• Seed
  • Sep 20, 2018

Preview 2018 Answer Plot Data

Two men reviewing data on a tablet next to an Answer Plot field
Harvest is underway in some areas, and data from our Answer Plot® program is already being analyzed. While it will be a while before we have a complete data set to evaluate, I’d like to preview some of the exciting information you can look for as harvest wraps up.
 
Expanded seed characterization. Our corn hybrid and soybean variety characterization data is the foundation that the Answer Plot program was built upon. WinField United’s seed characterization trial is a leading platform in the industry due to the number of replications and locations. This year, we’ll have new corn hybrids and soybean varieties to characterize so farmers can better place the latest genetics. As you make your seed selections for next year, be sure to check out the updated CHT charts in the R7® Tool.
 
CROPLAN® corn hybrid zinc seed treatment. As you may know, CROPLAN is the only seed brand to add zinc to its standard corn seed treatment. We tested zinc-treated corn seed at 62 Answer Plot locations last year and found that it averaged a 3.2-bushel-per-acre yield advantage over standard seed treatments. We’re continually testing new formulations of this treatment with an eye towards further improving our seed treatment portfolio.
 
Fungicide trials. We’ve expanded our fungicide trials this year to include more products across different environments and disease pressures. Our hope is to better understand which products offer the greatest return on investment to ensure we’re giving you the best product recommendations. We compare generics, common brands and new products side-by-side to help retailers and farmers make the right decisions for their operation.
 
Soybean herbicide systems. This year, we’re running a new trial that compares the yield potential of soybeans under three different trait and herbicide systems: glyphosate, gluphosinate and low-volatility dicamba. We’re hoping to understand which systems provide the greatest value to farmers.
 
Soybean treatment. There are a lot of questions as to whether soybean seed treatments pay for themselves. We’re running trials to better understand under what conditions these treatments offer the greatest seed protection. For example, nematicides are emerging as a new innovation in this space, and we want to study how these products perform and interact with existing fungicide and insecticide options.
 
Every year presents farmers with a different set of challenges. The Answer Plot program faces those same environmental conditions. Our goal is to classify those situations to better use our data to tailor solutions for you. We’re looking forward to analyzing and sharing another year of unmatched, quality data from our Answer Plot locations.