Before You Review the Practical Farm Research Studies in This Book, Please Read the Reviews Written by the Directors from Each Site

Before you review the Practical Farm Research studies in this book, please read the reviews written by the directors from each site. They provide an overview of the growing season to help you gain perspective and understanding for the data presented.

Also, you will notice that for some of our research plots, we calculate revenue. Market price volatility makes it difficult to figure revenue and income per acre for the crops and inputs that we test and have it applicable to every farmer. The following prices reflect the yearly average of Friday’s closing price (October 2012 to September 2013) of our local markets near our Practical Farm Research locations. We then rounded the numbers for simplicity in calculating returns. You may need to refigure your own return per acre, for prices that you expect to receive, if they differ significantly from the commodity and input prices we used.

Corn $5.40/Bu. (Waxy corn premium $0.60 per bushel)

Soybeans $12.65/Bu.

Drying Costs $0.04 per point of moisture/Bu.

UAN $0.65/lb.

Base Nitrogen Rates First year corn: 180 lbs./A. Continuous corn: 225 lbs./A.

Other costs and inputs specific to a study will be listed on the page of the study.

The Summary Comparison pages near the front of this book contain data from farmer plots, Beck’s PFR, replicated testing, University and third party testing. You may obtain copies and/ or view the individual farmer plots in the following ways:

Visit our website www.BecksHybrids.com/Research/YieldData or contact Beck’s main office at 1-800-937-2325 or your sales representative for a printed copy or a CD containing farmer plots for specific regions that are of interest. CENTRAL INDIANA PFR REVIEW

Wow! 2013 proved to be an action packed year here at Atlanta, IN. The crop growing season started in October with wheat planting. Due to weather conditions the wheat wasn’t planted until October 29th, 2012. After planting the wheat, we had above normal temperatures for a few days and then winter set in until April.

2013 was a tough year to get an early corn and soybean planting in the ground. April 4th was the first and only day we were able to plant in April due to receiving over nine inches of rain. We added 60 acres of testing ground late this winter so the team was very busy selecting and preparing plot ground this spring. May was a very productive month as every corn and first crop soybean plot was planted except two. With three inches of rain in May and six in June the crops had sufficient moisture to get off to a good start.

What closing wheel combination is the most beneficial? This is a question we tried to answer in our new closing wheel study. This spring lent wonderful conditions to test this in no-till ground. We continued to have adequate moisture through July. However, the last part of July and August rainfall was minimal. This gave us another great opportunity to evaluate sub-irrigated corn for a third year. We experienced mild temperatures in July with only four days over 90°. August was also mild with only three days above 90°. This was gladly welcomed after the heat we experienced in 2012. We believe the high corn yield levels can be attributed to the mild weather along with the adequate moisture early in the growing season. A substantial rain in August would have been a great asset to finish filling the pods on soybeans.

Harvest was delayed due to the later planting window and mild weather that allowed the crop to grow later into fall. September 12th was the first opportunity we had to shell corn, but this was short lived due to the high moisture levels of the corn plots. After starting to shell corn, soybeans became ready and we were able to take advantage of the nice soybean cutting weather. As the weather became less cooperative to cut beans, we were able to switch back to harvesting corn. The last corn plot was harvested on October 25th. Enjoy reading this year’s research results from Beck’s PFR, Farmer Plots and University Data, and as always feel free to contact us with questions and suggestions for future research. KENTUCKY PFR REVIEW

What a year it’s been at the new Kentucky Practical Farm Research Facility! Preparation for the 2013 crop year began in September of 2012 with a major tiling and ditch cleaning project. Once completed, we took advantage of a dry fall and ran an in-line ripper between the tile lines to remove as much compaction as possible. Due to the tiling project, we did not plant any wheat or cover crops at this location for the 2013 crop year.

Construction on the new Henderson, KY facility began with earth moving on March 13th. However, wet weather in mid to late March slowed both our construction efforts and field work to level tile lines. Rainfall continued through mid-April resulting in over five inches of rain. Fortunately we were able to plant our first corn planting date entry on April 6th. The majority of our corn studies were planted in two windows: April 30th to May 2nd and May 14th to May 18th. Our last corn planting date study was planted on June 12th. Soybean planting began with our first soybean planting date entry on April 29th. Again, intermittent rain events delayed planting. Nearly all of our soybean studies were planted between May 27th and May 29th. Over six inches of rain fell in the month of June, which created some challenges in sidedressing corn and spraying post emergence treatments, but overall we were able to get most of this done in a timely manner. July and August brought a change in our weather pattern. Although temperatures were cooler than normal for the most part, we did experience some intense heat in mid-July that correlated with roughly 13 days with no significant rainfall. Timely rains from July 20th to 23rd and July 30th and 31st helped to get our late planted corn through pollination with minimal stress and helped to contribute to some very high yields this fall. Our first Kentucky Field Show was held on August 6th and was attended by an all-time record crowd for the early August field show. We can’t thank our customers, dealers, and the local community enough for helping make this event and our first year in Henderson, KY a huge success.

Harvest began on September 4th when we cut BECK 294NR™* soybeans that were planted on April 29th. Corn harvest began shortly after on September 6th. This year’s long, cool grain-fill period resulted in very high corn yields with nearly all of our studies averaging above 200 Bu./A. and many of them in the 230 - 240 Bu./A. range. Soybeans showed their highest yields at the earliest planting dates in late April and early May and slowly fell from there. This resulted in the majority of our soybean studies averaging yields from the low 60 to mid 70 Bu./A. range. As harvest concluded we began work for the 2014 crop with cover crops being sown in late September and early October and wheat being sown in mid-October. We look forward to seeing many of you and discussing more of the results from this year’s studies throughout the winter months at our Post-Harvest and Winter Meetings. CENTRAL ILLINOIS PFR REVIEW

The 2013 growing season started on April 8th at the CILPFR Center. Dry and somewhat warm weather allowed for two days of planting during this second week of April. Planting conditions at this time were excellent, but cool and wet weather put planting to a halt quickly. Corn planting did not resume until May 8th, when soils warmed up and dried out. The majority of corn planted in McLean County was planted over a two week time period without much delay. In some areas, soils became very dry and made planting somewhat difficult to maintain proper seed depth for adequate moisture. It seemed like heavy rain potential was a threat every day and this made producers weary of increasing planting depths in dry soils. Corn stands in general were very good, with the exception of some corn fields that had erratic emergence due to shallow planting and delayed germination.

Soybeans in general were planted during the last half of May. In some areas, rains delayed planting until June. Cool and wet weather did persist and caused a larger amount of soybean replanting in some areas. In general, soybeans had good stands and were off to a good start.

June offered high amounts of rain in many areas and wreaked havoc with producers trying to sidedress corn and make herbicide applications. As we entered July, corn was approximately two weeks behind normal growth and in many cases sitting in saturated soils. This condition quickly ceased and rainfall was very limited in many areas throughout July and August. Our saving grace was the cooler temperatures that persisted throughout pollination and relieved a large amount of stress from the corn crop. After pollination, the Central IL PFR Center received only 0.4” of rain in August which led to somewhat less than normal yields on soil types that can typically show drought stress. Many corn fields did however average near 200 Bu./A. or more.

Soybeans were a pleasant surprise with very common yields of 50 - 60 Bu./A. or more. 2013 was another example proving that soybeans do not like “wet feet”. Soybeans are usually made during a critical time in August and this time period offered very dry conditions. It was amazing to see how well the soybeans performed in these tough conditions.

Overall, 2013 was a very successful year at the CILPFR Center. We continued to test agronomic studies that are giving us some great long-term data to help with decision making in the future. We also tried to do our best to bring new technology to the forefront for growers to see such as site specific multi-hybrid planting, OptRx® variable rate nitrogen, and new ways to monitor soil nitrogen levels. Our PFR Partner program grew as well in 2013 by partnering with growers to work together on agronomic programs that find ways to increase yields and profitability.

It was a pleasure conducting agronomic trials in 2013 and presenting information for our annual Beck’s Practical Farm Research Publication. We also enjoyed the great attendance from all the Field Shows this past summer and would like to thank everyone for taking time out of their busy schedule to spend time at our agronomic centers. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS PFR REVIEW

The 2013 season began for us last fall with the seeding of cover crops on August 29th and the planting of wheat on October 12th. The fall months brought ample growth for both crops especially if planted behind corn stalks. This in part was due to crop failure in the corn because of drought conditions in 2012. Feekes 3 wheat topdress applications were made in late February around small snowfall dustings. A larger snowfall event at the end of March carried us into a very wet April where we received 8.77 inches of rain. Fortunately, we were able to get the cover crop burndown made successfully and the Feekes 5 wheat topdress and herbicide applications done around the many April rainfall events.

Spring field activity finally began on May 8th with a burndown application to all studies, followed by some vertical tillage to prepare seedbeds in spite of the moist conditions. The first corn planting date entry on May 18th began our planting season. Several studies were planted that day before receiving more rain. Due to the moist conditions and the potential threat of head scab, we decided to apply fungicide to the wheat studies on May 20th. On May 24th and 25th we were able to get the planter back out, only to be driven back to the shed by more rain. Some hard, pounding rains and cool weather followed this planting date; we experienced some poor stands as a result. On May 30th, we once again got the planter out to finish all but a few corn studies. More rain followed this planting date and we ended with a total of 5.75 inches for the month of May.

June brought more wet weather, but we finally were able to plant first-crop soybeans on June 7th, 8th, 11th, and we finished on the 12th. Our final corn studies were planted on June 10th and 12th. On June 15th, we were able to begin sidedressing corn which carried into July due to wet conditions we had throughout the latter part of June. A second planting date entry for our soybean planting date and population study occurred on June 20th. The 29th of June allowed us to harvest wheat. Corn herbicide applications were also made amongst the rainfall events and we ended with a June rainfall total of 6.31 inches.

For the month of July, rain continued to fall as we finished sidedressing corn and planting our final soybean planting date on July 12th. Following that, post herbicide applications began on soybeans and we were able to plant double crop soybeans on the 15th of July. After the completion of herbicide applications, we began to prepare for field show and continued to receive rain until the last day of July; we ended with a total of 5.57 inches for the month. On August 8th, the Southern Illinois Field Show drew a sizeable crowd to look at one of the best crops SILPFR has had to showcase in several years. Thank you to all who were able to attend!

After the dry months of August with 0.99 inches and September with 0.74 inches of rainfall, corn harvest began on October 1st and was mostly completed by October 26th. Corn yields were exceptional, in fact the best that this farm has ever seen! Yield averages were in the 200 Bu./A. plus range consistently across the May 18th planting date. Yields seemed to taper off slightly on the later May planted studies, but once again rose close to the 200 bushel mark on the June planted corn. What a remarkable year for corn to say the least! Soybean harvest began on October 8th and was complete by October 24th. Soybean yields were closer to average for the SILPFR farm this season and fell between the 40 - 60 Bu./A. range. This was still better than expected considering the dry months of August and September. Overall, we have very consistent, excellent data this year and look forward to presenting it through the winter. With yet another challenging year at Southern Illinois PFR, we are glad to present you with great agronomic information. Hopefully we have provided answers for some of the questions farmers like you brought from the field. We welcome thoughts and ideas for future studies and will continue to make strides to lead you to greater potential profit on your farm. OHIO PFR REVIEW

The London, Ohio location was the beginning of a new chapter for Beck’s Hybrids. Beck’s purchased 285 acres, next to the Farm Science Review, last summer in response to the growing demands and needs of Ohio farmers. The Beck family has made a commitment to their Ohio customers to not only provide practical farm research, but also in the near future deliver the added convenience of a distribution center at this location.

Starting in the spring of 2013, our ditching crew installed pattern tile on the majority of the farm. However, we left some of our testing area untiled to allow us to conduct tile studies in the future, once we better understand the farm’s drainage needs and how to set up the studies.

Growing pains were felt in the first year at the Ohio Practical Farm Research location, and yet we met our goals for a successful season. Lack of equipment and storage concerns kept us from participating in all of the studies the other PFR sites planted this year. Regardless, we never lost site of the goals we set for our first year. Our main goal was to lay out our site into plots for future years and to get them planted in a timely manner so this year’s data could be collected and shared with Ohio farmers. We acquired our planter on May 8th and began planting on May 9th. The weather cooperated in May with a total of 2.29” of rain. This allowed us to finish our planting season by May 28th (except for our weekly planting date studies that continued until June 24th). Our rainfall total for the month of June was 3.65” and July held strong at 4.20”. Then the typical “Ohio Summer” hit and the weather turned on us leading to only 1.10” of rain through the month of August.

The first year in London was truly a success for us and our Beck’s customers. We had a wonderful experience during the Farm Science Review; tours of the research plots showcased our current studies and allowed us to share future plans for the OHPFR farm.

We are really excited about this opportunity to provide research to Ohio farmers through our practical farm management practices. Please feel free to contact us anytime with questions or concerns regarding your farming needs. TABLE OF CONTENTS

2013 INDEPENDENT TEST RESULTS Page CENTRAL INDIANA PRACTICAL F.I.R.S.T. Results 10 SOYBEAN RESEARCH - CONTINUED Soy Capital 10 Page University Results 10-11 Foliar Insecticide Study 86 Wheat Tech 11 Foliar Fungicide/Insecticide Study 87 Aproach Fungicide Study 88 MULTI-YEAR CORN COMPARISONS Page High Yield Seed Treatment Study 89 Regional Corn Summary 12-23 Residue Management Study 90 Waxy Corn Summary 24 Soil Amendment Study 91 Micronutrient Study 92-93 MULTI-YEAR SOYBEAN COMPARISONS Page Double Crop Soybean Study 93 Soybean Summary 25-34 Soybean After Cover Crop Study 94

CENTRAL INDIANA PRACTICAL KENTUCKY PRACTICAL CORN RESEARCH CORN RESEARCH Page Page Corn Show Plot 95 Corn Show Plot 35 300 Bushel Attempt 96 Corn Show Plot (20” Rows) 36 Fungicide Timing Study 97 VT Fungicide Study 37 VT Fungicide Study 98-99 Fungicide Timing Study 38-39 Plant Health Management Study 100-101 300 Bushel Attempt 40-41 Planting Date Study 102-103 Sub-Irrigation Study (20" vs. 30" Rows) 42-43 Replant Study 104-105 Closing Wheel Study 44-45 Nitrogen Timing Study 106-107

Planting Date Study (Tile vs. No Tile) 46-47 NH3 Seed Placement Study 108 Replant Study 48-49 Nitrogen Stabilizer Study (Preplant) 109 No-Till vs. Conv.-Till Study (CAB & CAC) 50-51 Nitrogen Stabilizer Study (Sidedress) 110 Vertical-Till vs. Conv.-Till Study (CAB) 52 Nitrogen Rate Study (CAB) 111 Stress Mitigation Study 53 Nitrogen Rate & Population Study 112 Nitrogen Timing Study 54-55 N-Gage Study 113 Sidedress Spacing Study 56 In-Furrow Fertilizer/Starter Study 114-115 Nitrogen Stabilizer Study 57 Nucleus 0-0-21 Study 116 Nitrogen Rate Study (CAC) 58 Closing Wheel Study 117 Nitrogen Rate Study (CAB) 59 Tile Width Study 118 Variable Rate Nitrogen Study 60 Bio-Forge Study 119 Variable Rate Seeding & Nitrogen Study 61 Ascend Study 120 Allelopathy Study on Continuous Corn 62 Phosphorus Efficiency Study 63 Micronutrient Study 64-65 KENTUCKY PRACTICAL SOYBEAN RESEARCH Root Growth Study 66 Page Thio-Sul Study 67 Soybean Show Plot 121 Plant Growth Regulator Study 68 100 Bushel Attempt 122-123 TJ Challenge 2050 Study 69 Ascend Study 123 Gypsum/Lime Study 70 Foliar Fungicide Study 124-125 Corn Silage Study 71 Fungicide Timing Study 126 Waxy Corn Plot 72 Planting Date Study 127 Population Timing Study 128-129 Fastac Insecticide Study 130 CENTRAL INDIANA PRACTICAL Nitrogen Study 131 SOYBEAN RESEARCH Foliar Feed Study 132 Page Bio-Forge Study 133 Soybean Show Plot 73 Cobra Study 134 15" LibertyLink & Non-GMO Soybean Show Plot 74 Harvest Aid Study 135 100 Bushel Attempt 75 Escalate vs. Untreated Study 76 Herbicide Systems Study 77 CENTRAL ILLINOIS PRACTICAL Pre-Emergence Herbicide Study 78-79 CORN RESEARCH Advanced Variety in No-Till (MP) & Conv.-Till (HP) 80-81 Page Vertical-Till vs. Conv.-Till Study (BAC) 81 Corn Show Plot 136 Planting Date Study (Tile vs. No Tile) 82-84 300 Bushel Attempt 137 Population/Timing Study 85-86 Fungicide Study 138-139 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PRACTICAL CORN CENTRAL ILLINOIS PRACTICAL RESEARCH - CONTINUED SOYBEAN RESEARCH - CONTINUED Page Page In-Furrow Fungicide Study 140 Starter Fertilizer Study 208 Irrigation Study 141 VersaMax Study 209 Crop Rotation & Tillage Study 142-143 Respire Foliar Study 210 Moldboard Plow Study 144 Seed Coat Study 210 Closing Wheel Study 145 Moldboard Plow Study 211 Planter Downforce Study 146-147 Planting Date Study 148-149 Replant Study 150-151 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS PRACTICAL Nitrogen Timing Study on Continuous Corn 152-153 CORN RESEARCH Nitrogen Timing Study (CAB) 154-155 Page Nitrogen Stabilizer Study 156 Corn Show Plot 212 Urea Stabilizer Topdress Study 157 Closing Wheel Study 213 Nitrogen Rate Study on Continuous Corn 158-159 300 Bushel Attempt 214-215 Nitrogen Rate Study (CAB) 160-161 Fungicide Timing Study 216-217 Late Season Nitrogen Application Study 162-163 VT Fungicide Study 218 Nitrogen Sealer Study 164 Planting Date & Replant Study 219-220 N-Serve Study 165 Tillage Study 221 Soil Nitrate Study 166-167 Nitrogen Timing Study 222-223 Corn After Cover Crop Study 168-169 Nitrogen Stabilizer Study 224-225 Trimble GreenSeeker Study 170-171 Nitrogen Rate Study on Continuous Corn 226 YDrop Capture LFR Study 172-173 Sidedress Spacing Study 227 RyzUp SmartGrass Study 173 Cover Crop & Nitrogen Rate Study 228-229 Soil Applied Insecticide Study 174-175 Hybrid Trait/Insecticide Study 231 Incite Silica Study 175 Stalk Degradation Study 232 Carbon Penalty Study 176 Soil Amendment Study 233 Frost Simulation Study 177 Foliar Study 234 Pinch Row Compaction Study 178 In-Furrow Study 235 Drought Tolerant Technologies Study 179 Gypsum Study 180 Soil Amendment Study 181 BioRed Study 182-183 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS PRACTICAL P Max Plus Study 183 SOYBEAN RESEARCH P Max LFS Study 184 Page Elixor Goss' Wilt Disease Study 185 Soybean Show Plot 236 Starter Fertilizer Study 186 100 Bushel Attempt 237 Yield King Study 187 Herbicide Systems Study 238-239 VersaMax Study 188 Fungicide Study 240 Respire Foliar Study 189 Tillage Study 241 Infusion 2.0 Study 190 Cover Crop Study 242 Soil Boost Study 191 Gypsum Study 243 Seed Coat Study 191 Induced Stress Study 244 Aquasorb Study 192 In-Furrow Study 245 2x2 Study 246 Foliar Study 247 CENTRAL ILLINOIS PRACTICAL Soil Amendment Study 248 SOYBEAN RESEARCH Page Soybean Show Plot 193 OHIO PRACTICAL CORN RESEARCH 100 Bushel Attempt 194 Page Herbicide Systems Study 195 Corn Show Plot 249 Fungicide/Insecticide Study (Leaf Wetness) 196-197 300 Bushel Attempt (CAC) 250 Row Width & Population Study 198-199 300 Bushel Attempt (CAB) 251 Population Timing Study 200-201 Planting Date Study 252 Planting Date Study 202-203 Replant Study 253 Soybean After Cover Crop Study 204 Population Study 254 Sudden Death Syndrome Study 205 No-Till vs. Conv.-Till Study (CAB) 255 Optimize Study 206 Nitrogen Rate Study 256 Stratego Leverage Study 207 Soybean Show Plot 257 TABLE OF CONTENTS

OHIO PRACTICAL SOYBEAN RESEARCH - CONTINUED Page Escalate vs. Untreated Study 258 Row Spacing & Population Study 259

MULTI-LOCATIONS PRACTICAL RESEARCH Page Corn Fungicide Timing Study 260-261 VT Fungicide Study 262 Nitrogen Stabilizer Study 263 Nitrogen Timing Study (CAB) 263 Nitrogen Rate Study 264-265 Nitrogen Utilization Multi-Year Study 266 Closing Wheel Study 267 Corn Row Width & Population Study 268-269 Soybean Herbicide Systems Study 270

PFR Partner Preview Page Site-Specific, Multi-Hybrid Corn Planting Study 272-275 Nitrogen Management Study 276-278 Site-Specific, Multi-Variety Soybean Planting Study 279-281

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PRACTICAL WHEAT RESEARCH Page Wheat Show Plot 282

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS PRACTICAL WHEAT RESEARCH Page Fungicide Study 282 Nitrogen Rate Study 283 Nitrogen Timing Study 284-285 Herbicide Study 286-287 High Yield Attempt 287

TRAIT IDENTIFICATION INDEX 288 Beck’s is the fastest growing seed company in the United States.* One reason is our superior yields. Beck’s top ten corn hybrids out-yield all competitors by 8.2 bushels per acre in over 3,000 comparisons, in your area.** So don’t delay, contact your local Beck’s representative and place your order while supplies last.

BecksHybrids.com | 800.937.2325

*Source: Independent National Marketing Service 2006-2013 based on sales of seed corn, soybeans, and wheat. **Data: Beck’s testing of six regions and third party 2013 plot comparisons in IL, IN, OH, KY, and MI comparing Beck’s top 10 hybrids versus all competitors. 2013 Independent 2013 Independent Test Test Results Results F.I.R.S.T. CORN Brand Test/Location %Mois. Bu./A. Rank Beck 5385A3 Grand Ridge, IL - Early 25.5 267.4 2nd out of 63 Beck 5385A3 Walnut, IL - Early 20.3 226.5 7th out of 63 Beck 5475AMX™* Galva, IL - Early 14.7 180.2 3rd out of 63 Beck 5509A3 Bethany, IL - Early 18.4 224.6 7th out of 72 Beck 5509A3 Towanda, IL - Early 17.6 241.0 2nd out of 72 Beck 5509A3 Virden, IL - Early 17.7 208.2 2nd out of 72 Phoenix 5552A4** Mazon, IL -Full 19.1 235.3 6th out of 74 Phoenix 5552A4** Grand Ridge, IL - Full 29.3 274.6 3rd out of 72 Beck 5828AMX™* Paxton, IL - Early 17.1 171.4 7th out of 72 Beck 5828AMX™* Grand Ridge, IL - Early 25.0 263.8 4th out of 63 Beck 5828AMX™* Sublette, IL - Early 27.0 284.2 1st out of 63 Beck 6626AM™* Delvan, IL - Full 18.9 285.0 2nd out of 70 Beck EX 1324™* Grand Ridge, IL - Full 28.7 270.8 4th out of 72 Beck EX 1324™* Walnut, IL - Full 20.1 252.0 1st out of 72

University of Illinois CORN Brand Test/Location %Mois. Bu./A. Rank Beck 5509A3 Perry, IL 19.8 239.0 6th out of 123 Beck 5828AMX™* Mt. Morris, IL 25.1 272.0 4th out of 108 Beck 5828AMX™* Erie, IL 24.1 285.0 5th out of 108 Beck 5828AMX™* Goodfield, IL 18.7 277.0 3rd out of 110 Beck 5828AMX™* Southern Region 17.5 231.0 4th out of 70 Beck 5828AMX™* Elkville, IL 16.7 227.0 4th out of 70 Phoenix 6542A4** Monmouth, IL 27.3 243.0 5th out of 123 Phoenix 6542A4** Belleville, IL 24.8 226.0 9th out of 70 Beck 6626AMX™* West Central Region 24.3 253.0 1st out of 123 Beck 6626AMX™* Perry, IL 21.1 259.0 2nd out of 123 Beck 6948A3 St. Peter, IL 19.9 251.0 6th out of 70 Beck 6948A3 Belleville, IL 22.1 226.0 8th out of 70 Beck EX 1324™* Erie, IL 25.4 283.0 6th out of 108 Beck EX 1324™* New Berlin, IL 22.0 275.0 2nd out of 123

Soy Capital CORN Brand Test/Location %Mois. Bu./A. Rank Beck 5509A3 Chrisman, IL - Early 16.1 229.7 5th out of 63 Phoenix 5642A4** Mendota, IL - Late 25.6 255.5 9th out of 67 Beck 5828AMX™* Mendota, IL - Early 21.7 277.3 1st out of 42 Phoenix 5832A3** Harvel, IL - Strip Trial 22.4 215.6 8th out of 44 Beck 6175AMX™* Chebanse, IL - Strip Trial 22.5 234.8 3rd out of 44 Beck 6348A3 Wapella, IL - Strip Trial 21.7 237.4 6th out of 44 Beck 6626AMX™* Ridgeway, IL - Rep Trial 19.6 258.7 1st out of 28 Beck 6626AMX™* Salem, IL - Rep Trial 20.5 225.2 7th out of 28 Beck 6626AMX™* Wapella, IL - Strip Trial 20.0 245.3 1st out of 44 Beck EX 1324™* Geneseo, IL - Late 19.7 265.8 6th out of 67

University of Kentucky CORN Brand Test/Location %Mois. Bu./A. Rank Beck 5828AM™* LaRue County- Early 19.7 175.1 2nd out of 54 Beck 6175AM™* Lexington, KY - Early 17.8 185.7 7th out of 54 Beck 6175AM™* Todd County - Early 20.5 216.3 4th out of 54 Phoenix 6542A4** Lexington, KY - Medium 19.8 192.4 8th out of 85 Beck 6626AM™* Daviess County - Medium 17.5 245.9 3rd out of 85 Beck 6626AM™* Lexington, KY - Medium 18.2 204.7 1st out of 85 Beck 6626AM™* Princeton, KY - Medium 18.5 219.4 2nd out of 85 Beck 6626AM™* Todd County - Medium 20.7 229.0 5th out of 85

*XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. 10

*XL™ brand seed is distributed by Beck's Superior Hybrids, Inc. ™XL is a trademark of Pioneer Hi-Bred. **Phoenix brand seed is distributed by Beck's Superior Hybrids, Inc. 2013 Independent 2013 Independent Test Results Test Results - Continued Purdue CORN Brand Test/Location %Mois. Bu./A. Rank Beck 5131AM™* Wanatah, IN - Early 19.7 259.0 2nd out of 27 Beck 5131AM™* Rushville, IN - Early 16.4 246.0 8th out of 27 Beck 5140HR™* Columbia City, IN - Early 18.4 244.0 5th out of 27 Beck 5140HR™* Wanatah, IN - Early 21.6 260.0 1st out of 27 Beck 5140HR™* DeMotte, IN - Early 16.1 243.0 2nd out of 27 Beck 5509A3 Washington, IN - Early 14.9 272.0 4th out of 39 Beck 5509A3 Rushville, IN - Mid 18.2 269.0 4th out of 52 Beck 5509A3 Shelburn, IN - Early 15.2 247.0 4th out of 39 Phoenix 5552A4** Wanatah, IN - Mid 22.1 253.0 9th out of 56 Beck 5828AMX™* Wanatah, IN - Mid 20.6 258.0 3rd out of 56 Beck 5828AMX™* Washington, IN - Early 15.3 268.0 7th out of 39 Phoenix 5832A3** Columbia City, IN - Late 21.6 271.0 2nd out of 45 Phoenix 5832A3** Wanatah, IN - Late 21.9 256.0 4th out of 45 Phoenix 5832A3** Rushville, IN - Late 20.0 257.0 6th out of 53 Beck 6948A3 Shelburn, IN - Late 16.7 254.0 5th out of 39 Beck EX 1324™* Columbia City, IN - Late 20.0 271.0 3rd out of 45 Beck EX 1324™* DeMotte, IN - Late 17.5 262.0 1st out of 45

Ohio State University CORN Brand Test/Location %Mois. Bu./A. Rank Beck 5828AMX™* Northwest Ohio Summary 17.6 273.0 1st out of 83

Wheat Tech CORN Brand Test/Location Bu./A. Rank Beck 5828AMX™* Simpson County 273.8 5th out of 92 Beck 5828AMX™* Todd County 261.5 5th out of 92 Beck 6175AMX™* Logan County 277.5 9th out of 92 Beck 6626AMX™* Simpson County 281.0 1st out of 92 Beck 6626AMX™* Warren County 244.9 1st out of 92 Beck 6626AMX™* Todd County 266.9 2nd out of 92 Beck 6626AMX™* Christian County 270.1 1st out of 92 Beck 6626AMX™* Logan County 303.6 1st out of 92 Beck 6626AMX™* Six Location Average 257.5 1st out of 92

Ohio State University SOYBEANS Brand Test/Location Bu./A. Rank BECK 278R4™* North - Early RR 73.3 4th out of 56 BECK 298L4 North - Non-RR 70.3 6th out of 42 BECK 337L4 Central - Non-RR 57.2 7th out of 51 BECK 354L4 Central - Non-RR 61.6 1st out of 51 BECK 368NR™* Central - Late RR 42.5 6th out of 52 BECK 394L4 South - Non-RR 80.3 1st out of 29 BECK 418NR™* South - Late RR 80.2 4th out of 37 BECK 423NL South - Non-RR 76.4 6th out of 29

University of Kentucky SOYBEANS Brand Test/Location Bu./A. Rank BECK 391R4™* Caldwell County - Group III 80.1 2nd out of 26 BECK 423NL Daviess County - Group IV Early 71.7 3rd out of 63 BECK 423NL Fayette County - Group IV Early 71.9 3rd out of 63 BECK 444NR™* Daviess County - Group IV Early 71.8 2nd out of 63 BECK 483NL Caldwell County - Group IV Late 83.6 6th out of 95 BECK 511R4™* Calloway County - Group IV Late 75.5 7th out of 44 BECK 511R4™* Daviess County - Group V 61.0 8th out of 44 BECK 522L4 Daviess County - Group V 64.4 2nd out of 44

*XL™ brand seed is distributed by Beck's Superior Hybrids, Inc. ™XL is a trademark of Pioneer Hi-Bred. **Phoenix brand seed is distributed by Beck's Superior Hybrids, Inc. Northern and Central Illinois Region 1 Performance Summary Dollar advantage per acre is calculated using $5.40/Bu. pricing and drying costs of $0.04 per point of moisture per bushel. BECK EX 0208 (5131AM™*) Comparisons BECK 5475AMX™* Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 2 44 BECK EX 0208™* 221.4 18.4 $42.57 2 13 BECK 5475AMX™* 164.6 20.6 $16.13 BECK 5246HR™* 213.8 18.7 AgriGold A6408VT3PRO 160.0 19.4

2 42 BECK EX 0208™* 223.0 18.5 $52.29 1 12 BECK 5475AMX™* 209.4 19.8 $16.36 BECK 5354AMX™* 214.2 19.2 AgriGold A6458VT3PRIB 206.1 19.7

1 22 BECK EX 0208™* 230.9 18.4 $125.07 2 9 BECK 5475AMX™* 169.6 20.2 $62.47 Dekalb DKC52-04 206.2 17.8 Channel 209-77VT3 158.3 20.8

1 20 BECK EX 0208™* 227.6 18.2 $46.74 2 12 BECK 5475AMX™* 199.9 17.5 $9.82 Dekalb DKC57-75 219.4 18.6 Dekalb DKC57-50 197.6 17.2

1 18 BECK EX 0208™* 211.8 18.5 $33.68 1 14 BECK 5475AMX™* 229.3 20.0 $18.91 Pioneer P0413AM1 204.0 17.6 Dekalb DKC57-75 223.6 18.8

1 22 BECK EX 0208™* 230.9 18.4 $35.86 2 19 BECK 5475AMX™* 222.7 20.0 $52.18 Pioneer P0448AMX 224.6 18.7 Pioneer P0533AM1 210.4 18.6

1 23 BECK EX 0208™* 225.3 18.5 $24.03 2 28 BECK 5475AMX™* 182.5 20.2 $9.98 Pioneer P0533AM1 220.9 18.6 Wyffels W5787RIB 180.3 20.0

BECK EX 1309 (5828AMX™*) Comparisons Phoenix 5552A4** Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 1 12 BECK EX 1309™* 212.8 19.5 $36.62 3 145 Phoenix 5552A4** 191.9 21.5 $19.29 AgriGold A6458VT3PRIB 206.1 19.7 Phoenix 5642A4** 188.0 21.4

1 16 BECK EX 1309™* 244.2 20.0 $67.72 2 39 Phoenix 5552A4** 191.7 19.3 $53.48 Channel 207-13VT3P 231.0 19.9 AgriGold A6384VT3PRO 178.6 17.2

1 20 BECK EX 1309™* 230.1 18.7 $15.90 2 39 Phoenix 5552A4** 189.3 22.0 $4.10 Channel 210-95STXRIB 226.9 18.6 AgriGold A6517VT3PRO 188.5 22.0

1 9 BECK EX 1309™* 249.3 22.5 $51.78 2 14 Phoenix 5552A4** 219.7 21.9 $43.26 Dekalb DKC60-67RIB 239.9 22.9 Channel 212-86STXRIB 210.6 21.5

1 9 BECK EX 1309™* 249.8 20.4 $16.75 2 12 Phoenix 5552A4** 195.1 19.2 $47.14 Dekalb DKC61-88 246.0 20.1 Dekalb DKC57-75 182.6 16.7

1 12 BECK EX 1309™* 238.8 22.1 $71.46 2 13 Phoenix 5552A4** 231.6 24.2 $0.26 Dekalb DKC62-08RIB 227.5 23.6 Dekalb DKC63-33RIB 229.0 22.8

1 11 BECK EX 1309™* 238.0 21.7 $45.16 3 59 Phoenix 5552A4** 207.4 22.2 $11.73 Dekalb DKC63-33RIB 229.2 21.7 Pioneer P1018AM1 202.1 20.3

1 10 BECK EX 1309™* 248.0 19.9 $2.08 2 38 Phoenix 5552A4** 215.2 22.1 $58.87 Pioneer P0993AM1 245.9 19.0 Pioneer P1319AM1 202.9 21.6

*XL*XL®® brand brand seed seed is is distributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc.Inc. XL*XL®® is isa registereda trademark trademark of DuPont of Pioneer. DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix** Phoenix™™ brand is a Syngentais distributed brand by distributedBeck’s Superior by Beck’s Hybrids, Superior Inc. PhoenixHybrids,™ Inc. is a Phoenix™trademark isof aa trademarkSyngenta ofGroup a Syngenta Company. Group Company.

