The Seed Consultant vol. 35 by Seed Consultants Inc.

vol. 35

December 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

Rethinking Nitrogen Management for Corn in 2015 and Beyond After the 2014 corn harvest is complete, growers will be seriously looking at ways in 2015 to have a profit given projections that lower corn prices are here to stay and various crop inputs are close to the same cost as what they paid in 2014. Some will plant more soybeans as a way to reduce production cost overall as compared to corn for the foreseeable future. Many corn growers will plant corn hoping that they can make more money per acre raising corn. However, they need to look at ways to help reduce cost per acre without reducing yield potential. Nitrogen management could be a factor in reducing cost. In past years, growers would refer to nitrogen applications for corn production from their local fertilizer suppliers, some would refer to the Tri-State (IN, OH, and MI) Fertility Guide for N,P, and K recommendations for a set yield. Others would apply the same rate of nitrogen per acre as they have done in past years, with hopes they would get that return on their fertilizer investment. continued on page 2

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HOW TO MAKE SENSE OF TEST PLOT DATA Using data to your benefit

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2015 WINTER AGRONOMY MEETINGS Dates and locations

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WINTER MAINTENANCE Efforts now make spring efficient

CREAM OF THE CROP 2014 SCI award winners

Rethinking Nitrogen Management... continued from page 1

Times are changing and we, as growers, need to look at new concepts that will help maintain yield without increasing cost of production. One such concept, developed by Agronomy Extension of Iowa State University is the Corn Nitrogen Rate Calculator. It is a regional approach, throughout the Corn Belt, in seven different states, including Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. It uses an economic model based specifically on the return on nitrogen management and the best profitable nitrogen rate for corn production in 2015. Four items are needed to calculate the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN); the nitrogen type and amount, the nitrogen price combined with the corn price. With regional research trials from spring, sidedress, or split preplant/ sidedress nitrogen application in non-irrigated trials of corn following soybeans as well as corn following corn has helped calculate guidelines justifying nitrogen application and management in corn production and at the same time, reducing cost of nitrogen per acre without giving up yield.

One key point to keep in mind is that the applied nitrogen rate is NOT the only factor to affect yield potential. It is a combination of inputs economically managed with favorable growing conditions. Just because you applied 180 pounds of actual nitrogen following soybeans doesn’t mean corn will yield 180 bushel plus, other factors need to be considered as well. Now that harvest is complete, formulating a crop plan for 2015 needs to be addressed for corn and soybeans. We need to look at all production costs especially nitrogen for corn production. Take the time and visit the website, www. extension.agron.iastate.edu/soilfertility/nrate.aspx. Enter your information for determining MRTN and to receive a suggested N rate for your corn crop for 2015. Wishing you Happy Holidays to you and your family and a prosperous New Year in 2015.

By Bill Mullen, CCA SCI Director of Agronomic Services Phone:740-505-2022 bmullen@seedconsultants.com

2015 Financing Programs

John Deere Financial Preferred Customer and/or RABO financing programs only available to approved customers. To apply for a John Deere Financial Preferred Account or RABO account or to increase your John Deere Financial or RABO line of credit, contact your SCI representative, so the necessary paperwork can be completed with John Deere Financial &/or RABO. GUIDELINES • Must be a John Deere Financial Preferred Customer or approved by RABO • Credit limits established by John Deere Financial &/or RABO…not by SCI • To increase or establish your credit line call John Deere Financial (800-433-8964) or RABO (888-395-8505) • Must be enrolled and approved to qualify for discounts • Discounts applied on approval date from John Deere Financial &/or RABO • Signed terms of disclosure on file • Minimum purchase of $1,000 • Due date of December 2015 • Applies only to seed purchases • Please write on order (Plan A or B) allowing for proper cash discounting

Finance Plan Purchase & Approval Date

John Deere Financial

RABO

Fixed 0%

Dec - Jan 5-15

3.0%

4.0%

Jan-15

2.0%

3.0%

Feb-15

0.0%

1.0%

Mar-15

0.0%

Apr-15

0.0%

In Season

0.0%

How to Make Sense of Test Plot Data We will be getting a lot of yield data for corn and soybean test plots from universities, seed companies and third parties. If they are replicated, we will have Test Average, LSD (0.1) and C.V. or Coefficient of Variability reported at the bottom of each Table or data sets. How do the researchers calculate these numbers and what do they mean? For a test plot, the researchers pick out the most uniform ground for comparing varieties or other treatments such as herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, row width, population densities, etc. Before starting a study, the scientists believe in the “Theory of Null Hypothesis”; which means they assume there are no differences among varieties or treatments and let the results guide them to the conclusions. These treatments or varieties are grown in several replications for each test and are randomized in every replication to give an equal chance. In each replication, the varieties are randomized so each variety has an equal chance of being at a certain location or next to a certain variety. Please stay with me; it becomes more interesting for those who want to understand the meaning of the values at the bottom of the data! After the test plots are harvested, we use a statistical procedure called Analysis of Variance which takes into account the number of varieties,

