If I were to ask the question, “What are the two largest management factors that come to mind when you hear soybean management factors?” What would your answer be? For myself, the top two things that come to mind are early planting date (late March and April) and herbicide resistance.
Early planting date has arguably been the biggest soybean yield driver because of the increased number of days before the plant starts to flower. This allows... Read More →
ILSOYADVISOR POST
What’s on Your Soybean Seed?
October 26, 2017
As we approach harvest you’re likely already thinking about how to increase your bottom line in 2018. I’d like to share some insight on an often-overlooked investment—soybean seed treatments. With low commodity prices, I don’t blame you for giving in to the temptation of going with an inexpensive soybean seed treatment. They’re often all colored red, so what’s the real difference?
While seed treatments may look the same on the surface, they can significantly vary in performance. A colored seed treatment may not provide optimal protection from early-season insects and diseases. It also can lack certain additives, which are necessary to provide uniform seed coverage and prevent interference with the operation of a planter.
Using a poorly formulated seed treatment risks a situation where the active ingredients fail to stick to the seed. This dust-off means less of the treatment makes it on the seed, leading to a loss of effectiveness in early-season insect and disease protection. The dust-off can also experience off-target movement, staining clothes, skin and equipment and, sometimes, harming off-target pollinators.
Generic or custom blend seed treatments that haven’t been rigorously tested like engineered premixes can also clog up on-farm equipment due to reduced stability and increased product separation.
Dust-off from a generic seed treatment; Rockford, WA, 2017
In an environment where every seed counts, I recommend you ask your seed treater or retailer the following questions:
- What’s on my seed?
- What are the active ingredients?
- What are the rates of the active ingredients?
- Are there any associated plant benefits?
Rather than focusing on just the upfront cost, asking these questions can help you make an informed decision when choosing your soybean seed treatment. Syngenta offers CruiserMaxx® Vibrance® Beans seed treatment, a combination of separately registered products. It is backed by decades of testing with field performance top-of-mind. In addition to uniquely chosen crop-specific polymers that bind active ingredients to the seed coat, CruiserMaxx Vibrance Beans contains plant benefits boosted by the Cruiser® Vigor Effect and an added level of protection with the unique RootingPower of Vibrance fungicide.
To learn more, visit www.SyngentaUS.com/CMVB or ask your seed treater or retailer: What’s on my seed?
Nate Prater is an Illinois-based agronomy service representative at Syngenta. He educates growers on pests, weeds, diseases and other agronomic issues that affect corn and soybean production.
All photos are either the property of Syngenta or are used with permission.
©2017 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. CruiserMaxx Vibrance Beans is an on-seed application of CruiserMaxx Vibrance alone or with Apron XL. Apron XL® , Cruiser® , CruiserMaxx® and Vibrance® are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company.
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