14 Northern and Central Illinois Region 1 Performance Summary Dollar advantage per acre is calculated using $5.40/Bu. pricing and drying costs of $0.04 per point of moisture per bushel. Phoenix 5842EZ** Comparisons BECK 6175AMX™* Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 1 28 Phoenix 5842EZ** 228.7 21.8 $12.86 2 23 BECK 6175AMX™* 172.5 21.1 $53.52 Phoenix 5552A4** 226.9 22.2 AgriGold A6517VT3PRO 163.9 22.5

1 20 Phoenix 5842EZ** 221.6 22.0 $11.49 1 11 BECK 6175AMX™* 221.3 20.9 $25.94 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 219.7 22.2 Channel 212-09STXRIB 220.2 23.2

1 26 Phoenix 5842EZ** 227.7 21.5 $19.57 1 11 BECK 6175AMX™* 216.1 20.9 $15.49 Channel 210-95STXRIB 220.8 19.7 Dekalb DKC61-16RIB 211.3 19.8

1 8 Phoenix 5842EZ** 246.6 21.3 $2.71 2 37 BECK 6175AMX™* 180.5 19.9 $4.16 Dekalb DKC59-37 241.2 18.7 Dekalb DKC61-88 179.7 19.9

1 18 Phoenix 5842EZ** 219.3 21.6 $45.81 2 21 BECK 6175AMX™* 209.1 20.6 $12.15 Golden Harvest G13U53-3122 211.7 22.4 Dekalb DKC62-08RIB 208.2 21.5

1 26 Phoenix 5842EZ** 227.7 21.5 $10.86 2 14 BECK 6175AMX™* 230.2 21.3 $15.43 Pioneer P1018AM1 222.3 19.6 Dekalb DKC63-33RIB 225.8 20.5

1 20 Phoenix 5842EZ** 221.6 22.0 $69.82 2 10 BECK 6175AMX™* 225.8 22.6 $11.86 Pioneer P1319AM1 207.8 21.9 Pioneer P1221AMX 224.0 22.9

Phoenix 6542A4** Comparisons BECK 6626AMX™* Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 1 22 Phoenix 6542A4** 233.0 24.3 $43.91 1 9 BECK 6626AMX™* 220.2 21.1 $55.24 AgriGold A6517VT3PRO 218.7 21.1 BECK 6543HR™* 209.0 20.8

2 48 Phoenix 6542A4** 233.5 23.9 $29.16 1 9 BECK 6626AMX™* 234.0 20.7 $39.26 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 222.6 21.0 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 224.5 19.6

2 37 Phoenix 6542A4** 236.6 24.0 -$3.57 2 9 BECK 6626AMX™* 229.1 23.3 $37.38 Channel 212-09STXRIB 233.6 22.0 Channel 212-09STXRIB 221.9 23.4

1 24 Phoenix 6542A4** 232.6 24.9 $32.81 1 6 BECK 6626AMX™* 246.4 24.5 $53.81 Dekalb DKC61-88 218.7 20.7 Dekalb DKC60-67RIB 230.0 21.4

2 53 Phoenix 6542A4** 236.6 24.4 $26.40 2 10 BECK 6626AMX™* 216.4 23.3 $21.48 Dekalb DKC62-97 224.9 20.8 Dekalb DKC61-16RIB 206.3 19.7

1 12 Phoenix 6542A4** 240.0 24.9 $51.34 1 12 BECK 6626AMX™* 219.1 23.3 $35.65 Dekalb DKC66-96 228.1 24.0 Dekalb DKC62-08RIB 210.9 22.6

1 30 Phoenix 6542A4** 234.6 24.9 $75.87 1 6 BECK 6626AMX™* 246.4 24.5 $42.38 Pioneer P1319AM1 214.3 21.9 Dekalb DKC66-40RIB 239.1 25.1

1 12 Phoenix 6542A4** 240.0 24.9 -$3.18 1 8 BECK 6626AMX™* 205.7 22.3 $6.90 Pioneer P1498HR 235.0 21.9 Pioneer P1215AM1 205.8 23.2

*XL*XL®® brand brand seed seed is is distributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc.Inc. XL*XL®® is isa registereda trademark trademark of DuPont of Pioneer. DuPont Pioneer. ™ ™ **Phoenix** Phoenix™ brand is a Syngentais distributed brand by distributedBeck’s Superior by Beck’s Hybrids, Superior Inc. PhoenixHybrids, Inc. is a Phoenix™trademark isof aa trademarkSyngenta ofGroup a Syngenta Company. Group Company.

14 N. Indiana, S. Michigan, NW. Ohio Region 2 Performance Summary Dollar advantage per acre is calculated using $5.40/Bu. pricing and drying costs of $0.04 per point of moisture per bushel. BECK EX 0208 (5131AM™*) Comparisons BECK 5140HR™* Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 2 52 BECK EX 0208™* 229.2 18.4 $6.02 2 82 BECK 5140HR™* 204.3 18.9 $100.80 BECK 5140HR™* 229.1 19.0 BECK 5354AMX™* 186.5 19.9

2 48 BECK EX 0208™* 228.8 18.2 $69.15 2 38 BECK 5140HR™* 226.4 19.2 $42.33 BECK 5354AMX™* 218.0 19.6 Channel 207-13VT3P 220.5 20.5

1 33 BECK EX 0208™* 234.2 18.3 $63.18 2 7 BECK 5140HR™* 221.6 20.5 $88.42 Dekalb DKC52-04 221.2 17.7 Dekalb DKC55-09 203.9 20.1

1 27 BECK EX 0208™* 229.4 18.6 $56.12 1 22 BECK 5140HR™* 229.3 19.9 $71.98 Dekalb DKC57-75 220.4 19.6 Dekalb DKC57-75 215.8 20.1

1 30 BECK EX 0208™* 233.5 18.3 $54.82 1 26 BECK 5140HR™* 232.1 19.4 $41.50 Pioneer P0533AM1 224.8 19.3 Pioneer P0533AM1 224.5 19.6

1 26 BECK EX 0208™* 229.3 18.7 $38.07 1 22 BECK 5140HR™* 229.3 19.9 $61.61 Pioneer P0636XR 224.1 19.9 Pioneer P0636XR 218.3 20.4

1 30 BECK EX 0208™* 233.5 18.3 $14.05 1 26 BECK 5140HR™* 232.1 19.4 $27.80 Pioneer P0832AMX 232.6 19.3 Pioneer P0832AMX 227.3 19.7

BECK 5385A3 Comparisons BECK 5475AM™* Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 3 89 BECK 5385A3 204.8 19.6 $59.71 1 44 BECK 5475AM™* 173.2 19.7 $11.25 BECK 5435AMX™* 193.5 19.7 BECK 5442VT3 171.7 20.2

3 53 BECK 5385A3 228.6 20.3 $32.17 2 42 BECK 5475AM™* 228.0 19.7 $26.51 Channel 207-13VT3Pro 222.4 20.3 Channel 207-13VT3P 223.6 20.1

1 27 BECK 5385A3 234.8 19.7 $83.91 1 26 BECK 5475AM™* 232.8 19.9 $67.98 Dekalb DKC57-75 218.7 19.7 Dekalb DKC57-75 219.4 19.7

1 30 BECK 5385A3 239.3 19.3 $76.38 1 30 BECK 5475AM™* 234.8 19.6 $50.04 Dekalb DKC59-37 225.9 20.0 Dekalb DKC59-37 225.9 20.0

3 20 BECK 5385A3 191.7 20.2 $13.50 2 8 BECK 5475AM™* 196.7 18.6 $28.51 Dekalb DKC62-97 189.1 20.2 Dekalb DKC62-97 192.3 19.3

2 31 BECK 5385A3 234.8 19.3 $75.81 1 26 BECK 5475AM™* 232.8 19.9 $45.27 Pioneer P0533AM1 220.3 19.3 Pioneer P0636XR 224.1 19.9

2 32 BECK 5385A3 234.2 19.2 $41.33 1 30 BECK 5475AM™* 234.8 19.6 $8.68 Pioneer P0832AMX 226.3 19.2 Pioneer P0832AMX 232.6 19.3

2 27 BECK 5385A3 211.4 20.0 $21.63 2 19 BECK 5475AM™* 223.5 19.7 $27.79 Pioneer P1018AM1 207.4 20.1 Pioneer P1018AM1 217.5 19.3

14 N. Indiana, S. Michigan, NW. Ohio Region 2 Performance Summary (continued) Dollar advantage per acre is calculated using $5.40/Bu. pricing and drying costs of $0.04 per point of moisture per bushel. BECK EX 1310 (5828AM™*) Comparisons BECK 5509A3 Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 1 40 BECK EX 1310™* 231.6 19.5 $39.90 2 62 BECK 5509A3 180.5 19.9 $11.39 BECK 5435AMX™* 224.3 19.7 BECK 6175AMX™* 179.0 20.4

1 19 BECK EX 1310™* 226.2 20.4 $43.00 2 24 BECK 5509A3 228.9 21.2 $34.52 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 219.6 21.4 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 222.2 21.2

1 24 BECK EX 1310™* 232.3 19.8 $5.73 1 25 BECK 5509A3 232.9 20.5 -$2.65 Channel 210-95STXRIB 231.2 19.8 Channel 210-95STXRIB 231.8 19.6

1 26 BECK EX 1310™* 228.3 19.8 $3.00 2 26 BECK 5509A3 228.9 21.7 $116.55 Dekalb DKC61-88 227.2 19.5 Channel 212-09STXRIB 208.3 23.0

1 18 BECK EX 1310™* 227.7 20.5 $60.98 2 27 BECK 5509A3 226.0 20.3 $14.49 Dekalb DKC62-08 218.8 22.2 Dekalb DKC61-88 221.5 19.3

1 18 BECK EX 1310™* 227.7 20.5 $47.23 1 18 BECK 5509A3 229.5 21.6 $60.21 Dekalb DKC63-33 219.6 21.1 Dekalb DKC62-08 218.8 22.2

1 32 BECK EX 1310™* 229.3 20.1 $28.35 1 18 BECK 5509A3 229.5 21.6 $46.45 Pioneer P1018AM1 223.5 19.9 Dekalb DKC63-33 219.6 21.1

Phoenix 5552A4** Comparisons BECK 6175AM™* Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 3 46 Phoenix 5552A4** 189.9 21.5 $22.71 1 38 BECK 6175AM™* 217.2 20.6 $0.78 BECK 5435AMX™* 183.2 19.9 Phoenix 5552A4** 218.4 21.4

2 63 Phoenix 5552A4** 194.9 20.5 $15.59 2 38 BECK 6175AM™* 171.6 19.5 $40.73 Phoenix 5642A4** 191.3 20.1 Phoenix 5642A4** 164.3 19.9

1 18 Phoenix 5552A4** 216.5 22.3 -$1.80 1 10 BECK 6175AM™* 221.6 22.2 $62.84 AgriGold A6517VT3PRO 215.0 21.2 AgriGold A6573VT3PRO 209.8 22.5

2 15 Phoenix 5552A4** 229.7 20.9 $10.62 2 12 BECK 6175AM™* 228.7 21.8 $29.32 Channel 207-13VT3P 224.0 18.8 Channel 212-09STXRIB 225.8 23.4

2 26 Phoenix 5552A4** 215.5 22.7 $39.16 2 5 BECK 6175AM™* 194.0 24.7 $45.64 Channel 212-09STXRIB 208.3 23.0 Dekalb DKC62-08RIB 184.6 24.5

1 11 Phoenix 5552A4** 228.5 20.6 -$0.52 1 4 BECK 6175AM™* 236.7 20.5 $51.18 Dekalb DKC57-75RIB 226.5 19.4 Pioneer P0965AM1 225.6 19.8

1 18 Phoenix 5552A4** 216.5 22.3 $16.87 2 22 BECK 6175AM™* 201.5 21.0 $30.68 Golden Harvest G13U53-3122 213.7 22.6 Pioneer P1018AM1 195.1 20.7

1 19 Phoenix 5552A4** 217.2 22.2 $47.49 1 19 BECK 6175AM™* 210.5 21.2 $21.66 Pioneer P1339AM1 207.1 21.7 Pioneer P1339AM1 207.1 21.7

*XL*XL®® brand brand seed seed is is distributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc.Inc. XL*XL®® is isa registereda trademark trademark of DuPont of Pioneer. DuPont Pioneer. ™ ™ **Phoenix** Phoenix™ brand is a Syngentais distributed brand by distributedBeck’s Superior by Beck’s Hybrids, Superior Inc. PhoenixHybrids, Inc. is a Phoenix™trademark isof aa trademarkSyngenta ofGroup a Syngenta Company. Group Company.

14 Central Indiana Region 3 Performance Summary Dollar advantage per acre is calculated using $5.40/Bu. pricing and drying costs of $0.04 per point of moisture per bushel. BECK 5475AM™* Comparisons BECK EX 1310 (5828AM™*) Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 2 18 BECK 5475AM™* 185.6 19.3 $68.68 1 8 BECK EX 1310™* 251.9 21.0 $91.48 BECK 5354AMX™* 172.2 19.1 AgriGold A6517VT3PRO 236.0 22.0

1 27 BECK 5475AM™* 185.1 19.3 $59.60 1 12 BECK EX 1310™* 234.7 21.4 $119.12 BECK 5442VT3 173.7 19.3 Channel 210-95STXRIB 212.7 22.1

1 4 BECK 5475AM™* 234.2 20.1 $46.13 1 12 BECK EX 1310™* 234.7 21.4 $31.96 AgriGold A6533VT3PRIB 227.6 21.4 Dekalb DKC61-88 229.2 21.8

2 7 BECK 5475AM™* 215.2 19.9 $13.79 1 10 BECK EX 1310™* 242.2 21.3 $52.03 Channel 212-09STXRIB 215.7 21.8 Dekalb DKC62-08 235.2 23.0

2 9 BECK 5475AM™* 206.8 20.1 $23.44 1 11 BECK EX 1310™* 239.3 21.1 $65.96 Dekalb DKC62-97 203.7 21.0 Dekalb DKC62-97 228.1 22.0

2 8 BECK 5475AM™* 213.7 21.3 $55.65 1 10 BECK EX 1310™* 242.2 21.3 $70.68 Pioneer P1018AM1 204.0 22.0 Dekalb DKC63-33 229.9 22.1

2 14 BECK 5475AM™* 184.5 21.2 $2.55 1 12 BECK EX 1310™* 234.7 21.4 $136.76 Pioneer P1319AM1 185.3 22.1 Pioneer P1018AM1 208.6 21.7

BECK 5509A3 Comparisons Phoenix 5552A4** Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 2 36 BECK 5509A3 227.0 21.4 $21.45 2 37 Phoenix 5552A4** 195.8 20.8 $24.82 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 224.4 22.3 BECK 6626AMX™* 194.0 22.8

2 35 BECK 5509A3 231.0 21.3 $72.23 1 4 Phoenix 5552A4** 224.1 20.9 $66.43 Channel 212-09STXRIB 219.7 22.9 AgriGold A6533VT3PRIB 211.4 21.0

2 17 BECK 5509A3 233.0 23.0 $8.64 1 16 Phoenix 5552A4** 203.1 21.3 $45.87 Dekalb DKC61-88 228.6 21.5 AgriGold A6573VT3PRO 195.1 21.9

1 18 BECK 5509A3 239.7 22.9 $58.38 1 12 Phoenix 5552A4** 224.5 24.6 $37.92 Dekalb DKC62-08 229.3 23.5 Channel 210-95STXRIB 212.7 22.1

2 50 BECK 5509A3 227.8 21.3 $35.01 1 8 Phoenix 5552A4** 235.8 22.8 $51.56 Dekalb DKC62-97 221.0 21.3 Golden Harvest G13U53-3122 226.2 23.1

1 18 BECK 5509A3 239.7 22.9 $47.67 2 26 Phoenix 5552A4** 211.9 22.8 $32.59 Dekalb DKC63-33 229.6 22.5 Pioneer P1018AM1 203.1 21.3

2 36 BECK 5509A3 229.7 21.5 $93.77 1 18 Phoenix 5552A4** 223.3 23.6 $4.69 Pioneer P1018AM1 210.8 21.1 Pioneer P1319AM1 220.8 22.7

1 19 BECK 5509A3 240.6 23.0 $42.92 1 8 Phoenix 5552A4** 230.7 23.3 $23.34 Pioneer P1339AM1 232.7 23.3 Pioneer P1339AM1 224.5 22.4

® ® *XL*XL® brand brand seed seed is is distributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc.Inc. XL*XL® is isa registereda trademark trademark of DuPont of Pioneer. DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ** Phoenix™ is a Syngenta brand distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company.

14 Central Indiana Region 3 Performance Summary (continued) Dollar advantage per acre is calculated using $5.40/Bu. pricing and drying costs of $0.04 per point of moisture per bushel. BECK 6175AM™* Comparisons BECK 6272HR™* Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 2 50 BECK 6175AM™* 191.7 21.2 $7.71 3 79 BECK 6272HR™* 198.6 21.0 $30.23 Phoenix 5552A4** 190.5 21.4 Phoenix 5726A4** 194.4 22.1

1 10 BECK 6175AM™* 235.6 23.0 $3.96 1 24 BECK 6272HR™* 206.3 20.8 $50.58 AgriGold A6517VT3PRO 233.9 22.5 AgriGold A6573VT3PRO 198.2 21.9

1 4 BECK 6175AM™* 241.3 20.5 $79.16 2 34 BECK 6272HR™* 217.6 21.6 $0.78 AgriGold A6533VT3PRIB 227.6 21.4 Channel 212-09STXRIB 219.5 22.8

1 10 BECK 6175AM™* 224.1 22.5 $62.44 1 14 BECK 6272HR™* 237.1 22.9 -$2.61 Channel 210-95STXRIB 210.7 21.8 Dekalb DKC62-08 237.8 23.0

2 3 BECK 6175AM™* 186.6 18.1 $22.69 1 14 BECK 6272HR™* 237.1 22.9 $0.01 Dekalb DKC62-97GENVT3P 182.3 18.1 Dekalb DKC63-33 235.8 22.2

1 12 BECK 6175AM™* 228.1 22.6 $52.35 2 30 BECK 6272HR™* 214.2 21.1 $4.48 Pioneer P1018AM1 216.3 21.7 Pioneer P1018AM1 213.0 20.9

1 18 BECK 6175AM™* 225.2 22.9 $20.60 2 16 BECK 6272HR™* 220.9 22.8 $46.98 Pioneer P1319AM1 220.8 22.7 Pioneer P1319AM1 211.5 22.7

BECK 6348A3 Comparisons BECK 6626AM™* Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 2 34 BECK 6348A3 225.7 23.4 $7.98 1 19 BECK 6626AM™* 238.2 23.4 $38.49 BECK 6272HR™* 221.5 21.9 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 230.6 23.4

1 10 BECK 6348A3 240.7 25.4 $6.76 1 16 BECK 6626AM™* 244.5 23.3 $45.84 AgriGold A6517VT3PRO 233.9 22.5 Channel 212-09STXRIB 236.2 23.7

1 30 BECK 6348A3 224.1 23.6 $23.30 1 18 BECK 6626AM™* 240.8 23.5 $58.19 Channel 212-09STXRIB 218.8 23.2 Dekalb DKC62-08 229.3 23.5

1 18 BECK 6348A3 232.0 25.0 -$0.26 1 18 BECK 6626AM™* 240.8 23.5 $47.49 Dekalb DKC62-08 229.3 23.5 Dekalb DKC63-33 229.6 22.5

1 9 BECK 6348A3 230.1 25.1 $14.97 1 9 BECK 6626AM™* 241.5 23.4 $88.35 Dekalb DKC65-19 228.2 25.7 Dekalb DKC65-19 228.2 25.7

1 8 BECK 6348A3 242.5 24.4 $70.13 1 9 BECK 6626AM™* 241.5 23.4 $32.36 Golden Harvest G13U53-3122 226.2 23.1 Dekalb DKC66-96 238.5 25.2

2 24 BECK 6348A3 220.4 23.3 $68.85 1 18 BECK 6626AM™* 240.8 23.5 $94.13 Pioneer P1018AM1 203.6 21.3 Pioneer P1319AM1 220.8 22.7

1 18 BECK 6348A3 232.0 25.0 $35.69 1 18 BECK 6626AM™* 240.8 23.5 $39.12 Pioneer P1319AM1 220.8 22.7 Pioneer P1339AM1 232.7 23.3

*XL*XL®® brand brand seed seed is is distributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc.Inc. XL*XL®® is isa registereda trademark trademark of DuPont of Pioneer. DuPont Pioneer. ™ ™ **Phoenix** Phoenix™ brand is a Syngentais distributed brand by distributedBeck’s Superior by Beck’s Hybrids, Superior Inc. PhoenixHybrids, Inc. is a Phoenix™trademark isof aa trademarkSyngenta ofGroup a Syngenta Company. Group Company.

14 West Central Ohio Region 4 Performance Summary Dollar advantage per acre is calculated using $5.40/Bu. pricing and drying costs of $0.04 per point of moisture per bushel. BECK 5140HR™* Comparisons BECK 5385A3 Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 2 35 BECK 5140HR™* 193.2 18.8 $88.26 3 25 BECK 5385A3 208.9 21.3 $55.04 BECK 5354AMX™* 177.6 19.7 BECK 5435AMX™* 197.9 21.1

2 16 BECK 5140HR™* 206.3 19.1 $23.85 2 18 BECK 5385A3 206.4 21.8 $17.06 Channel 207-13VT3P 204.4 20.8 Channel 207-13VT3P 202.6 21.5

1 8 BECK 5140HR™* 210.2 19.2 $103.72 1 6 BECK 5385A3 246.3 19.4 $133.21 Dekalb DKC59-37 191.4 19.9 Dekalb DKC57-75 220.8 19.4

1 9 BECK 5140HR™* 213.6 19.1 $6.23 1 6 BECK 5385A3 246.3 19.4 $275.01 Pioneer P0216HR 210.8 18.1 Dekalb DKC59-37 194.7 20.1

1 8 BECK 5140HR™* 210.2 19.2 $106.03 1 6 BECK 5385A3 246.3 19.4 $219.03 Pioneer P0533AM1 189.5 18.9 Pioneer P0636XR 205.0 19.8

1 8 BECK 5140HR™* 210.2 19.2 $46.09 1 6 BECK 5385A3 246.3 19.4 $199.25 Pioneer P0636XR 201.7 19.4 Pioneer P0832AMX 208.0 19.3

1 8 BECK 5140HR™* 210.2 19.2 $45.09 2 13 BECK 5385A3 212.1 22.0 $40.56 Pioneer P0832AMX 202.2 19.6 Pioneer P1018AM1 205.3 22.7

BECK 5475AM™* Comparisons BECK EX 1310 (5828AM™*) Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 2 7 BECK 5475AM™* 213.4 20.5 $78.19 1 8 BECK EX 1310™* 228.1 19.1 $45.93 BECK 5435AMX™* 198.0 20.3 BECK 5354AMX™* 220.0 19.5

1 6 BECK 5475AM™* 220.2 19.7 -$5.78 1 12 BECK EX 1310™* 219.4 19.6 $79.11 Dekalb DKC57-75 220.8 19.4 Channel 212-09STXRIB 209.7 23.0

1 6 BECK 5475AM™* 220.2 19.7 $136.02 1 6 BECK EX 1310™* 230.3 18.7 $56.08 Dekalb DKC59-37 194.7 20.1 Dekalb DKC57-75 220.8 19.4

1 6 BECK 5475AM™* 220.2 19.7 $40.88 1 6 BECK EX 1310™* 230.3 18.7 $197.87 Pioneer P0216HR 210.1 18.3 Dekalb DKC59-37 194.7 20.1

1 6 BECK 5475AM™* 220.2 19.7 -$0.58 1 12 BECK EX 1310™* 219.4 19.6 $18.45 Pioneer P0448AMX 218.8 18.8 Dekalb DKC62-08 220.6 22.4

1 6 BECK 5475AM™* 220.2 19.7 $150.80 1 8 BECK EX 1310™* 212.3 19.6 $62.09 Pioneer P0533AM1 190.1 18.9 Golden Harvest G13U53-3122 205.6 22.9

1 6 BECK 5475AM™* 220.2 19.7 $80.04 1 6 BECK EX 1310™* 230.3 18.7 $122.11 Pioneer P0636XR 205.0 19.8 Pioneer P0832AMX 208.0 19.3

1 6 BECK 5475AM™* 220.2 19.7 $60.26 1 15 BECK EX 1310™* 224.2 19.7 $32.36 Pioneer P0832AMX 208.0 19.3 Pioneer P1018AM1 219.0 20.3

*XL*XL®® brand brand seed seed is is distributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc.Inc. XL*XL®® is isa registereda trademark trademark of DuPont of Pioneer. DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ** Phoenix™ is a Syngenta brand distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company.

14 West Central Ohio Region 4 Performance Summary (continued) Dollar advantage per acre is calculated using $5.40/Bu. pricing and drying costs of $0.04 per point of moisture per bushel. BECK 5509A3 Comparisons BECK 6175AM™* Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 2 46 BECK 5509A3 204.2 20.0 $4.08 1 22 BECK 6175AM™* 233.6 20.5 $81.20 Phoenix 5552A4** 204.2 20.5 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 218.6 20.9

1 12 BECK 5509A3 207.9 19.4 $18.21 1 18 BECK 6175AM™* 234.9 20.9 $148.98 AgriGold A6517VT3PRO 205.2 19.9 Channel 212-09STXRIB 208.8 22.6

1 18 BECK 5509A3 212.2 19.2 $46.19 1 14 BECK 6175AM™* 233.8 21.4 $7.99 Channel 212-09STXRIB 208.8 22.6 Dekalb DKC61-88 230.1 20.2

1 6 BECK 5509A3 223.5 20.2 $148.75 1 22 BECK 6175AM™* 233.6 20.5 $74.85 Dekalb DKC59-37 194.7 20.1 Dekalb DKC62-08 220.0 21.0

1 10 BECK 5509A3 211.8 17.4 $55.16 1 24 BECK 6175AM™* 230.8 20.5 $15.64 Dekalb DKC65-19 206.7 20.8 Dekalb DKC62-97 225.0 18.9

1 8 BECK 5509A3 213.2 21.4 $51.43 1 15 BECK 6175AM™* 225.5 21.1 $64.44 Golden Harvest G13U53-3122 205.6 22.9 Pioneer P1018AM1 211.2 20.0

1 6 BECK 5509A3 223.5 20.2 $72.99 1 12 BECK 6175AM™* 231.4 19.7 $48.54 Pioneer P0832AMX 208.0 19.3 Pioneer P1498HR 222.6 20.0

BECK 6272HR™* Comparisons BECK 6348A3 Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 3 51 BECK 6272HR™* 198.1 22.2 $16.78 1 12 BECK 6348A3 220.2 21.7 $62.21 Phoenix 5726A4** 196.2 23.1 AgriGold A6517VT3PRO 205.2 19.9

3 32 BECK 6272HR™* 214.3 21.3 $9.11 2 24 BECK 6348A3 229.0 21.9 $31.34 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 212.2 21.1 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 221.5 21.1

1 10 BECK 6272HR™* 224.3 21.6 $21.19 2 28 BECK 6348A3 219.4 22.8 $58.77 Dekalb DKC61-88 217.8 20.2 Channel 212-09STXRIB 209.0 23.5

1 14 BECK 6272HR™* 227.6 20.8 $98.63 1 22 BECK 6348A3 227.0 21.7 $29.76 Dekalb DKC62-08 209.0 21.1 Dekalb DKC62-08 220.0 21.0

2 28 BECK 6272HR™* 222.9 22.4 $11.77 1 10 BECK 6348A3 221.4 21.3 $71.54 Dekalb DKC62-97 218.2 21.0 Dekalb DKC65-19 206.7 20.8

2 22 BECK 6272HR™* 213.0 22.5 $72.18 1 10 BECK 6348A3 221.4 21.3 $50.07 Pioneer P1018AM1 197.3 21.5 Dekalb DKC66-96 212.5 21.8

1 14 BECK 6272HR™* 227.6 20.8 $60.16 2 23 BECK 6348A3 220.0 23.2 $49.92 Pioneer P1339AM1 214.3 19.8 Pioneer P1018AM1 207.7 21.7

1 8 BECK 6272HR™* 221.2 20.2 $42.20 1 22 BECK 6348A3 227.0 21.7 $48.68 Pioneer P1498HR 213.4 20.4 Pioneer P1319AM1 215.0 20.2

*XL*XL®® brand brand seed seed is is distributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc.Inc. XL*XL®® is isa registereda trademark trademark of DuPont of Pioneer. DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ** Phoenix™ is a Syngenta brand distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company.

