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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
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Prevent White Mold from Spreading
Last Thursday I posted a blog with tips to scout soybean fields for Sclerotia Stem Rot. Sclerotia, which encapsulate and protect the White Mold fungus, can lay dormant for years and then grow when the conditions are suitable. Keeping White Mold out of a field is the best way to prevent it from spreading.

Tips for managing White Mold follow:
To help simply the seed selection process for farmers, Latham® gives the IRONCLAD™ designation to its most defensive soybean products. Each IRONCLAD soybean brand must be Soybean Cyst Nematode resistant and carry an Iron Deficiency Chlorosis rating of 2.2 or better. IRONCLAD brands also must 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.

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is featuring 15 soybean brands with the IRONCLAD designation in its 2015 seed guide. Be sure to talk to your local Latham® representative about them or call 1-877-GO-LATHAM (1.877.465.2842) for more information!
Webspec Admin

August 4, 2014

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

Soybean Scouting Tips for Sclerotinia Stem Rot

Weed seeds aren’t the only yield-robbers that can lurk below the soil surface and come back years later to haunt your fields. Sclerotia, which encapsulate and protect the White Mold fungus, can lay dormant for years and then grow when the conditions are suitable. Suitable conditions include cool, damp soils.

Cool and damp certainly is one way to explain this growing season, but weather isn’t the only factor affecting the likelihood of White Mold. Be sure to keep a close watch on fields with a history White Mold as it may be more severe this year with the current weather trend.

White Mold usually has a larger effect on a brand with a denser, faster-closing canopy. Symptomsappear as single soybean plants within a generally healthy canopy thatwilt and die rapidly – usually in July and August – when plants are in the early reproductive stages. The fluffy white mycelium of the fungus then forms on the stem and/or pods, giving it the name White Mold.

Applying Foliar Fungicide

Foliar fungicides may be applied when you see White Mold starting to attack. Wisconsin research data indicates that fungicides applied up to growth stage R3 (early pod) may have some effect on White Mold severity, but later applications will likely not be as effective. Once symptoms of white mold are evident, fungicides will have no effect on reducing the disease.

Only fungal pathogens can be controlled with a fungicide, so it’s important to first scout and determine the type of disease or diseases present in a field. Scouting should be done prior to the R3 growth stage of the soybean plants, especially if weather has been rainy and/or humid as these conditions favor foliar diseases.

Please note that you can’t do anything for the plants already infected with the White Mold fungus. Keeping the fungus from spreading is really the most effective defense against White Mold.

Webspec Admin

July 31, 2014

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

Largest U.S. Soybean Crop in the Ground

Latham® dealer Ben Jones of Clay County Iowa shares this beautiful looking field of L2253R2

U.S. farmers planted the largest soybean crop on record and the smallest corn crop since 2010, according to the June 30^th crop report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Farmers planted 84.8 million acres of soybeans, which was nearly 11 percent more than last year. Corn was planted on 91.6 million acres, which is the fifth-largest corn acreage planted since 1944.

Unfortunately, record seed in the ground may not equate to a record harvest in the bin. On Monday, Ron Dreher of rural Adair endured the worst storm in 40 years of farming. Large hail, coupled with 6 inches of rain in 20 minutes and winds in excess of 80 miles per hour, decimated about two-thirds of his soybean acreage. Stories like his continue to be told.

For an update on what Latham’s Regional Sales Managers are seeing in their territories, click on “From the Field” and choose a region from the drop-down box on the right-hand side. Be sure to read tomorrow’s post on TheFieldPosition as we’ll cover effects of this season’s extremely wet weather on plant health.

Team Latham

July 2, 2014

Crop, General, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Switching to Beans

Planting population study

Warm temperatures and below normal precipitation allowed soybean planting and crop progress to advance rapidly. At Latham headquarters in Alexander, we finished planting our corn plots and are nearly done with planting soybeans. Yesterday a welcome one inch of rain fell, which brought planting to a halt.

Statewide corn has been planted on 96% of the acres intended for 2014, as of the week ending May 25. Soybean planting is 80% complete, which was double the previous week’s progress. Nationally, corn has been planted on 88% of the acres and has emerged on 60%, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Soybeans have been planted on 59% of the U.S. acres and with 25% emerged.

