2024 PLOT HIGHLIGHTS
Corn Rootworm Management
This plot contains heavy corn rootworm pressure. The rootworms did severe damage to the Double Pro hybrid roots. The stalks have severe root feeding, are goose necked as a result, and the ears are underdeveloped. The SmartStax hybrid roots show very little damage, with long feeder roots and stronger ear development. The SmartStax Pro hybrid with RNi technology (3 traits for underground rootworm control) has essentially no root feeding, upright stalks, and the best ear development of the three traits.
The addition of newer insecticides Force EVO or Nurizma, that require a starter fertilizer injection system to apply, were beneficial when used with Double Pro hybrids, providing control near (but not equaling) the level obtained with SmartStax trait alone. Older insecticides (bifenthrin products) applied with starter fertilizer helped control rootworm pressure slightly better than the untreated Double Pro and may still be beneficial where rootworm pressure is low or in addition to a trait like SmartStax under extreme pressure.
Brad’s Recommendation: Select your trait package to match your pressure first and then apply insecticide if it is warranted.
2024 Harvest Highlights - Soybean
Bath Research & Technology Plots
1.) Seed treatment with a full F&I returned somewhere between 3 and 5 bu/ac vs untreated see, depending on treatment, continuing the now 13-year trend! CruiserMaxx APX is phenomenal. If there is a significant disease threat or presence, the additional fungicide additives, including Saltro, look stunning and do add to yield. CruiserMaxx APX is again the easiest input decision to make for soybeans, in my opinion.
2.) Soybean Management is a system of components with large interaction. The Addition and Deletion Trial is really interesting to look at. Full management with a focus on yield added nearly 9 bushels of yield vs basic management. The largest factors in maintaining high yields for soybeans were variety section and seed treatment, followed closely by adding a plant growth regulator (PGR) to the starter fertilizer.
3.) The value of breaking down residue is clear! Fall treatment with a residue manager like Robust from Rosen's plus a low rate of UAN did indeed result in significantly increased yields vs untreated residue. The fertilizer value of nutrients contained in corn residue can be over $60/ac!
4.) Seed applied nutrition and bio boosters, like Stride Bio, looked good and look to provide solid value over talc + graphite alone.
5.) Foliar fungicides were certainly not phenomenal this year but provided marginal positive economics. I think the dry weather in August really limited the positive effects on the soybean crop.
6.) Foliar stress reduction along with herbicide application is a newer realm of products and testing looked very good. There is some good data in the dataset on products in the trials. I believe this is a product area worth looking into further.