Nashville, Tennessee
February 29, 2008
Growers can overcome the “yield
ding” in corn-on-corn with the right hybrid, the right nitrogen
strategy and a little luck from Mother Nature. That’s according
to Dr. Fred Below, professor of crop physiology at the
University of Illinois, speaking on Friday at the 2008 Commodity
Classic in Nashville, Tennessee. His remarks were part of a
Learning Center session on protecting yield potential in
corn-on-corn.
Improved disease resistance, emergence, stalk strength and other
genetic advances are giving growers better hybrid choices for
continuous corn, said Below. But perhaps most exciting is
research demonstrating increased nitrogen capture from
triple-stack corn hybrids that include a transgenic trait for
rootworm resistance.
“We don’t typically talk about nitrogen management and rootworm
control in the same presentation,” said Below. “But we’re
finding growing evidence that triple stack hybrids do a better
job of taking in water and nutrients from the soil.”
Below said research conducted at the University of Illinois in
2006 and Syngenta Learning Centers™ in 2007 demonstrates better
nitrogen capture and increased yield from rootworm-resistant
corn hybrids over a range of rootworm infestation levels, from
low to high.
“Looking at yields and nitrogen rates averaged over eight
replicated trials in 2007, we found that a 100-pound N rate on
corn hybrids with the Agrisure® RW rootworm trait produced a
higher yield than twice the N rate applied to the same corn
hybrid without rootworm protection,” said Below.
Where transgenics are planted back to back, Bruce Battles,
agronomy marketing manager with Syngenta Seeds, Inc., encouraged
using trait rotation as needed to allow for volunteer corn
control.
“Other than cultivation, utilizing herbicide-tolerant traits is
really your only option when it comes to controlling volunteer
corn in corn,” said Battles. Without that option, Battles said
growers face a potential yield penalty of up to 20% based on
results from Syngenta Agronomy Research trials as well as
university studies.
“If you planted an Agrisure RW hybrid with glyphosate tolerance
last year, we advise rotating to an Agrisure RW hybrid with the
LibertyLink® gene this year,” said Battles. Another option would
be planting a hybrid with Agrisure 3000GT, a new quad stack from
Garst®, Golden Harvest® and NK® Brand that combines corn borer
and rootworm resistance with glyphosate and glufosinate
(LIBERTY®) herbicide tolerance.
What about third-year corn? Both Battles and Below advised
rotating back to soybeans after two years of corn.
“Throwing soybeans in every third year will reduce your residue
levels and that’s only going to help by reducing the vector for
plant diseases and allowing your soils to warm up sooner,” said
Below.
Battles pointed out that growers still have volunteer corn
control options when growing three or more years of continuous
corn. For example, he said, growers could plant back-to-back
Agrisure CB/LL/RW hybrids and alternate between preemergence
herbicide programs and glufosinate-based herbicide programs.
“If the view from the combine looks like you may have a
volunteer corn problem the following year, then you still have
the option of planting an Agrisure 3000GT hybrid and controlling
the volunteers with Touchdown Total® herbicide.”
Syngenta is a world-leading agribusiness committed to
sustainable agriculture through innovative research and
technology. The company is a leader in crop protection, and
ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Sales in
2007 were approximately $9.2 billion. Syngenta employs over
21,000 people in more than 90 countries. Syngenta is listed on
the Swiss stock exchange (SYNN) and in New York (SYT). Further
information is available at
www.syngenta.com.
Agrisure® NK® and Touchdown Total® are trademarks of a Syngenta
Group Company.
Garst® is a registered trademark of Garst Seed Company.
Golden Harvest® is a registered trademark of Golden Harvest
Seeds, Inc.
LIBERTY® and LibertyLink® are trademarks of Bayer. |
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