14 Southern Illinois and Southern Indiana Region 5 Performance Summary Dollar advantage per acre is calculated using $5.40/Bu. pricing and drying costs of $0.04 per point of moisture per bushel. BECK EX 1310 (5828AM™*) Comparisons BECK 5509VR Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 1 35 BECK EX 1310™* 239.2 18.4 $31.51 2 22 BECK 5509VR 235.9 19.7 $18.80 Phoenix 5552A4** 235.0 19.4 BECK 5442VT3 230.7 18.8

1 25 BECK EX 1310™* 240.6 18.6 $47.07 2 28 BECK 5509VR 246.0 19.8 $85.93 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 233.6 19.7 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 229.5 19.8

1 6 BECK EX 1310™* 270.4 19.2 $93.96 1 24 BECK 5509VR 249.0 19.9 $45.63 Channel 212-86STXRIB 253.8 19.9 Dekalb DKC61-88 238.4 18.9

1 24 BECK EX 1310™* 240.1 18.6 $11.80 1 24 BECK 5509VR 249.0 19.9 $9.59 Dekalb DKC61-88 238.4 18.9 Dekalb DKC62-08 246.4 19.5

1 24 BECK EX 1310™* 240.1 18.6 $19.79 2 28 BECK 5509VR 246.0 19.8 $67.81 Dekalb DKC62-97 237.6 19.3 Dekalb DKC62-97 232.8 19.7

1 28 BECK EX 1310™* 230.7 18.4 -$0.26 2 29 BECK 5509VR 243.5 20.1 $54.11 Pioneer P1018AM1 230.4 18.2 Pioneer P1018AM1 230.6 18.7

1 26 BECK EX 1310™* 239.7 18.6 $53.29 1 25 BECK 5509VR 248.5 19.8 $75.73 Pioneer P1319AM1 231.5 19.7 Pioneer P1319AM1 233.6 19.6

BECK 6175AM™* Comparisons BECK 6272HR™* Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 1 26 BECK 6175AM™* 246.4 20.5 $11.58 3 116 BECK 6272HR™* 177.7 18.8 $47.94 AgriGold A6517VT3PRO 243.6 20.2 Phoenix 5726A4** 169.6 19.6

1 60 BECK 6175AM™* 248.1 20.3 $61.83 3 90 BECK 6272HR™* 215.4 19.4 $20.37 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 236.0 20.2 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 211.5 19.4

1 58 BECK 6175AM™* 249.9 20.4 $25.46 2 61 BECK 6272HR™* 228.5 19.5 $2.41 Dekalb DKC62-08 244.8 20.3 Channel 212-09STXRIB 229.8 20.5

1 64 BECK 6175AM™* 250.8 20.3 $6.59 1 44 BECK 6272HR™* 246.0 19.7 $28.07 Dekalb DKC62-97 248.0 19.5 Dekalb DKC62-08 240.8 19.8

2 36 BECK 6175AM™* 250.5 20.6 $17.79 2 29 BECK 6272HR™* 246.5 20.0 $38.24 Dekalb DKC65-19 248.6 21.4 Dekalb DKC65-19 241.0 21.0

1 34 BECK 6175AM™* 256.1 20.6 $30.74 2 28 BECK 6272HR™* 244.8 20.0 $70.81 Dekalb DKC66-96 252.7 21.9 Dekalb DKC66-96 233.7 21.4

1 36 BECK 6175AM™* 236.9 19.7 $1.37 2 44 BECK 6272HR™* 210.5 19.0 $27.06 Pioneer P1018AM1 234.3 18.4 Pioneer P1018AM1 204.4 18.4

1 60 BECK 6175AM™* 249.2 20.3 $41.06 1 46 BECK 6272HR™* 244.5 19.7 $68.34 Pioneer P1319AM1 241.1 20.2 Pioneer P1319AM1 232.1 20.1

*XL*XL®® brand brand seed seed is is distributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc.Inc. XL*XL®® is isa registereda trademark trademark of DuPont of Pioneer. DuPont Pioneer. ™ ™ **Phoenix** Phoenix™ brand is a Syngentais distributed brand by distributedBeck’s Superior by Beck’s Hybrids, Superior Inc. PhoenixHybrids, Inc. is a Phoenix™trademark isof aa trademarkSyngenta ofGroup a Syngenta Company. Group Company.

14 Southern Illinois and Southern Indiana Region 5 Performance Summary (continued) Dollar advantage per acre is calculated using $5.40/Bu. pricing and drying costs of $0.04 per point of moisture per bushel. BECK 6348A3 Comparisons Phoenix 6542A4** Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 2 38 BECK 6348A3 231.5 20.6 $63.51 2 66 Phoenix 6542A4** 239.6 22.1 $28.64 Phoenix 5726A4** 219.4 20.7 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 230.4 20.1

2 63 BECK 6348A3 238.7 20.8 $11.92 1 14 Phoenix 6542A4** 214.9 21.9 $62.56 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 235.3 20.2 AgriGold A6573VT3PRO 200.5 20.5

1 10 BECK 6348A3 222.2 20.4 $111.41 1 52 Phoenix 6542A4** 246.3 22.2 -$1.08 AgriGold A6573VT3PRO 200.4 20.2 Dekalb DKC62-08 242.9 20.3

1 10 BECK 6348A3 222.2 20.4 $55.79 1 6 Phoenix 6542A4** 236.6 21.4 $1.48 Dekalb DKC62-54 208.7 18.7 Dekalb DKC63-33RIB 230.4 18.1

1 18 BECK 6348A3 223.5 20.3 $39.60 1 34 Phoenix 6542A4** 253.6 22.4 -$0.46 Golden Harvest G13U53-3122 215.7 20.2 Dekalb DKC66-96 252.7 21.9

2 37 BECK 6348A3 226.1 20.0 $6.56 2 26 Phoenix 6542A4** 222.9 21.6 $8.17 Pioneer P1018AM1 221.6 18.1 Pioneer P1018AM1 215.6 18.2

1 18 BECK 6348A3 223.5 20.3 $4.60 1 53 Phoenix 6542A4** 246.4 22.2 $16.55 Pioneer P1184AM1 219.9 18.7 Pioneer P1319AM1 239.6 20.3

BECK 6626AM™* Comparisons BECK 6948A3 Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 1 60 BECK 6626AM™* 258.5 20.8 $110.62 2 51 BECK 6948A3 239.9 21.8 $45.27 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 236.0 20.2 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 228.4 20.3

1 50 BECK 6626AM™* 256.2 20.7 $67.24 2 30 BECK 6948A3 243.1 21.7 -$2.29 Channel 212-09STXRIB 243.2 20.7 Channel 212-09STXRIB 242.6 21.2

1 58 BECK 6626AM™* 260.8 20.9 $76.75 1 4 BECK 6948A3 240.2 20.2 $53.24 Dekalb DKC62-08 244.8 20.3 Channel 215-82VT3PRIB 226.8 18.4

1 58 BECK 6626AM™* 260.8 20.9 $57.95 1 34 BECK 6948A3 257.8 21.9 $62.04 Dekalb DKC62-97 246.9 19.5 Dekalb DKC62-08 243.6 20.8

1 58 BECK 6626AM™* 260.8 20.9 -$4.69 2 49 BECK 6948A3 233.8 21.8 -$4.12 Dekalb DKC63-33 258.9 19.5 Dekalb DKC62-97 231.0 19.8

1 34 BECK 6626AM™* 266.8 21.3 $65.88 2 41 BECK 6948A3 249.6 21.6 $14.60 Dekalb DKC65-19 254.2 21.4 Dekalb DKC65-19 245.8 21.1

1 34 BECK 6626AM™* 266.8 21.3 $78.65 2 36 BECK 6948A3 249.3 21.9 $22.59 Dekalb DKC66-96 252.7 21.9 Dekalb DKC66-96 244.7 21.8

1 58 BECK 6626AM™* 260.8 20.9 $5.15 1 36 BECK 6948A3 256.0 21.9 $34.31 Pioneer P1339AM1 258.8 20.4 Pioneer P1319AM1 246.8 20.6

*XL*XL®® brand brand seed seed is is distributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc.Inc. XL*XL®® is isa registereda trademark trademark of DuPont of Pioneer. DuPont Pioneer. ™ ™ **Phoenix** Phoenix™ brand is a Syngentais distributed brand by distributedBeck’s Superior by Beck’s Hybrids, Superior Inc. PhoenixHybrids, Inc. is a Phoenix™trademark isof aa trademarkSyngenta ofGroup a Syngenta Company. Group Company.

14 Kentucky and Tennessee Region 6 Performance Summary Dollar advantage per acre is calculated using $5.40/Bu. pricing and drying costs of $0.04 per point of moisture per bushel. BECK EX 1310 (5828AM™*) Comparisons BECK 5509VR Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 1 17 BECK EX 1310™* 245.3 20.6 $85.62 1 14 BECK 5509VR 244.9 21.0 $24.63 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 230.9 21.8 BECK 5442VT3 240.5 21.2

1 14 BECK EX 1310™* 253.3 20.6 $80.33 1 14 BECK 5509VR 244.9 21.0 $37.32 Channel 210-95STXRIB 236.5 19.9 AgriGold A6517VT3PRO 239.9 22.2

1 14 BECK EX 1310™* 253.3 20.6 $76.32 1 14 BECK 5509VR 244.9 21.0 $39.78 Channel 212-09STXRIB 242.3 22.6 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 238.3 21.6

1 14 BECK EX 1310™* 253.3 20.6 $38.35 1 14 BECK 5509VR 244.9 21.0 $32.94 Dekalb DKC61-88 245.7 20.5 Channel 210-95STXRIB 236.5 19.9

1 14 BECK EX 1310™* 253.3 20.6 $78.25 1 14 BECK 5509VR 244.9 21.0 $28.92 Dekalb DKC62-97 240.6 21.9 Channel 212-09STXRIB 242.3 22.6

1 14 BECK EX 1310™* 253.3 20.6 $33.03 1 14 BECK 5509VR 244.9 21.0 $30.85 Dekalb DKC63-33 247.3 20.8 Dekalb DKC62-97 240.6 21.9

1 15 BECK EX 1310™* 247.9 20.3 $100.77 1 14 BECK 5509VR 244.9 21.0 $58.30 Pioneer P1018AM1 228.3 20.2 Pioneer P1018AM1 232.7 20.5

BECK 6175AM™* Comparisons BECK 6272HR™* Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 1 14 BECK 6175AM™* 243.0 21.7 $20.71 3 35 BECK 6272HR™* 201.4 19.6 $68.70 AgriGold A6517VT3PRO 239.9 22.2 Phoenix 5726A4** 189.1 20.2

1 14 BECK 6175AM™* 243.0 21.7 $16.33 3 36 BECK 6272HR™* 229.0 20.3 $35.82 Channel 210-95STXRIB 236.5 19.9 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 223.3 21.0

1 28 BECK 6175AM™* 247.2 21.8 $14.14 2 30 BECK 6272HR™* 241.2 20.7 $14.53 Channel 212-09STXRIB 245.4 22.3 Channel 212-09STXRIB 241.0 22.1

1 14 BECK 6175AM™* 251.5 21.9 $28.03 1 14 BECK 6272HR™* 247.9 20.9 $19.50 Channel 213-59STXRIB 246.8 22.3 Channel 213-59STXRIB 246.8 22.3

1 28 BECK 6175AM™* 247.2 21.8 $24.61 2 30 BECK 6272HR™* 241.2 20.7 $29.39 Dekalb DKC62-97 242.4 21.8 Dekalb DKC62-97 236.8 21.4

1 15 BECK 6175AM™* 249.9 21.8 $21.85 2 16 BECK 6272HR™* 243.9 20.7 $12.64 Dekalb DKC65-19 246.6 22.3 Dekalb DKC65-19 244.1 22.1

1 17 BECK 6175AM™* 239.2 20.9 $48.85 1 10 BECK 6272HR™* 238.1 20.7 $99.48 Pioneer P1018AM1 227.8 19.8 Golden Harvest G13U53-3122 220.4 21.6

1 29 BECK 6175AM™* 245.4 21.8 $39.28 1 29 BECK 6272HR™* 243.0 20.9 $35.72 Pioneer P1319AM1 237.0 21.4 Pioneer P1319AM1 237.0 21.4

*XL*XL®® brand brand seed seed is is distributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc.Inc. XL*XL®® is isa aregistered trademark trademark of DuPont of Pioneer. DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ** Phoenix™ is a Syngenta brand distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company.

14 Kentucky and Tennessee Region 6 Performance Summary (continued) Dollar advantage per acre is calculated using $5.40/Bu. pricing and drying costs of $0.04 per point of moisture per bushel. BECK 6348A3 Comparisons Phoenix 6542A4** Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 1 23 BECK 6348A3 233.0 20.7 $6.52 1 14 Phoenix 6542A4** 263.1 23.6 $115.46 BECK 6948A3 233.0 21.4 AgriGold A6517VT3PRO 239.9 22.2

1 14 BECK 6348A3 242.4 22.4 $12.09 2 34 Phoenix 6542A4** 237.3 23.2 $53.59 AgriGold A6517VT3PRO 239.9 22.2 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 224.3 21.1

1 29 BECK 6348A3 244.3 22.0 $33.68 1 28 Phoenix 6542A4** 250.9 24.1 $12.78 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 237.8 21.7 Channel 212-09STXRIB 245.4 22.3

1 14 BECK 6348A3 246.7 22.0 $2.40 1 28 Phoenix 6542A4** 250.9 24.1 $24.76 Channel 213-59STXRIB 246.8 22.3 Dekalb DKC62-97 242.4 21.8

2 30 BECK 6348A3 237.7 21.9 $0.33 1 7 Phoenix 6542A4** 236.3 23.5 $28.89 Dekalb DKC62-97 236.8 21.4 Dekalb DKC66-40RIB 228.8 22.1

1 14 BECK 6348A3 246.7 22.0 $2.27 1 16 Phoenix 6542A4** 253.8 23.0 $120.02 Dekalb DKC65-19 247.0 22.4 Pioneer P1018AM1 227.4 20.0

1 28 BECK 6348A3 244.6 22.2 $28.86 1 29 Phoenix 6542A4** 249.1 24.3 $39.40 Pioneer P1319AM1 238.1 21.4 Pioneer P1319AM1 237.0 21.4

BECK 6626AM™* Comparisons BECK 6948A3 Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 1 30 BECK 6626AM™* 261.1 22.5 $135.26 1 29 BECK 6948A3 233.8 22.2 -$10.29 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 235.6 21.7 BECK 6543HR™* 233.8 21.1

1 14 BECK 6626AM™* 266.3 22.5 $107.23 2 11 BECK 6948A3 167.1 19.7 $67.69 Channel 213-59STXRIB 246.8 22.3 Phoenix 5726A4** 154.6 19.1

1 28 BECK 6626AM™* 263.8 22.7 $8.48 2 25 BECK 6948A3 221.0 21.2 $15.70 Dekalb DKC62-08 259.5 21.2 Phoenix 5832A3** 217.3 20.6

1 28 BECK 6626AM™* 263.8 22.7 $49.54 2 22 BECK 6948A3 218.7 21.6 $19.64 Dekalb DKC63-33 251.7 20.9 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 214.0 20.8

1 14 BECK 6626AM™* 266.3 22.5 $107.09 1 14 BECK 6948A3 246.1 22.7 $0.44 Dekalb DKC65-19 247.0 22.4 Dekalb DKC62-97 244.1 21.6

1 14 BECK 6626AM™* 266.3 22.5 $63.18 1 15 BECK 6948A3 246.2 22.7 -$6.18 Dekalb DKC66-96 255.2 22.6 Dekalb DKC65-19 246.6 22.3

1 28 BECK 6626AM™* 263.8 22.7 $54.57 1 15 BECK 6948A3 243.9 22.8 $32.44 Pioneer P1339AM1 251.7 21.4 Pioneer P1319AM1 235.9 21.5

1 6 BECK 6626AM™* 257.5 22.1 $102.97 1 8 BECK 6948A3 225.7 23.1 $6.38 Pioneer P2088YHR 241.4 23.4 Pioneer P1636YHR 220.6 20.6

*XL*XL®® brand brand seed seed is is distributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc.Inc. XL*XL®® is isa registereda trademark trademark of DuPont of Pioneer. DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ** Phoenix™ is a Syngenta brand distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company.

14 Waxy Corn Hybrids Overall Performance Summary Dollar advantage per acre is calculated using $5.40/Bu. pricing and drying costs of $0.04 per point of moisture per bushel. Waxy dollar advantage per acre is calculated using $6.00/Bu. BECK EX 0155 (5375HRwx™*) Comparisons BECK 5472HRwx™* Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 2 71 BECK EX 0155™* 206.7 18.5 $115.60 2 23 BECK 5472HRwx™* 215.0 21.5 $87.71 BECK 5140HR™* 208.3 18.5 BECK 5385A3 220.8 20.2

2 48 BECK EX 0155™* 225.4 19.0 $157.09 1 22 BECK 5472HRwx™* 220.4 21.3 $88.15 BECK 5246HR™* 221.4 19.1 BECK 5475AM™* 226.5 19.9

1 42 BECK EX 0155™* 190.9 18.2 $119.28 1 18 BECK 5472HRwx™* 231.0 21.3 $95.55 AgriGold A6458VT3 191.6 19.3 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 237.7 20.4

1 25 BECK EX 0155™* 232.9 18.4 $232.06 1 20 BECK 5472HRwx™* 230.4 21.3 $141.82 Dekalb DKC52-04 213.9 17.5 Channel 212-09STXRIB 230.6 21.8

1 32 BECK EX 0155™* 226.9 19.1 $141.00 1 20 BECK 5472HRwx™* 230.4 21.3 $171.57 Dekalb DKC57-75 225.8 19.0 Dekalb DKC59-64 220.5 19.3

1 24 BECK EX 0155™* 233.5 18.5 $119.48 1 20 BECK 5472HRwx™* 230.4 21.3 $133.36 Pioneer P0216HR 236.7 18.1 Pioneer P0916EHR 205.2 19.9

1 25 BECK EX 0155™* 232.9 18.4 $171.71 1 20 BECK 5472HRwx™* 230.4 21.3 $187.43 Pioneer P0533AM1 227.0 18.5 Pioneer P1184AM1 217.3 19.2

BECK 6187wx™* Comparisons BECK 6175wx™* Comparisons

% $/Acre % $/Acre Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. Moist. Adv. 1 20 BECK 6187wx™* 218.4 22.1 $103.75 2 40 BECK 6175wx™* 229.2 20.9 $132.36 BECK 5442VT3 220.8 20.4 Phoenix 5552A4** 230.2 20.9

2 30 BECK 6187wx™* 218.2 21.3 $173.71 2 19 BECK 6175wx™* 227.7 20.8 $195.70 BECK 6733HXR™* 211.2 22.1 AgriGold A6517VT3PRO 215.6 20.4

2 11 BECK 6187wx™* 204.8 19.6 $157.23 1 16 BECK 6175wx™* 237.9 20.7 $184.73 AgriGold A6533VT3PRO 199.9 20.7 Dekalb DKC57-75 226.8 19.0

1 16 BECK 6187wx™* 256.3 21.0 $179.61 1 18 BECK 6175wx™* 234.8 20.7 $117.01 Channel 213-59STXRIB 251.1 20.9 Dekalb DKC62-08 239.6 20.8

2 35 BECK 6187wx™* 234.5 21.7 $108.05 1 18 BECK 6175wx™* 234.8 20.7 $172.99 Dekalb DKC62-97 239.0 20.7 Dekalb DKC66-96 232.0 22.6

2 28 BECK 6187wx™* 221.3 21.3 $126.83 1 16 BECK 6175wx™* 237.9 20.7 $22.68 Dekalb DKC63-84 220.4 20.1 Pioneer P0832EXR 232.2 19.6

1 16 BECK 6187wx™* 256.3 21.0 $125.81 2 56 BECK 6175wx™* 225.8 21.1 $126.20 Pioneer P0832EXR 232.2 19.6 Pioneer P1018AM1 225.5 19.9

1 16 BECK 6187wx™* 256.3 21.0 $29.35 1 18 BECK 6175wx™* 234.8 20.7 $142.43 Pioneer P1018EHR 249.3 19.9 Pioneer P1319AM1 234.5 20.7

*XL*XL®® brand brand seed seed is is distributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc.Inc. XL*XL®® is isa registereda trademark trademark of DuPont of Pioneer. DuPont Pioneer. ™ ™ **Phoenix** Phoenix™ brand is a Syngentais distributed brand by distributedBeck’s Superior by Beck’s Hybrids, Superior Inc. PhoenixHybrids, Inc. is a Phoenix™trademark isof aa trademarkSyngenta ofGroup a Syngenta Company. Group Company.

14 SOYBEAN COMPARISONS SUMMARY Multi-Year Yield Comparisons of Various Products (Includes Farmer Plots, BECK'S Research, and University Data)

BECK 241NR™* Comparisons BECK 278R4™* Comparisons

Difference Difference Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield 4 170 BECK 241NR™* 59.6 -0.6 2 146 BECK 278R4™* 58.7 -0.1 BECK 294NR™* 60.2 BECK 294NR™* 58.8

1 24 BECK 241NR™* 50.9 +4.8 1 35 BECK 278R4™* 50.9 +0.9 Asgrow AG2431 46.1 Asgrow AG2733 50.0

1 24 BECK 241NR™* 50.9 +1.8 2 38 BECK 278R4™* 53.2 +1.8 Asgrow AG2433 49.1 Asgrow AG2831 51.4

1 25 BECK 241NR™* 51.6 +2.1 2 54 BECK 278R4™* 54.0 +0.5 Asgrow AG2733 49.5 Asgrow AG2931 53.5

3 42 BECK 241NR™* 54.8 +1.4 1 35 BECK 278R4™* 53.3 +0.8 Asgrow AG2831 53.4 Channel 2800R2 52.5

2 19 BECK 241NR™* 52.5 +0.5 1 12 BECK 278R4™* 49.5 +2.0 Channel 2800R2 52.0 NK S28-U7 47.5

1 12 BECK 241NR™* 50.6 +1.7 2 37 BECK 278R4™* 55.4 +2.8 Pioneer 92Y32 48.9 Pioneer 92Y80 52.6

4 48 BECK 241NR™* 57.0 +1.1 1 32 BECK 278R4™* 53.5 +0.7 Pioneer 92Y80 55.9 Pioneer 93Y23 52.8

BECK 294NR™* Comparisons Difference Difference Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield 1 29 BECK 294NR™* 54.5 +4.2 2 13 BECK 294NR™* 55.5 +3.8 Asgrow AG2733 50.3 NK S28-U7 51.7

4 54 BECK 294NR™* 55.2 +2.4 2 21 BECK 294NR™* 54.8 +3.0 Asgrow AG2831 52.8 Pioneer 92Y75 51.8

4 80 BECK 294NR™* 56.1 +0.9 4 92 BECK 294NR™* 58.4 +2.3 Asgrow AG2931 55.2 Pioneer 92Y80 56.1

3 41 BECK 294NR™* 55.8 +0.2 1 34 BECK 294NR™* 55.3 +1.9 Asgrow AG3030 55.6 Pioneer 92Y83 53.4

2 27 BECK 294NR™* 56.9 +1.0 2 51 BECK 294NR™* 55.5 +1.5 Asgrow AG3331 55.9 Pioneer 93Y15 54.0

4 47 BECK 294NR™* 57.6 +1.8 1 10 BECK 294NR™* 54.2 +2.2 Channel 2800R2 55.8 Pioneer 93Y21 52.0

4 58 BECK 294NR™* 57.0 +0.5 1 32 BECK 294NR™* 55.4 +2.6 Channel 3303R2 56.5 Pioneer 93Y23 52.8

1 38 BECK 294NR™* 55.2 +0.3 1 32 BECK 294NR™* 55.4 +1.2 Croplan R2C 3002 54.9 Pioneer 93Y25 54.2

BECK 312R4™* Comparisons BECK 335NR™* Comparisons Difference Difference Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield 2 190 BECK 312R4™* 60.0 +1.3 3 253 BECK 335NR™* 59.6 +1.7 BECK 294NR™* 58.7 BECK 325NR™* 57.9

2 121 BECK 312R4™* 60.6 +2.7 2 40 BECK 335NR™* 55.6 +0.4 BECK 325NR™* 57.9 Asgrow AG3030 55.2

2 177 BECK 312R4™* 60.1 +0.9 3 53 BECK 335NR™* 56.5 -0.3 BECK 335NR™* 59.2 Asgrow AG3231 56.8

2 50 BECK 312R4™* 56.5 +4.2 1 26 BECK 335NR™* 56.9 +1.7 Asgrow AG2931 52.3 Asgrow AG3333 55.2

1 44 BECK 312R4™* 57.2 +1.3 1 50 BECK 335NR™* 58.3 -0.4 Asgrow AG2933 55.9 Asgrow AG3533 58.7

1 39 BECK 312R4™* 57.6 +2.6 3 42 BECK 335NR™* 56.6 +2.1 Asgrow AG3030 55.0 Channel 3303R2 54.5

2 51 BECK 312R4™* 58.4 +1.8 3 43 BECK 335NR™* 56.0 +0.9 Asgrow AG3231 56.6 Channel 3402R2 55.1

1 26 BECK 312R4™* 58.5 +3.3 1 38 BECK 335NR™* 55.6 +0.7 Asgrow AG3333 55.2 Croplan R2C 3002 54.9

2 52 BECK 312R4™* 58.8 +0.8 2 18 BECK 335NR™* 60.3 +2.1 Asgrow AG3431 58.0 NK S31-L7 58.2

1 33 BECK 312R4™* 60.3 +1.6 2 39 BECK 335NR™* 56.1 +2.5 Asgrow AG3533 58.7 Pioneer 93Y15 53.6

1 26 BECK 312R4™* 58.5 +1.2 1 10 BECK 335NR™* 54.8 +2.8 Asgrow AG3634 57.3 Pioneer 93Y21 52.0

2 40 BECK 312R4™* 57.9 +4.1 3 30 BECK 335NR™* 57.5 +1.1 Channel 3303R2 53.8 Pioneer 93Y22 56.4

2 30 BECK 312R4™* 58.5 +3.2 1 26 BECK 335NR™* 56.9 +4.3 Channel 3402R2 55.3 Pioneer 93Y23 52.6

2 51 BECK 312R4™* 56.9 +2.9 1 26 BECK 335NR™* 56.9 +3.0 Pioneer 93Y15 54.0 Pioneer 93Y25 53.9

1 10 BECK 312R4™* 56.2 +4.2 1 26 BECK 335NR™* 56.9 +4.2 Pioneer 93Y21 52.0 Pioneer 93Y30 52.7

1 32 BECK 312R4™* 57.9 +5.1 2 35 BECK 335NR™* 58.7 +2.0 Pioneer 93Y23 52.8 Pioneer 93Y40 56.7

1 32 BECK 312R4™* 57.9 +3.7 2 39 BECK 335NR™* 55.3 +1.9 Pioneer 93Y25 54.2 Pioneer 93Y43 53.4 *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. *XL® is a trademark of Pioneer Hi-Bred. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. 30 26 SOYBEAN COMPARISONS (continued)

BECK 358R4™* Comparisons BECK 368NR™* Comparisons Difference Difference Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield 3 239 BECK 358R4™* 58.7 +2.4 3 109 BECK 368NR™* 59.8 +2.0 BECK 325NR™* 56.3 BECK 325NR™* 57.8

3 217 BECK 358R4™* 59.0 +0.6 2 87 BECK 368NR™* 60.4 +0.4 BECK 335NR™* 58.4 BECK 335NR™* 60.0

2 153 BECK 358R4™* 59.1 +2.5 2 94 BECK 368NR™* 60.2 +1.4 BECK 348NR™* 56.6 BECK 348NR™* 58.8

3 247 BECK 358R4™* 59.3 +0.6 2 104 BECK 368NR™* 58.9 +0.2 BECK 375NR™* 58.7 BECK 358R4™* 58.7

1 26 BECK 358R4™* 56.4 +1.2 3 78 BECK 368NR™* 59.9 +1.9 Asgrow AG3333 55.2 BECK 362NR™* 58.0

3 101 BECK 358R4™* 58.3 +0.7 3 169 BECK 368NR™* 59.7 +1.0 Asgrow AG3431 57.6 BECK 375NR™* 58.7

1 69 BECK 358R4™* 58.0 +0.3 1 57 BECK 368NR™* 57.6 -0.1 Asgrow AG3533 57.7 Asgrow AG3533 57.7

3 69 BECK 358R4™* 58.2 +1.4 2 50 BECK 368NR™* 57.8 +2.0 Asgrow AG3631 56.8 Asgrow AG3731 55.8

1 60 BECK 358R4™* 56.6 -0.1 1 10 BECK 368NR™* 65.0 +2.1 Asgrow AG3634 56.7 Asgrow AG3830 62.9

3 64 BECK 358R4™* 57.5 +1.6 1 64 BECK 368NR™* 56.7 +0.1 Asgrow AG3731 55.9 Asgrow AG3832 56.6

1 34 BECK 358R4™* 56.8 +0.4 1 46 BECK 368NR™* 59.2 +1.0 Asgrow AG3832 56.4 Asgrow AG3833 58.2

1 20 BECK 358R4™* 58.8 +1.9 1 30 BECK 368NR™* 58.8 +0.9 Asgrow AG3833 56.9 Asgrow AG3932 57.9

2 41 BECK 358R4™* 55.9 +1.2 1 46 BECK 368NR™* 56.7 +1.3 Channel 3402R2 54.7 NK S38-S4 55.4

2 21 BECK 358R4™* 61.7 +1.2 1 28 BECK 368NR™* 54.9 +1.8 Croplan R2C 3461 60.5 Pioneer 93Y43 53.1

2 26 BECK 358R4™* 59.3 +4.5 2 48 BECK 368NR™* 57.9 +2.6 Pioneer 93Y40 54.8 Pioneer 93Y60 55.3

2 39 BECK 358R4™* 55.6 +2.2 1 41 BECK 368NR™* 58.3 +3.7 Pioneer 93Y43 53.4 Pioneer 93Y73 54.6

1 23 BECK 358R4™* 58.1 +2.4 3 109 BECK 368NR™* 58.1 +0.7 Pioneer 93Y73 55.7 Pioneer 93Y92 57.4 *XL*XL®® brand brand seed seed is is distributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc. Inc. XL *XL®® is ais registereda trademark trademark of Pioneer of DuPontHi-Bred. Pioneer. 31 27 SOYBEAN COMPARISONS (continued)

BECK 391R4™* Comparisons BECK 418NR™* Comparisons Difference Difference Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield 2 186 BECK 391R4™* 57.7 +0.2 2 124 BECK 418NR™* 61.7 +1.6 BECK 375NR™* 57.5 BECK 398NR 60.1

2 73 BECK 391R4™* 58.1 +2.0 2 143 BECK 418NR™* 59.3 +1.4 BECK 400NR™* 56.1 BECK 432NR™* 57.9

2 44 BECK 391R4™* 58.2 +0.0 2 119 BECK 418NR™* 59.0 +0.7 Asgrow AG3631 58.2 BECK 444NR™* 58.3

1 32 BECK 391R4™* 59.9 +0.2 1 64 BECK 418NR™* 60.5 +3.9 Asgrow AG3632 59.7 Asgrow AG3832 56.6

1 34 BECK 391R4™* 56.1 -0.1 1 46 BECK 418NR™* 61.6 +3.4 Asgrow AG3634 56.2 Asgrow AG3833 58.2

2 41 BECK 391R4™* 56.7 +1.4 2 83 BECK 418NR™* 60.2 +1.2 Asgrow AG3731 55.3 Asgrow AG3931 59.0

