll need to split the base of the soybean stem to know if the problem is an insect or disease. Once you split the stem, look for orange or white larvae.

You can see in this photo by Dr. Bruce Potter from the University of Minnesota that the larvae look like maggots. If find larvae, contact your local Extension Service immediately! While SGM larvae are almost impossible to control once they have colonized plants, Extension personnel want to learn more about this pest’s lifecycle. Any information you can give on how your field may have been infested will help all of us combat this pest in future years.

Because so many soybeans across Latham Country were planted later this spring than in 2018, the concern is SGM might be even more problematic this year. Last fall SGM was recorded in 69 counties of Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota.

Very little is known about the biology of the Soybean Gall Midge and even less is known about methods to control it. With your help, we can begin to know and understand more about this potential threat to soybean production.

Mark Grundmeier, Product Manager

August 13, 2019

Agronomics, Crop, Insects, Season, Soybeans, Summer, Tech Tuesday
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Soybean Aphids

Photo credit to Purdue University

Soybean aphids can reduce yield by 10 to 15%. The insect is found in soybeans between May and August and are less than 1/16 inches long. Aphids have yellow bodies with a translucent appearance and may be winged or wingless.

Unlike other soybean insects, female aphids can produce clones and can multiply the insect population during the summer months. With the rapid reproduction abilities of female aphids, it is possible for populations to double in as little as two to three days. Males typically do not appear for mating until the late summer.

Apart from reproduction, environmental conditions that fuel infestation can also lead to a rapid increase in aphid populations. Temperatures between 72 and 77° and humidity below 78% drive the development of aphids. Drought conditions also make soybeans more susceptible to infestation.

Implications for Yield

Yield loss from aphids is attributed to the damage caused from feeding on leaves. Their destructive leaf feeding can reduce plant vigor and overall stand along with pod and seed populations.

Aside from feeding damage, waste produced from aphid feeding can leave a soot-like mold on the surface of leaves and reduce photosynthetic leaf area.

Scouting for Aphids

Aphids are most often found on the backside of the newest leaves, especially during the earliest part of the summer when the insect first emerges. Sampling for aphids should begin once the first signs of the insect are spotted. It is recommended to sample 20 to 30 plants across many areas of the field.

As the insect population increases, aphids can begin to inhabit the entire leaf canopy. If aphids are spotted on stems, this is a sign that aphid populations are above 400 insects per plant – an amount considered to be excessive. Be sure to scout for symptoms at least every 7-10 days until R6.

Management

Treatment of soybean aphids is advised if more than 80% of plants are infested and counts are in excess of 250 aphids per plant. Also, if it is evident that the population of the insect is increasing, this is also grounds for beginning treatment.

Foliar insecticides are the best method for combatting aphid populations in soybeans. In addition, biological control plays a role in staving off high aphid populations including pirate bugs and Asian ladybird beetles. When assessing the best treatment options for soybean aphids, be sure to consult with your local Latham representative.

Latham Seeds Precision Agronomy Advisors

July 20, 2019

Agronomics, Crop, Insects, Soybeans