variability in the test and Experimental Errors. The Standard Deviation (S.D.) shows how much variation from the average exists in the data. A low standard deviation indicates that the data points tend to be very close to the Mean. The Standard Deviation is the square root of the Variance. The average of the squared differences from the mean is defined as Variance. The Coefficient of Variation (C.V.) is defined as the ratio of the standard deviation to the mean or CV = Standard Deviation /Mean It indicates the amount of variability in relation to the mean of the data collected. The lower C.V. values indicate more uniformity and greater level of confidence in the data. C.V. values of less than 10 are desirable. LSD or Least Significant Difference is generally indicated as LSD (0.10) or at the 10% confidence level. Another way of saying would be that there is a 90% chance that any of hybrids within the LSD could be on top. For studying the yield data from university test plots, seed companies tests or third-party sources, always look for the LSD value at the bottom of the data tables. The LSD value measures the variability in the test which may be caused by soil types, population density, micro-environment or experimental errors.

Yields must be greater than the LSD value between any two hybrids, varieties or treatments to be considered significant. Uniform tests have smaller LSD values and are more reliable. The differences of 15-20 bushels in high yielding corn test plots are generally not significant and are within the LSD value. It is a mistake to focus on the plot winner and ignore the statistical analysis. LSD values in the university tests are usually reported at the 10% level. Everyone likes to be on the top for the “bragging” rights; however, a hybrid on the top in one test may be in the middle in the next test. So, don’t worry about the top hybrid in the test but look for the hybrids which are consistently among the top tier in several locations in different test plots. Your Seed Reps can help you in selecting corn hybrids and soybean varieties which have shown consistent performance in various tests and in previous years.

By Dave Nanda, Ph.D., Director of Genetics and Technology Phone: 317-910-9876

2015 SCI Winter Agronomy Meetings During January of 2015 Seed Consultants will again host several Winter Agronomy Meetings across the Eastern Corn Belt. 2014 was a challenging year that everyone can learn from and SCI’s agronomy staff will have a great deal of information to discuss. In addition to a review of 2014, agronomists will address important factors that are currently affecting our customers. What is the best herbicide program to control Marestail? What do I need to know about Palmer amaranth? Do foliar sugar applications increase corn and soybean yields? Did fungicide applications pay in 2014? Why were leaf diseases on corn so prevalent in 2014? For answers to these questions and more, make sure to attend a Winter Agronomy Meeting in your area.

DATES AND LOCATIONS:

(All meetings will begin with lunch at 11:30 a.m.)

DATE LOCATION

RESTAURANT

January 5

Washington Court House, OH Rusty Keg

January 5

Tiffin, OH

Camden Falls

January 6

Ottawa, OH

Red Pig Inn

January 6

Decatur, IN

Back 40 Junction

January 7

Brookville, OH

Rob’s Family Restaurant

January 7

Bunker Hill, IN

Dutch Café

January 8

Plain City, OH

Der Dutchman

January 8

Dundee, MI

Cabela’s

January 9

Hagerstown, IN

Willies and Reds

January 9

Nashport, OH

Longaberger Golf Club

January 12

Hillsboro, OH

Ponderosa

January 13

Bellville, OH

Der Dutchman

January 15

Seymour, IN

The Pines

January 16

Wooster, OH

Jake’s Steakhouse

January 19

Warsaw, IN

Champagne Jam

January 20

Noblesville, IN

Wolfies Grill

January 21

Somerset, KY

Golden Corral

January 21

Bowling Green, OH

Holiday Inn Express

January 22

Owensboro, KY

Moonlite BBQ

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Winter Maintenance is Worth the Effort Have you ever heard someone say, “What do farmers do in the winter?” As you are aware, there are a lot of answers to this question. Winter is a great time to get ready for spring planting, which will be here before we know it. One of the most important parts of the growing season is planting. It’s crucial that your crops get off to a good start and it’s important to make sure that your planter is field-ready when the time comes. It is critical to plant your seed into the best possible growing conditions. A planter in need of some adjustment can result in varied seed placement, uneven emergence, and ultimately a reduction in yield potential. Check for and replace any parts of your planter that are excessively worn. No-till coulters or disk openers that are worn out will not provide the most favorable seed furrow and will not place seed correctly. Good seed-to-soil contact is critical in ensuring seed germination and uniform emergence. Emergence that is uneven can cause a loss in yield potential. No-till coulters should be adjusted to operate at the same depth or slightly shallower than disk openers. Seed firmers in good condition will also promote adequate seed-to-soil contact. Check the chains and sprockets on your planter. Make sure chains are operated at the correct tension and replace any sprockets that are worn as well as chains that are stiff, rusty, or excessively worn. Smooth chain operation is a critical component of proper planter operation and seed spacing. Any hesitation or jerk in the system will result in seed spacing that is not uniform.

