Soybeans | | Latham Hi-Tech Seeds

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

How to Check Fields for Soybean Cyst Nematode

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is a small, plant-parasitic roundworm that attacks the roots of soybeans. SCN is widespread throughout Iowa and surrounding states, and can cause as much as 40% yield loss without symptoms appearing on the soybean plants.

Symptoms to Watch For

A recent Wallaces Farmer article highlighted what symptoms to watch for when checking for SCN in your field. Symptoms are usually not apparent when temperatures are moderate and rainfall is adequate to excessive in the growing season. Symptoms generally begin to appear in mid-July and last through the growing season, and include stunting of plants, yellowing of foliage (not just leaf margins or areas between leaf veins) and mid-day wilting.

Dig, Dig, Dig

The only way to check for SCN is to dig roots, gently remove soil from the roots, and look for the egg-filled, round, white SCN females on the roots (see image). Females are about the size of the head of a straight pin or a period at the end of a sentence in a magazine – for most people – females can be seen with the unaided eye. SCN females should be apparent on infected roots through August.

While this is an effective way to identify SCN, it’s also an effective way to see which soybean varieties are controlling nematode reproduction in fields known to be infested. If a soybean variety is effectively controlling the nematode, there should be only 10-20 SCN females present on the roots.

Click here for the full article.

Photo courtesy of Iowa State University Extension.

Team Latham

August 5, 2010

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

Keep an eye out for Aphids, SDS and White Mold

Aphids

A recent e-newsletter from the Iowa Soybean Association reminds growers it’s time to begin monitoring fields for soybean aphids and diseases. As you saw in our recent crop report, there have been reports of aphids in Northeast Iowa, but those numbers remain low (about 5% as of July 21). Although aphid numbers may grow in the next two weeks, the impact of the state’s excessive moisture on these numbers remains to be seen.

SDS

Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) may begin showing up in fields early to mid-August, which is two weeks earlier than normal as a result of the wet soil conditions experienced after planting.

Early symptoms of SDS appear on apparently healthy plants in patches within a field. Scout fields with high-yield potential closely; symptoms will first appear in areas with high moisture. The first symptoms of SDS are interveinal chlorotic (yellow) blotches that progress to large irregular patches. The vein tissue remains green.

White Mold

While it’s a little early for white mold symptoms, according to the article, there’s little doubt white mold will prove a highly problematic for fields again this year. Symptoms will begin showing up after pod set.

Feel free to comment in the field below if you have any questions about the above soybean diseases, and we’ll be in touch with a response shortly.

Team Latham

July 27, 2010

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

U.S. Corn and Soybean Development Ahead of Schedule

According to a recent e-newsletter article distributed by the Iowa Corn Grower’s Association, U.S. corn and soybean crops continue to develop faster than average this year, thanks to generally beneficial growing weather. As of Sunday, July 18, 65% of the U.S. corn crop is silking, compared to 30% a year ago and the five year average of 47%, with all major growing states at or ahead of their respective averages. 8% of corn has reached the dough making stage, compared to 4% last year and 7% on average and 72% of the crop is in good to excellent condition, down 1% from last week. For soybeans, 60% are blooming, compared to 41% a year ago and 56% on average, with 18% at the pod setting stage, compared to 8% last year and the five year average of 15%. 67% of soybeans are in good to excellent shape, up 2% on the week.

Source: Brownfield Network, July 19, 2010 and the Iowa Corn Grower’s Association.

Team Latham

July 24, 2010

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

No Contracts Needed to Plant Vistive® Soybeans

Farmers don’t need a contract to plant Latham® Hi‑Tech Soybeans with Vistive technology this spring. They can also sell grain from Vistive soybeans if needed.

Monsanto recently announced that it is temporarily lifting the processor contract requirement in an effort to meet current demand for Vistive soybeans.

This recent announcement opens up in-season sales for Latham Hi‑Tech Soybeans L 2735 R2V, L 3153 R2V, and L 2458 RV. Noted as “R2V,” these two soybean brands feature the new GenuityTM Roundup Ready 2 YieldTM soybean technology. Due to continued strong demand for Vistive soybeans and the new RR2Y technology, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is raising L2735R2V and L3153R2V this spring and for the 2010-2011 sales year.

Vistive growers benefit from good yield potential and also a premium of 60 cents per bushel that will add directly to their bottom line. Click here for a list of elevators and grain processor currently available to assist growers with the 2010 Vistive low-linolenic soybean program.

Team Latham

May 3, 2010

Crop, General, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Latham Hi‑Tech Soybeans Top the Charts in Test Plots Across the State

Here is some preliminary soybean yield results that have come in from our test plots this season. Check back for more info as harvest rolls on.

For more info on plot results, visit our website at www.lathamseeds.com.

bonnie-harris

November 23, 2009

Crop, General, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Latham bean posts record yields!
Latham® Hi‑Tech Soybeans are producing record yields this fall. One of our new Genuity™ Roundup Ready 2 Yield™ Soybeans recently topped a plot in Dallas County, Iowa, with record 80.2 bushels per acre (b/A).

“This is the first time that we’ve raised 80-bushel beans,” says Dale Meyers, whose family farms near Redfield. He and his son, Michael, also have a Latham dealership. “I believe the early planting date and good seed bed were key. Fortunately we had good planting conditions and received timely rains throughout the growing season.”

Meyers planted his soybean test plot on May 9 in a field that had previously been planted to corn with minimum tillage. He and Michael chiseled the ground last fall and then field cultivated in the spring after applying Trifluralin. Their plot averaged 71.36 bu/A, which is well above his farm’s average of 66.7 bu/A.

