Pioneer Works on Soybean Hybrids to Suit Producer

Pioneer is constantly working on improving soybean varieties to suit producer’s actual needs as explained by Don Schafer, Senior Marketing Manager in North America for for Dupont-Pioneer soybeans:

“Year in and year out that is the game plan we have. We had a lot of places that had an extremely good soybean crop this year, much better than expected especially with the intense heat and drought we had across the Corn Belt, but there are other geographies that didn’t fare quite as well.
Its harvest now, but of course cotton first. That is one of the reasons we really work hard to understand the culture practices locally, the disease challenges locally, and what are the growers implementing so we understand how to develop and bring a product to market and test it well so it fits within the cultural practices. If cotton or corn is first, and they leave the soybeans in the field, we need to make sure we have the agronomics to allow that crop to stay out there until the grower is ready to harvest.
 

We have to be able to make sure that the seed is able to handle the weathering and the conditions that are happening out there.
One of the things that we are all being challenged with in the market are weed resistance issues. It depends on the geography for how intense of an issue that is. It’s a learning curve for our growers out there and we are working diligently to help them. Part of that system that we are looking for three or four years down the road is our Enlist Technology with our Dow partners. Its to help the grower manage their weeds, their herbicide programs across all crops that they are growing.
 

There are for sure some challenges with weeds, but growers are getting better at thinking about the systems approach that is best for them to use. What to do with the corn, cotton or peanuts to help manage the resistance across all the acres year in and year out. They are working with the local crop people to make sure they have the right herbicide package and system to manage those weeds.
 

If any growers have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Pioneer.”

For more Pioneer In the Field Reports, click here for the Pioneer page. Senior Marketing Manager in North America for Dupont-Pioneer soybeans, Don Schafer.