“With just sporadic rainfall last week, crop planting proceeded quickly and now both corn and soybean planting progress is slightly ahead of the 5 year average,” notes Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey in his May 27 crop report. “After the extremely late planting last year farmers are excited to get the crop in the ground in a more-timely manner this year.”

For a look at crop conditions around our six state territory, click here, or select a region from the drop down above.

Team Latham

May 28, 2014

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

Don’t give up too soon…

PLANTING SEASON IS A MARATHON NOT A SPRINT

We’ve all heard the saying, “Anything worth having is worth waiting for.” But did you ever think about how this familiar quote applies to farming? We must remember that planting season is more like running a marathon than a sprint.

Highly competitive runners have to deliberately pace themselves. They also have to avoid jumping the gun. This, too, applies to farming. You see, many farmers jump the gun and switching corn hybrid maturities too soon. Corn planted in early June can make decent yields, and there’s no need to switch from corn to soybeans until after that.

When you switch maturities, you forfeit maximum potential and have essentially decided to lower your yield expectations! Based on my experiences over the past 35 years – as well as research findings from many Midwest land grant institutions – I can tell you with confidence that full-season hybrids and varieties outperform early maturing hybrids and varieties.

There becomes a point in time where the advantages of planting a full-season hybrid diminishes to the point where shifting to a shorter-season hybrid or variety will generally result in drier corn and higher yields come fall. Following is a summary of factors to consider when deciding whether to switch corn or soybean maturities.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN SWITCHING MATURITIES

I’ll use northern Iowa and southern Minnesota as an example. If your maturity range is 98- to 109-days (which is what I use for the Latham Research Farm), then you should generally not deviate from those maturities until at least May 25. If all you have left to plant is your 98-day hybrids, then you can safely extend your planting window to about June 7-10. On the other hand, if you only have your 109-day hybrids left to plant, you’ll probably be better off switching to 95- or 99-day products.

That brings us to the next subject… if you must switch, how early of a hybrid is needed? You don’t need to take it to extreme and switch from 109 RM to an 85-day hybrid. Research has proven that it pays to stay closer to your “normal” maturity. Switch to hybrids that are about 5 to 7 relative maturity units earlier than full season for the region. Yields in this scenario will be greatly improved if northern Iowa and southern Minnesota farmers (from the example above) move toward a 92- to 95-day hybrid that is more closely adapted to the area.

The decision to switch maturity with delayed corn planting is difficult because of so many variables including: available GDUs, first frost date and fall drying conditions. With this in mind, here are some general guidelines:

Location
within Iowa Full Season RM Switch to
on May 20 Switch to
on May 30

South of I-80 114-117 108-111 108-111

Central 110-115 107-110 107-110

North of I-80 109-113 105-108 105-108

Webspec Admin

May 15, 2014

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

Looking for the Silver Lining

After awaking once again this morning to loud, booming thunder and sharp streaks of lightning, I lay still and willed my body to return to slumber. That’s easier said than done! My mind started to drift…

Mason City, which is about 20 miles from where we live, set a record on Sunday for the maximum daily rainfall. Nearly 2.5 inches of rain fell on Easter, breaking the previous record of 1.7 inches set in 1977.

Then I began to think about the weekly rain totals that I researched in order to write yesterday’s crop report. For the week ending April 20, rain fall varied across the state from 0.07 inches at Rock Rapids in Northwest Iowa to 4.87 inches at Pella in Central Iowa. The statewide average precipitation was 1.52 inches or nearly double the weekly normal of 0.85 inches. This was the wettest week in 42 weeks, which brings us to late June 2013. (Like any of us really want to remember just how wet the planting season was last year!)

Because I’m an optimist – as any farmer must be to keep planting for 40 or so seasons – I decided to look for the silver lining. Rain is needed, albeit we wouldn’t vote for rain at this particular moment. We’d like to schedule timely rains throughout the growing season, but the weather is obviously beyond our control. Hopefully, this rain will soak in where it’s needed.

The U.S. Drought Monitor shows many areas across Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa remain in a moderate drought. Topsoil moisture levels statewide are reported by the department of agriculture as 6% very short, 22% short, 65% adequate and 7% surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 16% very short, 39% short, 44% adequate and 1% surplus. Northwest Iowa is the driest with 18% of topsoil reported in very short condition.

Planting season is a test of patience, but time has shown us that good things come to those who wait for the right seedbed conditions! Don’t push the panic button. Let soil conditions – not the calendar – dictate planting dates. At this point, fields are not yet fit for planting and yield potential will be more negatively affected by planting in wet soils than waiting even a couple of weeks for better conditions.

