vol. 33
August 2014
The Seed Consultant
A B I - M O N T H LY N E W S L E T T E R N E W S A N D V I E W S F R O M T H E F I E L D
Scouting for Diseases in Corn and Soybean Fields For many corn and soybean growers, it has been a struggle to plant the 2014 crop. Rainfall, for many growers, delayed corn and soybean planting due to the saturated fields. As corn tassels and soybean plants bloom, diseases can occur in both crops and have a significant impact on yields later on. As you walk your fields look for disease symptoms and review the Seed Guide for disease resistance/tolerance ratings before making the decision for a fungicide application. There are three diseases that we need to keep an eye out for. Gray Leaf Spot identified by rectangular lesions, half an inch to 2 inches in length, tan to gray in color with no borders. Warm, humid weather conditions and periods of dew, favor this disease development. Corn residue is a host for the fungus to survive on. Lower leaves are infected first, later moves to the upper leaves in late July through August. Northern Corn Leaf Blight identified by large, cigar shaped lesions brown to tan in color. Wet, humid weather with periods of dew favors this disease. The fungus does survive in corn residue. Infection starts on lower leaves and continues to move upwards after tassel emerges. Fungicides can aid in control of both diseases when deemed necessary. Goss’s Bacterial Wilt seen as light tan to gray lesions with dark freckles on leaf surface. Lesions on the leaf surface appear shiny due to the bacterial infection. Bacteria will survive on infected residue on soil surface as well as in grassy areas. Can be seed transmitted. Bacteria enter through damaged areas on the leaf surface during times of heavy winds. Hybrid genetics offers the best protection against Goss’s Wilt, fungicides will not control.
Seed Consultants, Inc. 800-708-2676 www.seedconsultants.com
Simply, the Best Value in the Seed IndustryTM
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TEST WEIGHT What is it and why is it important
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2015 SCI CUSTOMER TRIP Important details about January trip to Mexico
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SCI MEETINGS & FIELD DAYS Join us to learn about our newest varieties
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SABINA TEAM RECOGNIZED Warehouse team achieves safety milestone
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Scouting...
continued from page 1 When scouting soybean fields, there are several diseases to keep in mind. Brown Stem Rot, soil borne fungus affecting plants during first half of the growing season. After flowering, plants deteriorate rapidly during periods of dry weather. Dark, reddish brown discoloration inside the lower stem, plants die early. Sudden Death Syndrome, yellowing of the leaves, veins still green, roots are rotted and root crown is gray in color, premature death in areas of the field. Fungicides will not control either one of these diseases. Frogeye Leaf Spot, fungus infecting plants from soybean residue as well as wind borne pathogen. Small circular lesions gray in center, purple ring on the outside. Fungicide will control when needed. Sclerotinia Stem Rot or White Mold, will appear after flowering as white mold growth occurring on plant stems. Small, hard, black oval structures can be found on the stem surface as well as inside the stem. Disease infection is greater with wet weather, before and during flowering stage. It is more severe in fields with high plant population and fertility. Aproach, a new fungicide from DuPont, has shown to be very effective against this disease. Be sure to consult the label for application. Taking the time to scout your corn and soybean fields now will help manage issues that can have a negative effect on healthy plant growth. Field Crop Guides from Purdue and Ohio State University are great tools for identifying diseases that will have a negative impact on yield potential of both crops. It is better to know now what issues are out there than trying to figure out what caused lower yields at harvest time. By Bill Mullen, CCA SCI Director of Agronomic Services Phone:740-505-2022 bmullen@seedconsultants.com
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Palmer Amaranth Continues to Spread During the past few years agronomists and university weed experts have been discussing the potential northern movement of an aggressive weed that can reduce yields and increase costs of weed control. The arrival of Palmer Amaranth, nicknamed “Pigweed on Steroids�, has been confirmed in multiple states across the Eastern Corn Belt. Seed Consultants’ customers and agronomists have already worked together this year to deal with new populations of Palmer that were discovered this spring. Palmer amaranth populations have recently been confirmed in several counties in Indiana, are present in Michigan, isolated areas of Ohio, and areas of Western Kentucky. Palmer Amaranth is an aggressive plant that thrives in drought, can grow more than 2 inches a day, is resistant to multiple herbicide modes of action, and produces 100,000 or more seeds per plant. Many populations of this weed are resistant to multiple herbicide modes of action. The key to keeping Palmer Amaranth from establishing itself is implementing management practices to effectively eliminate seed production and hinder its ability to spread.
