ASK THE AGRONOMIST BLOG

Every year in farming is different, and that means results will vary. Before you nix a tried-and-true product from your 2024 portfolio, look at the historical yield data to paint a better picture of performance.

“Even the best seed genetics aren’t going to perform exactly the same every year,” says David Thompson, national marketing and sales director for Stine^®. “For example, if you have one corn hybrid that had outstanding yield in 2021 and 2022 but fell slightly short in 2023, you shouldn’t throw it out for the next planting season just because it had a different year.”

As Stine develops new corn and soybean genetics, our breeders collect and evaluate lots of data across multiple years, locations and reps. The goal is to find widely adapted material, those genetics that will generally perform in almost any environment.

“One of the biggest mistakes a grower can make is basing his seed decision on a single year or field result,” says Thompson. “Every hybrid or variety will have its ups and downs, but those genetics that have proven themselves across multiple years and environments will provide the best measure of insurance.”

The same is true for any corn or soybean line. Stick to what works, but never be afraid to try something new. At Stine, we encourage growers to do both. Whether a product is new or established, always seek a broad base of data rather than a single year or location.

“We are very particular about the products we place in our lineup,” says Thompson. “And one of the foundations of our success has been our ability to find those genetics that give growers the highest probability of success.”

If you’re interested in learning more about our corn and soybean products and their historical yield performance, contact your local Stine sales rep or regional sales agronomist. For tips on deciphering plo

Not every situation calls for a trait. Sometimes it makes sense to forgo a trait if heavy disease and insect pressure aren’t a concern. That’s why Stine’s corn and soybean breeding programs focus on developing high-yielding conventional genetics as the base of our products. With or without a trait, our corn and soybean lines are the newest, top-performing material out of our breeding programs.

“At Stine, we understand that each grower’s situation is unique, and they need products that best fit their operation,” says Myron Stine, company president. “That’s why our corn and soybeans start with a base of high-yielding germplasm. From there, we add the industry’s leading traits to give growers the protection they need for whatever Mother Nature throws their way.”

For 2024, we’re pleased to offer an expansive lineup of conventional and traited options.

Stine Corn Traits 

Whether you’re looking for short corn or full-season genetics with the industry’s leading trait package, nobody is building better corn faster than Stine. Stine’s unique corn genetics combined with the most desirable trait packages in the market result in corn products that exhibit exceptional standability and superior performance.

Our 2024 corn lineup is the best we’ve ever offered. It features a mix of traited lines that excel in any field type and high-yielding conventional corn. We also have several short corn options for growers looking to take advantage of its benefits. Our 2024 seed corn traits include:

Stine GT™ — Stine GT corn combines our own unique genetics with built-in tolerance to glyphosate-based herbicides, providing growers the freedom to choose their preferred brand of glyphosate. This is a great option for refuge acres in a structured refuge operation.

Stine GT+ — Stine GT+ is derived from the same high-yielding genetics as Stine GT but with NK603 glyphosate resistance. Corn lines with the Stine GT trait are tolerant to glyphosate-based herbicides applied either alone or in combination with other herbicides.

Agrisure^® traits — We’re pleased to offer several different Agrisure trait packages to ensure growers have options for season-long insect and weed protection. Our Agrisure-traited lineup has options featuring in-crop tolerance to both glyphosate- and glufosinate-based herbicides. 

Stine conventional corn — Stine conventional corn consists of our top genetic material without the addition of traits.

Stine Soybean Traits 

The Stine name is synonymous with soybeans. For nearly five decades, we’ve been developing the industry’s highest-yielding soybean germplasm, which is why the genetics developed by Stine’s breeding source are found on a majority of all US  soybean acres. But today’s grower demands more. To ensure we can provide the best choices for every field, Stine has a full line of the industry’s most sought-after soybean traits, including:

Enlist E3^®— Stine Enlist E3 soybeans offer advanced herbicide-tolerant technology with tolerance to 2,4-D choline, glyphosate and glufosinate in a three-gene stack. Our primary advantage? We have the industry’s broadest lineup of Enlist E3 soybeans. Other soybean breeders have made far fewer Enlist E3 crosses and observed far fewer generations of material, which means we have the best and the most robust offering of Enlist E3 soybean seed in the industry.

LibertyLink^® GT27^®— These high-yielding soybeans help tackle tough weeds through three unique sites of action — glyphosate, Liberty^® and HPPD/Group 27 herbicides (Alite^™ 27 and Motif™). Stine LibertyLink GT27 soybeans continuously perform equal to or higher than many current brands in our Elite Yield Trials.

XtendFlex^®— Stine XtendFlex soybeans are built upon the proven performance of Roundup Ready 2 Xtend^® technology but with added tolerance to glufosinate. Growers can use dicamba, glyphosate and glufosinate with XtendFlex soybeans, giving them another option in their toolbox to manage tough weeds.

Elite conventional — Our conventional lines feature the high-yielding genetics that have made us an industry leader in soybean production. Stine Elite conventional soybeans are a great option for growers who are looking to save on costs and are not anticipating heavy insect or weed pressure next growing season. These lines are made from our newest germplasm, so you know you’re getting the latest and greatest conventional material.

