How do you maximize soybean after soybean production? In this bulletin, PCT | Sunrise® Agronomist, Jonah Johnson highlights the agronomic highpoints for providing high management of your soybean crop with a focus on soybeans back to soybeans, double crop soybeans and inter-seeded soybeans. The purpose of the bulletin is to provide knowledge for high management soybeans striving to hit new yield goals year over year.
Feel free to click on the image to view the PDF. Reach out to your Sunrise Cooperative Agronomy Solutions Advisor with any questions.
BioBuild & StandUp Products Improve Crop NutritionBioBuild® and StandUp® products work together to improve crop nutrition & yield potential. BioBuild N198 w/MIC Nitrogen Management Aid combines a select group of concentrated beneficial microbes with an organic food source applied as a nitrogen management aid for enhanced early growth, vigor and to develop a larger root mass in a corn crop. StandUp Fertizol® Zn increases the length of time zinc is available to the plant. It allows zinc, phosphorus and other micronutrients already present in the soil to be more available for plant uptake.
In a 2-year average BioBuild N198 w/MIC Nitrogen Management Aid had a +3.7 bushel advantage for corn. Find more information on the BioBuild N198 w/MIC Nitrogen Management Aid sell sheet.
In a 3-year average StandUp Fertizol Zn had a +3.8 bushel advantage for corn and a +2.7 bushel advantage for soybeans. Find more information on the StandUp Fertizol Zn sell sheet.
Have further questions? Reach out to a PCT | Sunrise representative today.
Why Do We Have So Much Vomitoxin In Corn?Welcome back to another PCT Short. I’m Jonah Johnson. Across Ohio, we’ve been seeing quite a prevalence of ear molds this year two of the molds specifically that we’ve seen more prevalence of is Gibberella Ear Mold and then Fusarium Ear Mold. Both of these cause mycotoxins and we need to manage those appropriately once we’ve harvested those and take notes of where you may have these ear mold, especially if you have a high prevalence of those in your field.
First of all, Gibberella Ear Mold, it’s an ear mold that also causes Fusarium Head Scab in wheat or cause mycotoxins there as well. This is why we do not recommend having wheat planted after corn or vice versa. It’s typically a pinkish mold that forms on the tip of the ear. If you have hybrids that have tight husks, a lot of upright ears, a lot of water vector that it likes cool and humid conditions.
It is vectored through the silk channels typically. Thinking back to your weather conditions during pollination in early grain fill, that’s what could have vectored that disease. Now, on the flip side, Fusarium ear molds we’re seeing more of this year. This is typically vectored in any time you have insect feeding that penetrates through that husk covering on the ear, it can get in the tips of that.
It also can be vectored through the silk channels down the tip of the ear. But a lot of times when you see that, you’ll see in the images that you’ll have erratic expressions of those kernels looking pinkish white, and then you’ll get a fluffy mold at the tip of the ear as well. And so both these, again, can cause mycotoxins.
Once you harvest those, you want to get that grain dried down to 15% or a little less and cool down as fast as you can. And if preferably if you have hot spots in your fields and you have a lot of that grain, you want to try to isolate that in the bin. But if that’s not possible, get that grain condition quickly and then to keep that that disease from festering inside your bin.
For more on ear molds or any of the topics we discussed today, feel free to inquire here.
2019 Trial DataSince data drives decisions for many farmers, local agronomic experts at PCT | Sunrise® decided to put their line of progressive crop nutrients to the test in comprehensive, on-farm studies.
Collaboration with Sunrise Agronomy Solutions Advisors (ASAs), the PCT team identified plot cooperators who were interested in seeing first hand how crop nutrients and biologicals could benefit their crops. After the first round of products were applied, a group of trained interns surveyed fields each week, taking photos and recording detailed notes.
Products in the PCT | Sunrise lineup that were utilized in trials were the following:
Below you can view the 2019 PCT | Sunrise Plot and Trial Update booklet.
If you have any questions or are interested in being a plot cooperative contact PCT | Sunrise Research Agronomist Bryan Reeb at bryanreeb@sunriseco-op.com.
Top Three Foliar Feeding Products to Fuel Crop Health & High YieldsWhile it’s difficult to predict what the growing season holds, it’s important to approach each one with a mindset of maximizing yields and profits. This is especially key during challenging years when every bushel counts.
Looking ahead to the summer months, researchers at The Ohio State University predict diseases such as frogeye leaf spot in soybeans, gray leaf spot, Northern corn leaf blight and tar spot (a more recent disease occurrence in Ohio) have potential to be problematic in 2019. Many growers know that to stay ahead of disease, insect and weed infestations, one must scout and use timely applications of a crop protection product. Many may not be aware of the benefits that foliar feeding our crops can add to the mix.
PCT | Sunrise® FolrFeed® products are a critical part of filling in nutrition gaps left by traditional fertilizers. They stimulate growth and overall plant health so crops can better tolerate stress from weather, diseases and other yield challenging environments. To experience the best results, foliar feed applications should be applied during the V4-V7 stages in corn and V3-V5 in soybeans. Most can be tank mixed with a post-emergence herbicide or other crop protection products for application efficiency.
