CornSouth October 2014

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Corn Hybrid Lineup For 2015

CornSouth CornSouth ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

Southern Production & Marketing Strategies

October/November 2014

A Supplement to Cotton Farming and The Peanut Grower Magazines

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CornSouth My passion? Southern row crops Hi! Welcome to the October/November issue of Corn South. You may have noticed a new face pictured on this page.

That’s right. Corn South has a new editor.

For those of you who do not know me, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Amanda Huber.

Besides Corn South, I am also the editor of The Peanut Grower and Amanda Huber Editor Southeast editor of Cotton Farming.

You might say that writing about Southern row crops is what I am all about. After growing up on a farm and being really into FFA in high school, I went to college at the University of Florida and majored in Agronomy and Agriculture Communications. What I do combines these two subjects perfectly, and I have thoroughly enjoyed my career choice.

I look forward to working on Corn South and bringing you production and marketing strategies from a Southern perspective. However, let me assure you that I do not plan to make a lot of changes.

For instance, this edition has always been about the hybrid lineup best suited for the Southern environment, and that’s what you will find in this issue as well. It also includes market reports from Mark Welch, Texas AgriLife Extension economist, and Nathan Smith, University of Georgia Extension economist.

If you are wondering about Carroll Smith, she will now be concentrating on her duties with Rice Farming, Soybean South and Cotton Farming as well as special projects for One Grower Publishing. But as you can see from the cover photo, she is still very much around to offer a photo from her collection or a suggestion on content.

I hope you will feel free to send me any suggestions as well, and I will look forward to working with you to make Corn South a great source for production and marketing information.

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Contents 3 Market Outlook Extension ag economists, Mark Welch and Nathan Smith, offer their thoughts on factors affecting the corn market.

Feature Story 4 Corn Hybrids Seed companies offer their top corn hybrids and the characteristics that make these options best suited for Southern growing conditions for the 2015 season.

Cover photo by Carroll Smith.

If you have comments, send them to Corn South, 1010 June Road, Suite 102, Memphis, Tenn., 38119.

You may also call (800) 888-9784 or contact Lia Guthrie at lguthrie@onegrower.com or Amanda Huber at ahuber@onegrower.com.

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Will A Record Harvest Be Realized?

Market Outlook Editor’s Note: Mark Welch is a Texas AgriLife Extension economist.

Nathan Smith is an agriculture Extension economist with the University of Georgia. The opinions and recommendations expressed are solely those of the authors and are intended for educational purposes only. The respective universities assume no liability for the use of this information.

T

he condition rating of the U.S. corn crop improved two points last week on a one percentage point decrease in the poor category and a one percent increase in the good. The crop condition index stands at 385 compared to an average index score at this time of year of 355.

Corn Use Updated estimates of U.S. grain consuming animal units (GCAU) show a record low percentage of the total for cattle and a record high percentage for poultry. Total GCAUs for 2014 are estimated to be only slightly higher than last year. Feed per GCAU is up 4.4 percent or 173 pounds per GCAU, back up to levels last seen in 2004.

Ethanol production in the 2013/14 corn crop year is closing out up 10 percent from last year and 5 percent higher than the three-year average. Exports in 2013/14 are on pace to reach the current 1.920 billion bushel target.

the time of the August crop report.

December corn has traded in a sideways pattern the last several weeks with a short lived rally back to $3.80 only to fall back to about $3.60. The market seems to be balancing good crop conditions and strong early season yield reports against some question of acreage and increased use estimates. I am ready to add to price protection on a technical signal that the market is turning lower.

Nathan Smith: Southern Corn Production Shifts Last year was a big year for corn in the South. Southern states from Virginia down to Florida across to Louisiana and up to Missouri produced a record corn crop with some states producing an all-time high production and the rest producing the most bushels since at least 1985. The exception was Missouri, which had a larger crop in 2010.

The 11 states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia have averaged planting 8.5 million acres from 20072014 representing 9.3 percent of total U.S. acreage. Corn plantings in those states averaged 6.7 million acres during the previous eight-year period of 1999-2006. Comparing the two time periods, southern corn states averaged 2.6 billion more bushels during 2007-2014 than 1999 to 2006.

Acreage Ups And Downs Outside Markets Speaking at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Economic Symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyo., Aug. 22, Fed Chair Janet Yellen said she was encouraged by the employment gains made by the U.S. economy since the Great Recession, but recognizes that the labor market is not yet fully recovered.

