Corn

Comparing ‘24 Seed Options

 

Determining which hybrids and varieties are the best fit for your operation in the new year. 

Harvest is underway and NOW is the time to lock in your seed for 2024. Although there are a ton of good options for seed in 2024, here are five corn hybrids and soybean varieties we recommend you look at as you head into the new year:

5 Corn Hybrids for ‘24

 

Brevant B11C37AM 

B11C37AM is a 111 day hybrid that offers a high level of resistance to a variety of common diseases, specifically:

  • Gray Leaf Spot
  • Northern/Southern Corn Leaf Blight 
  • Goss’s Wilt

Additionally, this seed hybrid showcases strong stalk and root structure, and good green snap tolerance. We have also been pleased with its performance on drought acres. Keep your eyes peeled in the fall as B11C37AM has great stay green tolerance and harvest appearance, so it can stand well into the season and offers up the ability to be harvested later.

 

Brevant B14H38AM

B14H38AM is a 114 day, late-maturing hybrid. It is strictly an Acre Max (AM) product, and performs best when planted into bean stubble.

This product is the real deal! It’s a true 114, with a nice combination of yield and agronomics to back it up! Keep it on your highly productive acres to maximize its potential. Here’s what you can expect to see from B14H38: 

  • Good green snap tolerance. 
  • High response to fungicide applications. 
  • Strong tolerance to Gray Leaf Spot, Northern/Southern Corn Leaf Blight and Goss’s Wilt.

 

DeKalb DKC66-04SS/DKC66-06TRE  

This hybrid comes in 2 trait options: SmartStax (SS) & Trecepta (TRE) and is a 116 day hybrid. DKC66-04/06RIB has great agronomic performance and yield potential across all acres, but performs best on well-drained soils. As for disease tolerance, DKC66-04RIB has good tolerance to: 

  • Northern Corn Leaf Blight
  • Gray Leaf Spot
  • Goss’s Wilt
  • Anthracnose Stalk Rot

As we move South where Southern Rust is common, we recommend a fungicide application. We’re excited about the yield potential this 116 day hybrid brings to our farmers with good dry down to be able to manage harvest.    

In 2022, DKC66-04RIB had a 67% win rate against 187 comparisons in local research plots. DKC66-04RIB is once again having a very good year across a lot of acres.  Be sure to ask us about it!

 

DeKalb DKC56-26TRE

DKC56-26TRE is unique in that it comes only in a Trecepta trait package. Ask our Liqui-Grow reps on how to place Trecepta! DKC56-26TRE is a solid early corn hybrid that has the ability to perform on any acre including sand, stress or high yielding fields. This corn has some ear flex, so don’t push the populations too high. This seed option performs exceptionally well in high heat and drought years, but like always, if we’re going to ask it to work, we need to apply a fungicide on it to help it along.  

Additionally, DKC56-26TRE has a strong tolerance to the following diseases: 

  • Southern Rust
  • Gray Leaf Spot
  • Anthracnose Stalk Rot

If your field’s are prone to Northern Corn Leaf Blight, consider a fungicide application.

In 2022, DCK56-24TRE ranked 16 out of 111 hybrids in our Liqui-Grow Research Plots.  It’s a head turner for sure, and has been once again as combines have started to roll here in 2023!

 

DeKalb DKC110-10SS

**New Hybrid in 2024!

DKC110-10RIB is new for 2024, and what a year it will make its debut! Even through all the stress and drought, it’s still performing to expectations. This hybrid will only be available in a SmartStax trait package.  

This seed option has very good root and stalk strength, with some ear flex, so don’t overpopulate. If you’re used to the Fast Die/Fast Dry products from DeKalb, this is going to look a little different as it has more staygreen into the fall. DKC110-10RIB is a good candidate for a fungicide application. 

 

5 Soybean Varieties for ‘24

 

Asgrow AG24XF4

**New Variety in 2024!

Packaged to perfection, AG24XF4 is an overall upgrade to the AG24XF1 with more yield potential. It offers a nice defensive package within the 2.4 maturity range. Consider AG24XF4 on acres where White Mold and Sudden Death Syndrome are a concern.

 

 

Brevant B283EE  

**New Variety in 2024!

B283EE is out of the Next Gen of soybeans for Brevant, bringing more yield and genetics to Brevant’s lineup. B283EE is a great bean for farmers who want to start their planting early in the spring.

