b'JIM SCHWEIGERTPRESIDENT, GRO ALLIANCE CASSIDY MILLIONjim.schweigert@groalliance.com DIRECTOR OF AG SCIENCE groalliance.com OF HELIAE AGRICULTURE @jim_schweigert CMillion@heliae.comphycoterra.comIntentional Action Yields Robust 2023 Drought Corn Crop How to Ensure More SeedsIN A 2017 ARTICLE,I highlighted the potentialSurvive to Emergenceof proper planning for achieving incredible results, drawing a parallel to race preparation. In 2023, weYEAR ROUND,farmers makeGermination and post-germina-had the opportunity to apply this concept to ourdecisions that impact the success ortion seed vulnerability. The three seed corn crop. failure of their farm. Tillage, fertilizerphases of germination take place Long-Term Outlook: We track multiple long- applications, seed treatments, soilduring a small window of time, and term weather models. Each pointed to a highertests, and cover crops (to name aits imperative growers do everything chance of dry weather in the Corn Belt. This wasfew) all impact yields. Yet, theresthey can to support germinating supported by expectations of a late-arriving Eloften one neglected timeframeseeds. Especially when seeds have Nino that could limit early-season rainfall withwhich can make or break your yieldsa poor germination, like cotton or temps a touch above normal.when seeds have a spermospherewinter wheat seeds. Seeds are also Our Response: The benefit of multiple seed(a short-lived region around the seedup against notable threats during corn growing regions and facilities is that wethat is only present once the seed isgermination and post-germination. can shift acres to maximize the opportunity forplanted until the seed germinates).Germinating seeds must survive success. For 2023, we shifted more acres to ourYoull have no hope of supportingdrought, granivores and fungal and irrigated production areas in Michigan and Indiana.your crops if seeds do not germinate.bacterial seed-borne pathogens. We employed strip tillage on about half of ourTheir germination and emergencePost-germination seeds must survive non-irrigated acres to retain as much soil moisturedepend on the health and activity ofpathogenic fungi and bacteria, herbi-as possible. Our growers on irrigated acres startedthe microbes in the spermosphere.vores, limited resources, and a habitat running their pivots before the soil was low onHeres how you can give your crop athat may have limited resources such moisture. If the spring was dry and got too hot,head start at planting.as nutrients or moisture. If beneficial the soil profile could dry out fast, so we wateredWhat is the spermosphere? Thesoil microbes are inactive or starving, early and often! A crop under stress needs to bespermosphere is the 2- to 12-mmlike 75% of soil microbes in farm soils proactively protected, and when plants are underarea around the seed, with elevatedare, they cant support themselvesstress, they arent able to fight off disease as well.seed and soil microbe interactions.much less a newly emerged seed. We planned a two-pass fungicide and insecticideThe activation of the spermosphereImprove plant vigor and ger-regime and used an aggressive package on theis a short window (around 6 hours tomination by supercharging the first pass, just prior to detasseling. We wanted toa few days) that can greatly impactspermosphere. The outcome of the give the plants as much horsepower to get throughyour crops overall success. If theseed and soil interaction can affect pollination as possible. We increased our post- spermosphere has little microbialthe seeds survival rate. If you want detasseling scouting and used precise second- activity or a poor habitat, it is likelyto support your seeds germina-round chemistry based on observations. your seeds wont make it to emer- tion, invest in supercharging your The Results: Despite one of the driest sea- gence. spermosphere. The best way to sons, we are harvesting a crop that is above ourTheres less research on thesupport the spermosphere is to feed pre-season yield expectations. By timely wateringspermosphere compared to otherthe beneficial microbes around the and practicing minimal tillage, we ensured strong,plant-microbial spheres, like the rhizo- seed and in nearby soil. Look for a even stands. Additionally, strategic fungicide andsphere (the region around the plantcarbon-rich food, to wake up and put insecticide applications supported plant healthroot zone), due to its short time framebeneficial microbes to work. Products during a warmer pollination period, leading to oneof existence, small size, and complexlike PhycoTerra STincrease stand of our cleanest harvests. Comprehensive planning,interactions. Yet, research supportsestablishment, vigor, root-structure encompassing all company levels, including con- that the spermosphere has a signifi- development and in the long-term, tractors, yielded the expected results of a high- cant impact on seed germination andyield potential. quality seed corn supplier for our clients! yield potential. DECEMBER 2023SEEDWORLD.COM /49'