What's in Store for Spring?
AccuWeather.com meteorologists predict Spring could bring a continuation of the active storm track for the Southeast, accompanied by a late start throughout the eastern two thirds of the nation. Full story. First BASF GMO Crop Approved
The Brazilian Biosafety Technical Commission approved genetically modified soybeans jointly developed by BASF and Embrapa, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Cooperative, for meeting the standards and the biosafety for the environment, agriculture, livestock health and human health, according to a news release from BASF. Full story. Obama Announces Steps to Boost Biofuels
President Barack Obama last week laid out three measures he thinks will work in concert to boost biofuels production and reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil. Ag organizations have responded positively. Full story. ASA Opposes Proposed Cuts in Farm Programs
The American Soybean Association said it is disappointed in the Obama Administration's proposals to cut funding for key farm programs, federal crop insurance and the Market Access Program (MAP). Full story. NCGA Videos Promote Ag to Consumers
Two new videos promoting agriculture have been released on the National Corn Growers Association's Web site. Full story. Innovation is Key to Sustainable Ag
Purdue University agronomist Gebisa Ejeta, 2009 World Food Prize laureate, pays special attention to sustainability in agriculture in order to handle the needs of the world's next generation. Full story. Valent Introduces Biorational Business Unit
Valent U.S.A. Corp. has formed a new Biorational Business Unit to focus on delivering effective biorational crop protection and crop enhancement products. Full story. DuPont: Ag Is Key to Global Economic Growth
Ellen Kullman, DuPont CEO, says agriculture is a game-changer that impacts multiple global issues such as hunger, poverty and subsequent effects such as civil unrest. Full story. BASF, DuPont Offer New Marketing Plans
BASF and DuPont are offering separate new marketing programs for the 2010 season. Full story.
 BIG PICTURE
By Doane Economist
In the budget proposal for the new fiscal year, USDA made projections for the 2010 corn and soybean crops. Corn production was estimated at 12.96 billion bushels, which would be the third largest corn crops following 2009 and 2007. USDA used a planted acreage estimate of 88 million acres of corn, which would be up 1.5 million from 2009. For soybeans, USDA estimated the crop at 3.23 billion bushel, which would be the second largest crop following the record 2009 crop. USDA used an acreage estimate of 76.5 million acres, which would be down 1 million from 2009. In a report released Jan. 12, USDA pegged winter wheat plantings for 2010 at only 37.1 million acres, the smallest since 1913. USDA is projecting a wheat crop of 2 billion bushels in 2010 compared to the 2.216 billion bushels produced last year. Cotton production was estimated at 15.5 million bales, which would be up 3.5 million from last year. Acreage put in cotton is projected to be 10.5 million acres versus 9.01 million in 2009.
By Quint Studer
It happens to the best of us. An upset client calls to complain about a product or service, and you're completely caught off guard. How do you react? Do you fly off the handle right along with him? Or do you respond in a calm, thoughtful way that salvages and even strengthens your relationship? Author Maribeth Kuzmeski says that a high-pressure scenario doesn't have to blow your client relationship sky-high. In fact, you can use it as an opportunity to truly connect with your client and keep him around for the long haul. Full story.
Foliar fungicides can be an important part of wheat production in South Dakota; they are used to protect against or manage several disease problems that growers occasionally face. Adoption of foliar fungicides has been very common in recent years. Full story.
Now that the 2009 crop has been harvested, it's time to take a look forward and prepare for an even better season next year. Many decisions will have to be made before the growing season begins again, including an assessment of the specific nutrient requirement of each field that will be needed to support high yields again next year. Full story.
AgProfessional Media Center
|
 Brad Rippey, USDA agricultural meteorologist, says all of February will probably be stormy with the likelihood of temperatures turning colder in the second half of the month. The USDA issued this news report explaining the connection between agriculture and the weather. View video.
By Dennis Berglund, CPCC-I
We should try to improve the acres that we currently farm, before we increase our acres! Full story.