PCT | Sunrise® offers several custom options as part of the FolrFeed® and NutraBurst® lineup. Here’s a quick look at the top three to fuel yield potential and healthy plants this season:
This is a must have for late-planted soybeans, since beans planted after April grow faster due to warmer temperatures. Plants that grow too quickly may not be able to take in the nutrients needed to combat stress and diseases. Soy Foliar LITE fuels development and disease resistance with a mix of N-P-K, boron, manganese, growth promoters and sugars. This formula reduces lodging, supports nodule development, plant branching and flower retention, while stimulating the plant’s immune system.
Growers who use glyphosate for post applications on soybeans should consider NutraBurst® Manganese 5%. Manganese is important for photosynthesis and strong vegetative development. Since glyphosate has the potential to tie up manganese in plants, a foliar feed of this type can help offset potential deficiencies.
ZAMBI is a mix of zinc, manganese and boron, with added plant growth regulators, in all promotes kernel-row development on ears and is critical for developing strong roots. This is worth considering for growers who may not have used zinc in their starter fertilizer or through commercial seed treatment.
Have a specific question about an issue or product? Contact a member of our agronomy team for help.
By Mike Cook, Agronomy Solutions Advisor
Complete Your Crop Nutrition Program With a Biological BoostAs farmers develop their crop nutrition game plan, it’s important to understand the role biologicals play in boosting plant and soil health. BioBuild™ is a unique line of biological products developed by local experts to sustainably maximize yield potential in a variety of soils and environmental conditions. PCT Manager, Bob Lucia, is the man behind the chemistry. Below, he shares insights on why biologicals – specifically BioComplete – should be part of your plan.
Q: How do biologicals enhance crop nutrition and yields?
Biologicals provide several benefits to naturally enhance plants and soils. They improve plants’ tolerance to a variety of stress factors, including drought, extreme temperatures and soil salinity. They also enable plants to absorb and utilize nutrients that already exist in soils, reducing the need for fertilizers. By introducing more microorganisms to the soil, biologicals create balanced soils, healthier plants and high yield potential.
BioComplete is one of our biological products that’s easy to use and really stands out for its broad benefits.
Q: What makes BioComplete different from other products?
BioComplete is unique in the biological space because it’s a complete package of more than 20 strains of microbes and organic acids that feed the microbes. Most other products only consist of a single strain and no organic acid. Our microbe complex works as a team to provide a variety of advantages to crops across very broad environmental conditions.
Q: What role does BioComplete play in a full-season approach to crop nutrition?
If we think about the full-season approach to crop nutrition as a game of football, BioComplete is something growers should use during the first or second quarter. It gets the game off to a strong start. Applying it early in the season ensures each seed develops in a robust way. From there, it synergizes with other products in the PCT | Sunrise® lineup to grow healthy crops.
Q: How is BioComplete applied? Is it easy to use?
It can be applied in-furrow, two-by-two or as a foliar. In my experience, in-furrow is the most effective because it introduces the microbes at-plant, very close to the seed. The microbes digest the sugars that come off plant roots and grow with the plant to protect it throughout the entire season.
All of our biological products are easy to apply since they can be tank mixed with other products, including herbicides, fungicides and insecticides. There’s no need to use a separate system or make another pass.
For more information on how BioComplete works with StandUp® starter fertilizers, read this. Also, don’t forget to take advantage of the PCT | Sunrise® Replant Program by January 28, 2019, to get 100 % replant coverage on select starters and BioComplete.
Get a Powerful Start With StandUp® Fertilizer and BioCompleteCold, wet, heavy soils and short planting windows can limit yield potential for even the most superior seed germplasm. Starter fertilizers and biologicals can help minimize these issues for a powerful start to the growing season. It’s a difference that’s noticeable from emergence with uniform stands, vibrant plants and stronger overall growth.
PCT | Sunrise® offers a variety of StandUp® starter fertilizers and BioBuild™ biologicals for a custom approach to crop health. Soils low in potassium (K) and phosphorus (P) benefit from premium corn starters with the added kick of P and K to fuel seedling growth. Pairing these fertilizers with products like BioComplete and C-Green ensure vigorous root development and stress tolerance to withstand cool, wet weather and aid in penetrating compacted soils.
Fertizol™ is another product that gives agronomic crops an edge. It’s a powerful chelating agent that encapsulates existing soil nutrients and makes them available for uptake. This is a great option for growers who already have soils rich in P or who plan to reduce future applications as part of their 4R Nutrient Stewardship program.
The best application method depends on the customer’s planter capabilities and farm business goals. Local PCT sales agronomists work with growers to build custom crop nutrient plans based on each unique situation.
PCT | Sunrise® also offers peace of mind through a replant program, which guarantees 100 percent product replacement when a qualifying weather event occurs. To be eligible for this program farmers must purchase select starters to be applied in-furrow and make arrangements to purchase by January 28, 2019.
Now’s the time to give your 2019 crop a powerful start with improved plant health and high yield potential. Talk with a local PCT expert to get started.