Tips for Controlling Palmer Amaranth 1. Scout for and identify problem weeds early Palmer Amaranth is a pigweed species and can easily be confused with other pigweeds, such as redroot pigweed, during early growth stages. It is critical to identify weeds correctly in order to keep them from spreading. Universities such as Ohio State, Purdue, and Michigan State have excellent fact sheets with pictures to aid in weed identification. 2. Start with a weed-free seedbed Effective burndowns or deep tillage will help control Palmer Amaranth and will allow growers to begin the season with a weed-free seedbed. Apply herbicides when the seedlings are less than 4 inches tall. 3. Use residual herbicides Use of residual herbicides will control seedlings at emergence and limit the number of plants that will need to be controlled by post-emergence applications. This is especially critical in soybean fields, where effective post-emergence options are very limited 4. Crop Rotation Rotation from soybeans to corn will allow for the use of additional herbicide modes of action (herbicides used in corn) that are effective at controlling Palmer Amaranth. 5. Hand Weeding No, this is not a joke. If plants escape normal management practices, removal before they produce seeds is essential. If a seed head has formed, place a trash bag over the seed head before removing the plant from the field to eliminate the spread of seeds across the field. 6. Manage drainage ditches, field borders, etc. Regularly mowing ditches, waterways, field borders, etc. will help control the spread of this weed. Although weeds growing in ditches do not directly compete with field crops, they will produce seeds and promote the spread of Palmer Amaranth.
What is Test Weight and Why is It Important? Tom Bechman, the Editor of Indiana Prairie Farmer, and I rode on the combine with the grower when he was harvesting the Crop Watch 2013 field. Growers most often discuss the test weight of grain they are harvesting, especially if it is high. Grain moisture is important because of cost of drying but why is test weight important? Does it just give the growers bragging rights about the crop they have harvested?
The Facts :: Why Is It Important?
The Factors :: What Affects Test Weight?
• Test weight of grain is a ratio between weight and volume. It is measured as weight of grain that fills a quart container. There are 32 quarts in a bushel basket.
1. Planting hybrids with genetic potential for higher test weight will generally yield grain with higher test weight if the kernels are fully mature.
• Corn grain is marketed in the U.S. on the basis of 56 lbs. test weight per bushel.
2. Early planting helps hybrid maturity and leads to higher test weight. Our studies for several years indicated that corn planted before May 10 in central Indiana had 1.0 to 1.5 lbs. higher test weight than late May or June plantings.
• Corn with 56 lbs. per bu. is considered No. 1 yellow corn and 54 lbs. /bu. is called No. 2 yellow corn at 15% moisture. • Along with bragging rights, farmers can haul more bushels of high test weight grain in the truck per trip to the elevator than low test weight grain. • Grain with lower than 56 lbs. test weight may be discounted by the elevators but no credit is given for higher test weight.
3. Lower grain moisture will have higher test weight since the kernel dry matter is heavier than water. Test weight is a volume- weight relationship. Drier grain shrinks and gives higher test weight because we can pack more kernels into a “bushel basket”. 4. Higher temperatures with ample moisture tend to increase the test weight if kernels are mature.
• Grain with higher test weight generally has better quality. • Hybrid genetics plays an important role in test weight determination. However, there is no correlation between test weight and yield potential of a hybrid. • As the moisture goes down, test weight increases since dry matter of the grain weighs more than the water. • Higher test weight grain with orange color has greater visual appearance; its integrity is maintained during shipping and is generally preferred by the customers in foreign countries as compared to lower test weight chaffy grain.
