Early Planting Brings Early Stress

This week the Landus agronomists discuss the pros and cons of planting early and the stressors that come with cooler soil temperatures during a volatile spring.

The fertilizer and chemical markets have been bearish since the last agronomy podcast. Short-term prices have increased because we could apply ammonia and plant corn all in the same week across Iowa. Since not a lot was done ahead of time, dry prices spiked, urea rallied $100/ton, and phosphates rallied $50 to $100/ton. Ammonia saw zero price appreciation and has the most pressure. It’s likely going to find global demand in June or July. 

Although the markets are something for the grower to stress about, seeds in the ground are experiencing stress of their own. The best thing Landus growers can do for their corn is reduce stress. The first stressor this season is going to be fluctuating soil temperatures. Technical agronomists Dan Bjorklund and Brad Sherwin talk about predicted crown rot and big return on investments for V5 fungicide applications. 

Soil temperatures were 55-61 degrees when planted the week of 4/5/2023 and in the 40s now — with nighttime temperatures dropping to 28-29 degrees. If corn is planted in these lower temperatures and not growing, favorable conditions for crown rot become more prevalent. 

There’s no magic bullet to fix crown rot. Once the seed is in the soil, it’s in. The best thing to do is keep an eye on it and be ready to go into fungicide application at V5. By applying early, you mitigate potential sustainability and lodging issues later in the season because that’s where it’s really going to show up. The crown rot fungus is being procured right now, so be on the lookout for signs early. 

To better prepare for spraying, sourcing dry insecticides this spring could prove to be a substantial issue. We recommend farmers call the GROW Solutions Center to look for liquid options in the form of biologicals that can work adjacent to other insecticide options for improved yields. It’s important to know if your hybrid is “high yield” or “defensive.” By determining if your hybrid is better at late planting and what product to use and get the most from your data, the Landus GROW Solutions Center can find the best products for your acreage. 

Landus has partnered with Taranis and gathers data for the farmer. The Farnhamville research plot will be using Taranis to gather thousands of data points to determine how different hybrids and biostimulants. 

The Landus GROW Solutions Center is available to help the farmer’s decision-making process and find the best solutions for each unique circumstance. Coming up on two years of service, our ag-specialists are equipped with the best knowledge in agriculture. https://www.landus.ag/solutions-center

This podcast concludes with a conversation between John King and Talus’ Tristan Peitz. Sit in on their discussion on the future of green ammonia and the exciting new chapter in the Talus and Lanudus partnership. 

Be sure to also check out Dan’s new Agronomy Minutes! His latest one is on the specific tells of crown rot in your field.