One of the most important aspects of planter maintenance is calibration of your planter. Make the necessary adjustments to your planter to make certain it will plant at the population you desire. Broken or worn parts on planter units should be replaced and units should be periodically calibrated. Along with performing maintenance on planter units make sure seed tubes are clean and are not damaged such that they will prevent even seed spacing. Calibration of your planter and units will reduce skips, doubles, and triples in seed placement. Research has shown that skips, doubles, and triples can cause a reduction in yield potential. Uniform seed spacing minimizes competition between plants for water and nutrients and promotes efficient use of sunlight. Once you’ve gone through your planter, it’s a good idea to test it out before you head to the field. It is important to evaluate a planter under conditions closely resembling those you will find in the field. Keep in mind a gravel driveway in the barnyard may work but it might not accurately resemble field conditions. Evaluate your planter’s performance at the speed you will be operating in the field. Check your planter for smooth operation, make sure seed spacing and depth is even and accurate. Making a few adjustments to your planter this winter will require some time and effort. This is time well spent and it could really pay off in the spring.

By Matt Hutcheson, CCA, Product Manager Phone: 937-414-6784 matt@seedconsultants.com

* Refer to individual planter manufacturer owner’s manual for complete maintenance and operation instructions.

2014 Seed Consultantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Cream of the Crop 2014 Rookie of the Year Winner AREA SEEDSWOMAN Casey Moser, Perrysburg, Ohio Presented by Stuart Yensel, Director of Sales & Marketing

Dr. Dave Nanda, Outstanding Research Award

2014 Seedsman of the Year Winner AREA SEEDSMAN Lance Weaver, Howard, Ohio Presented by Stuart Yensel, Director of Sales & Marketing

Rusty Kingery, Special Seedsman Award

The SCI Bulk Soybean Bin Program SCI began the bulk soybean bin program eight years ago for several reasons. For starters, bulk boxes cost $700+ each. This price translates to more than $14/unit of soybeans stored, assuming 50 units per box. (Actually $17/unit if there are only 40 units per box.) Bulk boxes must be returned, cleaned and nested. And growers must provide a covered structure for storage, unload, and load boxes. The bulk boxes eat up growers’ storage space (equipment must be moved outside or to other buildings). Growers are also liable for damages to boxes. An even bigger headache can be bulk bags. The benefits of bulk soybean bins stack up. SCI currently has more than 150 bulk soybean bins on customers’ farms. The majority are 521- bushel GSI bins with bean ladders. We are pleased with the bulk bin program, but believe many growers are missing out on the benefits.

Top 5 Reasons To Participate

SAFETY.

Bins eliminate the need to climb in and out of seed tenders and seed wagons, untying bulk bags. Bins also eliminate the risk of straps tearing or bags teetering over. You cannot put a value on injury to a family member or yourself, especially at this time of year.

CONVENIENCE.

You can set the conveyor, pull under, turn on conveyor, open the bin door, and fill your seed tender.

LABOR SAVING.

One person can unload bins and fill seed tenders with little effort. Bulk bags, on the other hand, require at least two workers. Bulk bag pallets must also be returned and bags disposed of, and bulk boxes must be nested for return, stored, and loaded.

COST EFFECTIVE.

The bins eliminate the need for additional storage buildings by growers, reduces manpower requirements at planting and the conveyor can also be used for other loading/unloading chores.

GROWER FRIENDLY.

100% satisfaction by growers. While not an official survey, we don’t receive complaints about the bulk bin program.

How can you participate? Contact your area seedsman and sign an agreement. Pour a pad Purchase a multi use belt conveyor (40ft.)—eligible for Bulk Payback Program Order beans, minimum 400 units/variety/bin Order early and take early delivery

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 dave.nanda@gmail.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.

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“Brand names are parasites that gobble up wealth.” – Mark Ford, founder of The Palm Beach Letter

When my boys were growing up, I would have one of my less flattering, lunatic moments, realizing we just spent more than $50 extra for a pair of gym shoes because they were endorsed by a pro athlete. As a child, if we had brand names I didn’t know what they were. During the summers, we wore white T-shirts, actually they were more yellowishred (we had hard water) and patched overalls. I’m not sure what the brands were but they got the job done. Seed Consultants, Inc. products aren’t about the brand name but they

Updates from Chris Jeffries, general manager get the job done. 2014 looks to be a profitable year for the majority of eastern corn belt farmers. However, folks are very concerned when looking forward to 2015 inputs costs. As a company, our orders are trending towards a higher percentage of conventional hybrids based on reduced pressure from corn rootworm and European corn borer. Not a problem, since SCI offers approximately 35% of its corn line up as conventional. Also, we have much greater than normal demand for RR only hybrids, as well as doublestacked hybrids. How do you reduce 2015 input costs? Growers need to cut back where appropriate. However, be

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.

careful not to step over a dollar to pick up a nickel. SCI is still in the YIELD business! SCI is having its best 3rd party testing performance in recent years! SCI is a regional company with regional testing, selecting genetics for our customers. SCI is about service, whether it be bulk direct, agronomic follow up, or an Area Seedsman/woman that knows your farm and management. SCI is about positioning genetics & traits; per your need. While SCI has a great supply of AMX products for those growers that need them, SCI has positioned itself as a conventional , single, and double leader. Have a SAFE HARVEST and thank you!

Chris Jeffries