1 64 BECK 391R4™* 56.2 -0.4 1 42 BECK 418NR™* 59.8 +2.4 Asgrow AG3832 56.6 Asgrow AG3932 57.4

1 46 BECK 391R4™* 58.2 +0.0 1 46 BECK 418NR™* 60.2 +3.2 Asgrow AG3833 58.2 Asgrow AG3934 57.0

1 37 BECK 391R4™* 60.0 +2.6 2 17 BECK 418NR™* 61.5 +1.4 Asgrow AG3932 57.4 Asgrow AG4032 60.1

2 56 BECK 391R4™* 58.0 +1.1 1 52 BECK 418NR™* 60.4 +2.0 Asgrow AG4130 56.9 Asgrow AG4033 58.4

1 8 BECK 391R4™* 58.6 +1.7 1 52 BECK 418NR™* 60.4 +2.8 Channel 4306R2 56.9 Asgrow AG4034 57.6

1 30 BECK 391R4™* 56.4 +0.8 2 55 BECK 418NR™* 60.6 +1.0 Croplan R2C 4000 55.6 Asgrow AG4232 59.6

1 44 BECK 391R4™* 55.9 +1.1 2 47 BECK 418NR™* 56.5 +1.4 Dyna-Gro S39RY33 54.8 Asgrow AG4433 55.1

1 41 BECK 391R4™* 56.5 +1.9 1 30 BECK 418NR™* 60.4 +4.8 Pioneer 93Y73 54.6 Croplan R2C 4000 55.6

2 4 BECK 391R4™* 82.0 +1.5 2 111 BECK 418NR™* 60.8 +2.5 Pioneer 93Y82 80.5 Pioneer 94Y01 58.3

2 97 BECK 391R4™* 57.3 +0.9 2 22 BECK 418NR™* 60.4 +4.5 Pioneer 93Y92 56.4 Pioneer 94Y21 55.9

2 84 BECK 391R4™* 56.7 +0.0 1 51 BECK 418NR™* 57.6 +2.2 Pioneer 94Y01 56.7 Pioneer 94Y23 55.4 *XL*XL®® brand brand seed seed is isdistributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc. Inc. XL *XL®® is ais registered a trademark trademark of Pioneer of DuPontHi-Bred. Pioneer. 32 28 SOYBEAN COMPARISONS (continued)

BECK 375NR™* Comparisons BECK 477NR™* Comparisons Difference Difference Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield 3 179 BECK 375NR™* 60.6 +0.8 2 40 BECK 477NR™* 55.5 -0.5 BECK 335NR™* 59.8 BECK 418NR™* 56.0

4 71 BECK 375NR™* 56.3 -0.5 1 27 BECK 477NR™* 52.5 -1.2 Asgrow AG3731 56.8 BECK 457R4™* 53.7

3 34 BECK 375NR™* 58.1 +0.3 2 18 BECK 477NR™* 58.7 +0.7 Asgrow AG3831 57.8 BECK 483NL 58.0

1 40 BECK 375NR™* 56.4 +0.3 3 100 BECK 477NR™* 54.9 -0.2 Asgrow AG3932 56.1 BECK 495NR™* 55.1

1 44 BECK 375NR™* 55.0 +0.2 3 38 BECK 477NR™* 53.9 -0.3 Dyna-Gro S39RY33 54.8 BECK 511R4™* 54.2

4 66 BECK 375NR™* 59.7 +1.5 1 24 BECK 477NR™* 51.4 -0.9 Pioneer 93Y60 58.2 Asgrow AG4933 52.3

1 41 BECK 375NR™* 55.2 +0.6 2 12 BECK 477NR™* 59.7 +0.1 Pioneer 93Y73 54.6 Pioneer 94Y80 59.6

3 60 BECK 375NR™* 57.7 +5.3 1 24 BECK 477NR™* 51.4 +0.6 Pioneer 93Y80 52.4 Pioneer 94Y82 50.8

BECK 444NR™* Comparisons Difference Difference Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield 3 69 BECK 444NR™* 60.9 +0.5 1 40 BECK 444NR™* 57.1 +0.0 BECK 398NR 60.4 Asgrow AG4533 57.1

3 143 BECK 444NR™* 58.9 +1.0 2 45 BECK 444NR™* 56.7 +0.5 BECK 432NR™* 57.9 Asgrow AG4632 56.2

1 12 BECK 444NR™* 57.9 +3.1 1 36 BECK 444NR™* 57.5 +1.6 Asgrow AG3934 54.8 Asgrow AG4633 55.9

1 30 BECK 444NR™* 58.4 +0.7 1 54 BECK 444NR™* 57.0 +1.8 Asgrow AG4033 57.7 Croplan R2C 4412 55.2

1 30 BECK 444NR™* 58.4 +2.0 1 46 BECK 444NR™* 56.1 +1.7 Asgrow AG4034 56.4 NK S41-J6 54.4

3 49 BECK 444NR™* 58.5 +0.8 3 74 BECK 444NR™* 58.7 +0.1 Asgrow AG4130 57.7 Pioneer 94Y01 58.6

2 58 BECK 444NR™* 58.5 -0.7 2 22 BECK 444NR™* 59.2 +3.3 Asgrow AG4232 59.2 Pioneer 94Y21 55.9

2 47 BECK 444NR™* 56.1 +1.0 1 52 BECK 444NR™* 58.4 +1.8 Asgrow AG4433 55.1 Pioneer 94Y23 56.6 *XL*XL®® brand brand seed seed is isdistributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc. Inc. XL *XL®® is a is registered a trademark trademark of Pioneer of DuPontHi-Bred. Pioneer. 33 29 SOYBEAN COMPARISONS (continued)

BECK 319N Comparisons BECK 331N Comparisons Difference Difference Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield 4 50 BECK 319N 55.7 +0.2 4 70 BECK 331N 56.7 +0.7 BECK 294NR™* 55.5 BECK 319N 56.0

1 20 BECK 319N 52.0 +1.1 3 48 BECK 331N 57.4 -0.6 BECK 295 50.9 BECK 335NR™* 58.0

4 57 BECK 319N 55.5 +0.5 1 10 BECK 331N 52.3 -0.7 BECK 325NR™* 55.0 Asgrow AG2933 53.0

2 16 BECK 319N 59.3 +1.7 1 10 BECK 331N 52.3 -0.3 Asgrow AG3131 57.6 Asgrow AG3333 52.6

1 10 BECK 319N 52.2 -0.4 4 31 BECK 331N 57.5 +3.3 Asgrow AG3333 52.6 Asgrow AG3555 54.2

1 11 BECK 319N 52.0 -0.1 1 22 BECK 331N 53.9 -0.3 Channel 3402R2 52.1 Asgrow AG3634 54.2

2 10 BECK 319N 53.7 +0.8 1 23 BECK 331N 53.6 +0.5 Pioneer 92Y80 52.9 Channel 3402R2 53.1

2 16 BECK 319N 56.9 +0.4 1 22 BECK 331N 53.9 +1.1 Pioneer 93Y40 56.5 Pioneer 93Y43 52.8

BECK 389N Comparisons BECK 414N Comparisons Difference Difference Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield 3 52 BECK 389N 59.0 +1.1 4 60 BECK 414N 56.8 -0.1 BECK 375NR™* 57.9 BECK 432NR™* 56.9

4 69 BECK 389N 59.0 +0.8 2 28 BECK 414N 59.9 +0.6 BECK 414N 58.2 BECK 444NR™* 59.3

4 17 BECK 389N 57.5 +5.2 1 12 BECK 414N 60.7 +2.2 Asgrow AG3555 52.3 Asgrow AG3932 58.5

1 12 BECK 389N 55.0 +1.5 1 24 BECK 414N 53.9 -0.8 Asgrow AG3634 53.5 Asgrow AG3934 54.7

1 24 BECK 389N 56.1 +1.4 1 12 BECK 414N 57.1 -0.3 Asgrow AG3934 54.7 Asgrow AG4033 57.4

1 12 BECK 389N 57.1 -0.3 1 12 BECK 414N 57.1 +4.2 Asgrow AG4033 57.4 Asgrow AG4034 52.9

1 12 BECK 389N 57.1 +4.2 1 12 BECK 414N 57.1 +3.7 Asgrow AG4034 52.9 Croplan R2C 4000 53.4

1 12 BECK 389N 57.1 +3.7 1 12 BECK 414N 57.1 +1.5 Croplan R2C 4000 53.4 Pioneer 94Y23 55.6 *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. *XL® is a trademark of Pioneer Hi-Bred. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. 34 30 SOYBEAN COMPARISONS (continued)

BECK 298L4 Comparisons BECK 313NL Comparisons Difference Difference Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield 2 68 BECK 298L4 59.9 +1.6 2 60 BECK 313NL 61.4 +1.5 BECK 297NL 58.3 BECK 294NR™* 59.9

2 50 BECK 298L4 61.7 +1.4 2 73 BECK 313NL 60.8 +4.1 BECK 294NR™* 60.3 BECK 306NL 56.7

2 53 BECK 298L4 61.3 +4.2 2 50 BECK 313NL 61.5 +2.6 BECK 306NL 57.1 BECK 325NR™* 58.9

2 71 BECK 298L4 59.8 -0.4 2 59 BECK 313NL 61.2 +1.5 BECK 313NL 60.2 BECK 335NR™* 59.7

1 23 BECK 298L4 58.6 +0.0 1 16 BECK 313NL 55.4 +4.0 BECK 337L4 58.6 Asgrow AG2733 51.4

1 16 BECK 298L4 56.3 +4.9 2 20 BECK 313NL 56.7 +3.3 Asgrow AG2733 51.4 Asgrow AG2831 53.4

2 20 BECK 298L4 56.1 +2.7 2 28 BECK 313NL 56.7 +0.9 Asgrow AG2831 53.4 Asgrow AG2931 55.8

2 20 BECK 298L4 56.1 +1.2 1 16 BECK 313NL 55.4 +0.8 Asgrow AG2931 54.9 Asgrow AG2933 54.6

1 16 BECK 298L4 56.3 +1.7 1 10 BECK 313NL 54.5 +1.9 Asgrow AG2933 54.6 Asgrow AG3333 52.6

1 10 BECK 298L4 55.6 +3.0 1 10 BECK 313NL 54.5 +0.8 Asgrow AG3333 52.6 Channel 3303R2 53.7

2 16 BECK 298L4 60.5 +1.2 1 11 BECK 313NL 54.0 +1.9 Asgrow AG3431 59.3 Channel 3402R2 52.1

1 6 BECK 298L4 57.4 +6.3 1 16 BECK 313NL 55.4 +2.4 Channel 2800R2 51.1 Pioneer 93Y15 53.0

1 10 BECK 298L4 55.6 +1.9 1 10 BECK 313NL 54.5 +2.5 Channel 3303R2 53.7 Pioneer 93Y21 52.0

1 6 BECK 298L4 57.4 +1.6 1 13 BECK 313NL 55.5 +3.4 Pioneer 92Y75 55.8 Pioneer 93Y22 52.1

2 10 BECK 298L4 56.5 +3.6 1 16 BECK 313NL 55.4 +1.4 Pioneer 92Y80 52.9 Pioneer 93Y23 54.0

1 6 BECK 298L4 57.4 +5.5 1 16 BECK 313NL 55.4 +0.7 Pioneer 92Y83 51.9 Pioneer 93Y25 54.7

1 16 BECK 298L4 56.3 +3.3 1 10 BECK 313NL 54.5 +2.1 Pioneer 93Y15 53.0 Pioneer 93Y30 52.4 *XL*XL®® brand brand seed seed is isdistributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc. Inc. XL *XL®® is ais registered a trademark trademark of Pioneer of DuPontHi-Bred. Pioneer. 35 31 SOYBEAN COMPARISONS (continued)

BECK 337L4 Comparisons BECK 354L4 Comparisons Difference Difference Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield 1 10 BECK 337L4 55.7 +4.5 1 27 BECK 354L4 57.8 +2.9 Asgrow AG2831 51.2 BECK 325NR™* 54.9

1 10 BECK 337L4 55.7 +4.0 1 32 BECK 354L4 58.4 +2.7 Asgrow AG2931 51.7 BECK 335NR™* 55.7

1 10 BECK 337L4 55.7 +2.7 1 24 BECK 354L4 57.3 +5.2 Asgrow AG2933 53.0 BECK 356NL 52.1

1 10 BECK 337L4 55.7 +3.1 1 21 BECK 354L4 58.4 +3.8 Asgrow AG3333 52.6 BECK 375NR™* 54.6

1 22 BECK 337L4 54.5 +0.3 1 13 BECK 354L4 57.8 +1.1 Asgrow AG3634 54.2 Asgrow AG3231 56.7

1 12 BECK 337L4 53.5 +0.5 1 10 BECK 354L4 57.6 +5.0 Asgrow AG3731 53.0 Asgrow AG3333 52.6

1 10 BECK 337L4 55.7 +2.0 1 24 BECK 354L4 57.1 +1.5 Channel 3303R2 53.7 Asgrow AG3431 55.6

1 22 BECK 337L4 54.5 +1.6 1 23 BECK 354L4 56.8 +0.9 Channel 3402R2 52.9 Asgrow AG3533 55.9

1 12 BECK 337L4 53.5 +4.4 1 22 BECK 354L4 56.3 +2.1 Pioneer 93L71 49.1 Asgrow AG3634 54.2

1 10 BECK 337L4 55.7 +3.5 1 12 BECK 354L4 55.3 +2.3 Pioneer 93Y15 52.2 Asgrow AG3731 53.0

1 10 BECK 337L4 55.7 +3.7 1 10 BECK 354L4 57.6 +3.9 Pioneer 93Y21 52.0 Channel 3303R2 53.7

1 13 BECK 337L4 55.4 +3.3 1 22 BECK 354L4 56.3 +3.4 Pioneer 93Y22 52.1 Channel 3402R2 52.9

1 10 BECK 337L4 55.7 +1.6 1 22 BECK 354L4 56.3 +2.9 Pioneer 93Y23 54.1 NK S34-N3 53.4

1 10 BECK 337L4 55.7 +1.5 1 10 BECK 354L4 57.6 +4.9 Pioneer 93Y25 54.2 Pioneer 93Y40 52.7

1 10 BECK 337L4 55.7 +3.3 1 22 BECK 354L4 56.3 +0.8 Pioneer 93Y30 52.4 Pioneer 93Y41 55.5

1 10 BECK 337L4 55.7 +3.0 1 22 BECK 354L4 56.3 +3.5 Pioneer 93Y40 52.7 Pioneer 93Y43 52.8

1 22 BECK 337L4 54.5 +1.7 1 12 BECK 354L4 55.3 +1.1 Pioneer 93Y43 52.8 Pioneer 93Y84 54.2 *XL*XL®® brand brand seed seed is isdistributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc. Inc. XL *XL®® is ais registered a trademark trademark of Pioneer of DuPontHi-Bred. Pioneer. 36 32 SOYBEAN COMPARISONS (continued)

BECK 366L4 Comparisons BECK 394L4 Comparisons Difference Difference Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield 1 24 BECK 366L4 55.7 +4.4 1 33 BECK 394L4 58.6 +2.1 BECK 356NL 51.3 BECK 375NR™* 56.5

1 32 BECK 366L4 55.6 +0.0 1 13 BECK 394L4 57.6 +0.6 BECK 358R4™* 55.6 BECK 398NR 57.0

1 22 BECK 366L4 58.5 +2.3 1 14 BECK 394L4 57.9 +1.1 BECK 375NR™* 56.2 Asgrow AG3533 56.8

1 10 BECK 366L4 56.0 +3.4 1 12 BECK 394L4 56.4 +2.9 Asgrow AG3333 52.6 Asgrow AG3634 53.5

1 24 BECK 366L4 56.1 +0.5 1 12 BECK 394L4 56.4 +3.4 Asgrow AG3431 55.6 Asgrow AG3731 53.0

1 23 BECK 366L4 56.2 +0.3 1 24 BECK 394L4 56.7 +1.7 Asgrow AG3533 55.9 Asgrow AG3832 55.0

1 22 BECK 366L4 55.5 +1.3 1 24 BECK 394L4 56.7 +2.0 Asgrow AG3634 54.2 Asgrow AG3934 54.7

1 12 BECK 366L4 55.1 +2.1 1 12 BECK 394L4 56.9 +4.0 Asgrow AG3731 53.0 Asgrow AG4034 52.9

1 12 BECK 366L4 55.1 +0.6 1 10 BECK 394L4 59.8 +0.6 Asgrow AG3934 54.5 Channel 4205R2 59.2

1 12 BECK 366L4 55.3 +2.2 1 8 BECK 394L4 60.2 +3.3 Channel 3402R2 53.1 Channel 4306R2 56.9

1 12 BECK 366L4 55.1 +1.3 1 24 BECK 394L4 56.7 +1.0 Croplan LC3781 53.8 Croplan R2C 3992 55.7

1 10 BECK 366L4 56.0 +3.3 1 12 BECK 394L4 56.9 +3.5 Pioneer 93Y40 52.7 Croplan R2C 4000 53.4

1 22 BECK 366L4 55.5 +2.7 1 24 BECK 394L4 56.7 +1.6 Pioneer 93Y43 52.8 Pioneer 93Y84 55.1

1 12 BECK 366L4 55.1 +0.9 1 22 BECK 394L4 57.3 +1.9 Pioneer 93Y84 54.2 Pioneer 93Y92 55.4

1 10 BECK 366L4 56.8 +1.4 1 24 BECK 394L4 56.7 +1.0 Pioneer 93Y92 55.4 Pioneer 94Y01 55.7

1 12 BECK 366L4 55.1 +2.0 1 12 BECK 394L4 56.4 +3.4 Stine 37LA02 53.1 Stine 39LD02 53.0

1 12 BECK 366L4 55.1 +2.1 1 12 BECK 394L4 56.9 +3.1 Stine 39LD02 53.0 Stine 41LD22 53.8 *XL*XL®® brand brand seed seed is isdistributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc. Inc. XL *XL®® is a is registered a trademark trademark of Pioneer of DuPontHi-Bred. Pioneer. 36 33 SOYBEAN COMPARISONS (continued)

BECK 372NL Comparisons BECK 423NL Comparisons Difference Difference Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield 4 90 BECK 372NL 56.8 +2.9 2 31 BECK 423NL 59.5 -0.3 BECK 356NL 53.9 BECK 444NR™* 59.8

3 73 BECK 372NL 58.5 -0.3 1 24 BECK 423NL 54.8 -0.2 BECK 375NR™* 58.8 Asgrow AG3832 55.0

3 80 BECK 372NL 56.7 +2.5 1 24 BECK 423NL 54.8 +0.1 BECK 386NL 54.2 Asgrow AG3934 54.7

3 22 BECK 372NL 55.3 +2.3 1 12 BECK 423NL 55.1 +2.2 Asgrow AG3555 53.0 Asgrow AG4034 52.9

1 12 BECK 372NL 63.5 +2.6 1 12 BECK 423NL 55.1 +1.7 Asgrow AG3632 60.9 Croplan R2C 4000 53.4

1 12 BECK 372NL 63.5 +5.0 1 22 BECK 423NL 54.0 +0.5 Asgrow AG3932 58.5 Dyna-Gro S39RY33 53.5

2 24 BECK 372NL 57.9 +2.5 1 22 BECK 423NL 55.6 +0.2 Pioneer 93L71 55.4 Pioneer 93Y92 55.4

2 13 BECK 372NL 52.8 +1.4 2 22 BECK 423NL 59.0 +3.1 Pioneer 93Y43 51.4 Pioneer 94Y21 55.9

BECK 459L4 Comparisons BECK 522L4 Comparisons Difference Difference Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield Yrs Plots Brand Bu./A. in Yield 1 10 BECK 459L4 55.5 +3.1 1 7 BECK 522L4 54.4 +0.9 Asgrow AG4433 52.4 BECK 456NL 53.5

1 6 BECK 459L4 58.7 +0.2 1 9 BECK 522L4 58.5 +0.9 Asgrow AG4633 58.5 BECK 477NR™* 57.6

1 8 BECK 459L4 57.3 +0.4 1 12 BECK 522L4 56.4 +0.1 Channel 4306R2 56.9 BECK 483NL 56.3

1 8 BECK 459L4 56.0 +3.4 1 9 BECK 522L4 58.5 +2.6 Pioneer 94L71 52.6 BECK 495NR™* 55.9

1 8 BECK 459L4 56.0 +0.6 1 9 BECK 522L4 58.5 +1.8 Pioneer 94Y82 55.4 BECK 511R4™* 56.7

1 10 BECK 459L4 55.5 +5.5 1 6 BECK 522L4 56.7 +5.7 Stine 44LD02 50.0 Pioneer 94L71 51.0

1 8 BECK 459L4 56.0 +1.9 1 6 BECK 522L4 56.7 +2.7 Stine 45LD02 54.1 Pioneer 94Y82 54.0

1 6 BECK 459L4 58.7 +9.9 1 6 BECK 522L4 56.7 +4.3 Stine 47LD08 48.8 Stine 45LD22 52.4 *XL*XL®® brand brand seed seed is isdistributed distributed by by Beck’s Beck’s Superior Superior Hybrids, Hybrids, Inc. Inc. XL *XL®® is ais registered a trademark trademark of Pioneer of DuPontHi-Bred. Pioneer. 37 34 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Corn Show Plot - 2013

Planted: May 2, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 25, 2013 Tillage: V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 30,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 2.3 qts. Bicep II Magnum & 1 qt. Princep 4L May 3.26 in. Rows: Three 30” rows Post: 1.67 qts. Lexar®, 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® June 6.04 in. 1 qt. Class Act® Flex Insecticide: Escalate® & Force® 3G July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Percent Yield Harvested Test† Broken Percent Bushels† Rank Brand Population Weight Stalks Moisture Per Acre 1 Phoenix 5642A4** 29,750 58.1 0.0 22.8 251.9 2 BECK 6626AMX-R™* 29,750 58.8 0.0 25.6 250.7 3 BECK 6948A3 30,000 58.1 0.0 23.1 248.0 4 BECK 6543HR™* 28,250 58.3 0.0 22.2 247.6 5 BECK 5475AM™* 30,000 58.2 0.0 20.1 247.3 6 BECK EX 1308 (5475AMXT Genetics)™* 28,750 58.3 1.7 20.8 239.9 7 BECK EX 1315 (6175AMXT Genetics)™* 30,250 58.3 0.0 21.5 236.7 8 BECK EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 29,500 58.1 1.7 21.2 236.6 9 BECK 6077AM-R™* 29,750 58.2 0.0 20.6 236.3 10 BECK 5509A3 27,250 58.1 0.0 21.4 236.0 11 BECK 5140HR™* 30,250 58.6 0.0 18.8 235.4 12 Phoenix 5552A4** 29,500 58.2 0.0 23.9 235.3 13 BECK EX 0208 (5131AM Genetics)™* 30,250 58.4 0.0 19.4 235.1 14 BECK EX 0155 (5375HRwx Genetics)™* 30,250 58.5 0.0 19.6 234.9 15 BECK 6348A3 29,250 58.1 0.0 22.6 233.0 16 BECK EX 1326 (6778AM Genetics)™* 27,000 58.4 0.0 24.6 231.8 17 Phoenix 5842EZ** 30,000 58.4 0.0 22.5 231.6 18 Phoenix 6542A4** 30,000 58.4 0.0 24.8 230.7 19 BECK 6272HR™* 29,500 58.3 0.0 22.4 230.4 20 BECK 5385A3 30,000 58.3 0.0 20.4 230.1 21 BECK EX 1304 (4321AM Genetics)™* 27,250 58.5 0.0 18.6 227.3 22 BECK 6575HR™* 29,250 58.5 0.0 25.2 226.8 23 BECK 5246HR™* 28,250 58.7 0.0 18.8 223.6 24 BECK 5114A4 29,250 58.7 0.0 18.0 220.2 AVERAGE 29,302 58.4 0.1 21.6 235.7 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Bicep, Princep, and Lexar are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Force is a registered trademark of Syngenta Group Company. N2 plot.

Planting the Central Indiana Corn Show Plot with a John Deere 1760NT planter. 35 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Corn Show Plot 20” Rows - 2013

Planted: May 2, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 2, 2013 Tillage: V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 33,200 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 2.3 qts. Bicep II Magnum & 1 qt. Princep 4L May 3.26 in. Rows: Three 20” rows Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar®, 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX®, June 6.04 in. 1 qt. Class Act® Flex Insecticide: Escalate® & Force® 3G July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Percent Yield Harvested Test† Broken Percent Bushels† Rank Brand Population Weight Stalks Moisture Per Acre 1 BECK 6626AMX-R™* 34,500 56.1 0.0 21.8 294.4 2 BECK 6543HR™* 28,500 58.3 1.8 20.9 293.7 3 BECK 6948A3 33,500 55.0 1.5 23.1 289.5 4 BECK 6077AM-R™* 30,500 59.4 0.0 19.5 277.8 5 BECK EX 1326 (6778AM Genetics)™* 33,000 55.8 0.0 22.3 276.3 6 BECK 6272HR™* 34,000 58.7 0.0 20.2 275.4 7 BECK EX 1315 (6175AMXT Genetics)™* 31,500 59.2 0.0 19.5 261.0 8 BECK 5475AM™* 32,500 58.1 0.0 18.3 260.6 9 Phoenix 6542A4** 32,500 56.6 0.0 21.8 260.2 10 Phoenix 5552A4** 33,500 54.4 0.0 19.6 256.5 11 Phoenix 5642A4** 33,500 55.2 0.0 19.4 252.9 12 BECK 5114A4 27,000 54.1 0.0 17.4 250.5 13 BECK 6575HR™* 32,000 54.4 1.6 22.1 248.5 14 BECK 6348A3 32,500 56.0 0.0 21.1 247.6 15 BECK 5509A3 32,500 58.4 0.0 18.9 241.7 16 BECK EX 0208 (5131AM Genetics)™* 32,000 58.2 1.6 17.7 241.0 17 BECK EX 1308 (5475AMXT Genetics)™* 32,000 59.6 0.0 18.3 239.3 18 BECK 5246HR™* 31,000 60.0 0.0 17.4 237.6 19 BECK EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 31,500 56.3 0.0 19.5 235.7 20 BECK 5385A3 33,000 60.1 0.0 18.2 235.3 21 BECK EX 1304 (4321AM Genetics)™* 31,500 54.1 0.0 18.6 234.1 22 BECK EX 0155 (5375HRwx Genetics)™* 29,500 60.3 0.0 17.7 219.5 23 BECK 5140HR™* 28,000 57.2 0.0 17.5 215.7 24 Phoenix 5842EZ** 28,500 58.8 0.0 20.2 208.6 AVERAGE 31,604 57.3 0.3 19.6 252.2 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Bicep II Magnum, Princep, and Lexar are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Force is a registered trademark of Syngenta Group Company. N3 plot.

36 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S VT Fungicide Study - 2013

Planted: May 8, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 25, 2013 Tillage: Disc / V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ® Population: 32,000 seeds/A. Insecticide: Force 3G May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Herbicide: Pre: 2.3 qt. Bicep II Magnum® & 1 qt. Princep® 4L June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar®, 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® & 1 qt. Class Act® Flex July 1.67 in. INSECTICIDE: Escalate® August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: This study compares six corn hybrids with and without Headline AMP® fungicide ground applied at full tassel (VT).

Yield Test Percent Bushels† Advantage Return on^ Brand Weight Moisture Per Acre vs. Untreated Investment 10 oz. Headline Amp® BECK Ex 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 56.6 19.0 212.6 +10.9 +$21.57 Beck 5475AMX™* 59.2 19.1 208.2 +8.8 +$19.41 Phoenix 5642A4** 54.8 21.1 206.4 +17.2 +$52.93 Beck 6272HR™* 59.7 20.2 203.4 +4.3 -$4.35 Beck 6626AMX-R™* 62.5 20.2 196.0 +6.4 +$12.62 Beck 6948A3 57.8 21.4 204.4 -2.8 -$45.22 Average 58.4 20.1 205.2 +7.5 +$9.49 Untreated BECK Ex 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 56.4 17.9 201.7 Beck 5475AMX™* 60.2 19.1 199.4 Phoenix 5642A4** 54.8 19.9 189.2 Beck 6272HR™* 59.1 20.2 199.1 Beck 6626AMX-R™* 60.3 21.0 189.6 Beck 6948A3 58.7 20.9 207.2 Average 58.2 19.8 197.7 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. ^Return on investment is the difference in net return of the treatment compared to the control. Net Return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn, $271/gal. Headline Amp, $5.50/A. application charge, and $0.04/point drying cost. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Force, Bicep II Magnum, Princep and Lexar are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Headline AMP is a registered trademark of BASF. High School SE plot.

Summary: In 2013, the hybrids with a VT fungicide application recorded a 7.5 Bu./A. average yield advantage. Furthermore, Headline AMP® gained an economic advantage on four of six hybrids tested. We had our highest return on investment with Phoenix 5642A4** at $52.93/A. It was no surprise that we found negative returns for BECK 6948A3 and BECK 6272HR™*, as they have a low response to fungicide applications. It is always recommended to scout your fields for disease pressure, but also take into consideration the fungicide response of individual hybrids. For more information on VT fungicides please refer to page 262 for multi-location research data.

37 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Fungicide Timing Study - 2013

Planted: May 8, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 25, 2013 Tillage: Disc / V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 32,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 2.3 qt. Bicep II Magnum & 1 qt. Princep 4L May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar®, 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® & June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) 1 qt. Class Act® Flex Insecticide: Escalate® July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: To evaluate hybrid specific responses to various fungicide application timings. Treatments consist of Priaxor™ at the V5 growth stage, Headline AMP® at full tassel (VT), and a combination of the two. A VT application is most common in our marketing area, but if disease pressure is high enough, it may be necessary to treat with an early treatment.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Cost of Net^ Return on Brand & Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Treatment Return Investment BECK 6175AMX-R™* - Low Response Control 19.9 201.5 ----- $0.00 $1,048.61 ----- 4 oz. Priaxor™ @ V5 19.7 205.3 +3.8 $16.53 $1,053.49 +$4.88 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 + 10 oz. Headline Amp® @ VT 20.8 214.6 +13.1 $43.20 $1,065.85 +$17.24 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 20.5 220.9 +19.4 $26.67 $1,117.59 +$68.98 Average 20.2 210.6 +12.1 BECK 5509A3 - Medium Response Control 19.6 205.5 ----- $0.00 $1,071.89 ----- 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 20.0 215.0 +9.5 $16.53 $1,101.47 +$29.58 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 + 10 oz. Headline Amp @ VT 22.5 223.1 +17.6 $43.20 $1,094.61 +$22.72 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 21.6 221.2 +15.7 $26.67 $1,109.41 +$37.52 Average 20.9 216.2 +14.3 Phoenix 5552A4** - High Response^^ Control 20.0 202.4 ----- $0.00 $1,052.48 ----- 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 19.7 205.5 +3.1 $16.53 $1,054.54 +$2.06 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 + 10 oz. Headline Amp @ VT 20.1 219.4 +17.0 $43.20 $1,096.80 +$44.32 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 20.2 199.7 -2.7 $26.67 $1,010.17 -$42.31 Average 20.0 206.8 +5.8 Treatment Summary Control 19.8 203.1 ----- $0.00 $1,057.74 ----- 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 19.8 208.6 +5.5 $16.53 $1,069.86 +$12.12 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 + 10 oz. Headline Amp @ VT 21.1 219.0 +15.9 $43.20 $1,085.96 +$28.22 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 20.7 213.9 +10.8 $26.67 $1,079.62 +$21.88 Average 20.4 211.2 +10.7 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ^Net return is based on $529.00/gal. Priaxor, $271.00/gal. Headline AMP, $5.50/A. application charge and $0.04/point drying cost. ^^Phoenix 5552A4** data is one replication. Figure 1 and 2 use two year data that has one year of Headline AMP @ V5 and 2013 has Priaxor @ V5. Bicep II Magnum, Princep and Lexar are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Headline AMP is a registered trademark of BASF. Priaxor is a trademark of BASF. High School SW plot.