Corn planted into wet soils is prone to problems throughout the growing season such as: stunted plant growth; slow infiltration of water and/or ponding; high surface runoff under normal or light rainfall; poor root system development, or rootless corn; and even nutrient deficiency. Potassium deficiency is caused by corn roots not being able to take up potassium from compacted soils.

Set up #crop14 for success! Work your crop plan. Remember, we’re still within the window of opportunity for maximum yields. There are literally weeks of planting dates remaining, so be patient and wait for suitable conditions.

Team Latham

April 24, 2014

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, General, Rain, Season, Soybeans, Spring, Weather
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Watch for these Pests in 2014
There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work that goes into producing a crop. You take time to choose the right seed products; then wait for fit planting conditions; and do your best to protect yield throughout the growing season. With planting season nearing, today we’d like to remind Midwest farmers to keep an eye out for these yield-robbing pests:
1. Pythium is a soil-borne fungus present in almost every field in the Upper Midwest. It can cause early-season seed decay and seedling blight in both corn and soybean. There are many species of Pythium. Most favor cool, wet conditions at planting and are often associated with low-lying portions of the field. Good seedbed preparation and the use of a seed-applied fungicide like Latham^® SoyShield^TM are the best management tools. At our Latham Research Farm in 2014, we will be conducting trials using a new fungicide component that looks very promising against Pythium spp.
2. Anthracnose Leaf Blight was noticed last year in fields where corn was planted following corn. It rarely shows up in corn following soybeans. This fungus can survive up to 10 months in crop residue. It’s dispersed by early-season rains when spores, present on the soil surface, splash onto the lower leaves of young corn plants and cause infection. Most foliar-applied fungicides do a good job controlling this disease.
3. Brown Spot is a disease that can affect soybeans at an early stage of development. It’s usually found on the lower plant leaves and severity increases with excess moisture in the canopy. Infected leaves turn yellow and drop off the plant. While Brown Spot rarely causes enough damage to warrant a fungicide application by itself; the combination of this disease and other fungal pathogens needs to be considered before using a foliar fungicide.
4. Bacterial Blight symptoms were very common in 2013 and should be on every soybean farmers “watch list” for 2014. This bacteria infects soybean plants through bruised or damaged areas of the plant caused by wind, rain, hail or other means. Reddish-brown lesions with water-soaked margins will appear on the upper leaves of a soybean plant. Eventually, these lesions produce large dead areas causing a torn or tattered appearance. Bacterial Blight is not a fungus, therefore foliar fungicides have no effect on this disease.
5. Bean Leaf Beetles and Corn Rootworm eggs may be affected by extreme cold weather especially if there is little or no snow cover. A reduction in insect pests would be a silver lining to the harsh winter we just experienced! Keep in mind, best management practices for Corn Rootworm include using multiple tools: rotation, rootworm-traited seed, insecticides at planting to kill the larvae, as well as insecticides later to kill adult beetles.
It appears our spring planting will be delayed. As eager as we all are to get into the field, remember that soils are not truly fit to work or to plant unless you can make a ball of soil, toss it into the air and have it fall apart when it hits the ground. “Have a ball” this planting season!
Webspec Admin

April 9, 2014

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Disease, Fungicide, General, Insects, Soybeans

L1985R2	L2083L	L2084R2	L21B53R2
L2183R2	L2253R2	L2258L	L2558L
L2585R2	L2758R2	L2948R2	L3184R2

Location within Iowa	Full Season RM	Switch to on May 20	Switch to on May 30
South of I-80	114-117	108-111	108-111
Central	110-115	107-110	107-110
North of I-80	109-113	105-108	105-108

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Seed Selection is Key to Avoiding Sudden Death

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Moisture is Critical During Pod Fill

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Intensify Scouting Efforts to Stay Ahead of Aphids

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Prevent White Mold from Spreading

Tips for managing White Mold follow:

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Soybean Scouting Tips for Sclerotinia Stem Rot

Applying Foliar Fungicide

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Largest U.S. Soybean Crop in the Ground

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Switching to Beans

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Don’t give up too soon…

PLANTING SEASON IS A MARATHON NOT A SPRINT

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN SWITCHING MATURITIES

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Looking for the Silver Lining

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Watch for these Pests in 2014