With its exceptional disease package, B283EE has great tolerance to Sudden Death Syndrome, Brown Stem Rot, Charcoal Rot and White Mold diseases.

 

 

Merschman Cherokee 2429E 

Cherokee 2429E is a 2.9 soybean that is developed to be better on Sudden Death Syndrome acres and increase standability than the varieties that came before it. This seed option is packaged to perform East to West on a variety of soil types. After seeing heavy Phytophthora Root Rot (PRR) this year, we have found that this variety has exceptional tolerance to PRR. 

In 2022, Cherokee 2429E  yielded 106.7% through Merschman testing. We’re very excited to get this bean out into our customers' fields!

 

 

Xitavo XO3131E 

XO313E is good out of the ground and a go-to option for farmers who want to start planting early. XO3131 is versatile enough to go across a variety of acres.

It’s a medium bush plant type so to maximize branching & yield within your soybean crops, consider a moderate to lower plant population. XO3131E can handle both wide row or narrow row planting.

In 2022, Cherokee 2429E  yielded 106.7% through Merschman testing. We’re very excited to get this bean out into our customers' fields!

 

 

This is just the tip of the iceberg for seed options for your farm! As ‘23 harvest rolls on, be sure to check out our seed variety plot data results!

To hear more of what we have to offer heading into the new year, and to lock in your seed hybrids and varieties, talk with your local Liqui-Grow Sales Rep! Some varieties have limited supply, so we recommend securing your seed options as soon as possible. 

Questions? Give us a shout! 

Text us at 564-220-2508 or email questions@liqui-grow.com.

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Managing Tar Spot This Season

 

Tar Spot. This seven letter word is causing headaches to many farmers across the nation. Tar Spot Disease has been on a non-stop track of multiplying since its first appearance in the corn belt back in 2015. 

Originating from South America, this disease is quite a ways from “home,” so what keeps it sticking around year after year? Let’s find out. 

When conditions are right

Summer months bring much more than watermelon, pool days and bonfires. Not only are people more active, but these warmer days and cool, dewy nights create the perfect environment for Tar Spot to become active in your fields too. 

The sweet-spot for this fungus to grow is when temperatures average around 60-70ºF at night with high humidity levels (we’re talking 75% plus!). Not only are these temperatures and humidity levels ideal for Tar Spot, but the corn leaves seem to be quite the resting place for this disease to develop — especially if the leaves are dewy for an average of seven hours per night. 

On average, we see Tar Spot pop up in corn fields starting at V10, but if the conditions are right, this disease is able to infest fields at earlier growth stages too. Having the ability to identify and manage Tar Spot in a timely manner not only impacts your crops, but your economic payback at harvest too. 

Putting Tar Spot under the microscope

Tar Spot is commonly mistaken as Southern Rust or Common Rust, but what makes it different? Tar Spot shows up as black spots within the leaf, whereas rust is commonly found on top of the surface. Plus, rust is able to be scraped away, but not Tar Spot. Tar Spot lesions are also dark brown to black in color, whereas rust has more red-orange toned specks on the leaf surface. 

Though individual Tar Spot lesions might not look too deadly on your crop, they quickly multiply. Each speck has over 10,000 spores infected with this disease, and once you get it, it is quite a pain to get rid of. 

In fact, Tar Spot is able to overwinter in fields and be passed down from crop generation to generation—not to mention the ease of infestation through wind transfer. Another reason why it is important to monitor your fields and take action quickly if the disease starts to appear. 

Tar Spot is commonly found near the ear leaf on the plant, both on the upper and lower sides of the leaves. From the ear leaf up on the plant, sugars are being developed to help build yield as the crop progresses towards harvest. Thus, it is important to identify and manage this disease early on.  As it works its way up the plant, you may see the ends of some leaves start to turn brown and die off.

To ensure you identify this disease properly—and a proper plan of action is implemented—talk with your local Liqui-Grow agronomist. 

Impacting your crop

Though these tiny specks might not seem too detrimental to your crop, Tar Spot has been proven to result in poor grain fill, kernel abortion, reduced kernel weight and can even cause the stalks to fold over in half – literally bringing them to their “knees.”

In more severe cases, Tar Spot has reduced yield by more than 100 bushels per acre!

