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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

October 9, 2019 Crop Reports

Northwest North Dakota

Brian McNamee

We got our first taste of winter last week with a few inches of snowfall and a very light frost. Farmers have shifted into overdrive to get as many soybeans harvested and silage corn cut before this next round of forecasted snow.

This farmer was stuck so bad that they had to dump the load of silage on the ground to pull this rig from the mud. I’ve also seen combines stuck as people are pushing the limits to try to get this crop out.

Why are they pushing so hard? Last year we had the exact same scenario. Snow began falling at approximately the same date on the calendar. Lots of soybeans were combined after Thanksgiving, and some of the 2018 crop harvest was delayed until May 2019.

Southeast North Dakota

Gary Geske

We were blessed with a couple days of sunshine before the next storm, so some soybeans got harvested. Harvest moistures are ranging from 14 to 20 percent. Yields are quite variable due to all the drowned-out areas and uneven harvest conditions.

Northeast South Dakota

James Keltgen

A number of Northeast South Dakota farmers started soybean harvest this week. Moistures are still fairly high, but a major snowstorm is expected here mid-week. Many soybeans are close to being ready but still need a few nice days to ripen enough to combine. The snowstorm will bring an end to our growing season as the forecasted low is 26 degrees Fahrenheit. Everyone hopes this forecast is wrong as there is still a lot of corn that has not black layered. Yield losses look to range from 0 to 15%.

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

Stalk rots and ear rots are par for the course this harvest season with the wet year we have had. Unfortunately, the only to stop or slow them now is a killing frost. I encourage you to walk your fields and look for stalk and ear rots. You’ll want to harvest these fields first as they are very susceptible to dropping earns and also to going down with strong winds.

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

Latham® dealer Allan Murack waited for drier field conditions to harvest this field of Latham brand 1238 LL soybeans. This field was harvested yesterday near Cayuga, ND.

Southern Minnesota

Justin Prokosch

It’s been a busy couple of days in Southern Minnesota are farmers harvest as many acres as possible while the weather holds. With warmer temps and windy days, many soybean fields have become fit to harvest.

Northern Wisconsin

Joe Salter

The last few weeks have been very wet and very challenging. Silage and soybeans are ready got harvest, but the amount of rain has made it difficult to get in and out of the fields. The next couple of days should allow many farmers to get a good start on soybeans while others will finish up corn silage. Pictured here is a local farmer opening up his first soybean field. Also pictured is the rolling hills of West Central Wisconsin farm country with the last silage pile finally finished.

North Iowa

Cory Greiman

This field of Latham’s 2193 E3 Enlist soybeans was planted May 5 near Garner, Iowa. This week they were harvested, yielding in the mid-60 bushels per acre.

Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

Nearly five inches of rain fell last week, including 1.5 inches on Saturday. I honestly didn’t think we’d see farmers in the field this quickly. Hardly any tracks were left in the fields by these combines yesterday. This field of Latham® L 2186 Liberty soybeans was harvested in Mitchell County, Iowa. Harvest moisture started at 13.5% and ended 12.7%. Yields were in the 50s. I also heard of some Latham 2084’s and 2228’s that were taken out around 12.5 to 13% moisture with yields running in the mid-50’s. Check your fields because you might be surprised that you can go! We know everyone is anxious to bring in the crop, but remember accidents happen when we try to hurry too much. Stay safe!

Northwest Iowa

Jeremy Joynt

We took out our first Latham® soybean plot on Oct. 8 in Northwest Iowa. Combines are going on both corn and soybeans. Stay safe this harvest season!

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

This Latham® customer was just starting to combine L 2393 LLGT27 on Monday afternoon when I pulled onto his farm near Steamboat Rock, Iowa.

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

Combines are starting to roll again in Eastern Iowa. Farmers here are harvesting both corn and soybeans.

Western Iowa

Larry Krapfl

Latham brand 6285 VT2 PRO RIB is standing perfectly, and the ears of corn it put on are amazing!

Good Golly Miss Molly! Latham’s 6317 VT2 PRO/DG is terrific corn. The ears are huge. I counted 20 kernels around ear with grass green stalks. This hybrid has great standability.

