Author Archives: Peter Bixel, Seed-2-Soil Team Leader

About Peter Bixel, Seed-2-Soil Team Leader

Peter’s experience with agriculture and his business acumen make him the natural choice to lead Latham’s Seed2Soil® program, which focuses on the business of farming. He grew up on an Ohio farm where his family produced popcorn, field corn, soybeans and wheat. Peter earned a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business with a minor in Business Administration from Wilmington College. Upon graduation, he served for five years as both location and sales manager for a grain and agronomy retail company in Ohio.

Industry NewsGoal: To Consistently Raise 300-Bushel Corn

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Peter Bixel

Farmers throughout history have raised corn yielding 300 bushels per acre (bu/A). In 1985, Illinois farmer Herman Warsaw produced corn yields of 370 bu/A. Warsaw spent years working toward his goal. He patiently built up soil nutrition and tilth for better plant health.

So what do we need to do to raise 300-bushel corn? Like Warsaw, we must commit to plan. Our plan must involve soil fertility, which takes into account nitrogen and micronutrients. Weather dictates when nitrogen (N) can be applied, its availability to the plant and its usability by the crop.

Nitrogen loss can occur immediately after application, and leaching can occur after N has been incorporated into the soil. That’s why renowned corn yield researcher Dr. Fred Below uses a stabilizer when applying his nitrogen. His fertility program also includes aggressive rates of Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) to push for higher yields. Potassium is very important but is often lacking, especially in a drought year like 2012.

“As growers, we need to look at agronomy first. It’s important to build a good database for each field, understand interactions of nutrients and use the tools to apply the agronomy,” said Ron Olson, who was one of the first consultants nationwide to use GPS/GIS tools to assist farmers in managing Precision Ag databases. From 1974 to 1996, Ron owned an independent agronomic consulting company based in Illinois.

Today Ron serves as Research and Development Manager – New Products for the Mosaic Company. During a recent presentation in Des Moines to Seed-2-Soil and SciMax client, Ron admitted that a lot of work must be done to consistently achieve 300-bushel corn yields. However, he says taking incremental steps will lead to higher yields overall.

Nutrient management is key to increasing yield, according to research done in cooperation with Dr. Below and the University of Illinois. This research uses “omission plots” that compare corn both with and without fertilizer, fungicide, insecticide and seed treatments. While yields increase with each of these additions, fertility has the most impact.

In addition nutrient management, other factors influence yield. Click here to see Dr. Below’s 7 Wonders of the Corn World, which are the seven factors that have the most influence on yield.

Maximize Yield on Every Acre with Integrated Systems

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Peter Bixel

by Peter Bixel, Seed-to-Soil® Lead

Dale Sorenson, Commercial Breeding Lead for Monsanto, last week talked with a group of Seed-to-Soil and SciMax clients about maximizing yield potential on every acre through integrated farming systems. Integrated Farming Systems include: improved weed management, pest protection, disease protection, stress tolerance, and increased yield potential.

One technology to help maximum yield potential is Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System for soybeans. Also in Monsanto’s pipeline is Corn Rootworm III Technology, designed to complement current commercial traits. This “next generation corn rootworm technology” will attack corn rootworm through a new mode of action using a natural process different than Bt.

New programs for Goss’s Wilt protection and Gray Leaf Spot resistance also are in the pipeline. . Monsanto’s Ag Biologicals Platform is focusing on BioDirect™, which is designed to target glyphosate-resistant weeds for better control. BioDirect™ was also seen to provide protection against insect pests and reduce symptoms of viruses.

While weed management and pest protection are certainly two important factors when maximizing yield potential on each acre, seed selection is perhaps the single most important factor. Traited products from Latham Hi-Tech Seeds combine industry-leading genetics with industry-leading traits from technology providers like Monsanto.

NOTE: Not all traited products offer rootworm protection. Herculex I, for example, has resistance/tolerance to Liberty, Roundup and corn borer. Herc 1, however, does not protect against corn rootworm. A person can’t just assume that a “Bt hybrid” will have rootworm protection.

Take some time now to review what seed you’re planning to plant in which fields. Planning pays! Seed can have a 700% return on investment… What else does?

Apply Fungicides to Increase ROI

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Guest blog post by Peter Bixel, Seed-2-Soil® Team Lead

Corn rootworm beetles are starting to show up, so spraying insecticide will help control them for this year and the next.

Does the suggestion to spray again now make you shake your head? Around this time of year, I hear a lot of farmers say they’re done spending money on this crop. “I don’t want to spend another dollar on that acre,” they’ll commonly respond discussing the seasonal application of fungicide, insecticide and micronutrients.

Here’s a clear and simple thought:

A business decision that returns the investment is a sound decision. If a treatment, such as fungicide on corn will yield 80 bushels per acre while the untreated check yields 68 bushels per acre, is that a solid recommendation? You bet it is!

That’s why we recommend a fungicide, along with an insecticide, for corn-on-corn and certain hybrids that respond to this application. With an average of 5 plus bushels, how can you afford not to? Focus on ROI, not emotion, as you engage in late input decisions.

Latham Hi-Tech Seeds recommends applying fungicides to the following hybrids: LH 5078 VT3 PRO, LH 5228 VT3, LH 5376 VT3, LH 5464 VT2 PRO, LH 5465 VT2 PRO, LH 5686 VT3 PRO, LH 5877 VT3 PRO, LH 5982 GT, LH 6392 GT, LH 6394 3000GT, and LH 6396 3111.

One final reason you might want to apply fungicides is because it helps corn when it’s especially stressed due to heat and drought. Our crops are certainly stressed this season!