Pioneer Agronomy: Indiana

What really happens after you send a plant sample to the lab, and how does it impact what happens back in the field? In this episode of Outstanding in Your Field , the team sits down with Corteva Plant Pathology Technology Lead Krystel Navarro to pull back the curtain on the diagnostic lab and the critical role it plays in modern agriculture. From identifying crop diseases with molecular precision...

Planting season is go-time. But the biggest wins aren’t about speed, they’re about precision where it matters most. If you’re chasing yield this season, start here, and press play. In this episode of Outstanding in Your Field , the Pioneer agronomy team breaks down what really impacts yield before the crop ever emerges. From dialing in planting depth to understanding soil moisture vs. temperature,...

In this episode of Outstanding in Your Field , hosts Bryan Schrader, Carl Joern, and Crystal Williams sit down with planter technology specialists from Indiana and Illinois about the must-check maintenance items growers should tackle before the first pass across the field. Guests Matt Risley of Petersen Ag Service and brothers Jake and Connor Finley of Finley Farms bring both shop wisdom and field...

In this episode, the team welcomes Pioneer Field Agronomist Scott Eversgerd. He's spent 23 years serving southern Illinois along the I-64 corridor—home to nearly half of Illinois’ soft red winter wheat acres. Scott shares deep expertise on high-management wheat systems, including: Setting up strong fall establishment and even emergence Target seeding rates for high-yield wheat Spring nitrogen stra...

Hosts Brian Schrader and Carl Joern take a moment to look back on five years of the Indiana Pioneer Agronomy Podcast — from its early days discussing dicamba regulations to today’s in-depth field updates and industry insights. Join them for gratitude, agronomic updates, and an open call to help define the evolution of this long-running, award-winning podcast. They also share news about co-host Ben...

It’s draft day on the Indiana Pioneer Agronomy Podcast ! Carl Joern and Brian Schrader are joined by fellow agronomists Kyle Quick, Brian Early, Chelsea Whitcomb, and innovation manager Sean O’Malley for their annual product draft. From powerhouse corn hybrids 🌽 to promising new soybean varieties 🌱, the team makes their picks, debates strategy, and shares insights from plots across Indiana and I...

From choosing a tractor over a Mustang in 1965, to the evolution of soybeans, ridge till, and iconic Pioneer hybrids like 3780 and 3394, Keith shares stories that trace the arc of modern agriculture. Together, Brian and Keith explore lessons from the farm crisis of the 1980s, the impact of changing weather, and the excitement (and challenges) of today’s big machinery and technology. This is a hear...

What began as a curious anomaly spotted across Indiana and beyond has sparked national interest among farmers and agronomists alike. Dr. Quinn shares insights from his research and field observations, including possible environmental triggers, hybrid variability, and pollination impacts. The conversation explores how sudden weather swings, from cool, moist conditions to extreme heat, may be behind...

"If you have corn that you’re counting on for bushels, you need to be pretty proactive about managing southern rust," says Jacob. "The thing that keeps sticking in my mind is just how early it was here and how much heat there has been to build up an inoculum load across it. You don’t see the rust pustules the day it lands on the plant. What you’re seeing is at the tail end of the life cycle. I wou...

🌽 From tar spot and southern rust in corn to white mold and red crown rot in soybeans, Dr. Telenko shares critical scouting tips, fungicide timing strategies, and insights on using the Crop Protection Network’s tools to make smart in-season decisions. As July heats up, she breaks down what to monitor in the field—and when to act. 🔍 Topics include: Current tar spot activity and risk across Indian...

Listen for: 🌱 Insights on corn and soybean growth stages, including variability in field conditions and the effects of early-season challenges like cool springs and excessive rainfall. 🌿 Tips for managing post-emergence herbicide applications in hot conditions, addressing crop response and weed control challenges. 🌽 Tips and info from Dr. Darcy Telenko on the early detection of tar spot in Indi...

He discusses the early detection of tar spot in Porter County, its implications for disease pressure across the state, and smart, cost-effective management approaches. Ben also covers the rise in soybean seedling diseases like Phytophthora, what farmers can expect as seed treatments wear off, and the importance of genetic resistance and field tolerance. Finally, he tackles the critical question: h...