38 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Fungicide Timing Study - Continued

2 Year Yield Data 2 Year Yield Data Bu./A. Bu./A. +12.8 165.0 +12.8 165.0 +9.0 160.0 162.6 +9.0 +6.8 V5 / VT Combo 160.0 162.6 +6.8 V5 / VT Combo 158.8 VT 156.7 155.0 158.8 VT 155.0 156.7 V5 150.0 V5 Control 150.0 149.9 149.9 Control 145.0 CINPFR, 2012 & 2013 145.0 CINPFR, 2012 & 2013 140.0 140.0

Figure 1.

2 Year ROI 2 Year ROI $/A. $/A. $25.00 +$20.03/A. $25.00 Average+$20.03/A. Return $22.04 $20.00 $21.77 Average Return $22.04 $20.00 $21.77 V5 / VT Combo V5 / VT Combo $15.00 $16.29 V5 $15.00 $16.29 V5 VT $10.00 VT $10.00 CINPFR, 2012 & 2013 $5.00 CINPFR, $5.00 2012 & 2013 $0.00 $0.00 Figure 2.

Summary: This year we saw our best yield results from the combination V5/VT application, giving us an average 15.9 Bu./A. yield increase over the control. When averaged, all treatments gave a $20.74/A. return on investment for the 2013 growing season. In terms of individual hybrids we saw our highest response to the fungicide applications with BECK 5509A3. That being said, it is not only important to consider weather conditions and leaf disease pressure, but to also consider each hybrid’s response. As we continue to test multiple hybrids and timings, we will gain more knowledge on how and when it is economically beneficial to apply fungicides. Figure 1 illustrates our Central Indiana PFR, two year yield data, while Figure 2 illustrates the two year return on investment. For more information on fungicide timing, please refer to page 260 for multi-location research data. 39 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S 300 Bushel Attempt - 2013

Planted: May 7, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans / Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 16, 2013 Mow / Disc / V-Rip / S-Tine ® ® April 9.14 in. Population: 20”: 41,600 seeds/A., Herbicide: Pre: 2.3 qts. Bicep II Magnum & 1 qt. Princep 4L May 3.26 in. 30”: 37,000 seeds/A. Post: 1.67 qts. Lexar®, 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® June6.04 in. Rows: Six 20” rows, Insecticide: Escalate® & Force® 3G July 1.67 in. Four 30” rows August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: In our attempt to reach 300 Bu./A., we have tried several different approaches in the past 33 years. In earlier years, we increased our populations and applied extremely high rates of fertilizer, as well as some micronutrients. In the mid to late 80s, we tried using different tillage methods like v-rip, chisel and moldboard plow. From 1991 to 2002, we tested zone-till vs. conventional-till. In 2003, we tested ultra-high populations and twin rows using conventional-till practices. Since 2004, we have compared the following crop rotations: continuous corn, two-year corn/one-year soybean, and corn/soybean rotations. In 2013, we planted 20” rows in the first year corn following soybean rotation and 30” rows in the 13 year continuous corn plot.

Percent Percent Harvested Test† Broken Root Percent Bushels† Brand Population Weight Stalks Lodging Moisture Per Acre CORN AFTER SOYBEANS — 20” ROWS (10 oz. Headline AMP® & 3.2 oz. Mustang® Maxx) Beck 6175AMX™* 42,000 57.6 0.0 0.0 26.7 293.6 Beck EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 40,000 57.0 0.0 0.0 26.7 292.4 Beck 6626AM-R™* 39,500 57.5 0.0 0.0 27.5 266.5 Beck 5475AMX™* 40,000 59.8 1.3 0.0 26.3 266.4 Phoenix 6542A4** 40,000 56.5 0.0 5.0 28.9 263.5 Beck 5509A3 39,000 56.0 0.0 0.0 26.3 258.5 Phoenix 5552A4** 38,000 57.2 0.0 0.0 28.6 252.1 Phoenix 5642A4** 41,500 55.2 2.4 2.4 26.9 249.7 AVERAGE 40,000 57.1 0.5 0.9 27.2 267.8

Central Indiana PFR Assistant, Jason Gahimer, harvesting the 20” row 300 bushel plot. 40 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S 300 Bushel Attempt - Continued

Percent Percent Harvested Test† Broken Root Percent Bushels† Brand Population Weight Stalks Lodging Moisture Per Acre 13th Year Continuous CORN — 30” ROWS (10 oz. Headline AMP® & 3.2 oz. Mustang® Maxx) Beck 5475AMX™* 34,500 57.3 0.0 0.0 23.5 270.8 Beck EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 35,500 56.5 0.0 0.0 23.7 263.5 Beck 6626AM-R™* 34,500 57.6 0.0 0.0 25.3 258.0 Phoenix 5552A4** 35,000 55.7 0.0 0.0 25.3 254.1 Beck 6175AMX™* 36,000 56.3 0.0 1.4 24.2 250.6 Beck 5509A3 32,000 56.3 1.6 0.0 25.6 238.9 Phoenix 6542A4** 34,500 53.2 0.0 1.4 24.8 235.7 Phoenix 5642A4** 34,000 53.6 0.0 1.5 24.8 224.6 AVERAGE 34,500 55.8 0.2 0.5 24.7 249.5 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Bicep II Magnum, Princep, Lexar and Force are registered trademark of Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Headline AMP is a registered trademark of BASF. Mustang is a registered trademark of FMC Corp. 300-2 (S), 300-4 (S) plots.

Summary: The 2013 weather pattern was more favorable for high yield results in comparison to last year. On average, this year’s 300 bushel attempt out-yielded last year’s by more than 69 Bu./A. The additional population of the 20” rows, along with the plant health advantage of a first year corn following soybean rotation, gave an additional 18 Bu./A. on average. Visually, the continuous corn plot showed more disease pressure and less overall plant health than the CAB section. Every growing season is different, however, the Beck 75 Genetic Family has been very consistent. Over the last three years it has produced the highest yields in seven out of eight plots in the 300 bushel attempt.

Harvesting Phoenix 6542A4** in the 30” row 300 bushel plot.

41 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Sub-Irrigation Study 20” vs. 30” Rows - 2013

Planted: May 4, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 2, 2013 Tillage: Disc / V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 20”: 39,200 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 2.3 qt. Bicep II Magnum & 1 qt. Princep 4L May 3.26 in. 30”: 35,000 seeds/A. Post: 1.67 qt Lexar®, 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® ® June 6.04 in. Rows: 20”: Six 20” rows & 1 qt. Class Act Flex 30”: Four 30” rows Insecticide: Escalate® & Force® 3G July 1.67 in. Replications: Two (averaged) August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: To determine if yields can be increased by controlling the water table level with a sub-irrigation system. This year 20” and 30” row spacings were used to compare a sub-irrigated vs. a non-irrigated system. The sub-irrigation system consists of 3” tile, 24” deep, spaced 15’ apart following the contour of the field topography.

Percent Harvested Test† Broken Percent Bushels† Treatment Population Weight Stalks Moisture Per Acre 20” Rows — Sub-Irrigated Beck 6272HR™* 39,750 58.0 0.0 20.5 260.1 Beck 6733HXR™* 39,750 58.2 0.0 22.5 240.7 Phoenix 6442A4** 38,750 54.2 0.0 23.5 231.7 Average 39,417 56.8 0.0 22.2 244.2 20” Rows — Non-Irrigated Beck 6272HR™* 40,500 58.9 0.0 19.4 221.7 Beck 6733HXR™* 39,500 63.1 0.0 22.4 211.4 Phoenix 6442A4** 39,500 54.3 0.0 21.3 207.8 Average 39,833 58.7 0.0 21.0 213.6 30” Rows — Sub-Irrigated Phoenix 6442A4** 31,500 53.9 0.0 22.6 253.9 Beck 6733HXR™* 34,250 56.2 0.0 21.0 252.7 Beck 6272HR™* 34,000 57.3 0.0 20.3 245.7 Average 33,250 55.8 0.0 21.3 250.8 30” Rows — Non-Irrigated Beck 6272HR™* 35,250 59.8 0.0 17.4 199.4 Beck 6733HXR™* 34,000 58.5 0.0 19.4 194.0 Phoenix 6442A4** 35,000 52.7 0.0 19.7 186.7 Average 34,750 57.0 0.0 18.8 193.4 20” Row Average 39,625 57.8 0.0 21.6 228.9 30” Row Average 34,000 56.4 0.0 20.0 222.1 Sub-Irrigated Average 36,333 56.3 0.0 21.7 247.5 Non-Irrigated Average 37,292 57.9 0.0 19.9 203.5 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Bicep II Magnum, Princep, Lexar and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC.

42 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Sub-Irrigation Study 20” vs. 30” Rows - Continued

2013 Sub-Irrigation Data 252.9 246.7 242.8 2013 Sub-Irrigation Data 252.9 246.7 250 242.8 210.6 202.7 197.3 225 250 210.6 202.7 197.3 200 225 BECK 6272HR™* 175 200 BECK 6733HXR™*BECK 6272HR™* 150 175 125 150 Phoenix 6442A4**BECK 6733HXR™* Bu./A. 100 125 Phoenix 6442A4** 75 Bu./A. 100 50 75 25 50 0 25 0 Irrigated Non-Irrigated The chart above representsIrrigated the average of each hybrid in theNon-Irrigated two row spacings

The chart above represents the averageFigure of 1.each hybrid in the two row spacings 2 Year Sub-Irrigated vs. Non-Irrigated 2 Year Sub-Irrigated vs. Non-Irrigated 250 225 +5.7 20" Rows 200 250 225 175 +5.7 +15.1 20" Rows 150 200 30" Rows 175 +15.1 Bu./A. 125 100 150 30" Rows 75 Bu./A. 125 50 100 25 75 0 50 25 Irrigated Non-Irrigated 0 Irrigated Non-Irrigated

Figure 2.

Summary: This is the third year evaluating corn in a sub-irrigated system. All three hybrids, in both row spacings, produced higher yields in the sub-irrigated section compared to the non-irrigated section. When comparing the two row spacings, the 20” rows had a 6.8 Bu./A. advantage. This year the sub-irrigated system had a 44 Bu./A. average increase when compared to the non-irrigated section. The average increase, the last three years, has been 45.1 Bu./A. Figure 1 illustrates the yield difference, per hybrid, between irrigation systems for 2013. Figure 2 illustrates the yield difference between irrigation systems and row spacings, for the past two years. Our two year data shows in a non-irrigated system there has been higher yield increases in 20 inch rows. However, in a sub-irrigated system 30 inch rows have the advantage.

43 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Closing Wheel Study - 2013

Planted: May 20, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 18, 2013 Tillage: No-Till April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 34,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX , 12 oz. Weedone May 3.26 in. Rows: Two 30” rows & 1 qt. Class Act® Flex June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Pre: 2.3 qt. Bicep II Magnum® & 1 qt. Princep® 4L Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar® & 1 qt. Class Act® Flex July 1.67 in. INSECTICIDE: Escalate® August 1.12 in. Product Tested: Phoenix 5642A4** Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: To determine what effects different closing wheel types have on plant emergence and yield. Eight closing wheel combinations were tested on four different pressure settings. The control in this study was the solid rubber closing wheels. Unfavorable planting conditions were targeted for this study.

Pressure Setting: first Notch Pressure Setting: Second Notch Emerged Bushels† Bu./A. Emerged Bushels† Bu./A. Closing Wheel Pop. Per Acre Diff. Closing Wheel Pop. Per Acre Diff. 2 Yetter Spikes with Drag Chain 30,625 211.9 +20.9 2 Yetter Paddles 30,750 212.1 10.8 2 Dawn® Curvetine™ 32,750 210.0 +19.0 2 Martin Dimples 30,250 209.2 7.9 2 Martin Dimples 30,375 209.3 +18.3 2 Yetter Spikes with Drag Chain 31,625 206.3 5.0 2 Yetter Paddles 31,500 209.1 +18.1 1 Yetter Paddle & 1 Solid 32,500 206.3 5.0 1 Yetter Paddle & 1 Solid 32,250 197.5 +6.5 2 Dawn Curvetine 31,375 206.0 4.7 1 Martin Dimple & 1 Solid 28,875 193.1 +2.1 2 Solid Rubbers (Control) 31,375 201.3 ---- 2 Solid Rubbers (Control) 28,875 191.0 ---- 1 Yetter Spike & 1 Solid 31,000 197.1 -4.2 1 Yetter Spike & 1 Solid 30,625 188.2 -2.8 1 Martin Dimple & 1 Solid 31,625 189.7 -11.6 Average 30,734 201.3 +11.7 Average 31,313 203.5 +2.5

Pressure Setting: Third Notch Pressure Setting: fourth Notch Emerged Bushels† Bu./A. Emerged Bushels† Bu./A. Closing Wheel Pop. Per Acre Diff. Closing Wheel Pop. Per Acre Diff. 2 Dawn Curvetine 32,250 221.9 11.0 1 Yetter Paddle & 1 Solid 32,250 216.4 12.6 2 Yetter Paddles 30,875 217.6 6.7 2 Yetter Paddles 32,625 212.3 8.5 1 Yetter Paddle & 1 Solid 32,875 214.6 3.7 1 Yetter Spike & 1 Solid 31,000 205.6 1.8 2 Yetter Spikes with Drag Chain 29,375 214.2 3.3 2 Dawn Curvetine 32,125 205.5 1.7 2 Solid Rubbers (Control) 29,000 210.9 ---- 2 Solid Rubbers (Control) 30,625 203.8 ---- 1 Yetter Spike & 1 Solid 30,750 209.1 -1.8 1 Martin Dimple & 1 Solid 28,000 201.2 -2.6 2 Martin Dimples 27,750 207.9 -3.0 2 Martin Dimples 30,625 198.5 -5.3 1 Martin Dimple & 1 Solid 28,250 196.3 -14.6 2 Yetter Spikes with Drag Chain 30,750 189.2 -14.6 Average 30,141 211.6 +0.8 Average 31,000 204.1 +0.3

†Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. Closing Wheel Summary **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Emerged Bushels† Bu./A. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Weedone is a registered trademark of Nufarm Americas Inc. Class Act is a Closing Wheel Pop. Per Acre Diff. registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Bicep II Magnum, Princep and 2 Yetter Paddles 31,438 212.8 +11.0 Lexar are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Yetter Paddles distributed by Yetter Manufacturing Company. Martin Dimples distributed by 2 Dawn Curvetine 32,125 210.9 +9.1 Martin Industries, LLC. Dawn and Curvetine are trademarks of Dawn Equipment 1 Yetter Paddle & 1 Solid 32,469 208.7 +6.9 Company. 2 Martin Dimples 29,750 206.2 +4.4 2 Yetter Spikes with Drag Chain 30,594 205.4 +3.6 2 Solid Rubbers (Control) 29,969 201.8 ---- 1 Yetter Spike & 1 Solid 30,844 200.0 -1.8 1 Martin Dimple & 1 Solid 29,188 195.1 -6.7 Average 30,797 205.1 +3.8

44 Pressure Settings Yield Data

Bu./A. 215.0 First Notch 210.0 205.0 Second Notch 200.0 Third Notch

195.0 Fourth Notch 190.0 Central Indiana PFR 185.0 180.0 BECK’S Closing Wheel Study - Continued

Closing Wheel Yield Data Bu./A. 212.8 215.0 210.9 208.7 210.0 206.2 205.4 205.0 201.8 200.0 200.0 195.1 195.0

190.0

185.0

Figure 1.

Pressure Settings Yield Data

Bu./A. 215.0 First Notch 210.0 205.0 Second Notch 200.0 Third Notch

195.0 Fourth Notch 190.0 185.0 180.0

Figure 2.

Summary: When the four pressure settings were averaged, all but two combinations were Closingmore successful Wheel than the standard Yield solid Data rubbers. We saw our highest average yield with the Yetter Paddles at 212.8 Bu./A. This equates to a yield gain of 11.0 Bu./A. over the solid rubber closing wheels. The Dawn® CurvetineBu./A.™ also performed well with a respectable 9.1 Bu./A. yield increase. When analyzing the different 212.8 pressure settings, we received our215.0 highest yields at the third notch position. Figure 1 illustrates average yield data by closing wheel type, while Figure 2 illustrates the yield averages for the four different210.9 pressure settings. Multi-year research needs to be done to better quantify emergence and yield advantages for the different closing wheel types.208.7 For more information on closing wheels please 210.0 refer to page 267 for multi-location research data. 206.2 205.4 205.0 201.8 200.0 200.0 45 195.1 195.0

190.0

185.0 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Planting Date Study Tile vs. No Tile - 2013

Planted: Various Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: Various Tillage: S-Tine April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 34,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Post: 1.67 qts. Lexar , 1 qt. Class Act Flex & May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® June 6.04 in. Insecticide: Escalate® & Force® 3G July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in. Purpose: To evaluate the performance of BECK 5435AMX-R™* and BECK 6175AMX-R™* planted on several dates throughout the growing season. This enables us to see how planting dates affect corn yields on an annual basis and to compare multi-year averages. This year we are also comparing all planting dates with and without drainage tile.

Bu./A. Planting Harvested Percent Bushels† Difference Date Drainage Brand Population Moisture Per Acre Tile April 5th BECK 5435AMX-R™* 25,000 18.8 221.7 +45.2 Tile April 5th BECK 6175AMX-R™* 28,000 19.6 196.5 +18.3 AVERAGE 26,500 19.2 209.1 +31.8 April 5th BECK 5435AMX-R™* 24,500 21.5 176.5 No-Tile April 5th BECK 6175AMX-R™* 26,500 20.9 178.2 AVERAGE 25,500 21.2 177.3 May 2nd BECK 5435AMX-R™* 34,000 20.3 232.6 +9.8 Tile May 2nd BECK 6175AMX-R™* 28,500 21.9 231.3 +2.6 AVERAGE 31,250 21.1 231.9 +6.2 May 2nd BECK 5435AMX-R™* 34,500 21.1 222.8 No-Tile May 2nd BECK 6175AMX-R™* 28,500 22.0 228.7 AVERAGE 31,500 21.6 225.7 May 13th BECK 5435AMX-R™* 30,500 17.0 207.2 -5.4 Tile May 13th BECK 6175AMX-R™* 31,000 18.4 225.5 -0.9 AVERAGE 30,750 17.7 216.3 -3.2 May 13th BECK 5435AMX-R™* 33,000 16.9 212.6 No-Tile May 13th BECK 6175AMX-R™* 31,500 18.6 226.4 AVERAGE 32,250 17.7 219.5 May 23rd BECK 5435AMX-R™* 32,500 19.5 199.3 +2.4 Tile May 23rd BECK 6175AMX-R™* 29,000 20.3 195.6 -16.8 AVERAGE 30,750 19.9 197.5 -7.1 May 23rd BECK 5435AMX-R™* 32,000 20.8 196.9 No-Tile May 23rd BECK 6175AMX-R™* 30,000 22.3 212.4 AVERAGE 31,000 21.5 204.6 June 5th BECK 5435AMX-R™* 30,500 21.7 150.3 -29.1 Tile June 5th BECK 6175AMX-R™* 29,500 21.0 156.2 -60.0 AVERAGE 30,000 21.3 153.3 -44.5 June 5th BECK 5435AMX-R™* 33,500 22.9 179.4 No-Tile June 5th BECK 6175AMX-R™* 30,500 25.1 216.2 AVERAGE 32,000 24.0 197.8 June 19th BECK 5435AMX-R™* 31,000 34.2 136.2 -46.0 Tile June 19th BECK 6175AMX-R™* 30,000 35.0 166.8 -27.6 AVERAGE 30,500 34.6 151.5 -36.8 June 19th BECK 5435AMX-R™* 30,500 36.8 182.2 No-Tile June 19th BECK 6175AMX-R™* 31,500 36.1 194.4 AVERAGE 31,000 36.4 188.3 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Lexar is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. T3, T4 plots. 46 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Planting Date Study Tile vs. No Tile - Continued

Bu./A. 2013 Tile vs. No-Tile Yield Trend 2013 Planting Date Yields 240 Bu./A. 228.8 230 250.0 217.9 May 10th 193.2 201.1 220 200.0 175.6 169.9 210 200 150.0 190 Tile 100.0 180 No-Tile 170 50.0 160 150 0.0 April May May May June June April May May May June June 5th 2nd 13th 23rd 5th 19th 5th 2nd 13th 23rd 5th 19th Planting Date Planting Date Figure 1. Figure 2.

Corn Planting Dates 2001 - 2013 120.00% 106.60% 103.79% 101.69% 103.93% 101.27% 105.00% 91.00% 89.02% 90.00%

75.00%

60.00%

44.40% 45.00%

30.00% March 15 - March 21 - April 4 - April 15 - May 1 - May 14 - May 29 - June 10 - Yield and Population Percent of Mean Yield March 20 April 3 April14 April 30 May 13 May 28 June 9 June 25 Planting Dates Population line graph reflects the percent of harvest population vs. seeds planted. Figure 3.

Summary: We know from past Practical Farm Research that earlier planted corn generally has greater yield potential than later planted corn. When is it too early to plant corn? This year the answer, for us, was April, due to the excessive amount of rain we received. Our highest yielding planting date was May 2nd with an average of 228.8 Bu./A. When analyzing the two drainage systems, the early planted corn yields were higher in the tiled section when compared to the non- tiled. Later into the growing season, with moisture being less abundant, we saw the advantage switch to the non-tiled ground. Overall, the no-tile system had an 8.9 Bu./A. yield advantage this growing season. Figure 1 illustrates the yield trend for tile vs. no tile data. The red dashed line (May 10th) represents approximately when the yield advantage went from tile to no-tile. Figure 2 illustrates the 2013 average yield by planting date. Figure 3 illustrates the percent of the average yield for each planting date range for the past 13 years. The red trend line in the graph represents the percent of harvest population vs. seeds planted. In conclusion, you can see that our multi-year optimum corn planting date is between April 15th and April 30th.

47 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Replant Study - 2013

Planted: Various Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: Various Tillage: S-Tine April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: Various Herbicide: Post: 1.67 qts. Lexar , 1 qt. Class Act Flex & May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® June 6.04 in. Insecticide: Escalate® & Force® 3G July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: To evaluate final corn populations and determine whether it was profitable to replant. Two genetic families at multiple planting dates with high and low populations were used to determine if replanting would have been beneficial.

Planted Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Additional Planting Date Population Moisture Per Acre Difference Return $/A. BECK 5435AMX-R™* April 5th (Normal 1st Planting) 34,000 18.8 221.7 ----- $1,163.48 ----- April 5th 20,000 19.0 131.4 ----- $688.54 ----- May 2nd (Replanted) 34,000 20.3 232.6 +101.2 $1,181.73 +$493.19 May 2nd 20,000 20.6 174.9 ----- $905.28 ----- May 13th (Replanted) 34,000 17.0 207.2 +32.3 $1,077.30 +$172.02 May 13th 20,000 17.3 172.6 ----- $916.16 ----- May 23rd (Replanted) 34,000 19.5 199.3 +26.7 $1,015.35 +$99.19 May 23rd 20,000 20.2 159.4 ----- $827.60 ----- June 5th (Replanted) 34,000 21.7 150.3 -9.1 $746.34 -$81.26 June 5th 20,000 19.9 130.7 ----- $680.16 ----- June 19th (Replanted) 34,000 34.2 136.2 +5.5 $605.88 -$74.28 BECK 6543HR™* April 5th (Normal 1st Planting) 34,000 19.6 196.5 ----- $1,024.94 ----- April 5th 20,000 20.9 133.3 ----- $688.36 ----- May 2nd (Replanted) 34,000 21.9 231.3 +98.0 $1,160.18 +$471.82 May 2nd 20,000 25.1 169.6 ----- $847.32 ----- May 13th (Replanted) 34,000 18.4 225.5 +55.9 $1,162.03 +$314.71 May 13th 20,000 18.9 170.9 ----- $896.20 ----- May 23rd (Replanted) 34,000 20.3 195.6 +24.7 $989.77 +$93.57 May 23rd 20,000 20.4 151.0 ----- $782.78 ----- June 5th (Replanted) 34,000 21.0 156.2 +5.2 $780.99 -$1.79 June 5th 20,000 28.0 130.9 ----- $638.79 ----- June 19th (Replanted) 34,000 35.0 166.8 +35.9 $742.28 +$103.49 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return based on $5.40/Bu corn, drying cost of $0.04/point of moisture and $25.00 replant cost. Lexar is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. T3, T4 plots.

48 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Replant Study - Continued

5 Year CINPFR Replant Return/A.

$100.00

$75.00

$50.00

$25.00

$0.00

Net Return Net -$25.00

-$50.00

-$75.00 April 4 - April 15 - May 1 - May 14 - May 29 - June 10 - April 14 April 30 May 13 May 28 June 9 June 25 Replanting Date

Figure 1.

Summary: Replanting can be a tough decision due to varying weather conditions from year to year. This year the May 2nd replants offered the highest benefits with a two hybrid average of $482.51/A. All May replants offered a positive yield gain and return on investment. There was no average economic benefit to replanting the first week of June. However, our June 19th replant averaged a surprising $14.61/A. return on investment. Our 2013 Central Indiana PFR replant data suggests that replanting corn in April or May can show positive results if the stands are at or under 20,000 plants/A. Figure 1 illustrates the five year history of corn replants at the Central Indiana PFR site.The five year data suggests that positive net returns are possible, when replanting before the month of June with 20,000 plants/A. and under.

49 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S No-Till vs. Conventional-Till Corn After Soybeans - 2013

Planted: May 7, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 1, 2013 Tillage: Various April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 34,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX , 12 oz. Weedone May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows & 1 qt. Class Act® Flex (No-Till Only) June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Pre: 2.3 qt. Bicep II Magnum® & 1 qt. Princep® 4L Post: 1.67 qt Lexar®, 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX July 1.67 in. & 1 qt. Class Act Flex August 1.12 in. Insecticide: Escalate® & Force® 3G Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: This is the 23rd year evaluating no-till vs. conventional-till practices in a corn following soybean rotation.

Bu./A. Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Difference Treatment Population Weight Moisture Per Acre No-Till No-Till Beck 5385A3 33,000 58.9 17.4 199.6 +16.1 Beck 6175AMX-R™ 31,000 58.6 18.9 186.4 -2.3 Beck 6272HR™ 31,250 58.8 18.6 182.3 +5.0 Beck 5475AMX-R™ 31,000 58.9 17.8 175.5 +2.8 Average 31,563 58.8 18.2 186.0 +5.4 Conventional-Till Beck 5385A3 32,750 58.9 17.4 183.5 Beck 6175AMX-R™ 30,750 58.8 18.4 188.7 Beck 6272HR™ 32,250 58.7 19.0 177.3 Beck 5475AMX-R™ 32,000 58.9 17.9 172.7 Average 31,938 58.8 18.1 180.6 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Weedone is a registered trademark of Nufarm Americas Inc. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Bicep II Magnum, Princep, Lexar and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company.

23 Year CAB: Yield Data

Bu./A. 190.0

185.0 188.0 No-Till 180.0 181.1 Conventional-Till 175.0

170.0

165.0

160.0

Figure 1. Summary: No-till corn following soybeans has produced higher corn yields for a majority of the last 23 years. This year continued the trend leading to a 5.4 Bu./A. advantage over a conventional-till system. BECK 6175AMX-R™* was the only hybrid with higher yields in the conventional-till system with a 2.3 Bu./A. yield gain. The soil type where this study is located is conducive to reduced tillage practices. Figure 1 illustrates the 23 year CAB average yield data which shows a 6.9 Bu./A. yield advantage for no-till. 50 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S No-Till vs. Conventional-Till Continuous Corn - 2013

Planted: May 7, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 1, 2013 Tillage: Various April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 34,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX , 12 oz. Weedone May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows & 1 qt. Class Act® Flex (No-Till Only) June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Pre: 2.3 qt. Bicep II Magnum® & 1 qt. Princep® 4L Post: 1.67 qt Lexar®, 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX July 1.67 in. & 1 qt. Class Act Flex August 1.12 in. Insecticide: Escalate® & Force® 3G Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: This study is similar to our long-term no-till vs. conventional-till study on the previous page, with the exception of it being continuous corn. This is the tenth year for having a continuous corn section in the no-till vs. conventional-till study.

Bu./A. Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Difference Treatment Population Weight Moisture Per Acre No-Till No-Till Beck 5385A3 31,750 58.8 18.7 186.4 +16.1 Beck 6175AMX-R™* 31,000 58.6 19.6 180.2 +10.8 Beck 5475AMX-R™* 31,250 58.8 18.7 177.4 +14.4 Beck 6272HR™* 33,250 58.5 20.3 171.9 +11.2 Average 31,813 58.7 19.3 179.0 +13.1 Conventional-Till Beck 5385A3 32,250 58.9 17.4 170.3 Beck 6175AMX-R™* 30,250 59.0 17.7 169.4 Beck 5475AMX-R™* 32,750 59.2 16.9 163.0 Beck 6272HR™* 33,000 58.8 18.3 160.7 Average 32,063 59.0 17.6 165.9 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Weedone is a registered trademark of Nufarm Americas Inc. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Bicep II Magnum, Princep, Lexar and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company.

Bu./A. Continuous Corn Yield Data 230 220 210 200 190 180 170 160 150 No - Till 140 Conventional - Till 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Figure 1. Summary: This year, we saw a double digit yield increase for no-till from every hybrid that was tested. This follows the trend we have seen the previous two years. The last two growing seasons have dramatically changed the yield data in favor of the no-till system. Figure 1 illustrates the 10 year continuous corn yield data. 51 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Vertical-Till vs. Conventional-Till Study Corn After Soybeans - 2013

Planted: May 15, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 4, 2013 Tillage: Vertical-Till / Conv.-Till April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 34,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 2.3 qt. Bicep II Magnum & 1 qt. Princep 4L May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar® & 1 qt. Class Act® Flex June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Insecticide: Escalate® & Force® 3G July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: This study is designed to evaluate two tillage practices and their effect on yield in a CAB rotation. This is the first year for comparing vertical and conventional tillage at the Central Indiana PFR Farm. The plan is to keep each tillage practice in the same plot location to create another long-term tillage study. The vertical tillage system is a fall and spring tillage pass with a Case IH True-Tandem 330 Turbo. The conventional tillage system consists of a fall v-rip followed by a spring finishing tool.

Bu./A. Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Advantage Brand Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Conv.-Till Conventional-till Beck 6543HR™* 33,250 60.4 18.9 194.7 +12.9 Beck 6626AM-R™* 33,750 65.6 17.6 192.4 +11.4 Phoenix 5832A3** 33,500 60.7 17.8 194.6 +10.4 Phoenix 5642A4** 34,000 57.5 17.3 185.1 +9.3 Phoenix 5552A4** 34,250 55.1 18.0 177.7 -4.8 Average 33,750 59.9 17.9 188.9 +7.8 Vertical-Till Beck 6543HR™* 32,500 61.4 18.6 181.8 Beck 6626AM-R™* 33,250 61.8 17.8 181.0 Phoenix 5832A3** 32,750 57.8 18.3 184.2 Phoenix 5642A4** 34,250 54.2 18.4 175.8 Phoenix 5552A4** 33,250 53.9 18.8 182.5 Average 33,200 57.8 18.4 181.1 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Bicep II Magnum, Princep, Lexar and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. B2 plot.

Summary: This year’s results heavily favored our conventional tillage system. Four out of five hybrids tested showed a positive yield gain, for an average 7.8 Bu./A. advantage for conventional tillage. There needs to be more testing conducted between these two tillage systems before drawing any further conclusions.

