News

Use practices such as starter fertilizer, split applications and stabilizers to ensure nutrients are available to the crop early and during the entire growing season.

You’re busy prepping equipment for the 2022 planting season and anxiously awaiting the first chance to get in the field. And you don’t want your neighbors to beat you. Still, don’t skimp on fertilizer applications to get there. “Up to 60% of crop yield is dependent on soil fertility,” says Taylor Purucker, Mosaic Co. eastern North America…

The Easy Way Isn’t Always The Best Way!

This is a great article on variety M11-66 and Bob Miller’s harvest middle approach to hybrid selection. In 2020 after the derecho sent up to 140mph across Iowa, other companies were abandoning their research due to down corn. However, Miller Hybrids painstakingly took the time to harvest data and finding some diamonds in those harvest…

Should you consider late N application with a Y-drop system in 2021?

Nitrogen availability near flowering time and during grain fill can be one of the most important factors in maximizing final yields. The advantage of a Y-drop nitrogen (N) application system appears to be greatest in dry environments as it concentrates the added N in the largest and most active root zone, and it allows N…

Derecho Resistant Corn Research

There have been several articles in the news recently which were  titled “derecho proof” corn. These articles observed advantages in standability following the August 7 2020 derecho, for shorter corn hybrids being developed by research conducted independently by Bayer and Stine corn research programs. Miller Hybrids has already developed a key “derecho resistant” medium-short corn…

Potential Corn Rootworm affect on ROI in 2021 and how to limit the damage

With the corn grain price now over $5 for new crop corn, and a good chance of a drought being predicted in many areas (drought greatly magnifies yield loss due to root feeding), it appears 2021 could be a very costly year to skimp on rootworm control.  Adding to that concern is the fact that the…

Scouting for Insects, Diseases & Weeds

Insects Black Cutworms and Fall Armyworms have created some problems this year, especially in fields planted with cover crops ahead of corn. Continue to scout your fields with greater concern paid to weedy areas or late planted corn. Adding an insecticide to a spray program may be cost effective, especially in continuous corn.  It also…

How Much Nitrogen Do I Need?

Nitrogen availability near flowering time and during grain fill is one of the most important differences in final yields. Leaching and wash off of surface applied N, on wetter or compacted soils, has led to some later planted fields showing yellowing and stunting. This is more noticeable in continuous corn fields. These stunted plants will…

Planting the Right Genetics and Traits

It is important to choose hybrids which best match your soil type, fertility, soil drainage and fungicide use practices. A general rule is to try new hybrids on better soils and stick with more tried and true hybrids on poorer soils.  Hybrid blends can work best on variable soils. Many people are no longer using…

Vertex-ST Corn Seed Treatment

Vertex-ST is a seed treatment for corn that combine two great TerraMax Products: MicroAZ-IF and Micro PSB-IF in to one amazing product for ease of use and greater yield potential. The proven performance of MicroAZ-IF and Micro PSB-IF in Vertex-ST gives the plant the benefits of fixing atmospheric nitrogen and increasing root growth through the…

From Our Ears To Yours: Observations from a Miller DSM (Pat Groth; Western Iowa)

  Pat Groth from Harlan, IA has been in the seed business for over 35 years.  He has spent the last few years as a Miller Hybrids DSM.  The following are some brief observations from this tenured seedsman. A process that usually takes place in a rigorous 4-6 days in my sales area turned into…

From Our Ears To Yours: Observations from a Miller DSM Mike Terpstra; Sioux Falls, SD (part 2 of 2)

Soybeans were a split story: Northwest areas of my territory soybeans fared well in the cooler temps and consistent rains that usually aren’t present in June/July/August. The farther South East I went soybean yields stayed average or so, unless there was the faintest history of white mold. Especially heavily manured fields saw extremely yield inhibiting…

From Our Ears To Yours: Observations from a Miller DSM Mike Terpstra; Sioux Falls, SD (part 1 of 2)

My name is Mike Terpstra and I am the DSM for Miller Hybrid’s NW Territory. I cover SE north Dakota, western MN, Eastern SD, NE Nebraska, and a small amount of NW Iowa. Travelling that distance gives me a very unique perspective on growing conditions and events farmers faced in 2019. My area is unique…