Variety selection is one of the most important factors to producing 80-bushel yields, according to Iowa State University (ISU) Extension agronomist Palle Pedersen. Pedersen says that raising a bumper crop begins with preseason planning including:
1. Planting the right genetics
2. Planting early
3. Planting in narrow rows
4. Protecting the plant from early weed competition
Meyers agrees that seed selection is key.

**Latham® is a registered trademark of Latham Hi‑Tech Hybrids, Inc.
Genuity™ Roundup Ready 2 Yield™ soybeans are trademarks of Monsanto Technology Group LLC
bonnie-harris

October 14, 2009

Crop, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Amazing Soybean Reports

We’re receiving amazing reports across Latham’s marketing territory about the increased potential yield this fall of Latham® Hi‑Tech Soybeans with the Genuity^TM Roundup Ready 2 Yield^TM trait. Yesterday Travis Slusher and I looked at a field in Dallas County where we saw significantly more pods per plant on the Latham RR2Y beans than on the Pioneer beans that we’re competing against.

Here’s an example of how more beans per pod equates to a lot more beans in the bin come harvest:

Latham L 3184 R2 v. Pioneer 93M11

………………………………………. L 3184 R2                              93M11

Pods per plant                         34                                           28

2-bean pods                               6                                            12

3-bean pods                              28                                           16

Total beans per plant             96                                           72

The Latham Advantage is 24 beans /plant = 3,504,000 seeds per acre more

Both are have an estimated final stand of 142,000 plants.

John Latham, President

September 3, 2009

Crop, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Update on soybean rust

There are a number of online sources starting to report that conditions may be favorable for soybean rust to hit Midwestern fields this season. Iowa State University Extension runs a site called The Rust Report. A recent posting on June 17 reported that “…Alabama’s extension soybean pathologist said that soybean rust was 3-4 weeks ‘ahead of schedule,’ and it is farther north than in previous years. Georgia’s soybean pathologists said that ‘these early finds mean that soybean rust could be a real threat to the soybean crop if the disease continues to progress.’”

As Daren Mueller, a member of ISU’s soybean rust team, reports, ag specialists in the south earlier in the year were seeing soybean rust appear on kudzu. Kudzu is a vine plant that is loved and hated in Georgia and Alabama. It’s a pest plant that proliferates around abandoned buildings, yet can also be fed as temporary, high-quality forage that cattle tend to like. Earlier this month, some low level rust was found in a kudzu patch in Georgia. That finding has now been updated to include some rust found on southern soybeans. Weather conditions may be favorable for the rust to spread in the Southeastern states. That means we should be on the lookout in the Midwest as growing season progresses.

The Rust Report provides a lot of helpful information on management of soybean rust, how to spot it, how to make sure it’s rust and not a look-alike disease, and many other tips.

According to Stop Soybean Rust.com, “the main effects (of rust) on the soybean plant are destruction of photosynthetic tissue, which in turn causes premature defoliation, early maturation, and severe yield reductions through reduction in the number of pods and seeds, and decreased seed weight.” So close monitoring and information sharing is essential as rust moves out of the South.

Be assured we’ll keep you updated on any notable developments.

June 23, 2009

Agronomics, Crop, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Take listen to our new Latham Seed radio spot for Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybean seed.

This spot will run on WHO Radio starting Feb. 9. Roundup Ready 2 Yield is showing great results in field trials. We’re pumped about it!

Team Latham

February 6, 2009

Crop, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

The Real Price of Ignoring Quality
Not only is Latham the best industry source for the latest technologies, our team exhaustively searches every avenue seeking the best genetics to go with these technologies. If a product has earned the right to be in a Latham bag, rest assured the seed is the “cream of the crop”.

Growers are still weighing the best options for spring. Facing high fertilizer prices and lower-than-expected commodity prices means some options, which may seem more appealing at the time, are actually poor choices in the long run. While it may be tempting to purchase seed purely on price alone, other factors should be taken into consideration. A issue of SeedWorld magazine provides a couple examples:
1. Buying an inexpensive, unproven corn seed could mean giving up 10 bushels in a crop at $3.50 per bushel. For illustration purposes, planting 32,000 corn seeds per acre at $87.50 per bag on 1,000 acres could result in a loss of $87,500.
2. The same scenario is true for soybeans. An 11 percent lower yielding soybean could mean a difference of up to 6.5 bushels less yield per acre. With soybeans near $9, that is a whopping $58.50 per acre each grower is giving up by not planting the highest yielding soybeans.
Someone once said that paying for quality means you only have to wince once. Fortunately with Latham, you don’t have to wince at all. The technology and performance record behind your investment, coupled with our agronomic consulting expertise and our Farm Plan financing access, assures a confident, satisfying experience from start to finish.
John Latham, President

January 16, 2009

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Industry News, Season, Seed Technology, Soybeans, Spring, Tech Tuesday, Winter

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

How to Check Fields for Soybean Cyst Nematode

Photo courtesy of Iowa State University Extension.

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Keep an eye out for Aphids, SDS and White Mold

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

U.S. Corn and Soybean Development Ahead of Schedule

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

No Contracts Needed to Plant Vistive® Soybeans

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Latham Hi‑Tech Soybeans Top the Charts in Test Plots Across the State

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Latham bean posts record yields!

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Amazing Soybean Reports

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Update on soybean rust

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Take listen to our new Latham Seed radio spot for Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybean seed.

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

The Real Price of Ignoring Quality