Management practices to consider

Though tar spot may already be infesting your fields, it is hard to see the visual impact until around 20 days after the infestation has started. As time progresses, you will start to see the black lesions appear, and you’ll want to ensure you have a timely fungicide application to reduce crop risk as the season continues. 

A fungicide application at VT with multiple modes of action such as RevyTech®, Veltyma® or Delaro® Complete is preferred, but depending on the time of year, product availability may be limited. 

We’re here to help! Contact your local Liqui-Grow office for assistance in scouting your fields for Tar Spot and other diseases and determining the right fungicide application, to help protect the yield you’ve been generating this season. 

 

Questions? Give us a shout! 

Text us at 564-220-2508 or email questions@liqui-grow.com.

 

Resources: 

https://corn.ipmpipe.org/tarspot/

https://crop-protection-network.s3.amazonaws.com/publications/tar-spot-filename-2019-03-25-120313.pdf 

Guide to Disease Management and Fungicides for Corn and Soybeans

 

“What diseases should I be looking for this season? How can I prevent or treat them?”

These are questions we commonly hear from customers this time of year. As we progress through the hot summer months, the threat of disease looms in fields. 

Kurt Maertens, technical agronomist at BASF, joined Dr. Jake Vossenkemper to discuss what to expect for fungal diseases this season and best management practices for fungicide application in our latest L.E.A.D. Academy Webinar.

If you have high-performing fields, you may wonder whether a fungicide application is necessary. In a 2020 study on soybeans, we found that high-yielding fields actually see an even bigger impact from fungicide and insecticide applications.

In the study, we tested a set of “normal management” plots and a set of “high yield management” plots. The study was conducted over three sites and replicated a minimum of six times per site. 

In the end, we saw a yield increase of 5.5 bushels per acre in the normal management and 8.1 bushels per acre in the high yield management category, all from an R3 fungicide and insecticide application.

Identifying Fungal Diseases in Corn

Common diseases we are seeing in corn in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois include Gray Leaf Spot, Northern Corn Leaf Blight and, on the top of many farmers’ minds, Tar Spot. Generally, moisture and temperature determine which of these diseases we see in fields, and to what extent.


Gray Leaf Spot

Gray Leaf Spot is distinguished by long, rectangular lesions that may resemble a cigar. Some hybrids handle Gray Leaf Spot a little bit differently and may have smaller lesions. If left untreated, Gray Leaf Spot will continue to grow and take over the leaf area throughout the season, affecting yields.

Tar Spot

Tar Spot has become fairly familiar to farmers in the Eastern portion of the Corn Belt, but others in the West may experience the disease for the first time this season. As its name implies, Tar Spot lesions look like small raised flecks of tar on the leaf surface—almost like a paintbrush was flung towards the plants—and cannot be rubbed off with a fingernail.  

This disease can be very hard to see at first because those first few tar spot lesions are often very small and infrequent. But, as the disease progresses, the spores multiply and the quantity of lesions on your leaves are very noticeable. By the end of the season, you may have leaves completely covered in them. And, based on what we’ve seen in fields, this progression can be very rapid.

Overwintering is another important consideration for Gray Leaf Spot and Tar Spot. The spores from disease last year overwinter in the crop residue, just waiting for the right weather conditions to multiply and infect fields this season.

Rust

Rust is another disease to keep in mind. Tar Spot is easily confused with rust, especially early on. However, Tar Spot lesions are much deeper brown—almost black—compared to  the orange or red appearance of rust.
There are two primary species of rust we see in our customers’ fields: Southern Rust and Common Rust.

Common Rust is more frequently seen in our service area than southern rust, but Southern Rust has a more serious impact. Common Rust typically shows up as a raised lesion with a dark red color, and there may be three or four lesions in any given area.

Southern Rust lesions are more light red to orange in color and have a lot of powder. If you knock a leaf and orange powder comes off, it’s most likely Southern Rust. We see some instances of Southern Rust almost every year, but the big concern is when it arrives. If you suspect you have Southern Rust in your fields, contact us right away for help controlling this very aggressive species.

Identifying Fungal Diseases in Soybeans

Septoria Brown Spot

The most common soybean disease we see around Eastern Iowa and Northwest Illinois is Septoria Brown Spot. This disease usually starts at the lower canopy and works its way up, slowly impacting yield potential and resulting in significant losses at harvest.  It’s important to protect all of the leaves on soybean plants, because they all help build sugar, produce pods and increase yields. Learn more in one of our weekly short videos on the soybean fungicides.

