Episode Details

Introduction

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What’s Working in AG – (Ag Venture)  - Germ Testing –Vigor Testing and Hybrid Selection

• Introduce Guest
• Having an agronomy team you can rely on all year round matters why?
• Do you recommend to your clients to have their seed hybrids sent for germ testing or vigor tests?
  • What’s the difference between germination and vigor?
  • Vigor testing does not only measure the percentage of viable seed in a sample, it also reflects the ability of those seeds to produce normal seedlings under less than optimum or adverse growing conditions similar to those which may occur in the field. Seeds may be classified as viable in a germination test which provides optimum temperature, moisture and light conditions to the growing seedlings; however, they may not be capable of continuing growth and completing their life cycle under a wide range of field conditions. Generally, seeds start to lose vigor before they lose their ability to germinate; therefore vigor testing is an important practice in seed production programs.
  • It’s important to know
• How are these tests done?
  • Cold test
  • Accelerated Aging
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Anything else?
• Can this testing be done of the farm or does it need to go to a lab?
• How should we use these results?
  • Hybrid planting date
  • Hybrid population
  • Field selection by soil type or geography
• What if the Spring doesn’t show up like we had planned?
  • How can we use the data we have from germ testing to make changes?
• Any other suggestions to share with our listeners?

Planting/Planter Segment (HTS Ag)----What could farmers be doing to plant additional profit in to each acre this spring?

• Introduce the guest.  - Adam
• Here we are at the end of February.  If we haven’t put much thought into the planter yet, what are the most important things we should make sure to check before planting?
  • Worn out bushings and parallel arms
• What kind of planter technology and advancements are on the market today?
  • Advancements in downforce
  • High speed planting seems to be popular.  Are farmers upgrading to plant faster or for the better singulation?
  • Row Clutches
  • Advancements in variable rates and hybrids
• What are some tips, most already know, but we should cover about planting field conditions?
• What about in season service?  Have there been any advancements in helping a farmer out in the middle of spring?
  • Mobile/Virtual
• Know anything about Autonomous Planting?  Any opinions of where you think it will go?
  •  – Sabanto  
  • We see and hear about them but haven’t really seen much promise of it becoming widely adopted.
• Anything else you’d like to share with the listeners?
• Tillage Segment (Deere)---What’s new and available for producers spring?
  • Intro – Tillage Man Sam
  • What are some of the latest advancements in tillage equipment for seed bed preparation?
    • Vertical Tillage
    • Speed Tillage
      • Finishing with a harrow or rolling basket or something else?