Healthy Plants Yield Soybean Record — Again

How can you help your grower-customers get more out of their soybean and corn crop? See what Kip Cullers of Purdy, MO — who has two consecutive world-recording-breaking soybean yields and several National Corn Yield Contest wins under his belt — has to say.

Cullers manages more than 7,500 acres of corn, soybeans, green beans and greens (spinach, collard, kale, mustard, and turnips). He believes the two most important things to ensure a crop’s success are to pay attention to plant genetics and to be proactive about protecting that crop.

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"A healthy plant is a happy plant, and happy plants produce grain," Cullers says. "Applying Headline fungicide (from BASF) is critical to protecting my soybeans from disease and ensuring Plant Health."

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But it’s not just disease pressure that threatens crop health and yields — weed pressure and insect pressure each take an often silent toll on crop yields. That’s why Cullers looked to BASF to help maximize yield and minimize risk. In addition to using Headline fungicide on his soybeans and corn, Cullers also protected his corn from yield-robbing weeds with Status herbicide and he sprayed Respect insecticide to further protect his corn and soybeans crops from insects.

"Over the years, we’ve learned a lot from growing vegetable crops," says Cullers. "One of the things that rings true, no matter what type of crop, is the importance of protecting your crop." Cullers also credits good advice from BASF technical service personnel and access to a portfolio of leading technology with helping him get the most out of every acre.

Last year, growers who sprayed Headline as part of BASF’s Plant Health program grew more bushels — yielding an average 12 to 15 bushels per acre (bu/A) increase in corn and a 4 to 8 bu/A increase in soybeans, according to BASF. The company notes that results from on-farm Headline trials that took place during the 2007 season are just now being tabulated but look as promising as last year’s yield advantage.
 

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