Written By: Tony Ott, Agronomy Solutions Advisor
Start Strong and Get 100% Replant CoverageIt’s time to get your biggest discounts on proven PCT | Sunrise StandUp® starter fertilizers. Talk with your PCT | Sunrise sales representative today to get details on our early pay discounts and how you can get 100% replant coverage on:
• Premium P Corn Starter w/MIC/MAX
• Premium P Corn Starter w/MIC
• Premium K Corn Starter w/MIC/MAX
• Premium K Corn Starter w/MIC
Using PCT | Sunrise BioComplete with an eligible starter fertilizer? It will also be covered for 100% replant.
The 2019 deadline has come and gone but it’s never too early to start planning for next year. Call your Sunrise representative now at 937-693-8311
Maximizing Yields, Plant Health and Profits With Crop Nutrition
The way farmers approach raising high-yield crops is changing. Progressive growers realize the old routine of applying fertilizer and crop protection products, planting crops and harvesting with minimal effort no longer maximizes ROI year after year. However, experimenting with every new technology, trait or product that promises productivity rarely maximizes ROI either.
What’s the most beneficial way to maximize yields, plant health and profits? For Ohio farmers, it starts with understanding the nutritional needs of crops and how biologicals, fertilizers and micronutrients work together to keep crops growing strong throughout the season. From there, it takes examining field data with a PCT | Sunrise® agronomic expert to outline an action plan for healthy crops with high yield potential to aid in maximizing ROI.
Though a full-season approach is best, there’s something for every farm business in the PCT product line-up. Let’s take a look.
StandUp® Starter Fertilizers
StandUp® fertilizers are the first step in nutrient management for corn, soybeans and wheat. Unique formulations supply nutrition to newly planted seed including necessary elements like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium so plants stand strong against adverse soil and weather conditions. Fertizol™ is an especially exciting chelating product that protects nutrients already in the soil and makes them more available to plants.
Benefits: StandUp® starter blends initiate early-season growth for quick, uniform emergence and maximum plant stands. For Ohio farmers and livestock producers living near watersheds, Fertizol™ offers an additional benefit. Since increased regulation may restrict phosphorus application, chelation can help crops utilize and uptake soil available and unavailable phosphorus.
BioBuild™ Biologicals and Biostimulants
BioBuild™ biological products use multiple modes of action and bacteria strains to promote plant growth and overall health. These products can be used throughout the season to develop robust plant roots, mitigate plant stress and break down crop residue to return nutrients to the soil.
Benefits: The fulvic acid and bacteria in BioBuild™ BioComplete create a shield around the root systems for more robust growth and better nutrient uptake. It also boosts flower production in soybeans. BioBuild™ C-Green uses a seaweed extract and organic acids to mitigate plant stress. BioBuild™ Digester is a concentrated blend of microorganisms that break down cellulose, proteins, lipids, starches and chitins in heavy no-till crop residue to release nutrients and build soil health.
FolrFeed® Foliar Enhancement
FolrFeed® products offer solutions for correcting nutrient deficiencies during V2-V8 stages and early protection from pests and diseases. Think of plants in this stage as “teenagers” who need to get vitamins and nutrients to keep them healthy and developing to maturity.
Benefits: Blends of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other micronutrients ensure young corn and soybean plants resist adverse conditions for continued development and achieve high yield potential.
GrainMakerTM Grain Production
GrainMaker™ finishers are effective at helping crops combat heat, diseases and stress typically associated with the dog days of summer. These products are the final step to ensuring maximum yields during R1-R3 in soybeans and VT-R1 in corn. They are easy to blend with fungicides and insecticides for convenient application.
Benefits: Products specially formulated for corn and soybeans contain plant growth regulators to enhance the division of cells as well as leaf and root growth. Soybeans receive boron and sugar to move nutrients throughout the plant, retain flowers and fill pods. For corn, the added sugar promotes pollen tube growth and fertilization to fill out kernels on each ear of corn.
NutraBurstTM Micronutrients
The NutraBurst product family consists of individual micronutrients, including calcium, boron, manganese, copper, zinc and sulfur that provide plants specific benefits throughout the growing season. Micronutrients can either be applied as seed treatments, in-furrow or through foliar applications.
Benefits: Each micronutrient boosts plant health in different ways. For example, boron aids in silking in corn reproduction and boosts flower retention and production in soybeans. Calcium helps plants heal and recover after an environmental incident e.g., a hail storm, and sugar in NutraBurst™ Sugarshot AG protect the plants from drying out in severe heat, as pure cane sugar acts a humectant. See full list of micronutrients.
Get Started
In addition to providing comprehensive crop nutrition, PCT offers a variety of AdjutecTM adjuvants with low use rates to enhance crop protection efficacy, maintain uniform spray patterns and reduce drift. The best part of all this progressive crop technology is that products require minimal to no equipment updates and blend well with others.
Sunrise Cooperative offers a variety of services and programs to help progressive farmers get started with a custom approach to boosting crop nutrition and yields. Contact us to learn more and get started.
Written By: Jonah Johnson, PCT sales agronomist