27
Feb
2017
Low commodity prices have drastically reduced margins this year and the best way to make a profit will be to utilize all of your tools to their fullest potential. That means making sure your planter is ready for the field before its time to plant.
Categories: Agronomy, N Indiana
Tags: planting, Agronomy, Denny Cobb, indiana agronomy, AgChat, plant17, planting checklist, planter recommendations, seed size, Vacuum Planters
20
Oct
2015
As harvest progresses, you will see yield variabilities that are unparalleled. For many farmers, this will be a first time experience! You will see hybrids and varieties respond with wide yield swings. Just about any stress you can think of has shown up in our region this growing season. Rainfall intensity and frequent occurrences, planting delays, nitrogen losses, and compaction are the big four. Any one, or a combination of these, will hinder product performance this year.
Categories: Agronomy Talk
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, Indiana, Agronomy, Beck's, Nitrogen Loss, Denny Cobb, Cover Crops, Cereal Rye, Agronomy Talk, Michigan, yield swings
Sep
This early fall period gives farmers the opportunity to implement management practices that will benefit them during the 2016 crop season and beyond. Our agronomic area experienced extraordinary rainfall events this past season. The intensive rain events of 2015 have created surface compaction as well as stagnant soils with limited amounts of oxygen and micro life. Cover crops are an excellent means to help cure these issues.
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, Indiana, Agronomy, Beck's, Denny Cobb, Cover Crops, Agronomy Talk, Michigan, soil compaction, Beck's corn champion mix
Aug
Early corn grain fill will be occurring during this period. Virtually all controllable production practices will have been completed with the exception of monitoring non-GMO corn for second generation European corn borer (ECB) infestations, and treating appropriately. This generation generally occurs mid-July to late-August in our area. Trapping adults proves to be the most accurate method of deciding to treat or not. Second generation ECB can be yield devastating. One borer per plant can reduce yield by 7 Bu./A. or more.
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, Indiana, Agronomy, Beck's, Denny Cobb, Agronomy Talk, Michigan, second generation European Corn Borer, late season soybean insecticide
10
This week, central Indiana sales intern Christy Kettler provides an update on crop condition and insect pressure she has been seeing while scouting area fields.
Categories: Agronomy, N Indiana, Michigan
Tags: AgTalk, Agronomy Update, Denny Cobb, michigan agronomy, indiana agronomy, Christy Kettler, Japanese beetles, NCLB, corn tip loss
3
This week, central Indiana sales intern Christy Kettler covers the insect and disease presence she has been seeing while scouting area fields. If you have any questions on these findings or want to learn more, please contact your local seed advisor or dealer.
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, corn, soybeans, intern, Beck's, Agronomy Update, Denny Cobb, agronomist, Christy Kettler, Northern corn leaf blight, Central Indiana, Sales Intern
Jul
As Indiana corn continues to grow, scouting efforts have become more difficult. With some fields averaging over 8 feet tall, patterns are impossible to see from inside the field, which in turn makes diagnosing a field much more difficult. UAV's have proven to be a useful scouting tool in our research this summer, allowing agronomists to see the field from a broad perspective without getting into an airplane or helicopter.
Categories: N Indiana, Michigan
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, Indiana, Beck's, Denny Cobb, Christy Kettler, Japanese beetles, UAV, drone, UAVs, NCLB
Soybean cyst nematode sampling is best done six to eight weeks after planting. Target fields where yields have plateaued, areas with pH>7, and areas where weed control is lacking.
Tags: Agronomy, Denny Cobb, Scouting, Disease, European corn borer, Becks Hybrids, Agronomy Talks, Becks, pests, non-gmo, soybean cyst nematode
22
Jun
In her fourth week of scouting central Indiana fields, sales intern Christy Kettler has been noticing some additional stressors to corn plants currently in the V5 growth stage. See her report below to learn more about the stink bug damage and yellow leaves she has been seeing, as well as her trap findings and what you can expect in the coming weeks.
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, corn, Indiana, Agronomy, Beck's, Denny Cobb, Scouting, Christy Kettler, stink bug, crop damage, corn damage, yellow corn leaves
This is when many of you will likely be making in-crop, post emergence herbicide applications to both corn and soybeans. All post applications should reinforce your earlier herbicide applications. Careful attention and decision making should include: crop growth stage, weed height, environmental conditions, and tank mix additives. If you carefully manage these four key factors, you will not only achieve greater crop safety, but also enhanced herbicide effectiveness.
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, Indiana, Agronomy, Beck's, Denny Cobb, Agronomy Talk, Michigan
Apr
Smaller sized seed corn will be the norm for 2015. As you know, this is a result of an excellent growing season which had very few stressors during the pollination and grain fill periods. Overall, smaller size seed corn poses fewer planting challenges than heavier, larger sized seed. Here are a few pointers for planting small size corn seed.
Tags: Beck's Blog, Beck's Hybrids, AgTalk, corn seed, soybean seed, Agronomy, Beck's Agronomy, Agronomy Update, Denny Cobb, Small corn, large soybeans, 2015 Planting Season
Last fall was not very conducive for applying ammonia (NH3), which brings us to our current situation concerning spring applications. Couple that with wet soils, cooler daytime temperatures this week, and the need to begin corn planting, there are areas of concern! Here are my recommendations regarding spring applications of NH3.
Tags: Beck's Blog, corn planting, Agronomy, Beck's Agronomy, Agronomy Update, Denny Cobb, Missouri Agronomist, Missouri Agronomy, Beck's Agronomist, Spring Ammonia Applications
13
Mar
Premiums for Identity Preserved (IP), non-GMO corn are significant. However, these premiums can easily be reduced or lost when purity standards are not met. GMO pollen drift/contamination is the major contributor to non-GMO premium loss. Let’s review some “pollen” facts...
Tags: Agronomy, Agronomy Update, Denny Cobb, agronomist
16
2014
Tags: AgTalk, Agronomy, Agronomy Update, Denny Cobb
30
May
Below you will find links to the University of Wisconsin's Herbicide Mode of Action Key for Injury Symptoms. This key is designed to help you determine which herbicides may be responsible for suspected herbicide injury.
Tags: Beck's, Agronomy Update, Denny Cobb, Herbicide, Suspected Herbicide Injury
19
Corn Stand Establishment This past week drenched our region with 4 to 6 inches of rain, followed by cool if not cold temperatures. Corn that has germinated and/or emerged (young plants) should be okay. Soybean Stand Establishment Some of the same corn comments hold true for soybeans. About 30% of our area got their soybeans planted last week. Very few fields have emerged. Stand Evaluations By all means, when conditions and fields become fit and suitable for planting, plant the “unplanted” acres first! This will give any “challenged", earlier planted fields time to hopefully recover so a proper assessment can be made. Corn Insects --- Black Cutworm, Slugs, and Armyworm --- Purple Corn
Tags: Beck's, Agronomy Update, Denny Cobb, Corn and Soybean Establishment, Identifying Corn Insects, Stand Evaluations