The Results are in on the 2020 Growing Season

One of the stand out features of the 2020 growing season in Indiana was the early planting of corn and, especially if soybeans. Carl Joern ,with Pioneer, says once again getting the beans in early made a big difference in yield.

“2020 was a year when getting soybeans in the ground early really seemed to pay off as an overall trend.”

In August, we were expecting a record soybean yield, but that was not how things turned out.

“We had excellent pod set but across my area in NW Indiana,” he states. “It came down to whether you got those extra rains in September. Those soybeans had yields on average 80bpa. Those areas that missed the rains had yields in the 40bpa range.”

Besides the rain, Joern said SDS was a factor in northern Indiana.

“Where I saw Sudden Death Syndrome has a lesser effect was in those fields where the Ilevo seed treatment was used. This year I saw Ilevo pay off much better than it had in the past. Getting that extra protection against SDS as well as Cyst Nematodes is a real advantage.”

As for corn yields, they were good but not record high. Joern said that Tar Spot in combination with dry weather during grain fill was a factor.

“Tar Spot is an ever growing concern in Northern Indiana. This year is had a big impact on yield and stalk quality.”

He added that growers that used a fungicide, especially late in the season, had less damage from Tar Spot and other foliar diseases.

A big thanks to our Pioneer agronomists who worked with us through the year and for all those Indiana-based folks from several other brands that also provided HAT with timely and on-location updates from across the state this season.

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