5. Drought stress tends to decrease the test weight because it affects the photosynthetic process. 6. Late season leaf diseases like Northern and Southern Leaf Blight, Gray Leaf Spot, Anthracnose Leaf Blight, and Goss’ Wilt decrease the test weight since they can interrupt the grain-fill period and proper grain development. 7. Ear rot diseases like Diplodia, Giberrella or Aspergillus will have a negative effect on test weight.
By Dave Nanda, Ph.D., Director of Genetics and Technology Phone: 317-910-9876 nanda@seedconsultants.com
High yielding hybrids with higher test weight and excellent tolerance to diseases are available from Seed Consultants. Make sure to ask your Seed Rep about the hybrids suitable for your farm.
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SCI’S 2015 CUSTOMER TRIP CASA MAGNA MARRIOTT RESORT & SPA
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico January 24–30, 2015 Sign up online now! starcite.smarteventscloud.com/sci2015
Trip Cost (Excluding Air): • Single Occupancy – $2,500 • Double Occupancy – $3,775 • Triple Occupancy – $5,100 • Quad Occupancy – $6,400 The Casa Magna Marriott Resort & Spa Features: • Located on a long sandy beach with amazing views of the sunset. • Spacious sleeping rooms with luxurious bedding and large balconies. • Four world class restaurants, including a gigantic sports bar. • Huge pool area next to the ocean. • Full-service spa and complimentary fitness facility. • Close to airport, marina and the popular Malecon area. The Mexico Trip Packages Include: • 7 days, 6 nights accommodations at the Casa Magna Marriott Resort and Spa. • All-inclusive meals and beverages, beginning with lunch on arrival and ending with lunch on departure. • Tour of the DuPont Pioneer Research Station, including private Mexican lunch with open bar and entertainment. • Evening celebration at Rhythms of the Night, featuring a catamaran sail, beach dinner, authentic Mexican show and open bar. • Final night group dinner with cocktail reception. • Transfers to and from the Puerto Vallarta airport. • Personalized baggage handling upon arrival and departure. • All gratuities and taxes included. • Air not included but must be booked with SCI. Travel Documents: All participants will be required to present a passport with at least 6 months validity from the last date of travel (July 30, 2015). This will need to be presented to the air carrier, security, immigration, customs and the hotel. Meeting Planner Contact Information: Jennifer Schaefer Phone: 800-233-8492 Email: meetingplanning@seedconsultants.com Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm EST
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For any additional rooming rates, please contact Jennifer Schaefer. Air Costs: • Air is not included with the above trip costs, but must be booked with Seed Consultants in order attend the trip. • Airline points cannot be used for booking airfare. • If attendee wishes to check current airfare before registering and submitting the non-refundable deposit, they may call the travel agent at 800-238-7668, prompt #2, prompt #3. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00am - 5:00pm EST. • After registration has been submitted and deposit received, the travel agent will call the attendee with different flight options and costs. There is no restriction on type of fare or departure city. • Seed Consultants will pay initial cost of air when it is booked. Attendee will be invoiced for the same cost. • Attendee responsible for any costs associated with flight changes. Payments: • $500 (per person) Non- Refundable deposit due after online registration and before air is booked. • Full Trip Payment is due by November 1, 2014 and is Non-Refundable.
All checks should be for trip expenses only and made payable to Seed Consultants. Checks should be mailed to the follow address: SCI Meeting Planning P.O. Box 183 Johnston, IA 50131
Space is limited! Early reservations are recommended!
“Seed Consultants’ Winter Trips are a blast! We look forward to traveling with them every January.” Mike and Laura Vallery - Sedalia, Ohio Julie and Mark Anthony Beth Smith
SEED CONSULTANTS, INC. PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO CUSTOMER TRIP JANUARY 24-30, 2015 • Sign up online now! starcite.smarteventscloud.com/sci2015
I am including my non-refundable per person deposit and I agree to pay the remainder of the trip by November 1, 2014 Send all checks, payments and correspondences to: SCI Meeting Planning, P.O. Box 183, Johnston, IA 50131.
