Protexus corn products overcame tough season

by | Nov 5, 2019 | 5 Ag Stories, News

Each year, Channel seedsmen immerse themselves in field research through test plots.

A technical agronomist speaks to results collected from a FTN plot in Lone Tree, Iowa.

Karl Buttenhoff serves as technical agronomist for Channel Seed in southeast Iowa. He spoke to a FTN research plot, near Lone Tree, Iowa. Buttenhoff offers insight into these plots, which produce useful information.

?It?s differs from our normal plots in that the rows are long,? Buttenhoff said. ?We?re trying to span different soil types. In this one, we?re spanning four different soil types. We have eight rows of corn running a mile long for each variety, so we?re getting a nice understanding of genetic performance through different soil types.?

Channel seedsmen use this data for product recommendations, giving farmers confidence in placement and performance. Variable crop seasons, such as this year’s, offers greater insight into genetic performance. Buttenhoff speaks to crop stressors, which were top-of-mind this year.

?We were challenged with cold, wet (and) compacted soils early on,” Buttenhoff said. ” “Growers knew this spring they shouldn?t be planting, but were running out of time and wanted to get a crop in. In a lot of cases, we were planting in less than ideal conditions. That opened us up for diseases, specifically fusarium crown rot and anthracnose stalk rot, which are showing up late season.?

A new corn product featured in the FTN research plot defied the odds and tackled disease.

“In this plot, we have several of our new Protexus corn products that we brought out last year. That provides is a heightened level of disease tolerance, built into the bag. That?s providing us, especially this year, nice, built-in tolerance to anthracnose stalk rot,” Buttenhoff said.

Buttenhoff encourages growers battling stalk rot to contact their local Channel seedsman to ask about Protexus corn.