As farmers are getting ready to head to the fields to plant, some are looking at ways to reduce costs. While that seed is still in the bag, Kurt Curry, area business development manager with Brevant Seeds, wants to make sure it reaches its full potential.
“Whenever we put seed in the ground, the goal is [to] start mitigating stress in the very beginning,” he says. “That’s why we like working with ag retail because they are kind of a local expert when it comes to the growers’ field. They’ve got that local expertise that can help us maximize our profitability at the end of the day because every bushel you get out of that field is more return on your investment.”
At this stage of the season, Curry says mitigating that stress starts with a plan.
“Everything from germination, what plants are going to work better in cool wet conditions, all the way to nitrogen management, populations, making sure that plant is getting where it’s supposed to be and has the right setup,” says Curry.
Corn root worm negatively impacted yields in Michigan and northern Indiana in 2021. Earlier this month, Corteva released a new technology called Vorceed to help manage CRW.
“Corn root worm seems like it’s starting to pop back up in places—especially Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan,” says Curry. “The first thing we always talk about is what can we do outside of the traits—rotating fields, that sort of stuff—that’s going to help. Then we have our Qrome platform, which a molecular stack, giving us increased yield and more access to our germ plasm. We just launched Vorceed which is bringing three modes of action above and three modes of action below ground [in addition to] getting Enlist stacked with that also. We’ve got more options on weed control, which is great.”
Brevant Seeds is the retail-exclusive line from Corteva. Curry says that anyone stopping by their local retailer for last-minute spring needs can still purchase varieties of Brevant.