Central Iowa

Aaron Steenhoek

Corn and soybean harvest has been going strong during the past 24 hours across South Central Iowa. Although the date on the calendar says we’re behind, the ground has finally dried enough for combines to roll! Good luck and safe harvest everyone!

Laura Cunningham

October 9, 2019

#FromTheField Crop Reports, Fall, Season
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Reap More Than Grain: Tips for Gathering Harvest Data

Precision agriculture is all about more accurately understanding each field you farm. The yield monitor can help you increase profit by calculating ROI from different management practices.

Calibrate. Calibrate. Calibrate! The importance of calibrating combine monitors can’t be stressed enough. For those who run a yield monitor, that screen can take your operation to the next level. Accurate yield data can be compared from year to year and across different crops to establish areas within each field that must be treated/managed differently.

Yield maps may be used to create zones for applying fertilizer, lime, seed, nitrogen and many other inputs. It’s important to place inputs in the right spots to provide the best return per acre. Even if you’re not implementing variable rate technologies today, you might someday. That’s why it’s so important to calibrate more than once and always when switching crops.

Our goal with DataForward® is to place the best hybrid or variety on each field based on the information available. Seed selection can add 40 bushels per acre (bu/A) on corn and 15 bu/A on soybeans! Placing the best genetics for a given environment pays.

Evaluate those products on your farm. How are they standing? How are they coming into the combine? What is the moisture? How is late-season crop health where you sprayed fungicide? What is plant stature? Ear height? Take notes on how each hybrid physically responds to your field environment. Each field has a different overall environment from fertility and soils to disease pressures and climate conditions.

Another advantageous feature of precision ag equipment is dropping pins and taking notes. If you’re noticing more tip back on your corn, drop a pin and make a note or drop a pin and take a picture using your phone. Perhaps the plant population was a little too high or maybe too much nitrogen was lost in that area, or maybe the problem stems from a deeper fertility issue that only a diagnostic soil sample can find. Grid sampling may be too coarse to catch a particular spot, but using precision ag tools allows you to plot what you’re seeing. Then you can go back later, when you have more time, and evaluate the data. When harvest ends, planning for the next crop begins.

Keep diagnosing problem areas after the combine has been put away. Turn Precision Ag tools into profit! Feel free to contact me at the Latham office if I may be of assistance.

Phil Long

October 7, 2019

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

October 2, 2019 Crop Reports

Northwest North Dakota

Brian McNamee

This wet cycle continues across North Dakota. Wheat, canola and flax are still standing in certain parts of the state. Because of harvest loss and quality concerns, I’m hearing reports that what remains in the field of these crops is at abandonment level.

More roads are becoming impassable due to overland flooding. The ditches are full, so drainage has come to a halt. Next week’s weather looks better, so that will lift all our spirits.

Southeast North Dakota

Gary Geske

Just as farmers are struggling with the weather to harvest their crops, members of Latham’s product team are walking research plots in less than ideal conditions. At this location near DeForest, Wisconsin, I was checking disease scores on earlier hybrids. Latham’s 3325 VT2 PRO RIB looks like a Rockstar!

Northeast South Dakota

James Keltgen

This past week provided some opportunities for harvest! A few soybean fields were harvested, ranging from 30 to 55 bushels an acre. There was some patchy frost throughout Northeast South Dakota (NESD) with temps getting down in the low 30s in areas. Corn silage harvest also began this past week. It looks to be a long, slow harvest. The soil profile is full, making travel across fields very hard!

Frost nipped soybeans near Grenville, SD.

LH 4242 VT2 PRO planted May 14th has reached black layer.

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

Silage season is in full swing in South Dakota. We are going about it a little differently, using tractors to pull wagons/trucks through the fields, but we are getting it harvested. When deciding whether or not to plant this spring, many growers asked, “Can I chop it for silage? Will it make feed?” If you are planting a Latham® Leafy Hybrid, the answer is YES! The shortest plant in this field stood 10 feet high, and the taller plants grew to more than 12 feet. This dairyman started planting Latham’s silage corn two years ago and fell in love with it. It’s his daughter, Katie’s, first year running the chopper. Her standards for good silage corn have now been set high right out of the gate!

