Stine^® Seed Company offers smart strategies to tackle in-season crop challenges

ADEL, Iowa — As a testament to its commitment to supporting growers through every stage of the season, Stine^® Seed Company is providing expert guidance to help grower customers address in-season crop challenges and protect their yield potential. By offering timely agronomic insights and actionable strategies, Stine empowers farmers to make informed decisions in the field.

Crop scouting remains a critical first step in achieving a successful growing season. This strategy allows growers to identify issues before they escalate, ranging from nutrient deficiencies to disease presence, pest and weed pressure. Stine’s agronomy team encourages growers to get into the fields early and often to assess plant health and identify environmental stressors.

“We encourage growers to get out and evaluate how your crops look at this stage,” says Tony Lenz, Stine technical agronomist. “It’s important to get out into the fields, not just the end rows, and assess different parts so you get a true, full-field representation. We only have so long to get ahead of in-season issues, so getting a good evaluation of where we stand right now helps determine the next best step.”

With the growing season well underway, growers should begin evaluating what the field is telling them. It’s crucial to assess plant vigor and any visible signs of stress. This includes identifying areas with yellowing plants, which may be a sign of nitrogen deficiency, especially in fields that experienced excessive early-season moisture. Timely intervention is important before deficiencies impact yield potential.

Weed management is another cornerstone of Stine’s in-season approach. An effective weed control plan can help maintain strong in-season momentum and minimize yield loss.

“We want to hit those weeds in a timely manner, not when they’re pushing the labeled height recommendations for post-herbicide applications,” Lenz adds.

Getting ahead of weed pressure while weeds are still under the labeled crop and weed height recommendations, including using multiple modes of action, will be critical this season. If weeds reach the stage where they’re past the label-recommended height, consider what can be done next year. Narrow-row planting can achieve a dense early canopy to suppress weed emergence by blocking light, helping crops stay competitive and reducing the need for late-season herbicide applications.

Another stressor that should be carefully monitored this year is the increased presence of corn rootworm.

“Now’s the time to grab your water buckets and shovel to scout your corn-on-corn acres for rootworm larvae,” says Lenz. “Rootworm eggs will reach 50% hatch at approximately 700 growing degree days (GDD). Growers will need to wait until about 10–14 days after that before they start seeing feeding on roots.” 

Lenz recommends scouting for corn rootworm larvae by digging up the whole plant, including the roots and dirt, without pruning the roots. Then, clean the roots in a bucket of water and let them sit until the water clears. You should be able to see larvae floating to the surface.

“Depending on your level of infestation, you may have the opportunity to spray an insecticide after they are in the beetle stage to knock the population down before they can clip too many silks,” says Lenz. “But that’s not going to solve the problem. What you really want to do is get a better management plan together for the next crop season — one that includes a mix of crop rotation, using rootworm-resistant traits and applying insecticides to reduce your rootworm pressure next spring.”

Lenz also notes that the agronomy team is working with a few of our current growers to explore alternative options for controlling corn rootworm. One strategy they are currently testing involves adding nematodes directly to the soil. When applied, the nematodes feed on the rootworm larvae, essentially bringing the populations down. Once testing is complete, the team looks forward to sharing any results with growers in the future.

As conditions continue to shift throughout the season, Stine encourages farmers to remain proactive and adjust their plans based on real-time field conditions. Reach out to your local Stine representative for trusted in-season support to enhance performance and profitability this summer. Find your local representative here.