Join agronomists Brian Schrader, Carl Joern, and Ben Jacob as they break down the latest updates from across Indiana. From soggy fields in the south to progress in the north, the team discusses: Delayed planting progress and the looming deadline Tough decisions around crop insurance and field management The consequences of leaving ground fallow (weed pressure, fallow syndrome, and soil health) Rep...

From evaluating hail and wind damage to understanding soybean replant thresholds and the resilience of V4-V5 corn, this episode delivers timely, boots-on-the-ground agronomic advice. The conversation also covers maturity switching decisions for delayed corn planting, the role of fungicides post-storm and why patience is a grower’s greatest tool right now. Listen for: • Planting progress updates ac...

We hear insights from the field as the 2025 planting season gets underway, and then Carl dives into the rapid planting progress across northern Indiana, sharing key agronomic updates and what early stand evaluations are revealing. With planting windows tightening and early-season decisions looming, hear actionable advice to help you maximize yield potential from the start from Joern, Quinn and Ind...

Listen for a boots-on-the-ground update as they break down field conditions, rain totals and emerging weed and insect pressures. They also dive into critical agronomic topics like proper field fit for planting, nitrogen applications, weed control timing and the importance of patience during narrow planting windows. Plus, get insights into planting dates, soybean maturity strategies, and why sticki...

The conversation spans a range of timely topics, including: Current spring challenges : Wet and cool weather, delayed fieldwork, and management of early-season weeds like purple dead nettle and henbit dead nettle. Pigweed pressure : Insights on Palmer amaranth and waterhemp control, stressing the importance of residual herbicides and overlapping applications. Technology and weed control : Evaluati...

1. Planting is the most important pass we make with any of our equipment. Position the right seed, on the right acre, at the right rate, at the right depth, at the right time. 2. Consider applying non-limiting nitrogen reference strips in every corn field. 3. Scout for pests, and apply timely treatments. 4. Monitor for misapplications and costly mistakes. (A tank contamination or mistake mix can c...

The first year Nick Hedden started helping growers manage water hemp was 2016. It hasn’t taken long for a variety of products to lose their effectiveness. “It’s definitely been a challenge,” says Hedden, who is an agronomist with Pioneer in Western Indiana. “Water hemp has between 6-8 chemical class resistances. We’ve got to be thorough, and have a good action plan for 20205 water hemp management....

During this episode of the Pioneer Agronomy Podcast Ben Jacob talks with Brian Shrader about the rabbit hole he's gone down this winter. He's been reading a lot about the relationship between sulfur and nitrogen. We know we need to apply some, but when and how much? "There's not a lot of research on sulfur in corn. But I did find some in Europe to do with small grains," Jacob says. "There's probab...

The Draft includes data from 11 participants across Illinois and Indiana with more than 300 plots represented. The highest performing corn seed hybrids in 2024 were:  1472, 10811, 14830, 13777 and P1222   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

During this episode of the Indiana Agronomy podcast, hosts Carl Joern and Ben Jacob discuss wheat, the weather, and whether an extreme cold snap can kill tar spot. "I'm not under the impression that cold temperatures have any impact on tar spot. It's a fungus, and I'm not aware of any published research that shows that extreme cold kills off those spores," says Joern.   Spoiler alert: Insects are...

Themes in this episode:  A "demand plan" is a strategic forecast of how much of a particular crop or livestock product a farmer should produce based on anticipated market demand, taking into account factors like seasonal fluctuations, consumer preferences, and potential market trends, allowing them to optimize production and minimize waste by only growing what is likely to be sold.  Demand plannin...

Hosts Brian Shrader and Ben Jacob talk about the 2024 harvest during this episode of the Pioneer Indiana podcast offering some advice for determining whether products used during the 2024 growing season made a difference. Their most important takeaways: It's important to understand how most yield monitors work. Most are just a mass flow sensor, and what they are actually measuring is an impact aga...

In Indiana, the entire state is marked by some kind of drought as farmers finish up this year's harvest. If rain doesn't come yet this fall, Indiana farmers are crossing fingers and toes for good snowfall. Lots of problems, but maybe not crops, can erupt when the ground is too dry.   Additionally, many farmers are in their first or second season battling the tar spot fungus. Which raises the quest...