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

This field of LH 4437 VT2 PRO RIB, one of Latham’s exciting new hybrids with outstanding yield potential, is ready to harvest. This field was sprayed with a foliar fungicide and is to a week to 10 days earlier than the field of Latham LH 4454 that is across the road. Farmers who applied fungicide this season are really seeing a difference.

Southern Minnesota

Justin Prokosch

A nice group of Latham® dealers from around southern Minnesota gathered to talk about product characteristics near Sleepy Eye.

My boys and I have enjoyed these cooler fall evenings to check crops!

Northern Wisconsin

Joe Salter

Latham® Dealer Blake Pozarski holds LH 4542 GT/LFY. This hybrid grows extremely tall and delivers very high tonnage with 12 leaves above the ear. Also pictured are two conventional hybrids from a Latham SuperStrip. Both LH 4750 CNV and LH 5020 CNV produced very girthy ears.

Harvest 2019 is off to a very slow start. Silage harvest continues across the region, and it looks like many soybeans would be going strong if rain hadn’t hit. Unfortunately, our forecast for the next week doesn’t look promising.

North Central Iowa

Cory Greiman

More than two inches of rain has fallen so far this week, and more rain is in the forecast for later in the week. Wet soils will keep farmers out of the fields until next week.

Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

Here’s another great pic of our reliable LH 5215 VT2 PRO RIB in Mitchell County, Iowa. This hybrid is consistently a high yielder. This past week a few farmers started combining soybeans. Latham’s 1858 R2 yielded 56 bushels per acre at 12-12.5% across 155 acres in Mitchell County. With all the rain this week, it will take a while for these fields to dry. It doesn’t help that temperatures will be cool over the next few days.

Eastern Iowa

Jeremy Joynt

This field of LH 5635 VT2 PRO RIB that was planted at 34,500 population is sure looking good. The late-season plant health in this hybrid is terrific!

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

Four inches of rain has fallen in Eastern Iowa since Friday of last week. Soft ground conditions has halted the beginning of harvest. On a positive note, the rain knocked a lot of the remaining leaves off of early maturity soybeans. When the ground firms back up, we will be hitting soybean harvest pretty hard.

I can bring the weigh wagon out to assist anyone who wants assistance calibrating yield monitors.

Western Iowa

Larry Krapfl

Farmers in western Iowa are at a standstill due to recent rains. The forecast isn’t looking favorable for harvest to resume anytime soon.

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

We haven’t seen many soybeans combined, but so far yields look good. Latham’s 1948 R2X went 60.2 bushels per acre near Dows, Iowa.

Central Iowa

Aaron Steenhoek

Harvest has begun in southern Iowa. Standability will be a big question this fall due to all of our weather events. Pictured here is Latham’s 6175 VT2 PRO RIB, which is standing like a tree after weathering the storms this year. Latham has quality genetics, quality people, and quality stands for consistent performance on your farm. Now is a great time to place your seed order for 2020!

Laura Cunningham

October 2, 2019

#FromTheField Crop Reports, Fall, Season
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Adjust Your Harvest Plan to Address Stalk Rot

Many Latham sales managers, dealers and customers have shared their concerns about the excessive rainfall received. Most of Latham Country in the last few weeks have been wetter than normal.

Wet weather brings to mind diseases, and too often we see corn fields with some leaf and stalk quality issues late in the season. I’ve personally seen a lot of Common Rust, Northern Corn Leaf Blight, Gray Leaf Spot and Eyespot this year.

Even with harvest underway, it’s important to continue checking fields and assessing stalk integrity as weather conditions can cause crop conditions to change. Ideally, farmers harvest the driest fields first so crops can dry naturally. This obviously saves time and money, but those plans must be revised if stalk rot shows up.

