Farmers Have New R-I-B Option

Posted on November 28, 2011 by John Latham, President

There’s big news across the seed industry! Genuity® VT Double PRO® RIB Complete™ recently received registration from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

This is great news for Latham Hi-Tech Seeds customers as they will have another true, single-bag refuge option (RIB) for managing above-ground pests. Genuity VT2 PRO RIB Complete, as well as Genuity® SmartStax® RIB Complete, will be broadly available to farmers in 2012.

Latham’s Genuity VT2 PRO RIB Complete is a blend of 95% Genuity VT Double Pro and 5% refuge (non-BT) seed, delivering the lowest refuge in the corn growing area for above ground pests. VT2 PRO is actually a triple-stack product as it contains two traits for above-ground protection of pests like European Corn Borer, Corn Earworm and Fall Armyworm, in addition to the Roundup Ready trait. I look at this product as a different kind of triple stack, one that is specifically made for rotated ground and not for corn-on-corn situations.
Contact your local Latham® dealer or call our office at 1-877-GO-LATHAM to order your Latham Genuity VT2 PRO today!

The following Latham hybrids are still available as Latham Genuity VT Double Pro RIB Complete: LH 3557 VT2 PRO, LH 4227 VT2 PRO, LH 5465 VT2 PRO and LH 5875 VT2 PRO. All four of these products are tremendous new genetics that offer fantastic top-end yields in rotated ground.

“Refuge Made Simple” by Latham

Posted on November 1, 2011 by John Latham, President

For years, the word “refuge” could bring on an unwelcome headache to corn growers. Determining how many units of a refuge hybrid were needed and in which configuration to plant them was confusing. Now Latham’s Refuge in a Bag (RIB) is making the complex world of refuge simple.

The RIB concept involves mixing refuge seed with both the corn borer and rootworm insect protected corn seed, so growers have everything they need to be refuge compliant in just one bag. Growers are no longer required to weigh adjacent versus in-field configurations; they can simply open the bag and pour.

At Latham Hi-Tech Seeds, growers will be able to purchase the first single-bag RIB solution for the 2012 season: Genuity® SmartStax® RIB Complete™ Corn, a blend of 95% traited seed and 5% refuge seed. When growers begin looking to plant RIB products, it’s important to remember that yield comes first. Growers shouldn’t have to plant a product that may have yield drag in order to receive all of the other great benefits that come with RIB. We’ve found 5% products provide the simplicity wanted without sacrificing yield. Be aware, however, not all RIB products are created equal.

Whether you’re making decisions on traits and genetics or weighing RIB products, the focus should remain on what will always be most important. Genetics make yield; traits protect yield.
At the end of the day, the product needs to be the right fit for a grower’s farm.

For more tips on selecting the right seed for your situation, visit www.thefieldposition.com.

WHY DROPPED EARS ARE WIDESPREAD IN 2011

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Mark Grundmeier, Product Manager

It’s been said that a 1,000 variables affect a crop from the time seed is planted in the spring until grain is harvested that fall. The 2011 growing season certainly put that theory to the test!

Many Midwest growers planted their crops much later than they would’ve liked because heavy spring rainfalls prevented them from getting in the fields any sooner. Just when plants started to look really good across much of the country, several thousand crop acres were hit by straight-line winds in July and August. Then, adding insult to injury, many of these same areas suffered from excessive heat and lack of moisture during a key period of crop development in late summer. In addition to these challenging growing season conditions, this fall many fields suffered from an early frost plus were subject to rapid dry down from above-normal fall temperatures.

Environmental conditions in 2011 certainly weakened corn stalks and predisposed ears to drop at the shank. It’s no wonder that Wallaces Farmer reports corn lodging is a greater problem than normal, with 21% of Iowa’s corn crop experiencing moderate to heavy lodging compared to 10% on average. And 10% of Iowa’s corn crop is experiencing moderate to heavy ear droppage compared to 5% normally.

Although stalk rot is the cause of lodging in most cases, they are not the only cause. Below are other reasons for early ear droppage:

Damage to conventional hybrids by European Corn Borer. Ears that have dropped and still have husks on them are typically caused by European corn borer.
Nutrient imbalances and/or deficiencies predispose corn plants to stalk rot and stalk lodging. Potassium deficiency has been shown to reduce stalk quality and strength, and stalk rot resistance.
When fast dry down occurs, the ear shank may not develop properly. Sometimes a shank gets pinched if there are a lot of aborted kernels near the butt of the ear, thus leading to poor attachment and wind causes ears to drop.

Several environmental factors contributed to the higher amount of ear droppage this fall. While we can’t control Mother Nature, we can help minimize its effects through hybrid selection. When making purchasing decisions for the 2012 growing season, remember that not all hybrids offer the same degree of stalk strength and some are more susceptible than others to stalk rot. Search for the strongest genetic package that delivers the traits needed to fit your particular growing situation.

At Latham Hi-Tech Seeds, we partner with our farmer-customers to identify the traits necessary for their growing conditions, above- and/or below-ground pests and weed control options. A new option for corn growers in 2012 is Refuge in a Bag (RIB), which makes the complex world of refuge simple. The RIB concept involves mixing the refuge seed with both the corn borer and rootworm insect protected corn seed, so growers have everything they need to be refuge compliant in just one bag. Growers no longer need to weigh adjacent versus in-field configurations; they can simply open the bag and pour. Growers will be able to purchase the first single-bag RIB solution for the 2012 season from Latham Hi-Tech Seeds. Genuity® SmartStax® RIB Complete™ Corn, a blend of 95% traited seed and 5% refuge seed. With only 5% refuge seed, you’ll be able to protect more of your acres from corn borer in the year ahead.