The U.S. economy grew at a faster pace in the second quarter than first estimated, 4.2 percent instead of the previous 4.0 percent increase. The gap between the civilian unemployment rate and the overall unemployment rate has declined to 6 percent, down from the post-recession average of 6.7 percent but well above the pre-recession difference of 3.9 percent.

Overall inflation levels remain moderate. The food category showed the most increase in last month’s Consumer Price Index; energy was down.

Every state but Alabama, up 6.3 percent, and Missouri, up 4.5 percent, decreased corn plantings in 2014. The largest drop in acres were in the following states: Arkansas (-34%), Florida (-26%), Georgia (25%), Louisiana (-38%), and Mississippi (-37%). The eastern states of North Carolina (-7.5%), South Carolina (-16%), Tennessee (-1%) and Virginia (-2%) reduced corn acreage in response to lower prices reflecting more stable acreage over time.

Yield Projections Yields across the South look good overall for 2014 based on USDA projections, while Missouri expects a record yield increase of 25 percent over last year. With harvest underway in the South, a record U.S. yield is projected at almost 172 bushels per acre. If realized, it would be a record total production of 14.4 billion bushels based on 91.2 million planted acres.

2014 Marketing Plan

Corn Usage

I am 60 percent priced on 2014 feed grain production. My marketing plan calls for pre-harvest pricing an additional 20 percent around

Total use of corn is expected to equal the previous crop marketing year at 13.6 billion bushels. Ethanol and by-products use is flat at 5.125 billion bushels. Exports are down 200 million bushels; therefore, domestic feed and food use will have to increase to make up the difference. Prices received by farmers are expected to average the lowest since 2007, between $3.20 and $3.80 per bushel.

POINTERS

Market Overview ■ Cattle remain at a record low, while poultry are a record high.

■ Ethanol use and export markets show little increase and are mostly flat.

■ A record U.S. crop will likely depress prices further.

■ An acreage decrease is expected in the Southern U.S. in 2015.

Market Options Farmers will likely store and wait for higher prices. The low prices should spur some increased demand but it will take a while for it to materialize since the domestic food and feed sectors don’t traditionally adjust quickly. The trend of decreased acres is likely to continue next year for the South. CS

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Corn Hybrids Southern Lineup For 2015

This section reflects a partial listing of corn hybrids suited for the Southern growing region.

For additional offerings, contact your local seed representative.

AgVenture Midsouth Dulaney Seed RL6991HB (106 RM) • Good standability throughout the season with superb roots • Great drought tolerance combined with excellent heat tolerance • Herculex I Insect Protection with impressive yield potential • Great early option for South with two years of performance history R7844 (110 RM) • Adapted to both high yield and high stress conditions • Very good Greensnap resistance and good Goss’s wilt resistance • Wide area of adaptation; start harvesting sooner RL8537YHB (113 RM) • Optimum Intrasect insect protection • Very upright, healthy plant style • Very good roots and healthy canopy in the fall • Early corn with dryland suitability and drought tolerance

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RL8899YHB (115 RM) • Optimum Intrasect insect protection • Big, robust plant type with very large ear size potential • Herculex I trait with corn borer protection and dual herbicide • Impressive high yield potential hybrid with staygreen • Good GLS and NCLB disease resistance • Also available in R8899 Refuge

• Tall plant type can be used as a silage option • Well adapted to Deep South growing conditions

• Huge ear size potential with large kernels; good test weight • Tall plants with outstanding tonnage and quality for silage • Also available in R9858 Refuge

RL9858HB (120 RM) • Herculex I trait package • Outstanding multi-year full season performance results • Deep South genetics designed to withstand heat stress