There are two primary ways to check corn plants for stalk rot: (1) Pinch the stalk at the base of the plant, usually below the first and second nodes. If the stalk pinches easily between your fingers, stalk rot is likely. (2) Take the entire stalk and bend it to a 45-degree angle. If stalk rot is present, the plant usually breaks at the lower part. Do this with at least 10 plants from different areas of your field to provide a good sampling. If stalk rot is present, harvest that field as quickly as possible regardless of the moisture content. The yield that could potentially be lost during high winds or complete rot will far outweigh the extra cost of drying grain.

Weather will, of course, dictate how corn stalks hold up to disease and normal decay. Adjust your harvest plan if needed to harvest the worst first.

Webspec Admin

September 30, 2019

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Disease, Fall, Season, Tech Tuesday
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

September 25, 2019 Crop Reports

Northwest North Dakota

Brian McNamee

There was a great turn out last Friday at the Gumbo Flats Ranch silage meeting despite the periodic downpours. Latham Seeds’ Northern Product Specialist Gary Geske is standing next to harvested examples from the dealer’s plot. Latham’s 5062 LFY is tough to beat in this area, and this year will be no different. We’re seeing some of the highest pre-harvest tonnage tests ever!

Latham’s leafy silage hybrids extend the silage harvest window. The plant will stay at that 65 to 70 moisture considerably longer than a “dual purpose” or many of the competitors’ silage products. Watch the grain. We want the milk line to be as close to 60% to maximize nutrient balance in our piles. Waiting just a few days will give us significant gains in starch fill and total nutritional benefit.

Southeast North Dakota

Gary Geske

Usually this time of year, we’re nearly done with cutting silage. Due to the late growing season this year, however, many are just getting started. One key to good silage management is moisture. The 60 to 70% moisture range is most common when assessing harvest timing. It’s hard to get a good pack and seal on the pile when moisture is below that level. When it’s above that number, the excess moisture seeps out of the pile and nutrients are wasted. One old trick when cutting high-moisture silage is tub grinding old hay or straw to put on the bottom of the pile, so it soaks up the excess moisture. As it soaks up the moisture, it gains the leaching nutrients and maintains good feed value.

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

Everyone has been saying this is a year to learn from. I think we’re learning how far we can push corn and soybean genetics before Mother Nature wins. In this picture, John Latham is holding two boards that show the reality of corn germ. When we plant into warm soils in good/fit conditions, emergence and germ looks a lot like the board on the right. When we plant into cold, wet, unfavorable soils, we see emergence that looks more like the board on the left. The board on the left is what we see in our fields this year. As harvest nears, remember that each individual seed put in the ground this spring is its own individual, live organism. The plant next to it may be stronger, weaker or equal. This year our limits have been pushed, and we’re seeing how the limits were pushed in each field.

Northeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

Harvest has started in Northeast South Dakota! The first field of soybeans I saw planted this spring has been combined. It was planted on some lighter soil and yields ran mid-50s. If the weather cooperates next week, there should be more farmers combining beans.

Corn is still ranging from 20 to 50% milk line, depending on maturity and planting date. There is talk of a frost next week with highs in the 40s and 50s. Yield loss at 50% milk line is roughly 12 percent. We’re close to being out of the danger zone, but this year every bushel counts towards profitability!

Even though this variety has 18 rows around, kernel depth has been reduced. On an average year, 18 rows around my fingers would be touching!

Inspecting corn stalks for stalk rot will be important this year with the cool wet summer. It is very present and early harvest should be a priority! Planting Latham corn with the Anthracnose Stalk Rot gene can prevent stalk rot issues!

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

Latham® dealer Steve Gades of Morris, MN is standing in a great looking field of our LH 5402 RR.

Southern Minnesota

Justin Prokosch

As I have evaluating plots during the past week, some varieties stand out as they show their true maturity. Farmers here are getting really excited to get the crop out of the field. Stay safe out there!

Some farmers have started combining the earlier maturity soybeans that planted early.

