Robust early disease prevention for corn gives farmers a boost

For corn farmers, planting earlier in the season means more days for planting and crop development, but it carries risks, too. Frost, insects and diseases early in the season can cause crop loss.

Now, corn farmers have options to protect their crops from diseases and pests with a unique seed package formulated to protect corn plants from early-season risks. 

Impact of soil conditions on seed development
Soil conditions determine how quickly seeds can germinate and grow. Cool, damp soils in the early spring often prolong seed germination, root development and emergence. The plant is at prolonged risk of disease and pest predation during this time.

“Most farmers are familiar with pythium, fusarium and Rhizoctonia, commonly referred to as damping-off or seedling diseases,” said Scott Hart, who’s been in the agriculture industry for 38 years.

He’s the product and technical marketing manager for AgVenture, a national network of independent seed companies operated by folks who can connect growers with tailored seed packages for their specific needs. “Farmers make a big investment with seeds, and they want their plants to succeed despite early season pests and diseases,” said Hart.

Security Seed Protection System™
Corn farmers can benefit from AgVenture’s seed treatment packages that help maximize yield potential and provide proven defense through multiple modes of action against early-season diseases, insects and nematodes. Called Security Seed Protection System™, AgVenture’s LumiGEN®-powered treatment portfolio includes insecticides, nematicides and fungicides like LumiscendPro, which provides best-in-class protection against Rhizoctonia.

Hart describes treated seeds as a good insurance policy. “It provides a sense of security for our customers,” he said. “Having multiple modes of action is important because each field might have different moisture and temperature conditions. Our active ingredients cover different management styles.” 

The active ingredients deliver benefits through multiple modes of action. The robust fungicide package has five modes of action, including interfering with fungal cells’ ability to replicate and spread, inhibiting the energy production processes fungi need to grow and disrupting how the fungal cells produce spores. When used properly, these fungicides have minimal impact on beneficial organisms and the environment.

Similarly, the insecticide package has a multi-modal ability to inhibit common corn pests like seedcorn maggots, white grubs and armyworms. AgVenture’s seed treatments even protect against nematodes, a pest that farmers may not realize they have without testing.             

Lumialza™ is an active ingredient that protects against seven key nematodes. It’s a bio shield that harnesses naturally occurring soil bacteria to form a physical barrier between a plant’s roots and the soil, blocking nematodes from parasitizing the corn plants.

Hart emphasizes that Lumialza™ is beneficial even in fields with low pest pressure. “We’ve seen up to a 9 bushel/acre (bu/ac) yield advantage in high-pressure areas and 3.7 bu/ac in low nematode pressure situations,” said Hart. By minimizing root damage, seed treatments facilitate young seedlings’ nutrient and moisture uptake, which results in more potential yield.