52 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Stress Mitigation Study - 2013

Planted: May 17, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 18, 2013 Tillage: Disc / V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 34,746 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 2.3 qts. Bicep II Magnum & 1 qt. Princep 4L May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar® & 1 qt. Class Act® Flex June 6.04 in. Insecticide: Escalate® July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: Corn hybrids being tolerant to adverse environmental conditions would be a huge contribution to the farming industry. Drought tolerant genetics/traits have been a hot topic the last few years. By erecting a tent we were able to evaluate the use of drought tolerant technologies in a stress environment.

Outside / Harvested Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Brand Under Tent Population Moisture Per Acre Difference

BECK EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* Outside of Tent 33,500 17.0 250.1 +103.3 BECK EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* Under Tent 33,500 16.7 146.8 BECK 5509A3 Outside of Tent 32,500 19.6 248.2 +98.2 BECK 5509A3 Under Tent 29,500 18.3 150.0 BECK 6272HR™* Outside of Tent 34,000 18.6 253.4 +97.6 BECK 6272HR™* Under Tent 33,500 19.3 155.8 Phoenix 5832A3** Outside of Tent 35,500 19.8 234.9 +81.6 Phoenix 5832A3** Under Tent 34,000 19.7 153.3 AVERAGE Outside of Tent 33,875 18.8 246.7 +95.2 AVERAGE Under Tent 32,625 18.5 151.4

†Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Bicep II Magnum, Princep, and Lexar are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. AQUAmax is a trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Agrisure Artesian is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. 300-6 plot.

Summary: This is the second year evaluating AQUAmax and Artesian hybrids under the stress tent. We thought, with the drought stress of last year’s growing season, a 95 Bu./A. average increase outside of the tent, was dramatic. However, this year’s growing season was much different and yet we saw the same Bu./A. difference. We plan to continue evaluating drought tolerant technologies.

2013 stress mitigation tent at the Central Indiana PFR site. 53 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Timing Study - 2013

Planted: May 6, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 9, 2013 Tillage: V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 35,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 2.3 qt. Bicep II Magnum & 1 qt. Princep 4L May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar® & 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX®, Replications: Two (averaged) 1 qt. Class Act® Flex June 6.04 in. Insecticide: Escalate® July 1.67 in. Product Tested: BECK 6175AMX-R™* August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in. Purpose: Increased input prices have caused us to evaluate the way we fertilize our crops in recent years. In addition to studies that identify the optimum rate of nitrogen fertilizer, this study shows the timing of these applications may also affect the efficiency of the nitrogen applied to a crop. Timings consist of preplant, 2x2, sidedress and in season broadcast applications. All treatments received a total of 180 lbs./A. of nitrogen.

Adv. Over Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Net^ 100% Treatment Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Return Preplant

10 gal. 2x2 UAN f/b Balance Sidedress UAN V3 33,250 57.9 17.9 214.7 $1,042.38 +$109.08

50% Preplant Incorporated UAN f/b 50% 32,000 60.5 17.9 212.4 $1,029.96 +$96.66 Sidedress UAN V4 - V5

100% Sidedress UAN V3 32,000 58.9 18.2 211.4 $1,024.56 +$91.26

100% Sidedress UAN V6 32,500 58.0 17.3 209.7 $1,015.38 +$82.08

15 gal. Preplant Incorporated UAN f/b Balance 31,750 58.8 17.4 197.2 $930.97 -$2.33 Broadcast SuperU® @ V6

100% Preplant Incorporated UAN 30,000 62.1 17.3 194.5 $933.30 -----

AVERAGE 31,917 59.3 17.7 206.7 $996.09 +$75.35

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return based on $5.40/Bu. corn, $0.65/lb. UAN and $713.00/ton SuperU. Bicep II Magnum, Princep and Lexar are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. SuperU is a registered trademark of AGROTAIN International, LLC. E5N-E7N plots.

3 Year: Advantage over 100% Preplant 3 Year: 100% vs. Split Applications

$/A. $/A. +$24.97/A. $50.00 $870.00

+$30.07/A. Avg. 50% Preplant f/b $45.00 50% V4-V5 Sidedress $850.00 Split Applications 10 gal. 2x2 f/b V3 Sidedress $40.00 100% Applications 100% V6 Sidedress

$35.00 $830.00 CINPFR, 100% V3 Sidedress 2011-2013 $30.00 CINPFR, 2011 -2013 $810.00 $25.00

$20.00

Figure 1. 54 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Timing Study - Continued

3 Year: Advantage over 100% Preplant 3 Year: 100% vs. Split Applications

$/A. $/A. +$24.97/A. $50.00 $870.00

+$30.07/A. Avg. 50% Preplant f/b $45.00 50% V4-V5 Sidedress $850.00 Split Applications 10 gal. 2x2 f/b V3 Sidedress $40.00 100% Applications 100% V6 Sidedress

$35.00 $830.00 CINPFR, 100% V3 Sidedress 2011-2013 $30.00 CINPFR, 2011 -2013 $810.00 $25.00 Figure 2.

$20.00 Summary: This year we received our highest yield and net return from the 2x2 followed by V3 sidedress application. There was a yield increase from all the timings, when compared to the 100% preplant incorporated. We were not expecting to have high yielding results from the SuperU® application because of the hot, dry conditions during and after application. When dealing with any broadcast application, timing is the biggest key to success or failure. Similar to previous years, there was another average yield advantage to split applications over 100% preplant or 100% sidedress, regardless of timing. Figure 1 illustrates the Central Indiana PFR three year net advantage over 100% preplant incorporated. Figure 2 illustrates the Central Indiana PFR three year net advantage for split applications compared to the 100% applications. For more information on nitrogen timing, please refer to page 263 for multi-location research data.

Central Indiana Nitrogen Timing ear display. 55 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Sidedress Spacing Study - 2013

Planted: May 3, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 12, 2013 Tillage: Disc / V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 34,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 2.3 qts. Bicep II Magnum & 1 qt. Princep 4L May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar® & 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® Replications: Three (averaged) 1 qt. Class Act® Flex June 6.04 in. Insecticide: Escalate® July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: To evaluate differences between 30” and 60” sidedress spacings. All entries received 34 lbs./A. nitrogen at planting, followed by a sidedress application of 191 lbs./A. nitrogen at V4.

Sidedress Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Brand Spacing Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Phoenix 5552A4** 60” centers 32,000 54.1 22.5 206.3 0.0 Phoenix 5552A4** 30” centers 32,667 54.5 23.1 206.3 AVERAGE 32,333 54.3 22.8 206.3 BECK 6077AM-R™* 60” centers 33,667 56.4 21.4 207.9 +3.3 BECK 6077AM-R™* 30” centers 32,833 56.5 21.7 204.6 AVERAGE 33,250 56.5 21.6 206.3

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Bicep II Magnum, Princep, and Lexar are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. E1, E2 plots.

Summary: Throughout the growing season, we did not see any major visual differences between the two sidedress spacings. The results showed a 1.7 Bu./A. advantage for 60” spacing compared to our standard 30” centers. We were very impressed with this year’s results and plan to conduct further testing on sidedress spacing.

Beck’s John Deere 7220 and Case IH nitrogen applicator. 56 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Stabilizer Study - 2013

Planted: May 14, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 4, 2013 Tillage: V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 34,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 2.3 qt. Bicep II Magnum & 1 qt. Princep 4L May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar® & 1 qt. Class Act® Flex, 6 oz. Stinger® June 6.04 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Insecticide: Escalate® & Force® 3G Product Tested: Beck 6077HR™* July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: Each year many corn growers apply UAN liquid nitrogen in the spring as part of their nitrogen program. This nitrogen stabilizer study evaluates four products that have the ability to reduce nitrogen losses. Losses can occur from the lack of incorporation, dry weather, or high velocity winds. Nitrogen enhancement products along with 180 lbs. of nitrogen were surface applied and incorporated prior to planting.

2 Year Nitrogen Stabilizer Yield † † ^ Test Percent 8.0 Bushels Bu./A. Net Return on Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre+7.3 Difference Return Investment 7.0 Factor® 1.5 qts./Ton 59.0 20.4 194.8 +6.2 $1,041.80 +$23.36 Agrotain Plus Instinct™ 35 oz./A. 59.0 20.66.0 194.4 +5.8 $1,039.37 +$20.93 Instinct Agrotain® Plus 15 lbs./Ton 58.4 20.15.0 192.8 +4.2 $1,019.52 +$1.08 +4.3 ® Nutrisphere-N Nutrisphere-N 0.5%/100 gal. 59.3 20.54.0 188.5 -0.1 $996.30 -$22.14 Control 59.4 20.2 188.6 ----- $1,018.44 ----- 3.0 CINPFR, Average 59.0 20.4 191.8 +4.0+2.6 $1,023.09 2012 +$5.81& 2013

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. 2.0 ® ® *XL brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL is a registered trademarkAcre Gain / Yield Avg. of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn, Nutrisphere-N $21.60/A., Agrotain Plus $21.60/A., Instinct1.0 $10.39/A. and Factor $10.12/A. Bicep II Magnum, Princep, Lexar and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Stinger is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Factor is a registered trademark0.0 of Midtech R&D, Inc. Instinct is a trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Nutrisphere-N is a registered trademark of SFP. Agrotain is a registered trademark of Koch Agronomic Services,Nitrogen LLC. Stabilizer Hoch SW plot.

2 Year Nitrogen Stabilizer Yield 2 Year Nitrogen Stabilizer ROI 8.0 $25.00 +7.3 $21.92 7.0 $20.00 Agrotain Plus 6.0 Agrotain Plus Instinct $15.00 5.0 $13.40 Instinct +4.3 Nutrisphere-N 4.0 $10.00 Nutrisphere-N

3.0 CINPFR, +2.6 2012 & 2013 $5.00 CINPFR, Avg. ROI / Acre ROI / Avg. 2.0 2012 & 2013 -‐$4.79 Avg. Yield Gain / Acre Gain / Yield Avg. $0.00 1.0

0.0 -$5.00 Nitrogen Stabilizer Nitrogen Stabilizer

Figure 1. Figure 2. Summary: 2 Year Nitrogen Stabilizer ROI This year,$25.00 all but one stabilizer tested offered yield gains over the untreated control. The return on investment ranged anywhere from +$23.36/A. to -$22.14/A.$21.92 This is the first year we tested Factor® at Central Indiana PFR and it was our highest return on investment. Figure 1 illustrates the two year average yield gain of Agrotain Plus®, Instinct™ and Nutrisphere-N® at the CINPFR location, while Figure$20.00 2 reveals the average return on investment. For more information on nitrogen stabilizers please refer to page 263 for multi- location research data. Agrotain Plus $15.00 57 $13.40 Instinct

$10.00 Nutrisphere-N

$5.00 CINPFR, Avg. ROI / Acre ROI / Avg. 2012 & 2013 -‐$4.79 $0.00

-$5.00 Nitrogen Stabilizer Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Rate Study Corn After Corn - 2013

Planted: May 4, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 24, 2013 Tillage: Mow/No-Till April 9.14 in. ® Population: 34,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX , May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows 12 oz. Weedone®, 1 qt. Class Act® Flex June 6.04 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Pre: 2.3 qt. Bicep II Magnum® & 1 qt. Princep® 4L Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar® & 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® & July 1.67 in. 1 qt. Class Act Flex August 1.12 in. Insecticide: Escalate® Total 21.23 in. Product Tested: BECK 5509A3 Purpose: In this study, nitrogen rates in 25 lb. increments from 125 to 250 lbs. in a corn after corn rotation were evaluated. This study is designed to find the economic optimum nitrogen rate (EONR). All treatments received 34 lbs. nitrogen 2x2 application at planting followed by remaining balance sidedressed at V3.

Percent Harvest Broken Percent Bushels† Net^ Lbs. of Nitrogen Population Stalks Moisture Per Acre Return 250 30,333 0.0 21.2 214.6 $996.34 225 29,333 0.0 22.6 214.5 $1,012.05 200 30,000 0.0 22.6 215.2 $1,032.08 175 30,167 0.0 22.0 205.9 $998.11 150 30,167 0.0 20.9 194.5 $952.80 125 28,833 0.0 22.0 174.9 $863.21 0 27,667 0.0 27.6 65.2 $352.08 Average 29,500 0.0 22.7 183.5 $886.67 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $366/ton 28% UAN. Weedone is a registered trademark of Nufarm Americas Inc. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Bicep II Magnum, Princep and Lexar are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. A6 plot.

4 Year CAC: Economic Optimum Nitrogen Rate $920.00 $910.00 $900.00 $890.00 $0.55/lb. N. $880.00 $0.65/lb. N. $870.00 $860.00 $0.75/lb. N. $850.00 Net Return $840.00 CINPFR, 2010 - 2013 $830.00 200 205 210 215 220 225 230 235 240 245 250 Nitrogen Rate (lbs.)

Figure 1.

Summary: The 2013 results show the highest yields with an application of 200 lbs. of nitrogen. In past years, the highest yielding rates aren’t always our EONR, but this year it was. We received a $1,032.08/A. net return with the 200 lb. application. Figure 1 illustrates the four year data trend from the Central Indiana PFR farm. It suggests the EONR ranges from 222 - 232 lbs./A. depending on the cost of nitrogen. For more information on CAC nitrogen rates please refer to page 264 for multi-location research data. 58 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Rate Study Corn After Soybeans - 2013

Planted: May 14, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 4, 2013 Tillage: V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 34,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 2.3 qt. Bicep II Magnum & 1 qt. Princep 4L May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar® & 1 qt. Class Act® Flex, & 6 oz. Stinger® June 6.04 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Insecticide: Escalate® Product Tested: Beck 5509A3 July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: This study was set up to gather nitrogen data for a state-wide database coordinated by Purdue University. In this study, we evaluate nitrogen rates in 25 lb. increments from 100 to 225 lbs./A. in a corn after soybean rotation. This study is designed to help find the economic optimum nitrogen rate (EONR).

Harvested Percent Percent Bushels† Net^ Lbs. of Nitrogen Population Broken Stalks Moisture Per Acre Return 225 33,667 0.0 18.7 228.6 $1,087.21 200 34,500 0.0 18.0 227.3 $1,096.55 175 33,167 0.0 18.9 222.7 $1,088.07 150 33,500 0.0 18.9 226.1 $1,122.79 125 33,333 0.0 19.0 219.5 $1,103.50 100 34,833 0.0 19.4 198.6 $1,007.00 0 33,833 0.0 21.7 74.6 $402.84 Average 33,833 0.0 19.2 199.6 $986.85 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $0.65/lb. nitrogen. Bicep II Magnum, Princep and Lexar are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Stinger is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Hoch (SE) plot

4 Year CAB: Economic Optimum Nitrogen Rate $950.00 $940.00 $930.00 $920.00 $0.55/lb. N. $910.00 $900.00 $0.65/lb. N.

Net Return $890.00 $0.75/lb. N. $880.00 $870.00 CINPFR, 2010 - 2013 $860.00 150 155 160 165 170 175 180 185 190 195 200 Nitrogen Rate (lbs.)

Figure 1.

Summary: This year we saw the highest yield at the nitrogen application of 225 lbs. After accounting for the cost of extra nitrogen, we found this rate gave the third lowest net return. The EONR for 2013 was 150 lbs. nitrogen at $1,122.79 per acre net return. Figure 1 illustrates the four year data trend from the Central Indiana PFR farm that suggests the EONR ranges from 171 - 179 lbs./A. depending on the cost of nitrogen. For more information on CAB nitrogen rates please refer to page 263 for multi-location research data. 59 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Variable Rate Nitrogen Study - 2013

Planted: May 4 & 6, 2013 Previous Crop: Alfalfa RAINFALL Harvested: October 16, 2013 Tillage: No-Till April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 35,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 26 oz. Roundup PowerMAX , 12 oz. Weedone May 3.26 in. Rows: 30” rows & 1 qt. Class Act® Flex June 6.04 in. Pre: 2.3 qt. Bicep II Magnum® & 1 qt. Princep® 4L Post: 1.67 qt Lexar®, 1 qt. Class Act Flex July 1.67 in. Insecticide: Escalate® & Force® 3G August 1.12 in. Product Tested: BECK 6175AM™* Total 21.23 in. Purpose: Today’s technology and equipment allows farmers to apply variable rates of nitrogen based on soil type or management zone. This study compares a single rate of 180 lbs./A. and a variable rate of nitrogen that was determined for each of the three soil types represented in the field. The goal was to determine which method would provide the greatest yield, and ultimately the highest economic return.

Treatment Lbs. Bushels† Bu./A. Nitrogen Net^ Return on & Soil Type Nitrogen Per Acre Difference Cost/A. Return Investment Variable Rate Miami (Less Productive) 140 191.0 +3.2 $91.00 $940.40 +$43.28 Crosby (Medium Productive) 160 202.5 +4.2 $104.00 $989.50 +$35.68 Brookston (High Productive) 200 209.1 +4.7 $130.00 $999.14 +$12.38 Average 200.9 +4.0 $108.33 $976.35 +$30.45 Single Rate (Control) Miami (Less Productive) 180 187.8 ---- $117.00 $897.12 ---- Crosby (Medium Productive) 180 198.3 ---- $117.00 $953.82 ---- Brookston (High Productive) 180 204.4 ---- $117.00 $986.76 ---- Average 196.8 $117.00 $945.90 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $0.65/unit/lb. UAN. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Weedone is a registered trademark of Nufarm Americas Inc. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Bicep II Magnum, Princep, Lexar and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company.

Summary: Results for this year’s study indicate that utilizing variable rate nitrogen can produce higher yields than a single rate, when implemented correctly. The goal for the Miami and Crosby soil types were to decrease nitrogen rates just enough to save on cost but not lose yield. When we lowered the nitrogen rate from 180 to 140 lbs./A. or 160 lbs./A., depending on soil type, we did just that. Furthermore, with no logical explanation, we actually gained 3.7 Bu./A. on average, by decreasing those rates. In the Brookston soils, we expected to gain yield by increasing the nitrogen rate. Once again, we successfully gained 4.7 Bu./A. in the Brookston soils. Overall, we were able to achieve a $30.45/A. return on investment from implementing a basic variable rate prescription, based on soil type for this farm. Multi-year data is needed before any conclusions can be made on the use of variable rate nitrogen.

Chris & Jason Beck helping harvest this study in Central, IN. Variable rate prescription map. 60 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Variable Rate Seeding & Nitrogen Study - 2013

Planted: May 20, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 25, 2013 Tillage: No-Till April 9.14 in. ® Population: Various Herbicide: Pre: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX , May 3.26 in. Rows: 30” rows 2.3 qt. Bicep II Magnum® & 1 qt. Class Act® Flex June 6.04 in. Field Size: 22 acres Post: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX , 1 qt Lexar®, 3 oz. Callisto® & 1 qt. Class Act Flex July 1.67 in. Insecticide: Escalate® & Force® 3G August 1.12 in. Product Tested: BECK 6175AMX™* Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: Precise seeding rates are becoming more important as yield levels rise and seed costs increase. Growers have long understood that you can achieve higher yields by increasing populations in higher productive soils. This study compares a single seeding rate of 30,000 seeds/A. to a variable rate, which consists of a population increase (34,000) in the Brookston, high productive soil type. We also evaluated a variable rate of nitrogen in combination with the variable rate seeding. The base nitrogen rate for this study was 180 lbs./A. and our variable rates consisted of 160 lbs./A. and 200 lbs./A., in their respective soil type zones. The nitrogen program consisted of 34 lbs./A. at planting, followed by the remaining balance sidedressed at the V4 growth stage. This was the first year for testing this particular field and with no previous records or yield data, everything was based on soil type.

Seeding Lbs. Bushels† Net^ Return on Treatment & Soil Type Rate Nitrogen Per Acre Return Investment Variable Rate Seeding & Nitrogen Crosby (Medium Productive) 30,000 160 163.6 $644.48 -$68.54 Brookston (High Productive) 34,000 200 199.1 $792.18 +$102.38 Average 181.4 $718.33 +$16.92 Variable Rate Seeding Brookston (High Productive) 34,000 180 188.6 $748.48 +$58.68

Single Rate (Control) Crosby (Medium Productive) 30,000 180 178.7 $713.02 ---- Brookston (High Productive) 30,000 180 174.4 $689.80 ---- Average 176.6 $701.41 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $0.65/lb nitrogen. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Weedone is a registered trademark of Nufarm Americas Inc. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Bicep II Magnum, Princep, Lexar, Callisto and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company.

Summary: In this first year study, we saw mixed results depending on soil type. In the Brookston soil, we gained 14.2 Bu./A. varying the seeding rate and 24.7 Bu./A. varying seeding and nitrogen rates when compared to the single rate control. When increasing the nitrogen rate in the Crosby soil, we lost 15.1 Bu./A. Overall, when considering seed and nitrogen cost, we averaged a $16.92/A. return on investment from varying our seeding and nitrogen rates. Figure 1 illustrates the prescription map used for this study. Multi-year data is needed before any final conclusions can be made for variable rate seeding and nitrogen.

Variable rate seeding & nitrogen prescription map. 61 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Allelopathy Study on Continuous Corn - 2013

Planted: May 4, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 13, 2013 Tillage: V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 32,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 2.3 qts. Bicep II Magnum & 1 qt. Princep 4L May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 1.67 qts. Lexar®, 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® & June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) 1 qt. Class Act® Flex Insecticide: Escalate® July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: According to Webster’s dictionary, allelopathy is defined as the suppression of growth of one plant species by another plant species, due to the release of toxic substances called allelochemicals. Many crops are allelopathic when grown with other crops or sequentially. Autotoxicity is a specific type of allelopathy. Autotoxicity occurs when the allelochemicals released from a specific crop affect that same crop planted at a later time. This study was designed to test if, and to what extent, allelochemicals are causing a yield penalty when identical corn genetics and traits are planted in the same location repeatedly.

Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference SAME Hybrids BECK 5269HXR™* 31,000 56.9 19.2 182.5 +4.2 Phoenix 5552A4** 29,500 52.3 20.3 179.8 -6.6 Phoenix 5726A4** 31,000 52.0 21.4 195.5 +1.1 BECK 6626AMX-R™* 30,500 56.7 19.9 190.8 -16.0 AVERAGE 30,500 54.4 20.2 187.2 -4.3 Rotated Hybrids BECK 5269HXR™* 30,750 55.7 20.7 178.3 Phoenix 5552A4** 29,250 51.4 21.1 186.4 Phoenix 5726A4** 30,250 50.9 22.9 194.4 CORN CORN BECK 6626AMX-R™* 30,000 55.4 CORN 20.6 CORN 206.8 AVERAGE 30,063 53.3 21.3 191.5

† Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. AFTER AFTER *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Bicep II Magnum, Princep, and Lexar are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. B5 plot.

Summary: The 2013 data was favorable for the rotation of hybrids. When planting the same hybrids we lost an average of 4.3 Bu./A. We

™* advantage to your farm. - pg 33 and diverse genetics bring an strength, disease tolerance, superior plant health, root on corn after acres. Beck’s Bu./A. more than competitors Beck’s Hybrids provides 6.1 received a 16.0 Bu./A. yield loss when BECK 6626AMX-R was not rotated. Provingadvantage to your farm. - pg 33 and diverse genetics bring an thestrength, disease tolerance, yieldsuperior plant health, root on corn after acres. Beck’s losses Bu./A. more than competitors Beck’s Hybrids provides 6.1 were caused solely by the

allelochemicals is hard to clarify. However, by being consistent and compiling multi-year data we should +6.1 Bu./A. be able to see trends and have a better understanding of what is affecting the yields. +6.1 Bu./A.

+6.1 Bu./A. Beck’s Hybrids provides 6.1 CORN Bu./A. more than competitors AFTER on corn after corn acres. Beck’s superior plant health, root strength, disease tolerance, CORN and diverse genetics bring an advantage to your farm. - pg 33 62 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Phosphorus Efficiency Study - 2013

Planted: May 6, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 12, 2013 Tillage: No-Till April 9.14 in. ® Population: 34,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows & 12 oz. Weedone® June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Pre: 2.3 qt. Bicep II Magnum® & 1 qt. Princep® 4L Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar® & 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® July 1.67 in. Insecticide: Escalate® & Force® 3G August 1.12 in. Product Tested: BECK 5475AMX-R™* Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: This study tests two phosphorus efficiency products and strives to gain yield by increasing the availability of phosphorus. AVAIL® Phosphorus Fertilizer Enhancer is a unique formulation designed to minimize fixation and maximize fertilizer investment. P Max™ LFS is a phosphate fertilizer additive. When mixed with liquid fertilizers containing phosphate, P Max LFS increases phosphate efficiency and plant uptake.

Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment Avail® (11 oz./A. with Starter) 58.3 23.5 215.4 +2.5 $1,146.40 -$3.26 P Max™ LFS (22 oz./A. with Starter) 58.4 23.2 214.3 +1.4 $1,137.28 -$12.38 Control 58.5 23.3 212.9 ---- $1,149.66 ----- AVERAGE 58.4 23.3 214.2 +2.0 $1,144.45 -$7.82

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. ® ® *XL brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn, $195/gal. Avail and $116/gal. P Max LFS. Avail is a registered trademark of Specialty Fertilizer Products, LLC. P Max is a trademark of Midtech R&D, Inc. Bicep II Magnum, Princep and Lexar are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Weedone is a registered trademark of Nufarm Americas Inc. Force is a registered trademark of Syngenta Group Company. A4 plot.

$/A. 2 Year Return on Investment $15.00 +$11.29/A. $10.00

$5.00 PMAX LFS $0.00 Avail

-$5.00 CINPFR, 2012 & 2013

-$10.00 -$6.84/A.

Figure 1. Summary: With land prices increasing, we feel it is important to test as many enhancement products as possible in order to increase net returns on current acres. In this study, we received a slight yield increase from the use of Avail® and P Max™ LFS. However, we ended up with an average loss of $7.82/A. return on investment (ROI). Last year, we had a very high ROI with P Max LFS. Figure 1 illustrates the two year average ROI for Avail and P Max LFS. 63 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Micronutrient Study - 2013

Planted: May 3, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 9, 2013 Tillage: Disc/ V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 32,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 2.3 qts. Bicep II Magnum , 1 qt. Princep 4L May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 1.67 qts. Lexar®, 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX®, June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) 1 qt. Class Act® Flex INSECTICIDE: Escalate® & Force® 3G July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: To evaluate different foliar micronutrient products in an attempt to maximize corn yields. All treatments were tank mixed with glyphosate and applied at the V3-V4 growth stage. VersaMax™ Corn is a dynamic mixture of macro and micronutrients that can be applied in a versatile manner - as a foliar, row starter, or sidedress application. VersaMax Corn consists of 8% nitrogen, 3% sulfur, 1% iron, 2% manganese, and 3% zinc. Max-In® Ultra ZMB is an effective foliar product that supplies zinc, manganese, and boron, which are vital for increased plant health and growth. Max-In Ultra ZMB contains 3.6% sulfur, 0.1% boron, 3% manganese, and 4% zinc. Evergreen is a complex of macro and micro elements chelated with humic acid, and vitamins. Evergreen is a water-soluble balanced fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. It also contains micronutrients, kelp, vitamins, and humic acid.

Test Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment BECK 6175AMX-R™* VersaMax™ Corn (32 oz./A.) 60.5 17.2 188.8 +15.8 $1,014.02 +$79.82 Evergreen (16 oz./A.) 59.8 17.4 183.0 +10.0 $976.20 +$42.00 Max-In® Ultra ZMB (32 oz./A.) 58.8 17.3 176.4 +3.4 $946.31 +$12.11 Control 60.9 17.9 173.0 ---- $934.20 ---- AVERAGE 60.0 17.4 180.3 +9.7 $967.68 +$44.64 BECK 6272HR™* Evergreen (16 oz./A.) 62.1 17.0 187.3 +20.2 $999.42 +$97.08 Max-In Ultra ZMB (32 oz./A.) 60.3 17.6 180.6 +13.5 $968.99 +$66.65 VersaMax Corn (32 oz./A.) 61.5 17.3 170.2 +3.1 $913.58 +$11.24 Control 61.3 17.0 167.1 ---- $902.34 ---- AVERAGE 61.3 17.2 176.3 +12.3 $946.08 +$58.32 Treatment summary Evergreen (16 oz./A.) 60.9 17.2 185.2 +15.1 $988.08 +$69.54 VersaMax Corn (32 oz./A.) 61.0 17.2 179.5 +9.5 $963.80 +$45.26 Max-In Ultra ZMB (32 oz./A.) 59.5 17.4 178.5 +8.5 $957.65 +$39.11 Control 61.1 17.5 170.1 ---- $918.54 ---- AVERAGE 60.6 17.3 178.3 +11.0 $957.02 +$51.30 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn, $96.00/gal. Evergreen, $25.00/gal. Max-In Ultra 2MB and $22.00/gal. VersaMax Corn. Bicep II Magnum, Princep, and Lexar are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Force is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. VersaMax is a trademark of Midtech R&D, Inc. Max-In is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. E3 plot.

64 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Micronutrient Study - Continued

2 Year VersaMax Corn ROI

+$51.14/A. Average Return/Acre

$60.00 $57.02

$50.00 2012 2013 $45.26 $40.00

$30.00

$20.00

Figure 1.

Summary: A yield increase was received from all three products tested. BECK 6272HR™* had a higher average yield response to the foliar applications when compared to BECK 6175AMX-R™*. When both hybrids are averaged, Evergreen provided the best yields at 185.2 Bu./A. equating to a return of $69.54/A. VersaMax™ Corn and Max-In® Ultra ZMB also provided very respectable returns. Figure 1 illustrates the two year return on investment data for VersaMax Corn at our Central Indiana PFR site.

Collecting root and leaf tissue samples at the Central Indiana PFR site. 65 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Root Growth Study - 2013

Planted: May 4, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 17, 2013 Tillage: Disc / V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 32,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 2.3 qts. Bicep II Magnum & 1 qt. Princep 4L May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar®, 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® & June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) 1 qt. Class Act® Flex Insecticide: Escalate® July 1.67 in. Product Tested: BECK 5385A3 August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: This study was designed to test different products to help root growth and plant development. Both products were applied 2x2 with the planter at a 1qt./A. rate. Soil Boost is a unique combination of plant substances in a humic acid base intended for root growth by providing supplemental plant nutrients. Soil Boost contains 5% nitrogen and .5% zinc. Start Right is a proprietary formulation of major and micronutrients sequestered in concentrated organic acids. It is fortified with proprietary plant extracts, enzymes and select soil bacteria. It is for use on all crops at planting or early sidedressing.

Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment Start Right (1 qt./A.) 31,750 53.5 20.5 235.5 +15.1 $1,261.20 $71.04 Soil Boost (1 qt./A.) 31,500 54.9 20.3 225.3 +4.9 $1,203.87 $13.71 Control 29,750 54.9 20.0 220.4 ---- $1,190.16 ---- Average 31,000 54.4 20.3 227.0 +10.0 $1,218.41 $42.38 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn, $42.00/gal. Start Right, $51.00/gal. Soil Boost. Bicep II Magnum, Princep and Lexar are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Soil Boost is manufactured by Ag Chem Broker, Inc. S1 (S) plot.

2 Year2 Year Start Start Right Right Yield Yield Gains Gains 2 Year2 Year Start Start Right Right Return Return on on Investment Investment

18.018.0 $100.00$100.00

16.016.0 $80.00$80.00

14.014.0 15.115.1 14.314.3 $71.04$71.04 $60.00$60.00 $67.87$67.87 20122012 20122012 12.012.0 20132013 20132013 $40.00$40.00 Return/A. 10.010.0 Return/A. Yield Gain/A. Yield Yield Gain/A. Yield

$20.00$20.00 8.08.0

6.06.0 $0.00$0.00 Figure 1. Figure 2.

Summary: This year’s results show an average 10 Bu./A. advantage from the two products when compared to our untreated control. This is the first year for testing Soil Boost and the second year for Start Right. Figure 1 and 2 illustrate two year data for Start Right showing an average yield increase of 14.7 Bu./A. with returns of $69.46/A. Start Right has performed well at our Central Indiana PFR farm, with excellent returns.