Space is limited. Early reservations are recommended!
Name: ______________________________________________________________________________ Area Seedsman: _______________________________________________________________________ Guest’s Name: ________________________________________________________________________ E-mail: ______________________________________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________________________________ Cell Phone: _____________________________
Home Phone: __________________________________
For questions, you may e-mail Jennifer Schaefer at meetingplanning@seedconsultants.com or call her at 800-233-8492 M-F 9:00am to 5:00pm EST. Responsibility: SCI, or their travel agents, act only as agents and assume no liability during such travel for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity which may be occasional either by reason of defect in any vehicle or for any reason whatsoever, or through the acts of default of any company or person engaged in the passenger or in carrying out the arrangement of the tour. Many airlines charge fees for baggage and other services. Amounts vary by airlines and are subject to change Travelers are responsible for verifying all fees charged by individual carriers. Please visit the operating carrier website of your ticketed itinerary for applicable fees.
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2014 Wheat Profitability Start With Selecting the Best Variety Wheat profitability in 2014 will depend upon many factors from planting to harvest. Selecting the best variety is the first step for a successful crop in your fields. When selecting the right variety one needs to include the variety’s characteristics of maturity, winter hardiness, test weight, yield potential, and good agronomics with disease tolerance/ resistance. Throughout OH, IN, IL, KY, and MI, Seed Consultants conducts on-farm testing of the different wheat varieties as well as planting its own Replicated Research Wheat Plots. SCI participates in university’s Wheat Performance Trials as well. We test existing varieties and new lines to help you make the right selection for your area. SC 1302™ Brand
• Clark + 2 maturity, non bearded variety, ideal for double crop • High yielding variety with excellent test weight and winter hardiness • Planting rates of 1.6 to 1.8 million seeds per acre 2 weeks after fly free date • Medium height, with excellent standability and heavy bucket weight • Spring topdress N of 80 to 100 pound actual N • 2013 overall yield in KY at 90.3 bu, and in OH at 86.1 bu • Nice companion variety with SC 1321™ in early, high yield environments • Very good disease package including Head Scab and Glume Blotch tolerances • Patent Pending
SC 1321™ Brand
• High yielding, bearded variety, adapting throughout OH, IN, and KY • Medium maturity line; works well in Intensive Wheat Management programs • Very good plant health, Test Weight, and standability • Excellent winter hardiness with a solid disease package • On Mennel Milling Co. recommended list • 2013 UKY Wheat Test SC 1321™ yielded 100.6 bushel, #1 out of 99 entries • 2013 OSU Wheat Test SC 1321™ yielded 89.3 bushel, # 17 out of 68 entries • Patent Pending
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SC 1324™ Brand
• Fall 2014 Release with high top end yield potential and solid agronomics • 2013 foundation yield data showed above test yield average across Southern, Midwest, and East Coast Regions. Had the best yield in 2011 and 2012 out of foundation plots in the Upper Midwest • Medium maturity variety, works well for double crop • Medium height, bearded variety with excellent standability, winter hardiness, and test weight. • Above average tolerance to Septoria Leaf Blotch, Powdery Mildew, and Head Scab • Spring topdress N of 90 to 105 pounds helps this variety to excel in yield. • Fall seeding rate of 1.6 to 1.8 million seeds per acre • On Mennel Milling Co. recommended list • Patent Pending
SC 1341™ Brand
• Bearded, late maturity variety • High yielding genetics with very good Test Weight • Researched throughout OH, IN, and KY • Strong disease package • Use of fungicide for Head Scab protection maybe necessary if conditions are right for disease infection • Excellent winter hardiness and standability • Elite wheat genetics with unique look and stature • Performs well in heavy deer traffic areas • 2013 UKY Wheat Test, SC 1341™ yielded 90.7 bushel • 2013 Ohio Wheat Performance Trials, SC 1341™ was 88.3 bushel, top 1/3 of all entries • Patent Pending
