The grain is out of the field, and the combines are making their way back to the sheds for the winter.

While it might seem like the work has finished for the year, farmers know that now is the time to start planning for next year. When choosing the right seed for next year, there are different factors to consider such as market prices, disease pressures and weather conditions.

While weather is something that cannot be controlled, Holly Thrasher, Dekalb/Asgrow technical agronomist covering central and western Kansas, has some tips on how to be prepared no matter what Mother Nature throws your way.

“With the September heat and lack of rain, this year we saw a trend of earlier-maturity corn hybrids performing better,” Thrasher says. “Next year is an unknown, so it is a good reminder to plant a spread of maturities on your farm and spread out your planting dates to help minimize the impact that weather can have.”

Control what you can

In addition to praying for rain and good weather, plant diversity can be another tool farmers can utilize to maximize yields at harvesttime, while mitigating variability.

“In many ways, this can really aid in the stress of harvest, as you will have a wider window of harvest with a spread in maturities,” Thrasher says. “This also helps mitigate variability by spreading out the risk.”

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She says that if an agronomic challenge, such as a pest or a disease, affects a single seed variety, then farmers have minimized that impact by planting multiple varieties. In addition to different products, it is important to spread out maturities and target a window of planting and harvesting.

There are many different products that seed companies release, and Thrasher says there is a reason for that. While the product lineup can seem overwhelming at first, by having different options, farmers can minimize risk when the next growing season comes around.

“In our Dekalb/Asgrow lineup, for example, we are focused on bringing the best products that handle tough dryland, limited irrigation, as well as full irrigation,” Thrasher says. “In addition to the yield environment challenges we face in central and western Kansas, we are also focused on hybrids and varieties that can handle soil type differences such as our challenging sands and agronomic hurdles like high soil pH.”

Consult local experts

It is no secret that having a good relationship with an agronomist in the area will help farmers maximize their land’s capabilities. But at the end of the day, farmers know their own land the best, and they should trust their instincts when it comes to product placement and positioning.

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“Farmers know their land. Building a plan with your local trusted adviser with a strong mix of products that have performed well in your area in the past is a great starting point,” Thrasher says. “There have been some exciting new products that have hit the market, and now is a great time to look at a few of them on your own farm. Consistency is king in product selection and placement.”

Another tool that can help farmers understand what seed to select is what pests and diseases are prevalent in your area. While it is tough to predict which insects will cause the most problems in the upcoming growing season, there are ways to protect against pests.

“Ensuring insect trait selections are made that offer strong protection against pests you may face like corn rootworm, western bean cutworm and corn earworm is the best strategy for success,” Thrasher says. “For disease concerns such as Goss’s wilt, hybrid selection is most important. Many key diseases such as gray leaf spot and southern rust, as well as emerging disease like tar spot, are controllable with proper scouting and fungicide applications.”

4 steps to choosing seed

When building a plant that puts up the best defense against pests and diseases, there are four steps to consider:

“Setting goals to maximize your yield potential and ROI are hugely important. Decisions like selecting hybrids and varieties with a strong track record of success puts you one step closer to achieving your farm production goals,” Thrasher adds.

Learn more at cropscience.bayer.us/articles/channel.