Frogeye Leaf Spot

In other areas, Frog Eye Leaf Spot is of greater concern. We are seeing some resistance to certain fungicides in that disease. If Frog Eye Leaf Spot infects a field, it produces a larger lesion that can have detrimental effects on soybeans.

Frog Eye Leaf Spot in soybeans is similar to Southern Rust in corn. It’s not a common occurrence every year, but when it does appear, it can drastically lower yields. 

Much like the corn diseases, Frog Eye Leaf Spot and Septoria Brown Spot overwinter in last year’s crop residue, waiting for the right weather conditions to appear.

Treating Fungal Diseases

Corn

The best way to avoid disease pressure is through prevention with fungicide applications. Our recommendation is applying at VT/R1 on corn. 

In recent years, two applications of fungicide has become a viable management consideration for many. The general recommendation from Liqui-Grow is a second application three weeks after the first VT/R1 application, which provides enough residual to protect the crop through the black layer stage. We recommend two applications in years with heavy disease pressure and in regions heavily infected with Tar Spot.

Fields with higher disease susceptibility are irrigated fields, high fertility fields, fields that receive manure applications, and long term corn-on-corn fields. Since moisture is one of the key drivers for developing these diseases, irrigated fields should plan on two applications for maximum effectiveness.

Soybeans

For soybeans, R3 is the optimal time for a fungicide/insecticide application. At this stage, the plant has produced a majority of its nodes, including the main yield-producing nodes that develop in the middle of the R3 stage. Plus, there is adequate leaf cover to protect the plant and absorb the fungicide and insecticide that’s sprayed.

Fungicide Selection

Along with timing, fungicide selection and resistance can be a concern for growers.

In certain pockets across the Midwest, we do see Frog Eye Leaf Spot and Septoria Brown Spot start to become resistant to a certain mode of action of fungicide—strobilurons. But, most of our fungicides are formulated with multiple modes of action. 

Fungicides formulated today use a combination of demethylation inhibitors (DMIs) and succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHIs) along with the strobilurons. Combining all these modes of action is the best way to prevent resistance and to get good control over disease.

Disease can be damaging to yields, under the perfect growing environments, but with properly timed fungicide and insecticide applications, you can help protect your fields. 

Give us a call today at 563-359-3624 to schedule your fungicide application. You can also text us at 564-220-2508 or email questions@liqui-grow.com.

Managing Corn in Dry Conditions

Dry corn field in drought

As drought conditions continue to affect much of the upper Midwest, row crop farmers are evaluating their corn and making nutrient decisions to prepare for this fall’s harvest. While the actions of Mother Nature are out of our control, there are positives to the current crop conditions that producers can manage throughout the summer months.

First and foremost, while the conditions are starting to affect yield, it often takes a severe drought to drastically hamper yield numbers. At the V12 stage, corn uses about .26” of water each day, making it very resilient even in dry conditions. And according to drought maps in early June, much of the upper Midwest is in the lower drought ranking.

US Drought Monitor map

Early Signs of Water Stress

As you watch your corn throughout the day, you’ll likely see rolled leaves during the heat of the day. While it doesn’t look the best, rolled leaves are actually a good sign that the plant is protecting itself. 

During the day, the top inches of soil dry out under the sun’s pressure, and water is lost from the root area of the plant. This lack of moisture causes the leaves to roll as the crop works to conserve moisture. Early in the morning and later in the evening, though, you should see a more normal leaf structure. In these cooler portions of the day (and overnight), moisture returns from high density areas to low areas, and the plant is able to absorb the water back into its roots to stay healthy, and from there the leaves will unroll.

Supporting Corn through Drought

So, how can you help your corn battle dry conditions and still grow a successful crop? 

The number one management tip is ensuring the plant has adequate potassium levels available. As potassium regulates movement of water in the plant, keeping this nutrient at a desirable level will help the plant to absorb whatever water is available. 

Potassium deficiencies often start in the lower leaves of the plant and work their way up. And the higher in a plant the deficiency exists, the more impact it has on yield. Monitor your fields for potassium deficiency, which shows up in a “burned” appearance on the edges of leaves, starting at lower canopies in plants.

