2020 PLOT DATA CLARIFIES SEED CHOICES FOR 2021

Final analysis is complete on the corn and soybeans in Federated’s Discovery Plots, and various seed products performed consistently well across multiple locations; there were repeat winners year over year as well. “These are the products to pay attention to on your farm, said Kevin Carlson, Federated’s agronomy sales manager.

Federated agronomists compare Discovery Plot data to results from partner plots (e.g., Winfield United Answer Plots) and also to plot data from independent sources (e.g., University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin).

“We look for consistency to see if the same products are rising to the top,” said Carlson. Many do, and some don’t, he noted, and Federated agronomists then “we look closer to find out why.”

The trend line [in plot data] demonstrated that newer products from Bayer®, Croplan®, NK®, and Legend® had better yields, which proved that “taking advantage of genetic gain is always a good thing,” said Carlson. (Genetic gain being defined as the result of plant breeding and development of traits for disease and pest resistance.)

The new genetic introductions are worth noting, particularly with regard to plant disease. For example, tar rot, a fungal disease that attacks corn post tassel, has been “quite devastating” in some areas, including Wisconsin and moving into Minnesota.

“The larger plant breeding programs are dealing with [tar rot] in their genetic selection; they are doing their best to put resistance in the genome through traditional plant breeding,” said Carlson, noting that disease resistance is developed through “old-school plant breeding.”

Of course, genetics play a very big part in grain crops, both for corn and soybeans. The equation for crop success boils down to this: yield potential + genetics x the environment. “There are factors in the environment we can’t control, so we need the genetic potential to capture yields,” said Carlson.

Give your Federated Agronomist a call to learn more about the final analysis of Discovery Plot data. Check out the links below to see other crop trial data. Do the analysis to help find the best seed products for your farm in 2021. And place your orders soon.

University of MN Soybean Field Crop Trials 2020

University of MN Corn Grain Field Crop Trials 2020

Winfield United Answer Plot 2020_Corn_MN

Winfield United Answer Plot 2020_Corn_WI

Winfield United Answer Plot 2020_Soybeans_MN

Winfield United Answer Plot 2020_Soybeans_WI

Winfield United Answer Plot Ranking 2020