New Addition to the Liqui-Grow Team

Brad Bernhard was born and raised on a hog and grain farm in Elwood, IL. Recently, he earned his Ph.D. in Crop Sciences from the University of Illinois under the advisement of Dr. Fred Below. As part of the Crop Physiology Laboratory, Brad’s research focused on characterizing hybrids that would yield greater when planted at higher planting populations and/or narrower row spacings. In addition, Brad evaluated different nitrogen management strategies including band vs. broadcast nitrogen prior to planting along with different nitrogen sidedress application technologies (coulter vs. Y-drop).

The key takeaways from his research include:

Soybean Industry Updates

"We are currently testing soybeans to bring forward in 2020."

2019 has been a year for the books! We have seen a lot of mergers, buy-outs and technology advancements, so here are some key take-aways and highlights from what has happened and how it affects the soybean industry.

First I’d like to start with our new exclusive Armor dealership. Because of Armor’s agreements, we will be able to provide soybeans in various trait platforms to give our customers the options they have been asking for. We are currently testing soybeans to bring forward in 2020, and you can see those in plots across our trade area.

Bayer became the proud owner of Monsanto back on August 21, 2018. To make this happen, Bayer sold their Credenz soybean product line to BASF. We have been able to keep our Credenz dealership because of our strong partnership with BASF. Bayer has a new soybean technology to get excited about as well, XtendFlex. ®Xtendflex® soybeans are tolerant to glyphosate, glufosinate and dicamba offering more options to control weeds. Xtendflex soybeans are currently not approved for commercial use, but are in the testing phases to bring the best yield and genetics to farmers.

Risk Factors for Foliar Diseases in Corn - 2019

"The wet weather will allow foliar diseases to more easily infect corn leaves."

Nothing about 2019 has been easy thus far. For many of us, saturated soils and excessive rain have delayed planting and have made all other field operations difficult. While I’d rather not give you another worry, I’d be remiss as your agronomist if I did not inform you that several risk factors for significant foliar diseases in corn are developing.

Lack of tillage in the fall of 2018 and colder winter and spring temperatures have resulted in higher than normal corn residue and foliar disease inoculum carryover into the 2019 growing season.

NOAA and the National Weather Service predict higher than normal precipitation to continue (bit.ly/noaa3monthoutlook). The wet weather will allow foliar diseases to more easily infect corn leaves.

Disease pressure builds and reaches its maximum toward mid and late Aug. In 2019 much of our corn will still be accumulating significant amounts of grain yield well into late Aug, and therefore more susceptible to yield losses from foliar diseases.

Fungicides: multiple mode of action are far superior

I also wanted to remind you that if you chose to use a fungicide it can be tempting to select single mode of action fungicide (normally strobilurin or group 11) given their reduced cost, but University studies clearly show that dual or multiple mode of action fungicides (strobilurin+triazole or group 3+11) are far superior at protecting yield.