Production Blog

Untangle Traits

Do you know what's in your seed bag? Refuge requirements, herbicide and insect resistance management and market access issues. (DTN photo by Pamela Smith)

DECATUR, Ill. (DTN) -- Seed deliveries were a common sight this week across much of the Midwest. It doesn't matter if that delivery came in a bag or in bulk containers, seed is more than seed in this era of transgenics.

Most of the corn planted in the U.S. now contains one or more traits for insect or weed management. That alphabet soup of traits also comes with management obligations.

Refuge requirements differ by corn product. There's the need to juggle sites of action to fend off both weed and insect resistance. There are still traits that do not have import approvals in key foreign markets and may not be welcome at your local elevator at harvest. As black cutworms and other insects begin to infiltrate, just knowing the spectrum of control being planted becomes important, and let's don't forget the need to juggle herbicides in our rush to get over acres.

Yep, it's complicated. Give thanks for Chris DiFonzo, Michigan State University entomologist. Each year she prepares an updated Handy Bt Trait Table. Find it here: http://msuent.com/…

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This one stop-guide helps understand the bag tags and what that trait you purchased offers and requires. It lists important transgenic events in corn and the more familiar trade names, the proteins expressed and the targeted inspect species. Producers are encouraged to pay particular attention to whether or not a specific Bt hybrid offers control or suppression of a given insect pest. Many of the Bt hybrids now offer a wide range of insect protection above ground (e.g. European corn borer, black cutworm, fall armyworm, corn earworm, stalk borer, western bean cutworm) and below ground (corn rootworm). In addition, producers need to ensure that they are deploying the proper refuge with their Bt hybrid of choice. Although seed blend refuges (5% and 10%) are becoming more common, use of some Bt hybrids continues to require a structured refuge. Southern growers will need to follow refuges specific to their region.

Growers concerned about market access issues on certain traits can monitor the situation at the National Corn Growers Association's "Know Before Your Grow" website. The newly revamped site offer growers important new information to help inform planting decisions in light of the release of new seed varieties currently unapproved in some export markets. Find it here: www.ncga.com/for-farmers/know-before-you-grow

DiFonzo gives the following suggestions for properly juggling traits as you navigate the coming season:

-- Understand the biology of each trait, the expect level of control and refuge requirements.

-- Confirm that the seed you ordered is the seed delivered.

-- Keep good planting records and save a representative sample of the bag tag

-- For herbicide applications implement the "Ask Twice-Spray once" habit, especially if you hire a custom applicator.

-- If you see unexpected damage or poor performance of a trait, contact your seed dealer and extension educator so samples can be taken while the problem is still fresh (especially critical with rootworm Bt resistance issues).

Pamela Smith can be reached at Pamela.smith@dtn.com

(AG)

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