RL9256HB (117 RM) • Herculex I trait package • Elite Southern genetics with very high multi-year performance • Medium tall flex ear hybrid • Excellent stalk and root strength • Great response to high yield management on good ground • Withstands high heat and drought stress very well • Also available in R9256 Refuge RL9583YHB (118 RM) • Optimum Intrasect insect protection • Unique, Southern genetics with very high quality grain and yield • Open husk ears with hard, orange tint grain • Very good overall leaf disease resistance and excellent staygreen • Very good GLS tolerance and overall plant health • Moderate plant stature with great stalks and greensnap tolerance • Also available in R9583 Refuge RL9633YHB (119 RM) • Optimum Intrasect insect protection • Good leaf disease resistance, very good staygreen • Excellent heat tolerance and good drought tolerance • Strong stalk and root strength for very good standability RL9795HB (121 RM) • Herculex I trait package • Outstanding GLS and overall leaf disease tolerance • Very high yield potential on good soils with irrigation • Tall plants with excellent late-season stay green and intactness • Moderate flex ears with quality grain and complete husk coverage • Also available in R9795 Refuge RL9801YHB (120 RM) • Best yield potential under irrigation and high management • New genetics with Optimum Intrasect insect protection

SOME SAY IT. WE DO IT. Photo by Aubrey Falls Photography

S E E F O R Y O U R S E L F.

Dulaney Seed helps you take yields higher through the powerful Maximum Profit System. With the help of an AgVenture Yield Specialist, you’ll select AgVenture corn seed with high genetic potential, develop a high-yielding cropping plan and apply proven strategies to gain bushels and max out profits.

“My AgVenture Yield Specialist knows my farm and he knows my ground. He also knows my management practices, so he helps me plan accordingly. The relationship never stops. It’s a year-round process. It’s one of those relationships in business I couldn’t do without.”

–Jackson Webb, Sumner, MS Call Dulaney Seed today to speak with an AgVenture Yield Specialist about taking your yields higher.

(662) 627-7060 dulaneyseed.com

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Terral Seed

DEKALB

28R10 • Tall plants with very good ear flex suitable for all single-row widths • Prostrate lower canopy with semi-erect upper canopy • Performs in high-yield environments and outstanding coastal adaptation

DKC62-08 • Offensive product with exceptional top-end yield potential • Very good stalks and roots • Very good drought tolerance • Very good drydown and test weight

26BHR50 • Outstanding test weight and kernel density on medium-tall plant with medium ear height • Good ear flex with excellent foliar disease package • High performance potential product with stress tolerance 28HR20 • Tall plant with very good ear flex • Prostrate lower canopy with semi-erect upper canopy • Outstanding coastal adaptation and performs in high yield environments 28R30 • Consistent sized semi-flex ear with very good grain quality • Large canopy for single-wide row adaptation • Good for silage potential

DKC64-87 • Very high top-end yield potential • Broad adaptability east to west • Good Goss’ Wilt tolerance • Very good standability and greensnap tolerance DKC64-89 • New level of yield potential • Good Goss’ Wilt tolerance and drought tolerance • Very high top-end yield potential • Broad adaptability east to west • Very good standability and greensnap tolerance DKC65-20 • A 115 RM corn with very good agronomics • Well adapted across irrigated and rainfed systems • Excellent stalks and very good roots • Very good staygreen and intactness • Very good drought tolerance

24BHR93 • Exceptional yield potential over wide area • Taller plant type with excellent stalks and roots, average brittle snap • Unique in lineup in regards to yield potential and maturity

DKC65-71 (115 RM) • A widely adaptable product with high yield potential • Very good overall stress tolerance but responds well to irrigation • Good ear rot package • Very girthy ears that maintain nice kernel depth under stress

22BHR43 • Best suited for moderately productive environments • Medium-tall plant with very good stalks and roots • Very good Southern movement for maturity and very good drought tolerance

DKC66-40 (115RM) • Very good top-end yield potential • Broadly adaptable in Coastal geographies • Very good drought tolerance • Dual-purpose potential

27BHR52 • Excellent all-around performance in MidSouth • Moves South well in high production environments • Girthy ear with good test weight and above-average emergence in cooler soils

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DKC66-87 • A highly adaptable product in 115 and 120 RM zones • Very good roots and stalks • Excellent greensnap tolerance • Very good staygreen and late season appearance • Very good drought tolerance

NK Seeds • N59B Artesian (107 RM) • Exceptional drought tolerance from Agrisure Artesian technology • Maximizes yield when it rains; increases yield when it doesn’t • Top-end yield potential makes this a great choice for highly managed acres • Strong emergence and seedling vigor allows for early planting N74L (114 RM) • Sound agronomics for stability • Solid emergence to start strong • Very good drought tolerance to protect yield • Moderate ear height and strong green snap tolerance • Available as E-Z Refuge N78C (118 RM) • Tough hybrid for lower-yield environments • Very good early season establishment characteristics • Strong drought and heat tolerance • Full flex ear type for low population environments