Connect with your local Stine independent sales representative for more information on our 2024 corn and soybean traits or our conventional lineup.  

Stine is synonymous with corn and soybeans, but we’re also taking part in something exciting in the onion industry, and we think it’s pretty “sweet.”

Southern Georgia is home to rich, well-drained soils that are low in sulfur. This environment contributes to the sweet flavor of Vidalia onions — Georgia’s state vegetable. According to Explore Georgia, more than 14,000 acres of Vidalias are grown in the region, and around five million 40-pound boxes are shipped each season. Vidalias are a milder onion that are only found in Georgia, not just because of the environment that supports the crop’s unique flavor, but because of the Vidalia Onion Act of 1986 that states only 20 counties in the U.S. (all in Georgia) are allowed to grow and market the crop. The legislation trademarked the name “Vidalia onions,” so those who mimic the product outside the region cannot market the crop after its namesake. 

So, where does Stine fit into the equation with the more than 80-year-old Vidalia onion industry? Crop rotation.

It boils down to genetics and timing.

Scott Wagner, key accounts manager for Stine, has spent the last two years traveling to the Vidalia region, specifically to Toombs County, where growers have quickly recognized the advantages of Stine soybean genetics.

“Stine soybeans are gaining ground in the region because of the genetic material we have available for that environment,” says Wagner. “Growers typically rely on other cash crops, such as peanuts and corn, to rotate into the mix after an onion harvest because soybeans aren’t always as profitable. But with Stine’s advanced lines of conventional and Enlist E3^® soybeans, Vidalia growers now have access to the industry’s leading material in maturities more conducive to their environment.”

Growers can easily rotate from Vidalias to soybeans and back again without missing a step, thanks to Stine’s shorter maturity products.

“It all boils down to timing,” says Wagner. “Planting season for Vidalias begins mid-November, the crop overwinters in the soil, and then harvest starts in April and is typically completed by mid-May. Growers can plant soybeans immediately after, churn the crop and get it out of the field before the next onion season begins.”

But soybeans haven’t always been a viable crop rotation option in the region.

“A few years back, you might find growers using 7.0 maturity soybeans, and they weren’t getting the time or growing degree days the crop needed to produce yield,” says Wagner. “Now, we’re pushing our 4.6 to 5.8 maturity products, and growers are getting more pods, not just vegetation. It’s becoming a cash crop option for them, and we’re seeing an average 60–65 bushel/acre in the region — a clear improvement from a few years ago.”

Other benefits of soybeans include the nitrogen credits they leave behind in the soil and clean fields after harvest.

“Soybeans not only inject more nutrients for the onions, they leave behind less biomass than other crops, making it easier to start planting right after soybean harvest,” said Wagner. “There’s also the advantage of herbicide residuals with the Enlist program. Unlike other herbicides, the onion crop is not impacted by the leftover residual, so it’s safe to apply with your soybean crop. Vidalia seed beds must be clean to plant the crop, so soybeans are beneficial in that aspect as well.”

Another consideration leading growers to rotate to soybeans — the diseases for both crops are different. Soybeans are a good transition crop for growers battling common onion diseases such as pink root or sour skin.

“The diseases soybeans fight are completely opposite of what onions fight,” said Wagner. “It’s not a true rotation if you can’t get away from a certain disease pressure.”

All hands on deck

Onion production is a tedious but rewarding business for growers in the region, and it’s their No. 1 priority. Soybeans are becoming more profitable for them, but there’s no replacement for their Vidalia business. And it keeps them busy.

“The Vidalia planting season technically starts in November, but as seedlings the crop spends roughly 45–60 days growing in a seed bed. This process starts in September,” says Wagner. “Each grower has their own seed bed. They typically pick a field or two and plant their own Vidalia nursery. Because they are bare root transplants, they must start their growing process in a nursery. After they’ve reached the proper stage for planting, workers add them to sacks as bundles to be planted again as a complete crop.”

Something unique to Vidalias is they are planted and harvested by people and not machines — an effort that requires all hands on deck.

“Workers transplant the onions from the nursery to the fields by hand,” says Wagner. “And at harvest, the workers come back to pick the onion and cut the greenery. There are machines that help the process, but at the end of the day, each onion is touched in the field. It’s a very labor-intensive process.”

A niche market

Although not the primary crop in the area, Stine soybeans have found a niche market in southern Georgia.

“Our soybeans are working well down there,” says Wagner. “Our conventional soybeans are performing, and our Enlist E3 lines are also shining. Outside our genetics, we hear growers say they’ve been waiting for a company like Stine — a family-owned business that isn’t just telling them what to do. We’re there to support them however they need us.”

Stine president Myron Stine recently spent time with growers in the region to discuss Stine’s position in the industry and how Stine can help increase profitability for their secondary crop market. We’ve hired an independent sales representative in the area who supports our growers in the region and is available to assist with any agronomic questions they may have, including product placement, row spacing and population considerations.

“We really admire these growers,” says Wagner. “They plant and harvest something almost every month; they don’t get any time off. It’s been a pleasure learning about their operations and the Vidalia onion industry. It’s truly a unique and beautiful crop. We’re just happy Stine can help with the process.”