Managing Plants
Chemicals For Corn, Soybeans, Enhance Plant Performance
INA, ILL.
Plant performance on corn, soybeans and
wheat was a topic discussed recently by
Sarah Gehant, Technical Support Representative
for Syngenta for the states of Kentucky,
Southern Illinois, and Southern Indiana.
“As we try to maximize yields with the current
high commodity prices, growers are managing
their crops with early season weed control, seed
treatment, and insect control,” she said. “In addition,
growers are focusing on managing their
crops later season, through the reproductive
stages of the crop. Late season is when the
plants are doing the most reproductive work of
their lives. That process can be enhanced with
Quilt on corn, and Quadris on soybeans.”
On soybeans the application is Quadris at six
ounces applied at R3. At this stage, the plant is
at the mid-point of pod development. That’s
when the soybean plant is setting up to keep as
many pods as possible and fill those pods to the
largest size beans with the largest test weight.
“Our goal is to keep the plant from being negatively
impacted from disease and insects, with
Quadris in combination with Warrior II for
Japanese beetle, aphids and corn rootworm
adults,” Gehant said. “On average over the last
seven years, we have maximized yields to the
tune of about five to six bushel per acre.”
Stress in general can cause soybeans to lose
pods. This includes excessive heat, lack of moisture,
disease and insects.
“Lack of moisture, insect damage and disease
pressure will cause soybean plants to abort pods
all the way up through R5 which is pretty far
along,” she said. “So if we can keep the number
of pods consistent on the plant, maximize and
then protect those beans within those pods,
that’s what we’re trying to do to maximize yields.
Our goal is to eliminate as many stressors as
possible so the beans are set up to maximize
yield.”
“When you move into corn it’s the same deal,”
she said. “With Quilt we target our timing
through the R1 stage because that’s when the
corn plant is doing the most reproductive work
of its life. Something to consider is if you plant
your corn at 30,000 population and that plant
produces three kernels more per ear, that is an
increase per ear of a bushel per acre.”
Growers should begin applying Quilt when
they start to see silk, and continue applications
through brown silk.
“On corn, most of the Quilt applications are
going on by air because of the height of the
plant,” Gehant continued. “Syngenta has
worked very hard with the aerial applicators to
make sure that all the applicators are calibrated.
They know how many acres they’re spraying per
load. They use GPS so they really do a nice job.
They’re flying about 140 miles an hour and
they’re 14 feet over the canopy.”
Gehant said it is more difficult with the smaller
fields such as those in Southern Illinois and
Southern Indiana.
“Applications are more difficult and a number
of our retailers in those areas are using helicopters,”
she said. “The cost for the recommended
rate of these chemicals is $13 to $14 an acre for
either Quilt or Quadris.
“Also, because of the insect pressure present
in both crops, Japanese beetle, corn rootworm
adults, grasshopppers, stinkbug in soybeans,
we’re recommending Warrior II, which is our
new formulation of Warrior for 2008,” she said.
“It’s basically twice as concentrated as last
year’s formulation. So we’re looking at one and
a half ounces of that to control the insects which
are also feeding on the reproductive part of the
plant.”
Syngenta is traditionally the largest fungicide
company in the world, which includes disease
control in corn, soybeans and wheat.
“Now, as growers see the value of these crops
increasing, they’re wanting to maximize yields
and their profitability on these acres,” she
added. “These products are a major item that
farmers need to consider.” Δ