Think Big Picture When Analyzing Corn Yield

As harvest data flows in and growers begin planning next season’s seed lineup, LG Seeds Agronomist Grant Odle encourages them to think big picture.

“Use all the data you can get: what you’re seeing in your fields as well as in test plots and trial data that’s available through your agronomist,” he said. “An expanded dataset can help growers fully grasp what products are able to perform in an environment that changes each year.”

He warns against getting hung up on any single performance, especially when looking at a narrow dataset, such as an individual plot. “Consistency and reliability — across years, plots and conditions — are what reveal the true winners that can help your farm succeed,” Odle said.

Look beyond the plot winners

“I always encourage growers to look beyond what’s winning the plots and to see what products are consistently finishing in the upper half,” Odle says. It’s the same principle as you see with professional sports. “There are many talented athletes who could go pro based on one good performance,” he said. “But the ones who last in the big leagues are the athletes who deliver season after season.”

“That’s the sort of reliability and consistency growers should be looking for with seed,” Odle said. Each year brings a different set of environmental challenges, and the hybrid that handles them best will differ from year to year.

This year was marked by disease and a dry finish for Odle’s east-central Illinois territory. Products that finished at the top had strong plant health and tended to be earlier maturities. Next season could be an entirely different story.

In addition to looking at the results from their own fields, growers can also see how county and commercial plots are performing. Look for opportunities and guidance to interpret that data by pairing it with real-world field observations.

Don’t treat every acre the same

Another piece of advice from Odle: Don’t treat your whole farm like it’s the same acre. “Growers know their fields and manage each of them differently,” he said. “Seed decisions should be no different.”

He encourages growers to work with trusted advisors who can help them position products where they’ll capture the most success, whether that’s gaining more bushels of corn per acre or addressing issues to limit risk.

Yield is king, but plant health is also important

“Every grower wants high-yielding corn products,” Odle said. “Yield is No. 1. As a seed-only company, LG Seeds is always working toward high-yielding corn products that lead the industry forward.”

But yield is just one piece of the puzzle. “As agronomists, we look at performance in many different ways,” Odle said. “Yes, we need products that yield, but we’re also evaluating characteristics that fit specific operations — like late-season standability.” He encourages growers to get out in their fields before harvest to analyze crops and gain a more complete understanding of product performance.

Disease has been a major concern this season, which has shined a spotlight on plant health and how that factors into growers’ seed portfolios. Southern rust, northern corn leaf blight and gray leaf spot were the main threats in Odle’s territory.

“Planting a mix of traits and genetics helps growers guard against the unexpected — whether it’s disease, weather extremes or pest pressure,” Odle said.

Consult trusted advisors to analyze yield monitor data

It’s easy to focus on one or two things when analyzing combine yield monitor data. Having more voices in the room, especially ones a grower trusts, can help tell the story of what went well and what challenges need to be addressed with seed solutions, fertilizer applications or other management practices moving forward, according to Odle.

“Whatever challenge or success you find this year, we want to be part of it,” Odle said. “Reach out. We love championing and supporting our growers.”