Agronomy Zone 9

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• Jeff Anderson (12)
• Clint Bounds (1)
• Dustin Ellis (1)
• John Furlong (10)
• Brian Hartman (9)
• Rich Howe (3)
• Brad Johnson (2)
• Bill Kessinger (12)
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• Tony Lenz (19)
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• Kyle Ross (15)
• Jim Rowley (14)
• Kevin Ryan (14)
• Todd Schomburg (5)
• Doug Score (1)
• Stine Seed (21)
• Trevor Stockstad (2)
• Louis Sutton (18)
• Kenneth Wolf (2)

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In northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota, growers have seen an increase in poor stalk quality – due to the higher winds, humidity and inclement weather we have been experiencing in the region. Talking with growers and other seed producers, we found that this problem extends across the industry and isn’t limited to just Stine Seed hybrids. While we can’t control the weather (as much as that would help our fields), we can control the hybrids we plant.

I’ve been out in the fields with growers the last couple of months to discuss with them the specific hybrids that will be best suited for their operation and how to deal with the poor stalk quality in their hybrids. There are many different factors that can play into stalk quality, and we look at everything from ground fertility to corn-on-corn placement.

The one thing that I can tell growers is that across the board, we have seen Stine 9311, 9528 and 9731 perform exceptionally well, considering these industry-wide issues. These hybrids offer better standability and stalk quality.

So when you’re thinking about what to plant next season, look at the issues you faced this year and consult your Stine Regional Sales Agronomist to assist you in making those seed choices.

Growers will often approach me at a farm show or other event and inquire about Stine Seed Company.  In the end, the conversation ultimately boils down to one question, "Why should I be planting Stine?"

Following is a short list I have compiled explaining why growers should put their trust in Stine:

• Stine is a family owned company, and the largest privately-held corn and soybean seed company in the U.S.  That means that we see the world from the perspective of an indepedent business operator, just as our customers do.
• In addition to Stine Seed Company, which is the retail seed sales division, the Stine organization also includes Stine Seed Farm, Stine Biotechnology, and Midwest Oilseeds. Together these elements help Stine provide its customers with integrated solutions that will deliver performance on every acre.
• Stine possesses the four key components that are crucial for a seed company’s future success: a base of high-yielding genetics, priority access to traits and technologies plus total freedom to insert genes of interest into those elite genetics, a proven system to evaluate performance of those plants, and a channel to the market.

Of these, the last point is probably the most important of all.  As a company, we feel like we possess the right elements to succeed and grow in this ever-changing business:

• Stine was the first to receive a soybean variety patent
• Stine currently holds more than 800 seed- and technology-related patents
• 1,000,000+ soybean lines screened annually
• 200,000+ corn hybrids tested annually

• Stine possesses its own proprietary plant transformation technology, called the Aerosol Beam Injector (ABI)
• Stine developed the first commercially available biotech soybean

• Stine Elite trials
• Stine Yield In The Field plots
• F.I.R.S.T. trials
• Thousands of local dealer and grower plots

4. A channel to the market

• 10 Regional Managers
• More than 80 District Managers
• 18 Agronomists
• Most importantly, an excellent dealer network

In the end, the goal is to make the highest-yielding seed products possible to maximize profits on every acre you plant.

This year in my region, we ran into a lot of Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS).  SDS is a problem that is compounded by soybean cyst nematode because it primarily enters the plant through the roots early in the year.  Then, if conditions are right later in the summer (lots of rainfall during reproductive stages), the disease progresses and can cause more than 50 percent yield loss.  If you live in Northeast Iowa and had soybeans this year, I’m sure you can attest to this.  The best way to manage SDS is to plant a cyst resistant soybean with an excellent SDS rating, and to delay planting as long as possible. 

With that said, I believe that for my area the main disease to keep an eye out for in 2011 is sclerotinia white mold (SWM).  The reason I believe this is because white mold was the main disease issue in the 2009 growing season.  If you’re in a corn/soybean rotation, soybeans will be going back to the fields that had the white mold two years ago.  So, instead of focusing solely on the issue we had the most trouble with this year (SDS), I believe growers should be more concerned with implementing management practices for SWM in 2011.  The white mold spores can survive for several years in the soil residue and will be readily available to infect soybean plants again this year.  So, my recommendation for soybean fields with a history of SWM is to plant a soybean with an excellent white mold rating, lower your population if possible, plant these fields last and be ready with a fungicide when the soybeans are beginning to establish flowers on the lower portions of the plant.

I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be attentive to the possibility of another year of SDS outbreaks but, in my opinion, white mold poses a greater potential threat for 2011.   

For the most part, crops in northeast Iowa & Wisconsin are looking good.  As is the case across most of the Corn Belt, there has been far too much rain across my region and as a result, the shallow root system may be a cause for concern if things turn dry in August. However, there has been plenty of moisture to get the crop through the crucial pollination period.  It's easy to see the tile lines, but in most areas there has been just enough time to drain the soils between rains to prevent ponding and resulting denitrification from occurring. 

I have found rootworm larvae and a few beetles over the last few weeks, and am beginning to see a few aphids.  Bottom line, barring any hail storms or high winds in the future my region looks to be on track for a bumper crop this year.