Staying vigilant against pests and disease that attack the root system is also important. As water absorption becomes even more crucial in dry conditions, ensuring the plant has healthy, adequate root structures will keep available water flowing and improve overall plant performance.

We can’t control the weather, but we can control our response to it. Contact us to discuss what options are available to ensure your crops have the nutrients they need year-round. 

Text us at 564-220-2508 or email questions@liqui-grow.com.

Nitrogen Deficiency or Normal Leaf Senescence

Between the R2 and R3 stage, the corn has take up about 75% of the nitrogen for the season. During this time I am often asked “Is my crop running out of nitrogen?”

One common confusion is that many of the symptoms shown in the lower canopy of healthy corn, where there is not a lot of sunlight anymore, falsely resemble a true nitrogen deficiency.

Normal Re-mobilization Nitrogen Deficiency Vs True Nitrogen Deficiency

Even when corn has the optimal nitrogen levels, it’s normal for the very bottom leaves to die off. The corn has out grown those leaves because sunlight cannot reach them anymore. The nitrogen nutrients mobilize and move to the more effective leaves, higher in the canopy.

When taking a closer look, these normal re-mobilization nitrogen deficiencies differ from true nitrogen deficiencies. First, it only effects the very bottom leaves, the next leaf up will be fully green and healthy. Also, you wont see the classic yellow inverted v down the center of the leaf that comes with true nitrogen deficiency. What you will more likely see is just a yellowing on the outside of the leaf that moves it’s way inward.

Armor Spotlight: 0711VT2P/SS

At armor strip trial. To help advance new armor numbers that we potentially bring to market.

One experimental from last year that we are excited to bring to market in 2021 is 0711. It’s had a stellar and consistent performance.

Last year we not only ran the 0711 hybrid through strip trials but also through the first independent seed testing trials. It excelled in both.
In the first trials, located in southern WI and Norther IL, it placed 2nd among 66 hybrids. In the independent first trials located in central Iowa it placed 11th out of 54 hybrids.

From all the trials it has averaged in the top ten hybrids. Besides being reliable, it has shown excellent standability, and it comes out of the ground well.

Stalk Lodging in Potassium Deficient Corn

In July we had over 60 mph winds at our Walcott Iowa research farm and I noticed some stalk lodging.

As you may know, corn with lower than optimal potassium levels, yield less grain. On top of that, potassium deficiency also reduces stalk strength, causing both root and stalk lodging.

 

Decision Drivers for Foliar Fungicide Application

With the weather forecast in the 90s for July, the most significant disease expected is Grey Leaf Spot. When deciding whether or not to apply fungicide, the gut reaction tends to be based on corn prices. Yes the price of corn has an impact on the profitability of apply fungicide, but there are other decision drivers to consider.

You should consider these big time drivers for fungicide response:

Crop Rotation – If you are on corn after corn, expect a much higher response to fungicide than normal
Tillage Method -Reduced-till, no-till or strip-till create higher amounts of residue that can harbor diseases.

Another helpful tip is understanding the hybrid’s response to fungicide application. We have a great partnership with WinField United and they do several tests comparing hybrids with and without fungicide application. This helps us inform you of the genetic predispositions of various hybrids and their response to foliar fungicide.

If you have any questions, please contact us. We are here to help.

563-359-3624
800-397-8946

Dekalb 61-40/41 Product Spotlight

The DKC 61-40/41 is a valley girl. She is high maintenance but brings the yield! The hybrid features high drought and heat tolerance, but doesn’t handle water as well. Place it on well drained acres. The roots are narrow and penetrating. Keep the population moderate to prevent the roots mass from dwindling and getting “tippy”.

 

Corn on Corn Management

photo of rows of corn for decorative purpose

Video

Dr. Brad Bernhard discusses the key management factors needed to overcome the yield penalty when planting corn on corn.

 

  • Residue Management
    • bury or size the residue

     

  • Nitrogen Management
    • keep nitrogen fertilizer and residue apart

     

  • Starter Fertilizer
    • helps plants overcome early season nutrient deficiencies

     

  • Field Selection
    • select high yielding fields

     

  • Foliar Fungicides
    • disease protection

     

  • Hybrid Selectionge
    • stress emergence, yield stability, and disease package