66 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Thio-Sul® Study - 2013

Planted: May 20, 2013 Previous Crop: Wheat RAINFALL Harvested: October 9, 2013 Tillage: No-Till April 9.14 in. ® Population: 34,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX , May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows 12 oz. Weedone® & 1 qt. Class Act® Flex June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Pre: 2.3 qts. Bicep II Magnum® & 1 qt. Princep® 4L Post: 1.67 qts. Lexar® & 1 qt. Class Act Flex July 1.67 in. Insecticide: Escalate® & Force® 3G August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: Thio-Sul® brand of ammonium thiosulfate (ATS) is a clear liquid solution containing 12% nitrogen and 26% sulfur. Thio-Sul aids in increasing crop yields and stretching fertilizer dollars by improving the Nitrogen-Sulfur balance. This helps in maintaining necessary sulfur levels in sulfur deficient soils. This study evaluates the yield benefit from the addition of Thio-Sul in row starter. We applied 2 gal./A. Thio-Sul (approximately 5.74 lbs. sulfur) with 18-18-0 2x2 at planting.

Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Brand Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment BECK 6077HR™* 2 gal. Thio-Sul® 58.0 22.9 185.5 +2.6 $995.59 +$7.93 Control 57.2 22.9 182.9 ---- $987.66 ----- AVERAGE 57.6 22.9 184.2 ---- $991.63 ----- BECK 6543HR™* 2 gal. Thio-Sul 59.8 22.7 182.0 +2.5 $976.69 +$7.39 Control 58.5 23.8 179.5 ---- $969.30 ----- AVERAGE 59.1 23.2 180.8 ---- $973.00 ----- †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $555/ton Thio-Sul. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Bicep II Magnum, Princep, and Lexar are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Weedone is a registered trademark of Nufarm Americas Inc. Force is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Thio-Sul is a registered trademark of Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc. B7 plot.

Summary: Our yield gains were almost identical on both hybrids tested. When averaged, we received a $7.66/A. return on investment with the use of Thio-Sul®. Sulfur deficiency is becoming more prevalent due to improvements in power plant emissions.

67 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Plant Growth Regulator Study - 2013

Planted: May 30, 2013 Previous Crop: Wheat RAINFALL Harvested: October 9, 2013 Tillage: No-Till April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 34,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX , 12 oz. Weedone & May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows 1 qt. Class Act® Flex June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Pre: 2.3 qts. Bicep II Magnum® & 1 qt. Princep® 4L Post: 1.67 qts. Lexar® & 1 qt. Class Act Flex July 1.67 in. Insecticide: Escalate® August 1.12 in. Product Tested: Phoenix 5832A3** Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: To evaluate plant growth regulators ability to enhance early season plant growth and maximize corn yields. Ascend® plant growth regulator contains the optimal combination of three EPA registered plant growth regulators that result in vigorous early plant germination and emergence, a robust root system, larger leaves and wider stems. Ascend can be used as a seed treatment, in furrow, or as a foliar application. RyzUp SmartGrass® plant growth regulator increases early season growth and helps maximize grain yield in field corn. RyzUp SmartGrass enhances early ear, vegetative, and root growth for a stronger, more stress tolerant crop with increased capacity for greater yields.

Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Net^ Return on Treatment Per Acre Difference Cost Return Investment Ascend® (3.2 oz./A. @ V4 - V5) 206.7 +3.8 $6.75 $1,109.43 +$13.77 RyzUp® SmartGrass (0.6 oz./A. @ V4 - V5) 205.4 +2.5 $13.80 $1,095.36 -$0.30 Control 202.9 ---- $0.00 $1,095.66 ----- AVERAGE 205.0 +3.2 $10.28 $1,100.15 +$6.74 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ^Net return based on $5.40/Bu. corn, $270/gal. Ascend, $23/oz. RyzUp SmartGrass Bicep II Magnum, Princep, and Lexar are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Weedone is a registered trademark of Nufarm Americas Inc. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Ascend is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Ryzup SmartGrass is a trademark of alentV BioSciences Corporation. B4 plot.

Summary: In this first year study at Central Indiana PFR, we received a yield gain from both plant growth regulators.After accounting for treatment cost, only Ascend® showed a positive return on investment of $13.77/A. Further testing with application timing and/or application type needs conducted to draw a firm conclusion on plant growth regulators.

68 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S TJ Challenge 2050 Study - 2013

Planted: May 20, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 15, 2013 Tillage: No-Till April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 34,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX , 12 oz. Weedone May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows & 1 qt. Class Act® Flex June 6.04 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Pre: 2.3 qts. Bicep II Magnum® & 1 qt. Princep® 4L Post: 1.67 qts. Lexar® & 1 qt. Class Act® Flex July 1.67 in. insecticide: Escalate® August 1.12 in. PRODUCT TESTED: Phoenix 5642A4** Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: TJ Challenge 2050™ is a co-packaged, two component system consisting of a liquid nutrient component and a liquid microbial/ mycorrhizae additive. Challenge 2050 is designed to increase root growth, and the mycorrhizal hyphae are known to become an extension of the root. In the study, 1 qt./A. Challenge 2050 was applied with a 28% sidedress application @ V4.

Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference TJ Challenge 2050™ 1 qt./A. 32,833 53.5 23.9 186.8 +1.8 Control 32,500 52.6 24.2 185.0 ----- AVERAGE 32,667 53.1 24.1 185.9 ----- †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. TJ Challenge 2050 is a trademark of TJ Technologies, Inc. Bicep II Magnum, Princep and Lexar are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Weedone is a registered trademark of Nufarm Americas Inc.TJ Challenge 2050 is a trademark of TJ Technologies. C6 plot.

Summary: In this first year study, Challenge 2050™ fertilizer supplement offered a yield increase of 1.8 Bu./A. TJ Technologies recommends applying Challenge 2050 as a supplement to a starter, pop-up fertilizer program or with water alone. This year, due to time constraints, we were forced to use the product in our sidedress application. If tested in the future, we plan to use Challenge 2050 in our 2x2 starter application.

69 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Corn Gypsum/Lime Study - 2013

Planted: May 20, 2013 Previous Crop: Wheat RAINFALL Harvested: October 18, 2013 Tillage: No-Till April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 34,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 2.3 qts. Bicep II Magnum & 1 qt. Princep 4L May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 1.67 Lexar® & 1 qt. Class Act® Flex June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Insecticide: Escalate® Products Tested: BECK 6733HXR™* July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: To evaluate the applications of gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) and lime. NutraSoft® pelletized gypsum and lime were used as spring applied products. Two application rates of gypsum and a combined application of gypsum and lime were evaluated. NutraSoft® Pelletized Gypsum is a pH neutral source of soluble calcium (21%) and sulfur (16%), well-known for use on potatoes and many other vegetable crops. NutraSoft improves soil structure, which allows for increased water penetration and soil moisture retention, resulting in improved root growth. It also reduces metal toxicity and salt levels. NutraSoft® Pelletized Limestone is manufactured from high quality calcitic or dolomitic limestone formed into dissolvable pellets to produce higher yields.

Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference 300 lbs. Gypsum 31,250 60.5 24.8 223.4 +9.0 1,000 lbs. Gypsum 32,250 60.0 24.2 219.0 +4.6 300 lbs. Gypsum & 300 lbs. Lime 33,500 59.7 24.3 217.9 +3.5 Control 33,000 59.2 25.4 214.4 ----- AVERAGE 32,500 59.8 24.7 218.7 +5.7 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Bicep II Magnum, Princep and Lexar are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. NutraSoft is a registered trademark of The Andersons, Inc. G3 plot.

Summary: We received our highest yield results from the low rate application of gypsum at 223.4 Bu./A. We did not receive an additional yield gain when increasing the amount of gypsum or combining it with lime. However, all three treatments did increase our yields when compared to the untreated control.

70 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Corn Silage Study - 2013

Purpose: To find hybrids that combine high tonnage along with excellent nutritional quality. This combination produces the highest pounds of milk per acre as calculated by the Milk 2006 Program developed by the University of Wisconsin. The pounds of milk per acre data combines the yield in tons with the nutritional data to form one easy to understand number.

Lbs. Lbs. of 65% Adj. of Milk/ Percent Moist. Crude Crude Brand Milk/A. Ton Moisture Tons/A. ADF NDF Protein Starch Fat NEL NEG BECK 5385A3 39,323 3122 51.9 30.0 23.7 41.0 8.1 33.2 2.7 0.78 0.52 BECK 5475AMX™* 38,524 3052 47.6 28.0 25.7 44.3 7.9 30.8 2.8 0.77 0.51 BECK 6733HXR™* 38,059 3049 51.7 30.1 26.3 44.5 8.0 29.0 2.8 0.75 0.49 BECK 6077HR™* 37,910 2964 51.3 30.0 26.9 45.6 7.3 29.0 2.6 0.74 0.48 BECK 6175AMX™* 37,383 3067 51.9 28.8 26.1 44.9 7.9 30.5 2.8 0.76 0.51 BECK 6272HR™* 36,696 2927 50.3 29.3 27.7 46.3 7.8 26.9 2.4 0.73 0.47 Phoenix 5726A4** 36,530 3056 53.2 28.9 24.2 42.4 7.7 32.4 2.8 0.77 0.51 Phoenix 6542A4** 36,332 3000 55.6 30.2 26.4 45.0 7.5 28.7 2.6 0.75 0.49 BECK 6543HR™* 35,833 3037 53.1 28.8 26.8 45.5 8.1 28.6 2.7 0.75 0.49 BECK 5140HR™* 35,533 3109 54.3 27.8 24.1 41.6 7.7 34.2 2.8 0.78 0.52 BECK EX1324™* 35,516 3130 53.2 27.9 25.1 43.0 8.1 30.5 2.8 0.77 0.51 Phoenix 5832A3** 35,451 2957 51.3 28.1 26.4 44.9 7.7 30.3 2.7 0.74 0.48 BECK 6948A3 34,706 3123 55.0 27.9 25.3 43.3 7.7 30.8 2.9 0.77 0.51 BECK 6348A3 34,300 3025 56.4 27.3 25.5 43.7 7.7 30.8 2.7 0.76 0.50 BECK 6626AMX™* 33,972 3013 52.1 27.9 27.6 46.3 8.1 26.8 2.7 0.73 0.48 BECK 6575HR™* 32,726 3044 55.3 28.2 28.2 47.6 8.4 25.4 2.6 0.72 0.47 *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company.

ADF Acid Detergent Fiber Includes cell wall portions made up of cellulose and lignin. As ADF increases, digestibility decreases. NDF Neutral Detergent Fiber Includes ADF plus hemicellulose. As NDF increases, dry matter intake will generally decrease. NEL Net Energy of Lactation An estimate of energy in feed available for lactating animals. NEG Net Energy for Gain An estimate of energy in feed available for non-lactating animals.

Pounds of Calculated using the University of Wisconsin’s Milk 2006 Program. Milk/A. & Ton

Top Five Hybrids for Silage North Rm (Days) Central Rm (Days) South Rm (Days) BECK 5385A3 108 Phoenix 5726A4** 111 BECK 6175AM™* 112 BECK 5475AMX™* 108 BECK 6077AM™* 111 BECK 6272AM™* 112 BECK 6077AM™* 111 BECK 6175AMX™* 112 BECK 6543HR™* 113 BECK 6175AMX™* 112 BECK 6272AM™* 112 Phoenix 6542A4** 115 BECK 6272AM™* 112 Phoenix 6542A4** 115 BECK 6575HR™* 115

Summary: Beck’s continues to not only look at tonnage, but also take into account the nutritional factors that contribute to silage quality. All of the tested hybrids are excellent for corn silage. Use the above chart to make selections for your specific geography. 71 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Waxy Corn Plot - 2013

Planted: May 8, 2013 Previous Crop: Wheat RAINFALL Harvested: September 24, 2013 Tillage: No-Till April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 32,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX & 1 qt. Class Act Flex May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Pre: 2.3 qt. Bicep II Magnum® & 1 qt. Princep® 4L June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Post: 1.67 qt. Liberty® & 1 qt. Class Act Flex, 6 oz. Stinger® & 2.3 oz. Accent® July 1.67 in. Insecticide: Escalate® & Force® 3G August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: This study shows waxy corn products Beck’s is testing and/or offering for sale. Our purpose is to find and evaluate the most profitable products for our customers. The premium for waxy corn is $0.60.

Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Brand Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Beck 6175wx™* 29,000 65.1 20.6 229.4 Beck EX 0155 (5375HRwx Genetics)™* 28,500 61.1 19.1 217.6 Beck EX 1317 (6372wx Genetics)™* 29,000 62.0 22.8 216.2 Beck 5354wx™* 29,000 63.5 20.6 211.6 Beck 6077wx™* 29,500 62.7 19.7 210.6 Beck 6187wx™* 30,000 59.7 21.8 205.9 Beck 5472HRwx™* 27,500 57.7 21.4 205.0 Beck 5435wx™* 27,500 61.2 19.6 200.9 Average 28750 61.6 20.7 212.2 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Bicep II Magnum and Princep are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Liberty is a registered trademark of Bayer. Stinger is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Accent is a registered trademark of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. Force 3G is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company.

Summary: Waxy corn is unlike normal corn, it does not contain any amylose starch only amylopectin. It is used by processors to produce specialty starches used in food and industrial products. This year our highest yielding waxy corn hybrid was BECK 6175wx™* at 229.4 Bu./A.

72 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Soybean Show Plot - 2013

Planted: May 2, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: Various Tillage: Disc / V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ™ Population: 128,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 1.5 pt. Ledger May 3.26 in. Rows: Three 30" rows Post: 32 oz. Basagran®, 1.44 oz. Pursuit®, June 6.04 in. .375 oz. Synchrony®, 16 oz. Clethodim (twice) & 20 oz. Class Act® Flex (twice) July 1.67 in. Insecticide: Escalate® August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Plant Pod Standability Yield Relative Height Height 1 = Erect Bushels† Rank Brand Maturity (Inches) (Inches) 5 = Flat Per Acre GROUP II 1 BECK 241NR™* 2.4 33.0 2.0 1.6 64.1 2 BECK 278R4™* 2.7 35.0 3.0 1.3 60.2 3 BECK 229NR™* 2.3 34.0 3.0 1.4 59.9 4 BECK 298L4 2.9 30.0 3.0 1.3 56.9 5 BECK 294NR™* 2.9 40.0 3.0 1.3 55.2 6 BECK 265NL 2.6 30.0 3.0 1.2 51.9 AVERAGE 33.7 2.8 1.4 58.0 GROUP III & IV 1 BECK 337L4 3.3 38.0 3.0 1.4 63.4 2 BECK 423NL 4.2 44.0 4.0 1.3 63.3 3 BECK 354L4 3.5 40.0 3.0 1.4 62.8 4 BECK 394L4 3.9 38.0 3.0 1.3 62.2 5 BECK 372NL 3.7 44.0 3.0 1.5 61.4 6 BECK 312R4™* 3.1 42.0 3.0 1.5 61.4 7 BECK 313NL 3.1 38.0 3.0 1.3 58.6 8 BECK 358R4™* 3.5 36.0 3.0 1.4 56.1 9 BECK 335NR™* 3.3 34.0 3.0 1.3 54.3 10 BECK 368NR™* 3.6 46.0 3.0 1.6 54.2 11 BECK 418NR™* 4.1 36.0 2.0 1.5 51.1 12 BECK 375NR™* 3.7 44.0 3.0 1.5 50.8 13 BECK 391R4™* 3.9 36.0 2.0 1.4 50.2 AVERAGE 39.7 2.9 1.4 57.7 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Ledger is a trademark of TENKOZ, Inc. Basagran and Pursuit are registered trademarks of BASF. Synchrony is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. N1 plot.

73 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S 15" LibertyLink® & Non-GMO Soybean Show Plot - 2013

Planted: May 2, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: Various Tillage: Disc / V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ™ Population: 153,884 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 1.5 pt. Ledger May 3.26 in. Rows: Five 15” rows Post: 32 oz. Basagran®, 1.44 oz. Pursuit®, June 6.04 in. .375 oz. Synchrony®, 16 oz. Clethodim (twice) & 20 oz. Class Act® Flex (twice) July 1.67 in. Insecticide: Escalate® August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Plant Pod Two Yr. Yield Special Relative Height Height Bushels† Average Rank Brand Characteristic Maturity (Inches) (Inches) Per Acre '12 - '13 GROUP II 1 BECK 298L4 2.9 36.0 3.0 61.3 2 BECK 265NL 2.6 32.0 2.0 60.3 59.7 3 BECK EX 6303 2.8 32.0 2.0 55.2 4 BECK 238L4 2.3 30.0 1.0 49.2 5 BECK EX 6336 Traditional (Non-GMO) 2.6 32.0 2.0 45.8 AVERAGE 32.4 2.0 54.4 59.7 GROUP III & IV 1 BECK 354L4 3.5 36.0 3.0 64.1 2 BECK 313NL 3.1 34.0 2.0 63.3 64.9 3 BECK 337L4 3.3 34.0 2.0 62.4 4 BECK 394L4 3.9 32.0 3.0 55.9 5 BECK 372NL 3.7 32.0 3.0 54.8 63.7 6 BECK 423NL 4.2 36.0 3.0 53.3 7 BECK 414N Traditional (Non-GMO) 4.1 38.0 3.0 52.2 56.5 8 BECK 331N Traditional (Non-GMO) 3.3 36.0 2.0 48.8 62.1 9 BECK 389N Traditional (Non-GMO) 3.8 36.0 3.0 47.4 57.4 10 BECK 431N Traditional (Non-GMO) 4.3 34.0 3.0 46.9 55.3 11 BECK 327 Traditional (Non-GMO) 3.2 36.0 3.0 45.9 53.7 12 BECK 319N Traditional (Non-GMO) 3.1 36.0 3.0 43.2 AVERAGE 35.0 2.8 53.2 59.1 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. Ledger is a trademark of TENKOZ, Inc. Basagran and Pursuit are registered trademarks of BASF. Synchrony is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. N4 plot.

74 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S 100 Bushel Attempt - 2013

Planted: May 6, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 28, 2013 Tillage: Disc / V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ™ Population: 129,264 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 1.5 pt. Ledger May 3.26 in. Rows: Five 15” rows Post: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® (twice) June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) 1 qt. Class Act® Flex (twice) 16 oz. Clethodim July 1.67 in. Insecticide: Escalate® August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: This is the sixth attempt for 100 bushel soybeans at the Central Indiana PFR Farm. BECK 335NR™* and BECK 375NR™* treated with Beck’s Escalate® yield enhancement system were tested. The 100 bushel mix consists of Escalate® plus Optimize®, Bio-Forge ST, and VOTiVO®. All entries in this study, except for the controls, received an application of Priaxor™ and Mustang® Maxx at the R3 growth stage. All entries were planted in 15” rows at 129,264 seeds/A.

Emerged Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Population Per Acre Difference Beck 335NR™* Escalate® (Control) 120,879 67.2 ----- 100 Bu Mix 124,146 67.4 +0.2 100 Bu Mix + 1 gal. Molasses @ V3 121,968 65.4 -1.8 100 Bu Mix + 16 oz. Cobra® @ V3 + 2 qt. Task Force® 2 @ R1 113,256 62.8 -4.4 100 Bu Mix + Foliar Fungicide & Insecticide @ R1 121,968 68.5 +1.3 100 Bu Mix + 2 qt. VersaMax™ MN @ V3 + 2 qt. Task Force 2 @ R1 125,235 66.9 -0.3 Average 121,242 66.4 -1.0 Beck 375NR™* Escalate® (Control) 124,146 69.7 ----- 100 Bu Mix 121,968 74.7 +5.0 100 Bu Mix + 1 gal. Molasses @ V3 121,968 73.8 +4.1 100 Bu Mix + 16 oz. Cobra @ V3 + 2 qt. Task Force 2 @ R1 123,057 69.7 0.0 100 Bu Mix + Foliar Fungicide & Insecticide @ R1 118,701 69.4 -0.3 100 Bu Mix + 2 qt. VersaMax MN @ V3 + 2 qt. Task Force 2 @ R1 125,235 71.1 +1.4 Average 122,513 71.4 +2.0 Treatment summary Escalate® (Control) 122,513 68.5 ---- 100 Bu Mix 123,057 71.1 +2.6 100 Bu Mix + 1 gal. Molasses @ V3 121,968 69.6 +1.2 100 Bu Mix + 16 oz. Cobra @ V3 + 2 qt. Task Force 2 @ R1 118,157 66.3 -2.2 100 Bu Mix + Foliar Fungicide & Insecticide @ R1 120,335 69.0 +0.5 100 Bu Mix + 2 qt. VersaMax MN @ V3 + 2 qt. Task Force 2 @ R1 125,235 69.0 +0.6 Average 121,877 68.9 +0.5 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Ledger is a trademark of TENKOZ, Inc. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Cobra is a registered trademark of Valent U.S.A. Corp. VersaMax is a trademark of Midtech R&D, Inc. Task Force 2 is a registered trademark of Crop Production Services. Mustang is a registered trademark of FMC Corp. Priaxor is a trademark of BASF.

Summary: We were unable to hit the 100 bushel barrier again this year. For the second year in a row, our highest yield came from BECK 375NR™* treated with our 100 bushel mixture. Overall, BECK 375NR™* out-yielded BECK 335NR™* by 5 Bu./A., this also is the exact results as last year. Another trend that has held true the past two years is the negative yield response from additional treatments on BECK 335NR™* and the positive response for BECK 375NR™*. Our treatment summary shows the highest average yield came from our 100 bushel mixture. However, additional treatments to the 100 bushel mixture decreased the yields. Overall, it was very tough to beat our base 100 bushel mix treatment in both soybean varieties. 75 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Escalate® vs Untreated Study - 2013

Planted: May 2, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 10, 2013 Tillage: Disc/ V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ™ Population: 153,884 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 1.5 qt. Ledger May 3.26 in. Rows: Five 15” rows Post: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX®, 1 qt. Class Act® Flex & June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) 16 oz. Clethodim July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: Beck’s Escalate® yield enhancement system is a proprietary mix of yield enhancing products that come standard on all Beck’s seed. Escalate offers insect protection, improved stands, seedling health and yield. This unique blend is sealed onto each seed using Beck’s exclusive polymer. This study compares six different varieties of Escalate treated soybeans with untreated soybeans in early May planting conditions. Seed emergence, standability and other plant characteristics were evaluated.

Emerged Population Bushels Per Acre† Escalate Advantage Brand Escalate Untreated Escalate Untreated Bu./A. BECK 294NR™* 125,235 128,502 63.7 63.5 +0.2 BECK 335NR™* 129,591 111,078 66.6 63.9 +2.7 BECK 368NR™* 137,214 142,659 64.9 62.0 +2.9 BECK 375NR™* 152,460 137,214 66.1 61.8 +4.3 BECK 398NR 121,968 137,214 61.8 58.7 +3.1 BECK 432NR™* 139,392 136,125 63.3 61.1 +2.2 AVERAGE 134,310 132,132 64.4 61.8 +2.6 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 13% moisture. ® ® *XL brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Ledger is a trademark of TENKOZ, Inc. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. L2 plot.

Summary: Advantage for Escalate This year Escalate yield enhancement system had an average 2.6 Bu./A. advantage when compared to the untreated version of the same genetics. Year Planting Date Final Population Bu./A. Individually, all six varieties show a yield increase with the Escalate seed 2010 April 2 +4,356 +3.9 treatment. The chart below shows the four year average population and 2011 May 10 +3,630 +4.6 yield advantage for our Escalate yield enhancement system. The images 2012 April 6 +4,114 +7.8 below show the amount of leaf tissue damage, caused by bean leaf 2013 May 2 +2,178 +2.6 beetles, on BECK 335NR™* with and without Escalate®. AVERAGE +3,570 +4.7

BECK 335NR™* Escalate® BECK 335NR™* Untreated 76 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Herbicide Systems Study - 2013

Planted: May 7, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 28, 2013 Tillage: Disc / V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ™ Population: 138,984 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 1.5 pt. Ledger May 3.26 in. Rows: Eleven 15” rows Roundup Post: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® & 1 qt. Class Act® Flex June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Liberty Post: 1 qt. Liberty®, 1 qt. Class Act Flex & 16 oz. Clethodim insecticide: Escalate® July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: To evaluate the use of a pre-emergent herbicide in a glyphosate or Liberty post herbicide program. Growth stage label restrictions were also evaluated in this study. BECK 375NR™* and BECK 372NL were used because both are high yielding products and a 3.7 relative maturity.

2012 & 2013 Yield Emerged Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Average Bu./A. Rank Treatment Population Moisture Per Acre Difference Difference Beck 375NR™* 1 Glyphosate f/b Glyphosate 130,680 10.7 55.2 +4.2 +2.5 2 Pre-emg f/b Glyphosate (Control) 119,064 10.5 51.0 ------3 Pre-emg f/b Glyphosate R2 129,228 10.6 49.3 -1.7 -1.5 4 Pre-emg f/b Glyphosate R3 129,228 10.7 53.8 +2.8 +1.2 5 Pre-emg f/b Glyphosate R4 130,680 10.6 53.9 +2.9 +1.0 Average 127,050 10.6 52.0 +2.1 +0.8 Beck 372NL 1 Liberty® f/b Liberty® 132,132 10.5 55.5 +0.5 +1.2 2 Pre-emg f/b Liberty® (Control) 123,420 10.7 55.0 ------3 Pre-emg f/b Liberty® R2 130,680 10.6 52.1 -2.9 -0.8 4 Pre-emg f/b Liberty® R3 132,132 10.8 55.2 +0.2 +0.8 5 Pre-emg f/b Liberty® R4 124,872 10.6 52.9 -2.1 -0.5 Average 128,647 10.6 54.1 -1.1 +0.2 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Ledger is a trademark of TENKOZ, Inc. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Liberty is a registered trademark of Bayer.

Summary: This is the second year for this study at our Central Indiana PFR farm. We did not receive a yield benefit with the use of a pre-emergent herbicide in the glyphosate or Liberty soybean herbicide systems, either year. However, we were able to control the early weed pressure more effectively with the pre-emergent herbicide. As mentioned above, we also tested the growth stage label restrictions on glyphosate and Liberty. Herbicide should be applied up to but not including R2 for glyphosate and R1 for Liberty. The two year average shows a negative yield response from both R2 applications and the R4 Liberty application. Overall, in 2012 and 2013, there were minimal differences between the application timings of glyphosate and Liberty.

77 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Pre-Emergence Herbicide Study - 2013

Planted: May 15, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 26, 2013 Tillage: V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. Population: 142,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: Various May 3.26 in. Rows: Twelve 20” rows Post: 1 qt. Liberty® & 1 qt. Class Act® Flex June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 313NL July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: Using pre-emergence herbicides allow growers an early start on their weed control to gain optimum yield potential. This study was designed to test multiple pre-emergence herbicides with a wide range of weed control. BECK 313NL LibertyLink® soybeans were used in an effort to respect the rotation of our herbicide program. All products were applied at the recommended label rates.

Emerged Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Population Moisture Per Acre Difference Ledger™ 75,141 10.8 53.2 +1.2 Authority® XL 70,241 11.0 53.1 +1.1 Control 68,607 10.8 52.0 ---- Authority® MTZ 66,974 10.8 49.1 -2.9 Canopy® EX 67,790 10.7 47.9 -4.0 Fierce® 61,256 10.9 43.1 -8.9 AVERAGE 68,335 10.8 49.7 -2.7 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. Liberty is a registered trademark of Bayer CropScience. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. LibertyLink is a registered trademark of Bayer. Ledger is a trademark of TENKOZ, Inc. Authority is a registered trademark of FMC Corporation. Canopy is a registered trademark of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. Fierce is a registered trademark of Valent U.S.A. Corporation. L1 plot.

Summary: All of our pre-emergence herbicides were put to the ultimate test this growing season. Due to inclement weather patterns at emergence, we were left with just over 50% of our planted population. It took much longer for the soybean canopy to close, resulting in higher weed pressure. Our yield results show a positive gain for two of the five products tested when compared to the untreated control. With the variable stands in this plot, our main focus was to scout and document for weed pressure early in the growing season. The product descriptions and performance reviews for each product tested can be found below. All descriptions list the active ingredients and their respective modes of action (effect on plant growth). For more in depth information on herbicides please refer to your local chemical representative. All photographs were taken six weeks after planting, on June 28th, 2013. The control received no pre-emergence herbicide. After six weeks with no herbicide, we were starting to see more weeds than soybeans. Some of the main weeds include: Marestail, Common lambsquarters, Common ragweed, Velvetleaf, Redroot pigweed, Purslane and multiple grass species. Ledger™ herbicide is for control of certain grasses and broadleaves in potatoes and soybeans. The two active ingredients in Ledger are S-metolachlor and Metribuzin. S-metolachlor is a seedling shoot growth inhibitor, while Metribuzin is a photosynthesis inhibitor. There was no grass pressure with the use of Ledger herbicide. However, after four weeks we started to see a few broadleaves emerge, mainly Velvetleaf and pigweed. Overall, Ledger had excellent grass control but wasn’t able to keep the heavy broadleaf pressure from emerging. Authority® XL can be applied in the spring to control tough weeds like Marestail, Waterhemp, Lambsquarters and Ragweed. The two active ingredients in Authority XL are Sulfentrazone and Chlorimuron. Sulfentrazone is a cell membrane disruptor while Chlorimuron is an amino acid synthesis inhibitor. Authority XL was able to keep both replications weed free for the six week period before we applied the post application of Liberty. Authority® MTZ is a flexible herbicide that can be used as part of a fall burndown program to control winter annuals and other broadleaf weeds, or used as a pre-emergence herbicide. The two active ingredients in Authority MTZ are Sulfentrazone and Metribuzin. Sulfentrazone is a cell membrane disruptor while Metribuzin is a photosynthesis inhibitor. We saw similar results with Authority MTZ as we did with Authority XL. There was minimal weed pressure in the six week period with the use of both Authority products from FMC Corporation. Canopy® EX provides burndown and residual control of many winter annuals, perennials, and spring annuals.

78 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Pre-Emergence Herbicide Study - Continued

The two active ingredients in Canopy EX are Chlorimuron and Tribenuron. Both active ingredients are amino acid synthesis inhibitors. This is the only product we tested with a single mode of action. Even with a single mode of action, Canopy EX was able to control most weed species until the fifth week after application. There were a few lambsquarter surviving but nothing unmanagable. Overall, we were very satisfied with the performance of Canopy EX. Fierce® herbicide offers growers up to two weeks longer control of broadleaf weeds and annual grasses. Fierce fights tough weeds like Palmer amaranth, Waterhemp, Lambsquarters, Marestail and other species that are resistant to glyphosate and other chemistries. The two active ingredients in Fierce are Flumioxazin and Pyroxasulfone. Flumioxazin is a cell membrane disruptor while Pyroxasulfone is a seedling shoot growth inhibitor. We saw our best results with an application of Fierce in terms of weed seedling emergence. After scouting for over 30 minutes we were unable to find a single weed in either replication. However, our emerged stand counts were lower in these sections which led us to a lower yield compared the rest of the plot. We would like to do more testing with Fierce because we know the weed control performance is excellent but the potential stand damage needs to be reanalyzed.

Control Ledger™

Authority® XL Authority® MTZ

Canopy® EX Fierce®

79 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Advanced Variety in No-Till (MP Soil) & Conventional-Till (HP Soil) - 2013

Planted: May 15, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 11, 2013 Tillage: No-Till: No-Till April 9.14 in. Population: 153,884 seeds/A. Conv.-Till: Disc / V-Rip / S-tine May 3.26 in. Rows: Five 15" rows Herbicide: Burndown: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX®, 1 qt. Class Act® Flex & ® June 6.04 in. soil type: MP: Miami Silt Loam 12 oz. Weedone (No-Till only) HP: Shoals Silt Loam Both Pre: 1.5 pt. Ledger™ July 1.67 in. & Miami Silt Loam Both Post: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX (twice), August 1.12 in. 1 qt. Class Act Flex (twice) & 16 oz. Clethodim Total 21.23 in. Insecticide: Escalate®

Purpose: This study compares the advanced experimental varieties to the leading products in Beck’s current line-up. We evaluate yield, as well as agronomic characteristics on medium productivity (no-till) soil and on high productivity (conventional-till) soil.

