Pro Farmer Crop Tour - Day 4

Banners - podcast landing page

Eastern & Western Routes - Thursday August 24

Eastern Route - Day 4

Map for Day 4, Eastern Route, Pro Farmer Crop Tour

Western Route - Day 4

Western Crop Tour Route - Day 4

Leader - Jay Zielske, Pioneer Field Agronomist, Southeast Minnesota

Jay Zielske, Pioneer Field Agronomist, Southeast Minnesota
  • Corn currently experiencing significant drought stress across much of the area … worst since 1988.
  • Season began with heavy rains and saturated soils in May with large areas requiring replant.
  • Soybean diseases have been minimal to date however impact of soybean cyst nematode (SCN) has been felt.
  • Soybean crop stands to benefit more so from rain that finally returned in early August.
  • Find more updates & photos.

 

Crop Conditions - Southeast Minnesota

- Jay Zielske

Weather Challenges

  • Some years more unusual than others.
  • Cold wet May resulted in prolonged saturated soils resulting in near record amount of corn replant.
  • Late May rain shut off, and conditions switched to the most severe drought for many since 1988.
  • Drought has been the chief concern throughout the summer in southern and south-central Minnesota.
  • Some relief arrived first week of August:
    • Stabilizing and salvaging the corn crop.
    • Soybeans better positioned to capitalize on August rains.

Corn

  • Dry weather for much of the season led to significantly less Tar Spot.
  • Corn rootworm diapause replaced tar spot as corn farmer’s biggest concern.

Soybeans

Looking Ahead to Harvest

  • Drought stressed crop is likely to race to the finish.
  • Farmers should not waste time getting the crop out of the field.
  • Phantom yield loss is real.


Disease Challenge - Tar Spot

Quoting colleague Josh Shofner:

"You can’t fungicide your way out of Tar Spot.”
  • Dry weather conditions throughout much of the area kept tar spot largely in check.
  • Return to more normal weather conditions will likely bring a return to tar spot in 2024.
  • Farmers in southeast Minnesota remember strategies learned in 2022:
    • Tar spot management begins with hybrid selection.
    • Scouting
    • Timely fungicide applications

Tar Spot treatment comparison

However ...

Extended Diapause of Corn Rootworm Replaced Tar Spot in the Headlines Going into 2023

  • Extended diapause and damage to first year corn from northern corn rootworm is back with a vengeance.
  • First year corn without a below ground rootworm trait or insecticide fell victim to heavy rootworm pressure.
  • High adult beetle populations in 2021 and back-to-back mild winters resulted in high survival rates and heavy pressure.
  • Pioneer® brand Qrome® products fared well under rootworm pressure in 2023 … looking to the future we’re eager to rollout Pioneer® brand Vorceed™ Enlist® products.
  • VORCEED Enlist® technology provides the yield/insect protection / weed control options farmers are looking for.
  • Looking ahead to 2024 whether it be tar spot or extended diapause, Pioneer is positioned to be the LEADER for both challenges.

Rootworm injury to non-rootworm traited hybrid

Rootworm injury to non-rootworm traited hybrid.


Soybean Cyst Nematode

Populations Continue to Build

  • Dry weather has resulted in minimal disease pressure thus far.
  • With dry weather the impact of Soybean Cyst Nematode has been magnified.
  • As part of our summer contact plan sales reps sampled 40 fields of non-Pioneer customers.
    • Nearly 60% of those fields showed high to very high populations even where resistant varieties have been planted.
    • Indication that reliance on PI88788 source of resistance is not enough.
  • Pioneer continues to have success with PEKING source in our A-Series Enlist E3® varieties.

Soybean cyst nematode

 


Mary Gumz - PhD - Pioneer Agronomy Manager

Pioneer Agronomy Manager Mary Gumz

Tar Spot

CU Agronomy Manager Mary Gumz reviews Tar Spot management strategies.
File format not supported. Unable to play audio. Please refresh your browser and try again.

Adam Theis - Portfolio Marketing Leader - Corn

Pioneer Portfolio Marketing Leader for Corn - Adam Theis

What’s Next in Pioneer Corn

Portfolio Marketing Leader Adam Theis reviews new & upcoming corn technologies.
File format not supported. Unable to play audio. Please refresh your browser and try again.

Photo - man reviewing tablet in cornfield - mid season

Social and Apps


Contact

My Local Pioneer Team

Our unmatched team of local professionals live and work in your community. They’re ready to help you select high-yielding products and provide year-round service and expertise. Have questions? Ask your local Pioneer sales representative today.

Find My Sales Rep


Enlist E3 logo

The transgenic soybean event in Enlist E3® soybeans is jointly developed and owned by Corteva Agriscience and M.S. Technologies L.L.C.

Logo - Qrome Products

*Data is based on the average of comparisons made in the US 2019-2021. Comparisons are against all competitors, technology segment matched, unless otherwise stated, and within a +/- 3 CRM of the competitive brand. Efficacy from multiple trials with moderate & high CRW pressure at 8 locations in 2014, 6 locations in 2015, 8 locations in 2016, 8 locations in 2017, 10 locations in 2018, 9 locations in 2019, and 15 locations in 2020.