Northern Wisconsin

Joe Salter

Last week was crazy warm but very helpful for the crops. Soybeans seemed to change overnight. I heard reports of soybeans being harvested this week on some sandy soil. Unfortunately, the next five days look very wet. Latham’s corn continues to impress! Our LH 4657 VT2 PRO RIB looks good in Chippewa Falls along Hwy 53. Also LH 3937 VT2 PRO RIB is showing some girth in the pics below. I counted 22 kernel rows!

North Central Iowa

Cory Greiman

We’re starting to see some harvest activity in soybeans across North Central Iowa.

Northwest Iowa

Jeremy Joynt

LH 5025 VT2 PRO RIB is showing its consistency in Northwest Iowa! This hybrid has looked great all season due to its GREAT root system, and it will stay standing until harvest with its prominent stalk integrity.

Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

This is a great looking field of Latham’s 5245 VT2 PRO in Mitchell County, Iowa. Corn and soybean plants are really turning everywhere. Combines could be rolling at the end of the week or early next week if it stops raining. Rain totals for this past week ranged from 4 to 8 inches. It’s a good time to get in your early seed orders before the craziness begins.

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

LH 6317 VT2 PRO should be in the 2020 crop plan for everyone who farms south of Highway 30 in Iowa!

Western Iowa

Larry Krapfl

While traveling this week, it looks like the final cutting of alfalfa for the season has been cut. We just need dry weather to get it baled.

Mother Nature continues to try and ruin this crop by sending severe weather. There was a tornado on the ground south of Dunlap, and east of Ida Grove, Iowa last evening.

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

Mike Williams is a farmer and agronomist at Gold-Eagle Co-op in Hardy, Iowa. He’s very impressed with this field planted to Latham’s 5020 conventional corn. At 35,000 plant population, it has excellent stand. Estimated yield is 225 bushels/acre.

Central Iowa

Aaron Steenhoek

Check out this field of Latham’s 5742 RR (left) and 5725 VT2 PRO RIB (right) as it nears harvest in South Central Iowa! Be sure you are walking your fields for a pre-harvest check and prioritize which fields you want to harvest first this fall. Good luck and happy harvest!

Laura Cunningham

September 25, 2019

#FromTheField Crop Reports, Fall, Season
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

September 11, 2019 Crop Reports

Northwest North Dakota

Brian McNamee

Join us at the Big Iron Farm show in West Fargo. Yesterday was the first day of the 2019 show, and there was a great turnout! It’s the best first day I can remember we’ve had in the past eight years.

Southeast North Dakota

Gary Geske

Experimental silage specific hybrids are really stretching out at Latham’s northern research plot west of Grand Forks, ND. Latham regional sales manager Ken Highness is holding two of our new hybrids, and one has 15 leaves above the ear. Look for more info coming soon about our post-harvest meetings!

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

As daylight shortens and temperatures begin to cool off, we know summer is ending. Corn is still two to four weeks behind, and soybeans are beginning to turn. Southeast South Dakota (SESD) continues to get measurable rains week after week, leaving field conditions wet and sticky. Growers are doing some forward planning on how to get their crops out of the field as our area is getting between 1 and 6 inches of rain this week alone.

Northeast South Dakota

James Keltgen

More rain fell this week in Northeast South Dakota (NESD). Two to four inches was very common throughout the region with additional heavy rain in the forecast. White mold and other soybean diseases are becoming more prevalent. Early soybeans are starting turn yellow as soybean harvest is only a few weeks away.

Corn is still slow to progress as temperatures aren’t pushing milk lines very fast. There is a lot of corn that has not dented. Standability will most likely be of concern this harvest as most corn is firing and taking nutrients from within the plant to pack starch into the kernels.

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

At this time of year, Latham® dealers get together at Latham SuperStrip plots to gain agronomic and product knowledge. Dealers from the south and central parts of my region got together in Horace, ND. Dealers from Northern ND and Northern MN got together in Emerado, ND.

Southern Minnesota

Justin Prokosch

Latham’s LH 5245 VT2 PRO continues to shine in this field south of Redwood Falls, MN. Some ears are nearly 75% dented, while some are only 25% dented.

This picture shows what a late-season fungicide applied at tassel can do for plant health. This satellite imagine shown as an NDVI provided by Climate FieldView shows a definite line as to where the fungicide was applied.