SC 1342™ Brand
• Full season variety choice for I-70 and North • Medium Late maturity allowing for longer grain fill time • Superior yields and excellent test weight • Medium tall variety, non bearded with excellent standability • Very good disease tolerances including Head Scab, Glume Blotch, and Barley Yellow Dwarf (BYDV) • Use of foliar fungicide maybe needed in areas where Powdery Mildew and Septoria Leaf Blotch have occurred in past years • 2013 UKY Wheat Trials, SC 1342 was 98.4 bushel, 10TH out of 99 entries • 2013 OSU Wheat Trials, SC 1342 was 8TH out of 80 entries, at 90.3 bushel. 2 year average yield of 94.7 bushel, ranked #1 • Excellent variety for those growers needing straw tons • Patent Pending
Allen Logs Miles of Dedication
If you have taken delivery of bulk soybeans in the past 12 years, you have probably had the pleasure to meet George Allen. George has delivered bulk soybeans for Seed Consultants since the fall of 2003. George delivered 90,087 units of bulk soybeans during the 2014 shipping season alone! An unbelievable accomplishment considering those soybeans were delivered from Western Kentucky to Northeast Ohio and all points in between. It is estimated that in George’s career delivering bulk soybeans at Seed Consultants he has hauled nearly 750,000 total units!
George is admired by customers and co-workers alike because of his attention to detail, punctuality and the tremendous desire for cleanliness of his equipment. George is very particular and critical of the product he delivers as if he were planting it on his own farm. Seed Consultants congratulates George Allen on his unbelievable winter! The entire staff at Seed Consultants Thanks George for his wonderful attention to detail and for his outstanding customer service.
Sabina Warehouse Recognized for Safety Milestone
Recently, Seed Consultants, Inc.’s Sabina Warehouse and Ryan Zimmerman’s Team was recognized by DuPont Pioneer for achieving a Safety Milestone – three years without a recordable injury/illness incident. SCI’s Sabina Warehouse was only one of 21 facilities out of hundreds of facilities recognized by DuPont Pioneer and was the only PROaccess Genetics related affiliate recognized. According to General Manager, Chris Jeffries, “SCI is especially proud of Ryan Zimmerman’s Team’s safety record and their outstanding efforts in distributing SCI’s seed. Safety starts with Ryan’s leadership and our employees’ diligence to detail and safety; helps protects everyone’s jobs and our brand identity.”
Pictured from left to right: Jacob Gonnering, Safety, Health, & Environmental Manager; PROaccess Genetics; Eric Wilburn, Production Agronomist & Safety Coordinator; Kevin Mathews, Sabina Inventory Manager; Ryan Zimmerman, Distribution Manager; Dylan Dobbs; Cody Kuebler; Josh Hagler Jim Mathews, Assistant Distribution Manager; Vic Haynes; Jason Ayers; Steve “Poppy” Poplin; Ryan LeBeau; Daniel Call, Operations Manager
SCI Announces Meetings and Field Days As fall approaches, Seed Consultants will host kickoff meetings and field days. SCI has added 7 new corn hybrids, 3 new Roundup Ready soybean varieties, and 5 new LibertyLink soybean varieties to its outstanding product lineup. With changing seed treatment options, trait offerings, and new corn and soybean varieties there is a great deal of information growers need keep up with. These kickoff meetings and field days are designed to keep you up to date on what is going on at Seed Consultants, Inc. Are you interested in learning about new varieties, pricing, trait offerings, Optimum® AQUAmax® products, or the Seed Consultants’ trip to Puerto Vallarta? If so, be sure to attend a kickoff meeting and/or field day in your area! For more information about meetings in your area, check out our website (www.seedconsultants. com), ask your seedsman, or call our office at 1-800-708-2676. Be sure to mark your calendar for the Washington Court House Field day at the Seed Consultants seed plant on August 28. Lunch will be at noon followed by tips for managing herbicide resistant weeds, discussion of SCI’s foliar studies in corn and soybeans, and tours of the research plot. Seedsmen and agronomists will be available for discussion and to answer questions.
