VOLUME 9 • ISSUE 7 • JULY 2014 Agronomy Update is a monthly publication provided to producers free of charge. AgVenture, Inc. and its independently owned and operated Regional Seed Companies are dedicated to providing producers exceptional seed products -- genetics and technologies, professional service, and local knowledge of agronomic conditions impacting producer profitability. Grow with Confidence! UAVs Offer Crop Surveillance Agronomic applications for UAVs  Herbicide Injury AgVenture’s Dr. Keith Campbell  Weed Populations notes a huge interest in the use of  Soybean cyst nematode damage Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs or  Hail or wind damage drones) for agricultural purposes  Tile liners and field drainage patterns across the region. “UAVs allow producers a host of agronomic  Plant stand benefits for field surveillance. That  Spatial and temporal arrangements of objects, eye in the sky can help understand events how your management practices are working, as well as assess any problem areas.” The UAV regulatory process is in formation. The U.S. Congress has directed the Federal Aviation Administration to work with universities and the military to formulate policies to describe integration of UAVs into U.S. airspace. Revisions to existing regulations are expected by September 2014. Striped Corn Leaves Striped leaves in corn or Intervenial chlorosis may indicate nutrient deficiencies, the presence of nematodes, or herbicide injury. Plant sampling, tissue samples, and soil sampling can help determine and identify the correct culprit. Examples of various nutrient deficiencies include:  Sulphur (S): Striping or overall yellowing of leaves. Common conditions that promote S deficiency include cold, wet, low organic matter (OM), sandy soils, high residue and no-till.  Zinc: (Zn): Striping that begins at base of leaf and progresses up to the tip. Stripes may coalesce to form white band on edge of leaf. High pH, low OM, sandy soils are most prone in cool, cloudy conditions.  Magnesium (Mg): Striping and/or reddening on leaves. Yellow areas may appear dotted together rather than striped. May occur where pH is low, but can occur at high pH if calcium imbalance is present. High soil potassium (K) and high applications of K and anhydrous can aggravate Mg deficiency.  Manganese (Mn): Olive green to mustard yellow striping where veins remain green. High pH, high OM and dry soils reduce Mn availability in some soils. (Sources: AgVenture, Inc., Purdue University, Iowa State University. Photo: University of Arkansas) Sample for Corn Nematodes Photo: Iowa State University Mid-season is a great time to sample for the presence corn nematodes. Mid-season is an ideal time to collect samples as nematode numbers are likely highest. One exception is the needle nematode which would be most present in spring or fall. Lance and lesion nematodes can cause vast yield losses. Left undetected, corn nematodes cause severe damage to population densities, plant health and ultimately yield potential. Talk with your AgVenture AYS to learn more about sampling roots and soil to determine the presence and infestation level of corn nematodes. ®, ™ trademarks of AgVenture, Inc. ©AgVenture, Inc. 2014 AgVenture, Inc. Sudden Death Syndrome Threat Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) is among four top yield is the nation’s largest network of independently owned regional seed companies. Based in Kentland, Indiana, AgVenture provides a growing network of independently owned and managed regional seed companies with seed products meeting exacting standards for quality, together with leading-edge genetics and technology. robbing diseases in soybeans. It is being widely reported this season. Excessive soil moisture conditions early in the season have allowed Fusarium fungi to infect and rot soybean roots in some fields. The fungus produces plant toxins that results in foliar symptoms, especially interveinal yellowing and death, and severe defoliation and pod drop in severe instances. Brown stem rot symptoms look much the same on the leaves, but to determine if it is SDS, split the lower stem. Where SDS is responsible for symptoms, the pith will Left: SDS infection Right: BSR infection remain white. With brown stem rot, the pith is discolored and a brownish color (source: Purdue University http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=046Z2jo9t2Q). Since 1983, this unique marketing approach has allowed each individual company to match the hybrids it sells to the specific needs of the geographical area it serves. Combined with professional seed representation at a local level, AgVenture strives to help every grower realize more profit from every field. Grow with Confidence! Trait Talk Understanding Reduced & Single Bag Refuge Options: What is in a Name? AgVenture Product & Technology Business Manager, Jeanne Storey says a few basics can help customers better recognize just what is in that seed bag. ® ® AgVenture reduced refuge products are in the Optimum Intrasect family and are indicated by “YHB” or “YHBW” at the end of our product name. “Y” ® indicates the YieldGard Corn Borer event which is in both of these ® products. The “H” indicates the presence of a Herculex trait. This can be ® either the Herculex I above ground event in the “YHB” or the stacked ® ® Herculex XTRA event in the “YHBW”. Since the Optimum Intrasect Xtra, “YHBW”, contains only one mode of action for rootworm resistance, it carries a 10% refuge requirement. The Optimum Intrasect, “YHB”, carries a 5% refuge requirement in the Cornbelt. These two Intrasect products when blended with an herbicide tolerant refuge component make up our “in-the-bag” refuge products. Optimum Intrasect Xtra is the major component in the ® ® blended product known as Optimum AcreMax Xtra which would be designated by “AMX” at the end of the product name. Likewise the “YHB” product is the major component in the Optimum AcreMax products designated with “AM”. AgVenture blended products that start with ® just “R” will only have Roundup tolerance in the refuge component whereas; a blended ® product starting with “RL” has both Roundup and Liberty tolerance. Optimum®, Intrasect®, and AcreMax® are trademarks of Pioneer. ®Herculex is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Roundup Ready®and YieldGard®are registered trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC used under license. Liberty® is a registered trademark of Bayer. Have a product trait questions? Send an email to Jeanne Storey at: [email protected]. Connect with us on: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.agventure.com