Northern Wisconsin

Joe Salter

Some early maturity soybeans are starting to turn. White Mold and SDS are showing up across the region. Take note of these areas and remember to plant a Latham® IRONCLAD™ product the next time this field is planted to soybeans. Corn is still very wet, so very few harvesters have started rolling yet. Last week brought some great field opportunities for Latham dealers and customers. Pictured here is LH 3695 VT2 PRO which looks very good just north of Highway 29 East. For more information about all the options Latham has for your area, check out our products/hybrids on our website. You’re also welcome to call 877-GO-LATHAM and we’ll be glad to meet with you.

North Central Iowa

Cory Greiman

I saw a lot of corn aphids while scouting fields yesterday around Estherville, IA. Here’s a resource from Iowa State University on corn aphids: https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/cropnews/2016/08/managing-aphids-corn

Northwest Iowa

Jeremy Joynt

Variability will continue to be a part of everyone’s conversation now and throughout harvest. Last spring we saw variable soil conditions and planting dates, resulting in an array of different stages of plant growth. It is yet to be determined how the harvestability will be affected, but the yield of each hybrid is expected to be variable. As we get closer to harvest, keep plant health and stalk quality in mind to decide where to start combining.

Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

Lots of soybean fields look like this, and a small portion are starting to turn. A few corn fields are getting closer to harvest. Now is a good time to meet with your Latham® Dealer to place early orders before harvest starts. Take advantage of early season orders and the best product availability!

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

Early planted soybeans are starting to turn in Southeast Iowa.

Western Iowa

Larry Krapfl

Despite a growing season of challenges beginning with spring flooding, Latham’s 6317 VT2 PRO DG RIB is putting on big ears in western Iowa. This ear is 18 kernels around by 40 long.

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

Latham’s LH 5199 SS LFY is an awesome silage corn. I counted 16 to 18 kernels around and 36 to 40 long. The tonnage was very good. This dealer filled his bunker and had to find another spot to put the extra!

Central Iowa

Aaron Steenhoek

Chopping season has come and gone throughout most of southern Iowa. Most of the corn that was planted in April and May has black layered and will now begin the dry-down process. Pictured here is Latham 6477 VT2 PRO RIB, doing what it does best. This variety is putting on more yield and tonnage than the competitor in this side-by-side comparison. When you look across this field, you can see that 6477 is a visually larger and healthier plant. Contact your local Latham® representative today to see how we can help you take care of your cow nutrition/feed stuffs and row crop needs!

Laura Cunningham

September 11, 2019

#FromTheField Crop Reports, Fall, Season
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

September 4, 2019 Crop Reports

Northwest North Dakota

Brian McNamee

What a fantastic Latham® product training week I attended last Thursday in southern Minnesota! We have Latham plots planted across the territory, so contact your local dealer if you’re interested in a first-hand look.

Southeast North Dakota

Gary Geske

After hearing reports of leaf-feeding on soybean fields in the area, I inspected several fields. Every field I walked had leaf feeding, and I found many Green Cloverworms on the ground. Green Cloverworms are one of many soybean defoliators in the Midwest. Using a sweep net method of sampling in an affected area is the best way of checking quantity and life stage of these insects. Many university information reports are available online, but it looks like 20 to 40 percent leaf loss is recommended before insecticide is applied. Check fields soon and spray if needed to maximize yields.

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

The impressive ear pictured here is Latham® 4657 VT2 PRO RIB. It felt like it weighed more than 1 pound!

You can get better yield estimates now by pulling back husks and counting kernels, using the formula (length x rows)/90 = bushel per acre. The rows and kernels are not consistent on the top and bottom of the ear, so start a few kernels up from the bottom and stop a few kernels from the top. Keep in mind that moisture and test weight are not figured into this formula.

Take notes on each product, the environment and the conditions it faced this year. Also keep in mind your original goal for that hybrid back you ordered it a year ago. Then talk with your Latham dealer or regional sales manager about what you’re seeing. Even better, invite him or her to walk a field with you. Field notes can be helpful when selecting products for 2020.