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Seed Consultants Inc. P.O. Box 370 648 Miami Trace Rd. S.W. Washington Court House, OH 43160 USA
Editorial Board Stuart Yensel, director of sales and marketing 740-505-0889 - Mobile stuartyensel@seedconsultants.com Bill Mullen, CCA director of agronomic services 740-505-2022 - Mobile bmullen@seedconsultants.com Chris Jeffries, general manager 740-505-0073 - Mobile seedconsultants@seedconsultants.com Matt Hutcheson, CCA product manager 937-414-6784 - Mobile matt@seedconsultants.com Dave Nanda, Ph.D. director of genetics and technology 317-910-9876 - Mobile nanda@seedconsultants.com
Herculex® Insect Protection technology by Dow AgroSciences and Pioneer Hi-Bred. ® Herculex and the HX logo are registered trademarks of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Liberty®, LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design are trademarks of Bayer.Agrisure® is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Agrisure® technology incorporated into these seeds is commercialized under a license from Syngenta Crop Protection AG. ® Supreme EX is a registered trademark of Pioneer. Supreme EX® brand seed is distributed by Seed Consultants, Inc. Roundup WeatherMAX®1 and Roundup PowerMAX™ are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Optimum® and AcreMax® are registered trademarks of Pioneer Hi-Bred. Optimum®, AcreMax®, TRIsect®, and AQUAmax® are registered trademarks of Pioneer Hi-Bred. The information provided within this newsletter is not a substitute for advice concerning your specific situation. The information contained herein is general and educational in nature. Because each situation is different and each recommendation is specifically tailored for each customer, the information contained herein should never be used to determine your course of action. All products are trademarks of their manufacturers. © 2014, Seed Consultants, Inc.
Between the Rows The cure for high prices is high prices! For many, 2014 will be remembered for record yields; yields that will build inventories and most likely depress grain commodity prices for at least the near future. In 2015 growers will have to determine how they can be the least-cost producer? How can they make a profit in 2015? How can they grow their operation? The answer is Seed Consultants. (That was easy!) Seed Consultants continues to position itself as the best, least-cost provider in the seed industry. With 2015 being our 25th year in the business, SCI plans to continue to deliver on that promise.
Updates from Chris Jeffries, general manager SCI is not a flashy company. We do not offer airplane rides, helicopter rides, custom motorcycles, hot rod cars, flat screens, lawn mowers, etc. That is not who we are! That is not who we want to be! We are about helping growers make the right decisions at a reasonable price and superior performance. SCI built its reputation on price, quality, performance, and an eastern corn belt testing bias. SCI continues to offer choices, which include unique germplasm corn and beans; offering conventional, RR, HR, YHR, HXX, HQ, AQ, AHQ, AM, AMX, and AMXT corn; and RR1, R2, Liberty Link, and conventional beans. Dan and I always wanted our brand to
DON’T MISS OUR WEEKLY EMAIL NEWSLETTER! The SCI free e-newsletter comes via e-mail every Monday. The newsletter is packed full of current agronomic topics. Subscribe by sending your e-mail address to matt@seedconsultants.com or by signing up on our website at www.seedconsultants.com.
be about regionally adapted hybrids at a reasonable cost, and we continue to protect that brand. 2015 will be our 25th year; and SCI’s total corn sales will surpass 1,750,000 units and our total beans sales will go over 7,500,000 units. A lofty achievement for a company that only wanted to bring its customers regionally adapted hybrids at a reasonable cost. Thank you for considering SCI for 2015 and thank you for allowing SCI continues to be “Simply, The Best Value in the Seed Industry.TM”
Dan and Chris