ASK THE AGRONOMIST BLOG

We have it on good authority that planting is underway in parts of Texas, but it’s still several weeks away for some areas as Winter Storm Oaklee bears down and brings with it snow and ice to cover the north and northeast regions. For those in the field already — we can’t wait to hear from you as planting progresses. For those who still have several weeks to go, our regional sales agronomists (RSAs) have dusted off a few of their go-to tips to prepare for #Plant22.

“As we get into the planting season, the biggest thing I say to growers is to make sure soil conditions are good before planting any corn or soybeans. Getting the best start for any corn or soybean plant should be your number one focus. Many growers will plant soybeans early again if conditions allow, so make sure you consider seed treatments to protect the seed to the fullest.” — Dustin Ellis, Region 4 RSA (north-central Iowa)

“A tip I highly recommend moving forward is that we all plan for the possibility of a drought this year. We are currently behind in moisture as we sit now. It’s always a good idea to pay attention to where we stand with moisture.” — Joe Gorenz, Region 11 RSA (northeastern and central Illinois)

“My key recommendations would be to remember planter maintenance before you get to the field, and know your soil temperatures, not just air temperature. Just because it’s 70 degrees does not necessarily mean soil temperatures are correct for seed germination. Soil temperature at planting depth must be a stable 50 degrees or more to get both corn and soybeans to germinate. It’s also very important to know the planting forecast for the week after planting and your soil temperature at and after planting. Soil temperatures below 50 degrees will lose both germination and stand counts. Protect your investment and know your soil temperature.” — Kevin Ryan, Region 14 RSA (mid-South)

“Be flexible! Last year brought us many twists and turns. This year is shaping up to be similar. With some products in tight or no supply, Plan A may not be an option. Work with your trusted agronomists to make a plan to help you maintain your sanity throughout this growing season.” — Ted Olson, Region 19 RSA (central Illinois) 

"Make sure you are meeting with your Stine ISR or RSA to ensure you get the right products on the correct acres to maximize yields and your ROI." — Darrin Petty, Region 20 RSA (southwestern Iowa, northwestern Missouri and northeastern Kansas)

“Planting has started in southern Texas, but here are a few of my top tips for growers heading into the season: 

1. Start clean.
2. Be consistent.
3. Never start on a Friday.” — Todd Oliver, Region 27 RSA (Texas)

For more tips on planting season prep, contact your local Stine sales rep or regional sales agronomist. Happy #Plant22!

Spring may not be in the air quite yet for most parts of the Corn Belt and the northern United States, but it’s never too early to get your equipment ready for planting. Whether you’re hitting the field in a till or no-till situation, it’s always best practice to check your equipment to ensure a smooth and efficient planting season. Here are our favorite planting prep tips to get you started.

• Check equipment manuals. It’s always a good idea to brush up on the ins and outs of properly operating and maintaining your equipment. Dust off your equipment manuals and reread whatever is necessary before performing your pre-planting equipment check so that no component goes overlooked.
• Check tires. A quick walk around the equipment can help you spot signs of wear and tear on tractor and planter tires. Make sure all tires have adequate pressure before hitting the field. And growers especially need to pay close attention to their gauge wheels on the planter to ensure the row units will make proper contact with the ground. It’s also important to check closing and depth wheels.
• Check software. Equipment comes with a lot of different electronics nowadays, so checking to see if all computer systems are calibrated and software is operational is imperative before you hit the field. Precision software manages row spacing, planting population and seed depth, to name a few, so it must be properly calibrated to achieve proper seeding rates and seed-to-soil contact.
• Check chains and bearings. Chains and bearings may need lubrication so that they’re operating smoothly and not kinking. Kinking and friction could cause issues with the equipment’s functionality. Also, make sure that all chains and bearings are on tight.
• Check lights. Planting requires early mornings and late nights in the field. You, of course, want proper lighting so you can see your way in and out of the field, but it’s always important to have your lights in working order for others to see you. Check your regular headlights, taillights and hazards on all equipment you use for planting season.
• Check for proper seed-to-soil placement. This is a really important step for all growers. To ensure proper soil penetration and seed placement, growers need to not only check gauge wheels as previously mentioned, but they also need to check that wheels and cut blades are clean; disc blades are free of chips and cracks; and seed tubes, meter, and planter units are free of wear and tear. Not checking this equipment can lead to improper seed-to-soil contact and can lead to skips in the field or inaccurate seed depth. It’s also best practice to test the equipment beforehand to make sure it’s making proper seed furrows and that the machine will allow for proper singulation and spacing.
• Check hydraulics. Hydraulic hoses are exposed to various weather elements throughout the year, so it’s important to check that there aren’t any leaks or cracks. Make replacements and repairs where needed.
• Check cylinders. Cylinders are there to fold and unfold your planting equipment. These are extremely important as you hit the road to the field. You never know where you need to fold your equipment up to allow for passersby on the highway or fold them back down to pass under a power line. Test them a few times before you even hit the road!
• Remember safety first. Know the rules of moving equipment on public roads and around power lines. Remember to get enough sleep so that you’re alert and can avoid accidents. Employ a buddy system for moving equipment, and always have your phone on you in the event an incident should occur. Safety should always be a top priority during the busy planting season.

For more tips on equipment prep, contact your local Stine sales rep or regional sales agronomist. Here’s to a safe and successful planting season (when we’re ready for it)!

Last summer, Stine offered dicamba damage testing at no charge to grower customers to help them identify whether their fields had been impacted by off-target movement of dicamba. Again this year, Stine is offering to pay for processing of samples to test for the presence of dicamba for concerned customers.

2021 dicamba testing results
Unfortunately, the use of post-applied dicamba continues to present a significant amount of risk to both growers and applicators. This is something we confirmed through our program last year. In 2021, roughly 75% of the samples submitted from across the United States tested positive for the presence of dicamba. Specific results follow.

• Taking out samples that could not be processed due to sample prep errors, we had 322 total dicamba test samples processed. Of those:
  • 239 tested positive for the presence of dicamba in the sample (75%).
  • The lowest detected presence was 1 ppb.
  • The highest amount detected was 93.9 ppb.
  • The overall average among all positives was 7.6 ppb.
  • Samples were received from 16 states.
• In addition, a third-party testing lab (different than the one that we used for our samples in 2021) disclosed to us that last summer their dicamba positivity rate for foliar samples submitted was 88%.

This testing program clearly indicates that the damage we’re seeing to soybeans throughout the country is not due to drought or other environmental stressors, as some may suggest. In most cases (75% in 2021) dicamba movement was the culprit behind field damage in the fields we tested.

2022 expectations
Despite several states implementing additional dicamba spray restrictions for the 2022 growing season, we anticipate that this year we will once again be dealing with lots of dicamba damage. For grower customers who are interested in participating in Stine’s 2022 dicamba testing program, reach out to your local Stine sales rep or regional sales agronomist who can walk you through testing protocols for the program. By obtaining and submitting timely samples for testing, you can get a clear picture of the situation.

As always, at Stine, we believe that soybean growers need as many options as possible to achieve sound and effective weed control. We remain committed to offering our customers a multitude of options, all packaged in high-yielding genetics, to ensure your fields are positioned for success now and in the future.