Northeast South Dakota

James Keltgen

Northeast South Dakota finally made it a week without much rain. Some corn is denting, which puts moisture levels around 60 percent. Corn needs, on average, another 30 days to reach black layer. Unfortunately, cooler-than-normal weather is expected again this weekend. Rootworm beetles have been present late this summer, so trait selection will be important next year.

Soybeans are finally filling pods, and some early varieties are starting to turn yellow. There were some fields that were sprayed for bean leaf beetles and clover-worms as defoliation was ever present this year.

Minor defoliation shown above on the new E3 Enlist soybeans.

Pictured below is LH 3937 VT2 PRO is standing out and will be drier than fuller season hybrids this year!

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

It’s hard to believe that September is here! Soybeans have great potential in my region as the August rains were beneficial. We’ll see if the pod counts add up at harvest. Pictured is a field of LLGT27 that has the appearance of hail damage. This field actually was damaged by Green Cloverworms, one of many soybean defoliators found in the Upper Midwest. There larvae maybe found in fields from late June through September.

Southern Minnesota

Justin Prokosch

Latham’s new 100-day LH 5077 VT2 PRO looks stout in the plots this year. We just need an ample amount of heat to finish off this year on a good note. This Latham® plot near Echo, MN looks awesome!

Northern Wisconsin

Joe Salter

Two things that never get old, fresh cut hay and these views as Spaeth Farms takes hay off a couple of fields. Last week also brought us some much needed time looking at Latham® product in the field. I really enjoy Latham field training as there’s never a dull moment when our regional sales managers get together.

North Central Iowa

Cory Greiman

This Latham® Soybean SuperStrip plot was planted May 5 near Garner, Iowa. This plot features E3, LLGT27, and LL technologies. Plot seed was treated with SoyShield^TMand ILeVo® and we’re not seeing any signs of SDS or white mold.

Northwest Iowa

Jeremy Joynt

The Clay County Fair in Spencer starts Saturday, Sept. 7. Be sure to stop by and see our Latham® Dealers at booth number 6! The start of the Clay County Fair also means it’s time to check out your combine because harvest will soon be here. It’s important to track which fields need to be harvested first.

Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

Pictured here is a nice looking field in Bremer County Iowa of LH 5245 VT2 PRO RIB. After yet another week of very little rainfall, some fields are starting to look stressed. Soybeans have a ways to go yet, so we really could use timely rains and a late frost.

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

“Choice” is a cornerstone of Latham Hi Tech Seeds. No matter what challenges you may have in your soybean fields, we have the soybean for you! We will help you select seed, Field-x-Field® to find the right seed.

Western Iowa

Larry Krapfl

Farmers in western Iowa are getting 24 to 26 tons per acre of silage, which is a bit less than in years without so much rain. Pictured here is a field of Latham’s 5495 3122 EZR.

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

I stopped by to see our Latham® Dealer just south of Badger, Iowa, and got in on the tail-end as he and his son were baling hay pasture. That reminded me that Latham Seeds has trucked several bags of alfalfa in recent weeks for fall seeding. Be sure to check Latham’s full lineup of alfalfa, as well as our corn, soybeans and cover crops. The best price, as well as the best availability, is now!

Central Iowa

Aaron Steenhoek

Pre-harvest plot tours are starting across the territory, and we’re seeing the signs of fall. Corn is shrinking in places and beginning to die unnaturally. Soybean diseases like white mold, SDS, and brown stem rot (BSR) are showing up as soybeans mature. Late-season scouting leads to better seed decisions in the future plus it will help you prioritize fields for harvest. Pictured here is LH 6224, which is showing well in southern Iowa.

Laura Cunningham

September 4, 2019

#FromTheField Crop Reports, Fall, Season
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.
Phil Long

September 3, 2019

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

Sclerotinia Stem Rot or “White Mold” in Soybeans

Credit: University of Wisconsin

Sclerotinia stem rot – also known as White Mold –can lead to significant yield loss in soybeans. Yield loss from white mold is attributed to the damage it causes to leaves, pods and stems. Research from the University of Wisconsin estimates the disease has costed growers in the U.S. and Canada 101 million bushels of soybeans – equal to $1.2 billion.

