The Decision to De-Trait

Things to Consider Do you rotate corn and soybeans? Are your corn rootworm beetle counts low? Have you had issues with stand in the past? Does your refuge corn perform as well as your Bt corn? Do you have the time, manpower, and equipment needed to manage conventional corn?

Rotating Acres According to entomologist Bruce Potter, University of Minnesota Extension IPM specialist, there are a couple of situations where a two-year rotation is not effective for controlling corn rootworms When volunteer corn in soybeans is not controlled it allows corn rootworms to survive; defeating the purpose of rotation. In Midwest regions where rootworms have adapted to corn-soybean rotations.

Bettle Counts If you have experienced problems in prior years with a particular field If you or a crop scout has observed rootworm beetles in your fields (corn or soybeans) at a moderate to high population level If either of the two above applies to your operations you may want to strongly consider adding a soil applied insecticide program to your 2015 cropping plan (If you will not be using a SmartStax® Refuge Advanced® Product)

Yield Advantages Prairie Brand data shows that when a conventional hybrid is compared to the SmartStax® counterpart (same genetics) the SmartStax version gives a 14 bu/A advanage

The Cost Position Conventional $25/acre insecticides additional cost Additional $40/acre herbicide costAll things considered I figure an end gain of SmartStax $61/acre additional upfront cost of a Refuge Advanced® powered by SmartStax product $46/acre advantage when using a Refuge Advanced® hybrid over a conventional in the same genetics

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