Click here for more Crop Talk articles.
|
|
New patented technology gives
soybeans a boost
This fall, Becker Underwood introduced a new multi-component, growth-promoting seed treatment system for soybeans — VAULT® HP. The HP stands for High Performance and describes the power this new system brings to U.S. soybean growers.
New VAULT HP is comprised of three main components. The first is a patented growth promoter. This component helps enhance plant performance in a number of ways, including stimulating the rapid production of large numbers of highly-active nitrogen-fixing nodules on the plant's roots. Its science is unique from any other promoter-based product available.
The second part of the VAULT HP system is Integral® biofungicide. Most chemical fungicide seed treatments only provide early-season protection. This EPA-registered product is designed to extend protection from soil-borne diseases like rhizoctonia and fusarium well into the growing season, even after any chemical seed-treatment protection has run its course.
The third component is a high concentration of fresh rhizobia bacteria. These bacteria inhabit the root nodules and perform the actual conversion of atmospheric nitrogen to a form useable by the plant (ammonium). VAULT HP delivers a minimum 10 billion of these active bacteria per milliliter of product. That's the highest live rhizobia count commercially available in a multi-component treatment system.
These bacteria are specially selected for their ability to fix nitrogen and are produced using a totally new growth and packaging system. The exclusive packaging and nutritional supplements used are designed to enhance the bacteria's survival and to preserve them in a highly viable condition for a longer time period, even after their application to the seed.
Growers see faster plant growth that yields higher performance
The combination of rapid establishment of highly vigorous rhizobia-filled nodules and added disease protection means soybeans can get off to a faster start with VAULT HP. Most growers who saw VAULT HP as an experimental product last spring in research or test plots reported that soybean plants treated with VAULT HP emerged and grew faster. They also reported that the plants produced more roots and had more active nitrogen-fixing root nodules per plant than non-treated seed. The difference was often easy to observe, right to the row. The plants were larger, greener and healthier looking through the growing season. And, healthier plants lead to more yield potential at harvest.
Lowest application rate — just 2.0 fluid ounces per hundredweight of seed
Another feature of the new VAULT HP growth-promoter system is its ultra-low application rate. At only 2.0 fluid ounces of liquid product per 100 pounds of seed, it's the lowest rate available in a liquid soybean product having high rhizobia counts as part of the system. New VAULT HP is conveniently applied by professional seed dealers and treaters at planting time. The ultra-low volume application lowers total applied liquid volume when it is applied in combination with various other compatible seed-applied fungicides, insecticides or required system treatments.
Improved on-seed survival and a new, more accurate ratings system
An area important to both growers and seed treaters is how long treatments remain viable on the seed after application. A longer days-on-seed viability rating allows treaters to extend their work load window of application in the spring. It also provides growers more assurance of maximum product performance. With the new class of multi-component products now available, it's important to understand that each component may have a different rating for its on-seed viability. Some companies may claim a very long days-on-seed rating for their product. That rating, however, may apply only to its longest-lasting component. If a product claims to contain a rhizobial bacteria component, it's important to realize that this component is typically the most "sensitive" and shortest-lived part.
To help give growers and treaters a more accurate measurement of product viability, Becker Underwood is introducing the Component Viability Rating™ system for its multi-component products. The on-seed viability rating for each component will be included because we believe that each component of the product is critical for maximum performance. We encourage you to ask for the component ratings of other products and compare apples-to-apples when evaluating which product to recommend or use.
Benefits to almost every soybean field
The powerful components of the VAULT HP system can help improve the potential of almost any soybean field. Since the components work with both existing native rhizobia populations and the high numbers of fresh, high-performance rhizobia, you can recommend new VAULT HP for every soybean acre. Dealers, seed treaters and soybean producers can all benefit from the nodulation and growth-enhancing yield potential of new VAULT HP multi-component, growth-enhancing soybean seed treatment from Becker Underwood. |
|
|
|