White mold is caused by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and overwinters in the soil for a number of years. After the fungus emerges from the soil, mushroom shaped structures known as apothecia will form on the soil surface. The apothecia, ranging between ¼ and ½ an inch wide, will first infect through soybean flowers before it reaches the stem.

While the fungus primarily spreads through the air via spores, moisture is required for infection to take place. As a result, cool and wet weather along with high humidity are the main causes of white mold.

Credit: University of Wisconsin

Scouting for White Mold

While Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is often confused with other fungal pathogens, the sclerotia distinguishes white mold from other look-alike diseases. Symptoms of white mold will be most prevalent between R3 and R6. Infected plants will exhibit white fuzzy growth on the lower stem.

Soybean blossoms are the first area of the plant to exhibit signs of infection and neighboring stems and pods may appear water-saturated. After infecting blossoms and pods, white mold may eventually spread through the entire stem causing it to turn tan or bleached of color. As the mold growth becomes thicker, black spots will begin to surface throughout the fuzzy white surface.

White mold also creates foliar symptoms, causing leaves to completely die while still attached to the stem. In infected soybeans, the tissue area between the leaf veins will turn gray and cause leaves to become wilted and curled.

Treatment Options

Due to the overwintering nature of the sclerotia, a two to three-year rotation away from soybeans is advised. When it comes to genetics, some soybean varieties are more resistant to white mold than others. Varieties with resistance to the fungus may recover better than others. It is also important to consider planting practices that cause white mold growth. Shade created from high plant density and growing canopies can lead to the fungal disease. Increasing row width and reducing planting populations are the best methods to improve airflow through the canopy and reduce infection from white mold.

In addition, broadleaf weeds are notorious for hosting white mold and herbicides should be used to control weeds. Fungicides are a viable method for treating white mold and can reduce the negative impacts incurred by soybeans. However, they are most effective when applied just before infection takes place. Be sure to consult with your local Latham representative to determine the best treatment plan for white mold.

Latham Seeds Agronomy Team

April 1, 2019

Agronomics, Crop, Disease, Fall, Season, Soybeans, Summer
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Physoderma Stalk Rot

There are a variety of stalk rots that infect corn, causing extensive damage to crops and losses in yield. Common factors make corn susceptible to stalk rot including warm and wet weather, stress after pollination, fertility issues, stalk boring insects, and the presence of other foliar diseases. There are key signs, symptoms and differences that distinguish the different types of stalk rot.

Credit: Crop Protection Network

Scouting for Signs and Symptoms

Physoderma stalk rot is caused by the pathogen Physoderma maydis, the same fungus responsible for causing Physoderma brown spot. The fungal disease seems to be showing up in more and more corn fields each year, but typically shows up on random plants and and has minimal impact on yield. Like most stalk rot diseases, warm and wet weather favor the development of Physoderma stalk rot.

Physoderma stalk rot infects corn between the V4 and V9 stages. The disease is not associated with any foliar signs, so it is important to inspect plants closely at the base. Dark brown or black lesions will appear at the base of the stalk, and rotting of the pith will be observed upon splitting the stalk open. Overtime, blackening of the pith will move to higher nodes. Sporangia can also be found on the outside of nodes and within the rotted pith tissue.

Scout for symptoms of Physoderma stalk rot across five areas of the field. Stalks will make a distint “pop” and snap at one of the first 3 nodes above the soil line. If more than 10 to 15% of plants exhibit stalk rot, the field should be harvested early.

Management Strategies

With this being a newer disease we are still learning differences in hybrid tolerances to both stalk and foliar phases of this disease.

As a majority of stalk rots overwinter, one to two-year rotation away from corn and controlling corn residue are key for preventing the return of the disease. Fungicides may also be applied to prevent Physoderma leaf blight , but these studies are in early phases as well given the novel nature of this diesease

Latham Seeds Agronomy Team

April 1, 2019

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Disease, Fall, Season, Summer