Agronomy 2023 outlook, part 2: Stine^® Success Demos and Side-by-Side Plots

Last week, we explored how Stine’s agronomy department is looking toward the future by focusing research efforts on germplasm from our Elite Yield Trials that has not yet been commercialized. This week, director of agronomy Tom Larson provides insight on how the agronomy team will leverage Stine’s Success Demos and Side-by-Side Plots to showcase what’s currently available in Stine’s product lineup.

“We already know a lot about the products in our current lineup, but it’s always best practice to learn more,” says Larson. “Our Stine Success Demos and Side-by-Side Plots will be set up with two specific goals in mind — 1.) to train our sales team on how these products perform in any given year, and 2.) to provide our grower customers with showcase plots where they can see firsthand how the products stand up to their environment and against competitors. I also like to call these our show-and-tell plots.”

STINE SUCCESS DEMOS

The goal with the Stine Success Demos is to have two plots per region — one corn and one soybean. All soybeans in the soybean plots will be treated. Corn plots will be planted by relative maturity and population percentage. Since these plots are for training and observation only, they will have four rows, 100 to 150 feet long. The agronomy team will be responsible for monitoring the plots throughout the planting, growing and harvest seasons, keeping tabs on emergence, fungicide/herbicide applications, nutrient inputs, disease and insect observation, and general hybrid/variety observations.

“These plots will be planted and managed by Stine and not a competitor party,” says Larson. “The agronomy team will ensure consistency across all checks and balances — we want the data and our observations of these plots to provide the truest look at how our products perform on a regional level.”

SIDE-BY-SIDE PLOTS

Stine’s Side-by-Side plots are just as they sound. We work directly with our growers or prospective customers to plant one of our products next to a competitor’s product to see how they measure up.

“You might see some farmers who have a big planter fill half of the planter with our seed and the other half with a competitor,” says Larson. “Since Stine genetics are typically shorter in stature than most competitors, we ask that each grower plant a 10 acre block minimum to prevent a shading effect. You’ll always have a point where the two products meet in the field but planting more acres per plot allows customers and those interested in viewing the plot a better picture of real performance.”

A shading effect occurs when a product of a taller stature is planted next to a short-stature product. They might be the same maturity and have similar emergence schedules, but the taller plant will undoubtedly shade out the shorter-stature plant. This limits its access to sunlight and uses up much of the nutrients in the ground as taller material needs more to grow.

“We have a good system in place for customers who wish to plant a Stine Side-by-Side Plot that ensures a level playing ground for both our products and that of our competitors,” says Larson. “We look forward to seeing the results in the field this season.”

Work doesn’t stop with the plots

Although the agronomy team’s core focus will be on planning and implementing the Product Development Plots followed by the Stine Success Demos and Side-by-Side Plots, there’s still a lot of other research going on behind the scenes.

“The agronomy team — we’re definitely not slackers,” Larson jokes. “In addition to our plot program, we’re going into the second year of our seed treatment study for corn and employing our emergence flag study again to monitor emergence, including with treated seed. We’ll be busy, but it’s all worth it to have the resources our sales team needs to better place our seed and for grower customers to understand how our products will perform in their operation.”

Interested in learning more about our plot program and what the agronomy team is up to this year? Connect with a Stine agronomist here.