Winter is a good time to reflect on the previous season in order to prepare for the upcoming one. Our Marysville, Ohio, Grow More Experience site improved our understanding of how various Syngenta products can help growers in the area improve their crops’ productivity.

We witnessed dramatic in-field visuals during each part of the season, such as the effects of using Syngenta products versus competitor products, and the benefits of tailored seed selection. Below are several insights we gathered that can help you plan for this upcoming growing season.

Early-season

It didn’t take long for us to notice that soybean cyst nematode (SCN) pressure jeopardized the soybean crop at the beginning of the growing season. Clariva® Complete Beans, a combination of separately registered products, showed a superior advantage on crop safety to the soybeans compared to the competitor’s product. The seed treatment offered the protection necessary to help soybeans start strong and evade the root-feeding nematode early on.

Additionally, we saw significant damage in the untreated plot compared to Clariva Complete Beans. While we couldn’t see a re-infestation of SCN with the naked eye, it was definitely visible economically at the end of the year. The Clariva Complete Beans-treated plots, however, saw long-lasting protection from SCN.

Mid-season

Weed pressure picked up due to an extended period of rain in late spring/early summer. Tough broadleaf weeds including giant ragweed and morningglory became problematic in our area. In corn, we saw our herbicides, such as Acuron® herbicide, applied at full rates and our planned two-pass herbicide programs deliver better weed control than the competition.

Late-season

Closer to harvest time for corn, the strongest visual we noticed was in the corn ear-feeding plot. After the silking stage, corn at our site experienced heavy larval infestations. Hybrids with the Agrisure Viptera® trait saw the most protection from the high insect pressure, again showing how this trait is a game changer in the marketplace. Its outstanding control of above-ground insects helps to significantly reduce mycotoxin and aflatoxin contamination.

To maximize yields, we recommend that growers visit their local site throughout the growing season to see how Syngenta products and technologies can benefit their fields at each stage. To visit the Marysville site, contact your Syngenta representative. You can also keep up with the latest insights from the site by signing up for the “Know More, Grow More Digest” to receive the latest news from KnowMoreGrowMore.com in your inbox.

©2016 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some crop protection 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. Acuron is a Restricted Use Pesticide. Acuron®, Agrisure Viptera®, Clariva Complete Beans® and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company.