Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
September 1, 2015
As 2015 corn and soybean harvest nears in the Corn Belt, seed selection is top of mind. Growers are considering these top five agronomic characteristics to increase yield in 2016: disease tolerance, improved standability, insect protection, yield stability and heat tolerance, according to Stratus Ag Research.(1) To maximize yield potential in 2016, Mycogen Seeds will offer corn and soybean growers new products to help them overcome the challenges Mother Nature presents.
“Given current and projected commodity prices, I’m looking for products with excellent yield capability for 2016,” says Tom Leeper, Illinois corn and soybean grower. “They should exhibit strong defensive traits in order to minimize the cost of added inputs and reduce risk.”
Melissa Bell, commercial agronomist for Mycogen Seeds, recommends growers consider grain corn hybrids and soybean varieties with these agronomic characteristics, depending on the challenges presented on their farms:
1. Disease tolerance
Diseases, such as sudden death syndrome and white mold, are two of the most significant threats to soybean yield. Both diseases stressed many soybean fields this summer.
“Selecting soybean varieties with an excellent disease package, such as 5N207R2 and 5N354R2, will help growers address disease concerns,” Bell says.
In 2014 and 2015, northern corn leaf blight and gray leaf spot were prominent in many fields throughout the Corn Belt. For 2016, growers should consider hybrids, such as MY13K77 RA, that stand up to these common diseases.
2. Improved standability
Hybrids such as MY90R27 RA and MY01C77 RA provide above-average staygreen and stalk strength, translating into exceptional standability at harvest. This is especially important in fields with perennial stalk rot issues and for field drying.
Fields with high soybean seeding rates need varieties with strong standability, such as 5N145R2 and 5N293R2. Good standability will help plants thrive as plants compete for nutrients.
3. Insect protection
Growers can combat below- and above-ground pests by selecting SmartStax® hybrids, which offer season-long control. For growers who only need above-ground insect control, they should consider hybrids with PowerCore™ technology.
“Continuous corn acres are subject to higher pest populations,” Bell says. “And late-planted fields can act as a trap crop and attract more insects than earlier-planted fields.”
4. Yield stability
The excess spring rain in 2015 and the 2012 drought are good reminders that there is no normal weather. To handle the unexpected, yield stability is a key consideration for growers. Hybrids such as MY05C67 RA and varieties such as 5N374R2 have a proven track record for performance in both ideal and stressful growing conditions year after year.
“For growers in the Western Corn Belt, look for products, such as those in our stress-tolerant hybrid portfolio, that can stand up to a multitude of stresses the season may bring,” Bell says.
5. Heat tolerance
Growers in areas prone to extreme heat and drought should choose hybrids that can handle high temperatures and low-moisture environments, such as MY11C27 RA and MY13K77 RA. Heat, especially at nighttime and during pollination, causes the plant to focus energy on respiration rather than growth and grain fill.
“The decisions growers make on seed now will impact their farm next year,” Bell says. “By understanding their agronomic priorities, growers can evaluate hybrids and varieties and select the right products for their fields for a successful season.”
These new products from Mycogen Seeds offer disease and trait packages and the right agronomic characteristics to help growers address challenges in their fields. Contact your local Mycogen Seeds commercial agronomist or sales representative to develop a custom crop plan for your fields.
About Mycogen Seeds
Mycogen Seeds is one of America’s fastest-growing seed companies, offering leading genetics in corn, soybeans, silage corn, sunflowers and canola. A retail seed company of Dow AgroSciences LLC, Mycogen Seeds maintains a robust global research and development program to bring growers high-performance genetics with the latest trait technologies. Working together, the people of Mycogen Seeds help growers find opportunity in every acre. For more information about Mycogen brand products, visit www.mycogen.com. Follow Mycogen Seeds on Facebook and YouTube.
About Dow AgroSciences
Dow AgroSciences discovers, develops, and brings to market crop protection and plant biotechnology solutions for the growing world. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, Dow AgroSciences is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company and had annual global sales of $7.3 billion in 2014. Learn more at www.dowagro.com. Follow Dow AgroSciences on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+, or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed.
(1) Stratus Ag Research. 2015. Seed Focus 360, Corn Seed.
(2) Iowa Cooperative Extension. 2015. Towards improved management of Goss’s wilt in corn through enhanced understanding of epidemiological factors associated with the disease.
®Mycogen, the Mycogen Logo and the Refuge Advanced Logo are trademarks of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow. SmartStax® and PowerCore™ multi-event technologies developed by Dow AgroSciences and Monsanto. Always follow IRM, grain marketing and all other stewardship practices and pesticide label directions. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate herbicides. Glyphosate herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your seed representative for the registration status in your state. ®™PowerCore, Roundup Ready, the Roundup Ready Logo, Roundup Ready 2 Yield, the Roundup Ready 2 Yield Logo, SmartStax and the SmartStax Logo are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. ®The LibertyLink Logo is a registered trademark of Bayer CropScience. ©2015 Mycogen Seeds. Mycogen Seeds is an affiliate of Dow AgroSciences LLC.
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