ASK THE AGRONOMIST BLOG

The 66th annual Farm Progress Show took place last week, where growers across the Midwest gathered to learn about the latest and greatest farm and agronomic technologies. At the Stine booth, there was a resounding interest in one technology in particular — Stine^® Enlist E3^™ soybeans. Stine Enlist E3 soybeans offer growers an advanced herbicide-tolerant trait technology for high yields and exceptional performance. There’s no doubt in my mind that Enlist E3 will be the Cadillac option this year, giving growers a much-needed platform for weed control — one that we’ve needed for several years now. Growers are going to benefit from Liberty^® (glufosinate), glyphosate and a new 2,4-D choline. All these herbicides layered together are going to give us hands down the best weed control in the industry. Here are a few additional advantages of Stine Enlist E3 soybeans. 

• Stine has the industry’s broadest lineups of Enlist E3 soybeans, with 75 different options for growers to choose from in 2020.

• Stine’s expansive lineup of Enlist E3 soybeans spans from a 003 maturity to a 53 maturity so that growers have options for their field type and growing environment.

• Stine Enlist E3 soybeans are developed with the kind of high-yielding genetics that growers have come to expect from Stine.

• Enlist Duo^® herbicide with Colex-D^® technology is now labeled for use over the top of Enlist E3 soybeans and contains a proprietary blend of glyphosate and Dow AgroSciences' new 2,4-D choline for unrivaled weed control designed to land and stay on target. In fact, Enlist Duo cuts drift by as much as 90 percent, making this a very neighbor friendly herbicide option. Enlist Duo also boasts the same wide application window you’re used to with glyphosate.
  
  
• Enlist One™ herbicide with Colex D technology is also labeled for use over Enlist E3 soybeans. Enlist One can be used in a tank mix with glufosinate and other qualified tank-mix products, helping growers tackle glyphosate-resistant or hard-to-control broadleaf weeds from 3" to 6" tall. This is the option I typically recommend for in-season, over the top weed control. 

Whether your situation calls for a longer-maturity soybean or an outstanding disease package, Stine has an Enlist E3 option for you. Contact your local Stine sales representative for more information and consult our 2020 Stine Seed Catalog for a full list of our Enlist E3 lineup. You can also listen to this interview with Stine Director of Agronomy and Todd Schomburg and Brownfield Ag News about Stine Enlist E3 soybeans.

As the name of the weed suggests, waterhemp — a member of the pigweed family that affects soybean fields — thrives in areas where there’s been a lot of moisture. This year, that’s pretty much the entire country. Flooding exacerbates the spread of waterhemp, which a few years ago used to be a problem only in the South but has gradually made its way up to the northern United States. Now, to make matters worse for growers, scientists have discovered another strain of herbicide-resistant waterhemp.

According to the University of Illinois Extension, certain strains of waterhemp are now resistant to the Group 15 herbicide family. Extension experts note this includes herbicides with the following active ingredients: acetochlor, dimethenamid, metolachlor, pyroxasulfone and S-metolachlor. Waterhemp has also shown resistance to six other herbicide groups, including Group 2 (ALS inhibitors), Group 5 (triazines), Group 14 (PPO inhibitors), Group 9 (glyphosate), Group 27 (HPPD inhibitors) and Group 4 (2,4-D).

What does this mean for soybean growers? Growers will need to use multiple herbicide families, mixing up different modes of action. If they have a weed that’s resistant to whatever herbicide they’re using, multiple chemical families within your chemical program are a must. Start with clean fields and then come back with a post-emerge after the crop is up and weeds are within the legal range. You can even come back and spray a different family within the post-emerge, adding additional residual into the mix.

Growers who are using the Stine^® Enlist E3^™ soybean system this growing season will be at an advantage. Waterhemp shows itself to be increasingly problematic when it comes to single-mode or glyphosate-based soybean platforms. This reason is why we are so excited to see the Enlist E3 soybeans finally hit the market. So far, we have seen it in burndown scenarios, and the weed control of not just waterhemp but also marestail and other significant weeds has been absolutely fantastic! My expectation with all the rain we are receiving is that weed pressure will continue to be tremendous, and those weeds, especially waterhemp, will be very robust and tough to kill this year. Having a platform like Enlist E3 is a lifesaver because it offers three modes of action to tackle these weeds.

Experts note waterhemp can reduce yields by up to 44 percent. Each waterhemp plant has the ability to produce up to one million seeds, making it extremely problematic to control. At Stine, we’re working diligently to test different traits and herbicide modes of action in our test plots. Our goal with these plots, located in Adel, Iowa; Edgerton, Kansas; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Windom, Minnesota; and Reynolds, Indiana, is to test what works best against weeds in general. We’re looking at different types of applications and chemistries to see what’s going to do a better job this year in controlling all weeds. And with the wet condition this year, it’s going to be interesting to see which herbicide combination really works the best and how the weeds affect yield.

Talk to your local Stine sales agronomist if you’re experiencing problems with waterhemp and other weeds this growing season.

We’re 20 days out from the first day of spring. That means it’s time to dust off your planting plan. One of the big-ticket items on your checklist as spring rolls around should be to prepare your equipment for what lies ahead. Here are some recommendations to ensure your field and equipment are ready to go come spring planting season.  

1. Make sure the software is up to date. If you are using a variable rate or precision planter, make sure everything is properly programmed and in working order. If you don’t have this technology for your planter, look at your field maps and make adjustments manually. Calibrate all meters and field-mapping software. Make sure that all adjustments are made prior to planting to ensure proper seed placement and desired population.
2. If you’re a no-till grower, make sure you’ve prepped your planter so that it will achieve proper soil penetration and seed placement. Make sure you’ve cleaned the wheels, cut the blades and tested the equipment to make proper seed furrows.  
3. Check equipment for signs of wear and tear. Check bearings, seals, openers, row cleaners, closing wheels, vacuum/air lines, tires and seed tubes for signs of rust, cracks and loose ends. Fix and/or replace parts as necessary to ensure the equipment runs smoothly and won’t result in uneven spacing or improper seed-to-soil contact.
4. Check the field and weather conditions before you plant. If the soil is too wet, you risk side wall compaction which can affect plant stand and emergence. I recommend waiting until the ground temperature holds steady at 50 degrees for at least three days before planting. Ensuring your equipment is operating properly before hitting the field will also help prevent compaction.
5. Inclement weather can delay planting, so it’s important to be in contact with your Stine seed representative to discuss corn hybrid and soybean variety placement on each acre. If planting is delayed, you may need to consider a different maturity. If soils are cool, it is important to make sure you are planting a hybrid with a good cold emergence rating. This will help give that field some added vigor when trying to emerge in cooler than desired soil temps. Your Stine sales representative can assist you with any last-minute seed placement decisions.

For more tips for planting season, contact your local Stine sales rep.