Seed production on pace with tech boost

Oct 19, 2023

As corn has been picked out of the fields, the seed for next year is getting packed up. Despite drought, production hasn’t been an issue in central Iowa, leading to no concerns about supply next spring.

“We’ve had some fairly timely rains that has helped,” said Jake Pantry, field production lead at the Bayer Corn Production Facility in Grinnell, Iowa. “We aren’t seeing any concerns on yield. (At the start of October) we still have a third of the crop to bring in the door, but there are no concerns about drought impacting things.”

With the yields expected to come in, it should be a typical year for the facility, receiving nearly 140 trucks per day and producing nearly 2 million seed bags annually, 70% of which are for the DEKALB brand.

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Video: Dr. Emerson Nafziger: Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates for Corn

The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Emerson Nafziger from the University of Illinois breaks down decades of nitrogen research. From the evolution of N rate guidelines to how soil health and hybrid genetics influence nitrogen use efficiency, this conversation unpacks the science behind smarter fertilization. Improving how we set nitrogen fertilizer rates for rainfed corn is a key focus. Discover why the MRTN model matters more than ever, and how shifting mindsets and better data can boost yields and environmental outcomes. Tune in now on all major platforms!

"The nitrogen that comes from soil mineralization is the first nitrogen the plant sees, and its role is underestimated."

Meet the guest:

Dr. Emerson Nafziger is Professor Emeritus of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with degrees in agronomy from Ohio State, Purdue, and Illinois. His research has focused on nitrogen rate strategies and crop productivity. He co-developed the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) model, which is widely used across the Midwest. His research spans N response trials, hybrid interactions, crop rotation effects, and yield stability.