Mycogen Seeds 2Y744 (113 RM) • Roundup Ready hybrid with excellent emergence and early vigor • Solid stalks, excellent roots and large flex ear for top-end yields • Good performance on highly managed acres and in favorable environments

POINTERS

Visit The Web For More Info On Southern Corn Hybrids ■ AgVenture Midsouth: agventuremidsouth.com ■ AgVenture East Tennessee/North Carolina: sweetwatercreekseeds.com ■ Terral Seed: www.terralseed.com ■ DEKALB: asgrowanddekalb.com ■ Mycogen Seeds: mycogen.com ■ NK Seeds: syngentaseeds.com ■ Pioneer: pioneer.com

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2H877 (117 RM) • SmartStax hybrid broadly adapted to the Mid-South • Good late-season intactness and staygreen • Consistent in both high-yield and stressful environments

• Moderate stature with competitive stalks, superior roots • Above average mid-season brittle stalk resistance • Good southern leaf blight resistance • Expanded insect spectrum option with 20 percent reduced refuge

2D848 (118 RM) • SmartStax hybrid with good late-season intactness and staygreen • Good yield performer in loam soil types, following soybeans, and in conventional and no-till systems

P1739YHR (117 CRM) • Full-season, maximum yield potential option across the Delta and Mid-South • Above average grain quality • Suited for the silt loam soil where stand establishment is critical • An Optimum Intrasect hybrid with 20 percent refuge, excellent stalk strength and moderate grain quality • Also available: Pioneer hybrid P1739R

Pioneer P2089YHR (120 CRM) • Impressive full-season, widely adapted, winning yield potential and good stability • Very good stalks, excellent staygreen and strong mid-season brittle stalk resistance • Exceptional ear flexability expands population options across soil types • An Optimum Intrasect hybrid with 20 percent refuge • Also available: Pioneer hybrid P2088R P2023BVT (120 CRM) • Full-season, heat-tolerant option with high yield potential for wellwatered environments

P1794VYHR (117 CRM) • New, full-season Optimum Leptra hybrid well suited for high-yield irrigated environments • Offers above average root strength and good northern leaf blight resistance • Expanded insect protection with 20 percent reduced refuge P1637VYHR (116 CRM) • New, full-season Optimum Leptra hybrid with proven yield stability • Outstanding performance on sandy, pivot-irrigated fields • Good foliar leaf disease package • Good stalks, superior roots and above average grain quality • Expanded insect protection with 20 percent reduced refuge.

Book your corn seed early and rest assured that you’ll have the brands you

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• Also available: Pioneer hybrids P1637R and P1637YHR P1685YHR (116 CRM) • Established mid-maturity option for maximum and moderate yield environments • An Optimum Intrasect hybrid with 20 percent refuge, solid root and moderate stalk strength • Performs well on the wet-natured rice soils and the loamy sands • Average tolerance to northern leaf blight P1690YHR (116 CRM) • Mid-maturity, widely adapted hybrid for moderate and high yields • Suited for pivot-irrigated situations on coarse-textured Delta soils • Above average rating for stalks and roots; moderate plant and ear height • An Optimum Intrasect hybrid with 20 percent refuge • Also available: Pioneer hybrid P1690R P1498YHR (114 CRM) • Optimum AQUAmax hybrid for low and moderate yield environments • Improved drought tolerance during flowering and grain fill • Fits stress areas and limited irrigation environments • Fast early growth and early flowering for maturity • An Optimum Intrasect hybrid with 20 percent refuge • Also available: Pioneer hybrid P1498R P1319HR (113 CRM) • Early to mid-maturity Southern leader with stable yield potential • Suited for medium-to-good soils under dry land management or lighter irrigated soils • Very good ear flex ability allows moderate populations for drought-prone soils and moderately high populations in productive environments • Solid root strength in tall statured product • Also available: Pioneer hybrid P1319R P1303HR (113 CRM) • Strong agronomics featuring good northern leaf blight resistance • Excellent grain quality option with very high test weight, good Fusarium ear rot resistance and above average heat and drought tolerance • Ideally suited for placement under irrigation and productive dryland situations in eastern coastal plains • Limit areas prone to mid-season brittle stalk CS

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