Plant Pod Standability Bu./A. Yield Relative Height Height 1 = Erect Bushels† Advantage Rank Brand Maturity (Inches) (Inches) 5 = Flat Per Acre in HP Soil MP SOIL - NO-TILL (TWO REPLICATIONS) 1 BECK 278R4™* 2.7 28.0 2.0 1.8 50.0 2 BECK 418NR™* 4.1 33.0 3.0 2.3 45.4 3 BECK 294NR™* 2.9 30.5 3.0 2.0 45.4 4 BECK 368NR™* 3.6 38.0 3.0 2.0 44.7 5 BECK 391R4™* 3.9 34.0 3.5 2.0 44.7 6 BECK EX 6310™* 3.5 31.0 3.0 2.0 44.5 7 BECK 358R4™* 3.5 32.0 3.0 2.0 43.8 8 BECK EX 6318™* 2.7 28.0 2.0 1.8 42.5 9 BECK 335NR™* 3.4 31.0 3.0 2.3 42.1 10 BECK 375NR™* 3.7 37.0 3.5 2.5 42.0 11 BECK EX 6145™* 3.4 33.0 3.0 2.3 42.0 12 BECK EX 6282™* 2.7 29.0 2.5 2.0 40.7 13 BECK 312R4™* 3.1 34.0 3.0 2.3 40.6 14 BECK EX 6321™* 3.0 31.0 3.0 2.0 40.4 15 BECK EX 6143™* 3.3 33.0 2.5 2.3 40.4 16 BECK EX 6317™* 2.7 26.0 2.0 2.0 39.8 AVERAGE 31.8 2.8 2.1 43.1 HP SOIL - CONVENTIONAL-TILL (ONE REPLICATION) 1 BECK 368NR™* 3.6 48.0 3.0 3.0 68.8 +24.1 2 BECK EX 6317™* 2.7 30.0 2.0 2.0 65.5 +25.7 3 BECK EX 6145™* 3.4 40.0 3.0 3.0 62.7 +20.7 4 BECK 294NR™* 2.9 38.0 4.0 2.5 60.2 +14.8 5 BECK 335NR™* 3.3 40.0 3.0 3.0 58.9 +16.8 6 BECK 312R4™* 3.1 40.0 3.0 3.0 58.5 +17.9 7 BECK EX 6318™* 2.7 30.0 2.0 1.5 57.4 +14.9 8 BECK 6282™* 2.7 32.0 3.0 2.0 57.0 +16.3 9 BECK EX 6143™* 3.3 40.0 3.0 3.0 55.9 +15.5 10 BECK 358R4™* 3.5 40.0 4.0 3.0 54.2 +10.4 11 BECK 278R4™* 2.7 28.0 3.0 1.5 53.4 +3.4 12 BECK EX 6310™* 3.5 40.0 3.0 3.0 53.2 +8.7 13 BECK 418NR™* 4.1 42.0 4.0 3.0 51.3 +5.9 14 BECK 375NR™* 3.7 42.0 3.0 2.5 50.7 +8.7 15 BECK EX 6321™* 3.0 36.0 3.0 2.5 49.0 +8.6 16 BECK 391R4™* 3.9 40.0 3.0 3.5 47.9 +3.2 AVERAGE 37.9 3.1 2.6 56.6 +13.5 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Weedone is a registered trademark of Nufarm Americas Inc. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Ledger is a trademark of TENKOZ, Inc. No-Till: H3 plot; Conventional-Till: 300-1,2 (N) plots.

80 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Advanced Variety in No-Till (MP Soil) & Conventional-Till (HP Soil) - Continued

Summary: This year in the high productive soil, we saw a yield gain for every variety tested when compared to the medium productive no-till soil. This is the first time in five years, the high productive soil had a higher average yield than the medium productive soil. BECK 368NR™* gave us our highest individual yield at 68.8 Bu./A. When all varieties are averaged, across the two soil types, BECK 368NR™* was also highest at 56.8 Bu./A. In past years, we have seen much closer yields between these two plots, but this year the HP soil type stole the show with an average 13.5 Bu./A. advantage over the MP soil.

BECK’S Vertical-Till vs. Conventional-Till Study Soybeans After Corn - 2013

Planted: May 15, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 10, 2013 Tillage: Vertical-Till / Conv.-Till April 9.14 in. ™ Population: 142,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 1.5 pt. Ledger May 3.26 in. Rows: Six 20” rows Post: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® (twice), June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) 1 qt. Class Act® Flex (twice) & 16 oz. Clethodim July 1.67 in. INSECTICIDE: Escalate® August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in. Purpose: To evaluate two tillage practices and their effect on yield in a soybeans after corn rotation. This is the first year for comparing vertical and conventional tillage at the Central Indiana PFR farm. The plan is to keep each tillage practice in the same plot location in order to create another long-term tillage study. The vertical tillage system is a fall and spring tillage pass with a Case IH True-Tandem 330 Turbo. The conventional tillage system consists of a fall v-rip followed by a spring finishing tool.

Plant Pod Standability Bu./A. Emerged Height Height 1 = Erect Bushels† Advantage Brand Population (Inches) (Inches) 2 = Flat Per Acre Conv.-Till Conventional-Till BECK 358R4™* 111,895 35.0 3.0 3.0 56.3 +1.7 BECK 368NR™* 93,110 30.0 3.0 2.8 55.1 +1.0 BECK 375NR™* 86,576 26.0 3.0 2.5 53.8 +1.7 BECK 391R4™* 105,361 30.0 3.0 2.3 53.5 +0.2 BECK 335NR™* 81,675 35.0 3.0 3.0 52.7 +2.7 AVERAGE 95,723 31.2 3.0 2.7 54.3 +1.5 Vertical-till BECK 358R4™* 122,513 31.0 3.0 2.5 54.6 BECK 368NR™* 94,743 32.0 3.0 2.5 54.1 BECK 375NR™* 82,492 33.0 3.0 2.5 52.1 BECK 391R4™* 105,361 30.0 3.0 2.5 53.3 BECK 335NR™* 82,492 32.0 3.0 2.3 50.0 AVERAGE 97,520 31.6 3.0 2.5 52.8 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Ledger is a trademark of TENKOZ, Inc. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. B2 plot.

Summary: This year’s results favored our conventional tillage system. All varieties tested showed a positive yield gain, for an average 1.5 Bu./A., towards conventional tillage. Multi-year testing needs to be completed before making management decisions. 81 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Planting Date Study Tile vs. No Tile - 2013

Planted: Various Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 27, 2013 & Tillage: Disc / V-Rip / S-Tine ® April 9.14 in. October 9, 2013 Herbicide: Post: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX (twice) May 3.26 in. Population: 130,000 seeds/A. 1 qt. Class Act® Flex (twice) Rows: Two 30” rows Insecticide: Escalate® June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: Is it too early to plant soybeans? This question is always on farmers’ minds, come early April, when ground temperatures start to rise. So what is the correct answer? It is difficult to give an exact date, since spring weather conditions can vary year to year. This is the sixteenth year for the Soybean Planting Date Study at the Central Indiana PFR site. It compares two soybean varieties in six planting dates ranging from April 5th to June 19th. This is the first year for comparing all planting dates with and without a tile drainage system.

Pod Standability Planting Plant Height Height 1 = Erect Bushels† Bu./A. Date Drainage Brand (Inches) (Inches) 5 = Flat Per Acre Difference April 5th Tile BECK 294NR™* 32.0 2.0 1.0 45.8 -1.9 April 5th BECK 368NR™* 34.0 2.0 2.0 46.6 -7.9 AVERAGE 33.0 2.0 1.5 46.2 -4.9 April 5th No-Tile BECK 294NR™* 32.0 2.0 1.0 47.7 April 5th BECK 368NR™* 35.0 2.0 2.0 54.5 AVERAGE 33.5 2.0 1.5 51.1 May 2nd Tile BECK 294NR™* 34.0 2.5 1.0 49.7 -0.8 May 2nd BECK 368NR™* 37.0 3.0 1.5 49.9 +0.7 AVERAGE 35.5 2.8 1.3 49.8 -0.1 May 2nd No-Tile BECK 294NR™* 34.0 2.5 1.0 50.5 May 2nd BECK 368NR™* 35.0 3.0 1.5 49.2 AVERAGE 34.5 2.8 1.3 49.9 May 13th Tile BECK 294NR™* 33.0 2.5 1.0 50.1 +1.0 May 13th BECK 368NR™* 35.0 2.0 2.0 47.6 +1.4 AVERAGE 34.0 2.3 1.5 48.9 +1.2 May 13th No-Tile BECK 294NR™* 35.0 3.0 1.0 49.1 May 13th BECK 368NR™* 38.0 3.0 1.5 46.2 AVERAGE 36.5 3.0 1.3 47.7 May 23rd Tile BECK 294NR™* 31.5 3.0 1.0 44.2 +0.0 May 23rd BECK 368NR™* 31.5 2.5 1.0 42.1 -0.8 AVERAGE 31.5 2.8 1.0 43.2 -0.4 May 23rd No-Tile BECK 294NR™* 33.0 2.5 1.5 44.2 May 23rd BECK 368NR™* 35.0 2.5 1.0 42.9 AVERAGE 34.0 2.5 1.3 43.6 June 5th Tile BECK 294NR™* 32.0 3.0 1.0 43.3 -0.8 June 5th BECK 368NR™* 32.0 3.0 1.5 41.7 -1.7 AVERAGE 32.0 3.0 1.3 42.5 -1.3 June 5th No-Tile BECK 294NR™* 33.0 2.5 1.5 44.1 June 5th BECK 368NR™* 33.0 2.0 1.5 43.4 AVERAGE 33.0 2.3 1.5 43.8

82 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Planting Date Study Tile vs. No Tile - Continued Pod Standability Planting Plant Height Height 1 = Erect Bushels† Bu./A. Date Drainage Brand (Inches) (Inches) 5 = Flat Per Acre Difference June 19th Tile BECK 294NR™* 29.0 2.0 1.0 38.1 -4.9 June 19th BECK 368NR™* 30.5 2.0 1.0 38.8 -4.5 AVERAGE 29.8 2.0 1.0 38.5 -4.7 June 19th No-Tile BECK 294NR™* 31.0 2.0 1.0 43.0 June 19th BECK 368NR™* 32.0 2.5 1.0 43.3 AVERAGE 31.5 2.3 1.0 43.2 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. T1, T2 plot.

Tile vs. No-Tile Yield Trend Bu./A. 55

50 May 7th

May 28th Tile 45 No-Tile

35 April 5th May 2nd May 13th May 23rd June 5th June 19th Planting Date

Figure 1.

Central Indiana PFR Assistant, Jason Gahimer, planting the April 5th soybean planting date. 83 Soybean Planting Date 1998-2013

110.00% 107.04% 104.65% 104.64% 105.00% 103.45% 99.30% 100.00% 98.44% 94.68% 95.00% 88.60% 90.00% 87.13% 85.00%

80.00%

Percent of Average Yield Average of Percent 75.00% Central Indiana PFRMar 21-Mar 31 April 2-6 April 9-14 April 15-28 May 1-12 May 13-27 May 29-June 2 June 4-17 June 18-30

Planting Dates BECK’S S Planting Date Study Tile vs. No Tile - Continued 2013 Planting Date Yields Bu./A. 60.0

48.7 49.9 48.3 50.0 43.4 43.2 40.8

40.0

30.0

20.0 April 5th May 2nd May 13th May 23rd June 5th June 19th Planting Date Figure 2.

Soybean Planting Date 1998-2013

110.00% 107.04% 104.65% 104.64% 105.00% 103.45% 99.30% 100.00% 98.44% 94.68% 95.00% 88.60% 90.00% 87.13% 85.00%

80.00%

Percent of Average Yield Average of Percent 75.00% Mar 21-Mar 31 April 2-6 April 9-14 April 15-28 May 1-12 May 13-27 May 29-June 2 June 4-17 June 18-30

Planting Dates

Figure 3.

Summary: This year’s planting date study showed a 201312.6 Bu./A. Planting swing in yield Date across Yieldsall six planting dates. Our first planting date was April 5th and due to the nine plus inches of rain we received in April, the next planting date wasn’t until May 2nd. Similar to our 2011 data, the highest yieldsBu./A. came from our early May planting dates. We saw our highest average yields on May 2nd at 49.9 Bu./A. The non-tiled60.0 section out-yielded the tiled by an average of 1.7 Bu./A. Figure 1 illustrates the tile vs. no-tile yield trend. The two red dashed lines represent the approximate dates when the yield advantage switched between tile and no-tile. The middle of May was the only time frame the tile system48.7 held a yield49.9 advantage. Figure 2 illustrates the 2013 average yield by planting date.48.3 Figure 3 illustrates the percent of average yield for each planting date range over the50.0 past sixteen years. In conclusion, our multi-year optimum soybean planting date is between April 2nd and April 6th. 43.4 43.2 40.8

84 40.0

30.0

20.0 April 5th May 2nd May 13th May 23rd June 5th June 19th Planting Date Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Population / Timing Study - 2013

Planted: Various Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: Various Tillage: Disc/ V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ™ Population: Various Herbicide: Pre: 1.5 pt. Ledger May 3.26 in. Rows: Eleven 15” rows Post: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® (twice), June 6.04 in. 1 qt. Class Act® Flex (twice) & 16 oz. Clethodim INSECTICIDE: Escalate® July 1.67 in. PRODUCT TESTED: BECK 358R4™* August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: Product selection is always important, but it is also important to know the correct seeding rate to help maximize yield and profitability. This study compares five seeding rates, ranging from 100,000 to 200,000, across five different planting dates. The goal is to determine when seeding rates need to be increased as planting progresses later in the season.

Target Emerged Bushels† Approx. Net^ Net Return Planting Date Population Population Per Acre Seed Cost Return Rank May 2 100,000 98,010 61.0 $44.54 $727.11 1 125,000 119,790 58.3 $55.67 $681.83 5 150,000 163,350 60.3 $66.81 $695.99 4 175,000 176,418 62.3 $77.94 $710.16 2 200,000 187,308 63.1 $89.08 $709.14 3 AVERAGE 148,975 61.0 May 14 100,000 108,900 58.8 $44.54 $699.28 2 125,000 124,146 59.0 $55.67 $690.68 4 150,000 141,570 60.3 $66.81 $695.99 3 175,000 165,528 58.2 $77.94 $658.29 5 200,000 193,842 64.6 $89.08 $728.11 1 AVERAGE 146,797 60.2 May 24 100,000 104,544 59.2 $44.54 $704.34 5 125,000 130,680 61.2 $55.67 $718.51 4 150,000 165,528 65.0 $66.81 $755.44 1 175,000 182,952 64.1 $77.94 $732.93 3 200,000 202,554 65.3 $89.08 $736.97 2 AVERAGE 157,252 62.9 june 5 100,000 104,544 63.4 $44.54 $757.47 1 125,000 137,214 62.0 $55.67 $728.63 3 150,000 163,350 63.2 $66.81 $732.67 2 175,000 178,596 63.1 $77.94 $720.28 5 200,000 198,198 64.4 $89.08 $725.58 4 AVERAGE 165,380 63.2 June 19 100,000 117,612 55.7 $44.54 $660.07 2 125,000 126,324 56.7 $55.67 $661.59 1 150,000 150,282 56.4 $66.81 $646.65 3 175,000 169,884 56.1 $77.94 $631.73 4 200,000 185,130 54.9 $89.08 $605.41 5 AVERAGE 149,846 56.0 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. ^Net return based on $12.65/Bu. soybeans, $57.90/unit seed cost *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Ledger is a trademark of TENKOZ, Inc. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. C2 plot.

85 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Population / Timing Study - Continued

Summary: This year’s study showed a seeding rate of 100,000 seeds/A. to be most profitable for soybeans planted on May 2nd. The highest return from the May 14th planting date came from planting 200,000 seeds/A. The data for the month of June does not correlate with what we would normally expect to see. Our highest returns in June came from the two lowest populations, when it would normally be the two highest populations. Multi-year data needs to be collected in order to draw a conclusion on when populations should be increased during each planting season.

BECK’S Foliar Insecticide Study - 2013

Planted: May 7, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 18, 2013 Tillage: Disc / V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ™ Population: 130,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 1.5 pt. Ledger May 3.26 in. Rows: Eight 30” rows Post: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX®, 16 oz. Clethodim June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 263NR™* July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate two different insecticides at the R3 (beginning pod) growth stage.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment 3.2 oz. Mustang® Maxx @ R3 10.6 54.2 +5.6 $674.75 +$59.96 4 oz. DoubleTake™ @ R3 10.7 53.4 +4.8 $660.54 +$45.75 Control 10.7 48.6 ---- $614.79 ---- AVERAGE 10.7 52.1 +5.2 $650.03 +$52.86 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. ® ® *XL brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return based on $12.65/Bu. soybeans, $215/gal. Mustang Maxx, $303/gal. Double Take, and $5.50/A. application cost. Ledger is a trademark of TENKOZ, Inc. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Mustang is a registered trademark of FMC Corp. DoubleTake is a registered trademark of Chemtura AgroSolutions. F4 plot.

Summary: In past years’ research, across multiple PFR sites, we have found that the R3 growth stage tends to be the most profitable time to apply an insecticide. This year we didn’t have an insect pressure near the threshold of needing to apply an insecticide. However, these treatments gained an average 5.2 Bu./A. with a positive return on investment of $52.86/A.

86 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Foliar Fungicide / Insecticide Study- 2013

Planted: May 6, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 28, 2013 Tillage: Disc / V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ™ Population: 166,196 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 1.5 pt. Ledger May 3.26 in. Rows: Eleven 15” rows Post: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® (twice) June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) & 1 qt. Class Act® Flex (twice) insecticide: Escalate® July 1.67 in. Product Tested: BECK 375NR™* August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in. Purpose: Higher soybean prices make yield-enhancing crop inputs more attractive. One potential input on many growers’ minds is foliar fungicides to help manage several common foliar diseases. This study was designed to evaluate different fungicides with and without a fungicide activator and an insecticide. All treatments were applied at the R3 growth stage. Priaxor™ features the most advanced chemistry ever developed for a range of crops including soybeans, potatoes, and tomatoes. It is powered by Xemium® fungicide, a new active ingredient that continuously distributes its chemistry throughout the leaf to deliver more consistent disease protection. Priaxor™ is a combination of Xemium® and the same active ingredient in Headline® fungicide. This combination delivers continuous protection and plant health benefits. Stratego® YLD fungicide features the latest in triazole technology for corn and soybeans. Offering two modes of action, it provides both preventive and curative activities and systemic movement to provide broad-spectrum, long-lasting disease control and higher yield potential. Stratego® YLD can be applied to corn, early season and/or at tassel, or soybeans. Quadris® fungicide offers optimal disease control to help corn, potato, soybean and vegetable growers, among others, to maximize return on investment. It is broad-spectrum and provides complete plant protection with its xylem-mobile systemic activity. Quadris® also enables crops to utilize resources like air, water and nutrients more efficiently. Chaperone is a highly concentrated fungicide spray activator designed specifically to ameliorate the activity of fungicides. Chaperone aids in improving both efficacy and residual control of fungicides used in your disease control program. Cobalt® Advanced insecticide is a new, high-performance insect management tool with multiple modes of action that delivers fast knockdown and excellent residual control of a broad spectrum of insects in an innovative low-odor formulation.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Cost of Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Treatment Return Investment Control 11.1 58.6 ---- $0.00 $741.29 ---- 8 oz. Priaxor™ 10.9 63.0 +4.4 $38.56 $758.39 +$17.10 4 oz. Stratego® YLD 11.0 61.6 +3.0 $23.69 $755.55 +$14.26 8 oz. Quadris® 10.8 60.8 +2.2 $28.31 $740.81 -$0.48 8 oz. Priaxor + 16 oz. Chaperone 11.1 60.4 +1.8 $54.19 $709.87 -$31.42 4 oz. Stratego YLD + 16 oz. Chaperone 10.9 60.4 +1.8 $39.32 $724.74 -$16.55 8 oz. Quadris + 16 oz. Chaperone 11.1 60.0 +1.4 $43.94 $715.06 -$26.23 8 oz. Priaxor + 24 oz. Cobalt® Advanced 11.1 60.7 +2.1 $48.87 $718.99 -$22.30 4 oz. Stratego YLD + 24 oz. Cobalt Advanced 11.1 60.3 +1.7 $34.00 $728.80 -$12.49 8 oz. Quadris + 24 oz. Cobalt Advanced 11.2 60.8 +2.2 $38.62 $730.50 -$10.79 Average 11.0 60.7 +2.3 $34.95 $732.40 -$9.88 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. ^Net return based on $12.65/Bu. soybeans, $529/gal. Priaxor, $582/gal. Stratego YLD, $365/gal. Quadris, $125/gal. Chaperone, $55/gal. Cobalt Advanced, and $5.50/A. application charge. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Ledger is a trademark of TENKOZ, Inc. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Priaxor is a trademark of BASF. Stratego is a registered trademark of Bayer. Quadris is a registered trademark of Syngenta Group Company. Colbalt is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Chaperone is distributed by The CISCO Companies.

Summary: Scouting for disease pressure in soybeans should be done prior to the R3 growth stage, especially if the weather has been rainy and/or humid. These types of conditions increase the plants susceptibility to foliar diseases. Up until August, we received favorable weather conditions for high disease pressure. This year’s results show a yield increase for every treatment we tested compared to the untreated control. However, with the lack of moisture during the reproductive stage, we did not find any diseases nearing their respective economic thresholds. For this reason, our yield gains were not adequate enough to receive high economic returns. Priaxor™ and Stratego® YLD alone, were the only treatments with a positive return on investment. Although, when paired with a fungicide activator or an insecticide, there were no yield increases from any of the three fungicides tested. In conclusion, it is important to scout and determine the type of disease(s) and their thresholds, before using a foliar fungicide. 87 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Aproach Fungicide Study - 2013

Planted: May 30, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 11, 2013 Tillage: Disk / V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ™ Population: 149,672 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 1.5 pt. Ledger May 3.26 in. Rows: Five 15” rows Post: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® (twice), June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) 1 qt. Class Act® Flex (twice) & 16 oz. Clethodim Insecticide: Escalate® July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: To evaluate plant health and yield response to a foliar application of Aproach™ fungicide. Aproach claims to provide effective plant disease control of foliar and soil-borne diseases, including white mold, frogeye leaf spot, brown spot and Asian soybean rust.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment BECK 325NR™* 6 oz. Aproach™ @ R3 12.7 61.0 +0.7 $751.52 -$11.28 Control 12.6 60.3 ---- $762.80 ----- AVERAGE 12.6 60.7 $757.16 BECK 335NR™* 6 oz. Aproach™ @ R3 12.8 60.8 +1.4 $748.99 -$2.42 Control 12.9 59.4 ---- $751.41 ----- AVERAGE 12.9 60.1 $750.41

†Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. ® ® *XL brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return based on $12.65/Bu. soybeans, $312/gal. Aproach, and $5.50/A. application cost. Aproach is a trademark of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. Ledger is a trademark of TENKOZ, Inc. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. D2 & D3 plots.

Summary: In early August, when scouting the plot, we noticed instances of white mold. The white mold was controlled where we applied Aproach™ but not in the untreated control. We received a positive yield response to the R3 applications of Aproach in both soybean varieties. When averaged, we gained 1.1 Bu./A. with the use of Aproach fungicide. However, when treatment costs were figured, the yield gains were not significant enough to earn a return on investment. Further testing needs to be conducted before drawing a conclusion on the use of Aproach.

88 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S High Yield Seed Treatment Study - 2013

Planted: May 30, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 11, 2013 Tillage: Moldboard / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ™ Population: 188,620 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 1.5 pt. Ledger May 3.26 in. Rows: Eleven 15” rows Post: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® (twice) June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) 1 qt. Class Act® Flex (twice) & 16 oz. Clethodim INSECTICIDE: Escalate® July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: In an effort to achieve higher yielding soybeans, CINPFR developed two seed treatment combinations. Those two treatment combinations were compared against Beck’s Escalate® seed treatment. Protinus™ seed-applied fertilizer improves seedling growth by providing plants small amounts of important nutrients right after germination, before the plant can easily access soil nutrients on its own. TJ QuickRoots™ is a foundational, microbial seed inoculant for increased yield. Optimize® with LCO Promoter Technology® for soybeans claims to enable crops to achieve its full genetic potential by enhancing nutritional capabilities that drive natural growth processes, maximizing plant health, and crop performance.

Emerged Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Treatments Population Moisture Per Acre Difference Beck 368NR™* Extensive: Escalate® + Protinus™ + TJ QuickRoots™ + Optimize® (2x rate) 187,308 11.7 69.5 -0.1 Base: Escalate + Optimize 200,376 11.2 69.0 -0.6 Control: Escalate 184,041 11.7 69.6 ------AVERAGE 190,575 11.5 69.4 -0.3 BECK 335NR™* Extensive: Escalate + Protinus + TJ QuickRoots + Optimize (2x rate) 196,020 11.9 68.6 +0.7 Base: Escalate + Optimize 178,596 11.9 69.0 +1.1 Control: Escalate 170,973 11.6 67.9 ------AVERAGE 181,863 11.8 68.5 +0.9 Treatment summary Extensive: Escalate + Protinus + TJ QuickRoots + Optimize (2x rate) 191,664 11.8 69.1 +0.3 Base: Escalate + Optimize 189,486 11.5 69.0 +0.2 Control: Escalate 177,507 11.6 68.8 ------AVERAGE 186,219 11.6 69.0 +0.3 †Bushels per acre are corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Ledger is a trademark of TENKOZ, Inc. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Protinus is a trademark of Wolf Trax. QuickRoots is a trademark of TJ Technologies, Inc. Optimize is a registered trademark of Novozymes A/S. Clark plot.

Summary: Overall, we saw a 0.3 Bu/A. increase from the treatments when compared to our control (Escalate). However, the 69.0 Bu./A. plot average was our highest for the 2013 growing season.

89 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Residue Management Study - 2013

Planted: May 7, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 26, 2013 Tillage: No-Till April 9.14 in. ™ Population: 130,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 1.5 pt. Ledger May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30" rows Post: 1 qt. Liberty® (twice), 1 qt. Class Act® (twice) June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) & 16 oz. Clethodim INSECTICIDE: Escalate® July 1.67 in. Product Tested: BECK 354L4 August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: This study was designed to help manage increasing corn residue due to higher plant populations and/or minimized tillage practices. All treatments were applied on September 28th, 2012. RES 16™ is a bio-stimulant liquid enzyme that accelerates decomposition of crop residue by stimulating soil microorganisms to break down organic matter. S-120320 is a liquid biological formulation of micronutrients, enzymes and other natural organic compounds that enhance microbial breakdown. P-256 is a liquid biological combination of enzymes, beneficial bacteria and other organisms designed to enhance soil microbial health & tilth.

Emerged Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Population Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment 16 oz. RES 16™ 96,921 10.5 62.8 +4.2 $779.42 +$38.13 24 oz. S-120320 106,178 10.6 62.8 +4.2 $782.17 +$40.88 15 gal. 28% 97,466 10.3 52.2 -6.4 $625.77 -$115.52 1 gal. P-256 96,921 10.6 52.0 -6.6 $637.30 -$103.99 Control 99,099 10.9 58.6 ---- $741.29 ----- Average: 99,371 10.5 57.5 -1.2 $713.19 -$35.13

†Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. ^Net return based on $12.65/Bu. soybeans, $76/gal. Res 16, $36/gal. S-120320, $15/gal. P-256, $366/ton 28% UAN, and $5.50/A. application cost. Ledger is a registered trademark of Tenkoz, Inc. Liberty is a registered trademark of Bayer CropScience. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. RES 16 is a trademark of Bioenzyme, LLC. G1 plot.

Summary: The 2013 data shows mixed results for the products tested. For the second consecutive year, the use of 28% netted a triple digit loss. RES 16™ and S-120320 were our highest yielding treatments at 62.8 Bu./A. However, due to a lower product cost, we received a higher return on investment from S-120320 at $40.88/A. For the past two years, RES 16 has been our most consistent residue management product. The two year average shows a $54.09/A. return from a fall application of RES 16.

90 If you are interested in trying RES 16, contact Beck's Hybrids home office at 800-937-2325 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Soil Amendment Study - 2013

Planted: May 7, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 26, 2013 Tillage: No-Till April 9.14 in. ™ Population: 130,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 1.5 pt. Ledger May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 1 qt. Liberty® (twice), 1 qt. Class Act® Flex (twice) June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) & 16 oz. Clethodim INSECTICIDE: Escalate® July 1.67 in. Product Tested: BECK 337L4 August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: Over the years, the Beck’s Practical Farm Research team has evaluated a wide range of management techniques and new technologies to help growers improve their overall profits. The increased interest in how practices such as reduced tillage and cover crops affect the sustainability of our soils, have led us to implement our Soil Amendment Study. The goal is to evaluate cultural practices, as well as products that might help feed and promote the activity of soil microorganisms. The list below describes products tested in this year’s study. S-120320: A liquid biological formulation of micronutrients, enzymes and other natural organic compounds that enhance microbial breakdown. Elemental Enzyme VersaShield: An experimental product with a protective protein shell. Beck’s Soybean Builder Mix: A combination of 81% annual ryegrass, 16% Groundbuilder Radish and 3% Appin turnips. This mix is a great combination of fiberous roots and tubers, which helps break up layers of compaction.This mix works well when planted ahead of soybeans. RES 16™: A bio-stimulant liquid enzyme that accelerates the decomposition of crop residue by stimulating soil microogranisms to break down organic matter.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference 8 oz. S-120320 + 16 oz. Elemental Enzyme VersaShield 10.8 60.2 +8.8 24 lbs./A. Soybean Builder Mix 11.3 58.8 +7.4 16 oz. Elemental Enzyme VersaShield 10.7 57.6 +6.2 8 oz. RES 16™ + 16 oz. Elemental Enzyme VersaShield 10.5 53.8 +2.4 Control 10.6 51.4 ----- Average 10.8 56.4 +6.2 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. Ledger is a trademark of TENKOZ, Inc. Liberty is a registered trademark of Bayer. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. RES 16 is a trademark of Bioenzyme, LLC. G2 plot.

Summary: This year’s results showed a yield gain from every product tested when compared to the untreated control. We gained 6.2 Bu./A. with the application of Elemental Enzyme VersaShield. However, when we combined the Elemental Enzyme product with S-120320 we gained an additional 2.6 Bu./A, leading to our highest yield increase of 8.8 Bu./A. Beck’s Soybean Builder Mix was also a top performer with a 7.4 Bu./A. yield gain. We plan to continue evaluating various methods of improving soil health at the Central Indiana PFR site.

91 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Micronutrient Study - 2013

Planted: May 15, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 26, 2013 Tillage: V-Rip / S-Tine April 9.14 in. ™ Population: 142,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 1.5 qt. Ledger May 3.26 in. Rows: Six 20” rows Post: 1 qt. Liberty® (twice), 1 qt. Class Act® Flex (twice) June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) & 16 oz. Clethodim Insecticide: Escalate® July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: This study evaluated multiple micronutrient products in an effort to boost soybean yields. All treatments were tank mixed with Liberty and applied at the V4 or R1 growth stage depending on product type. VersaMax™ Mn provides the micronutrient manganese (Mn). Manganese is essential in plant growth affecting carbohydrate and nitrogen assimilation, chlorophyll production and crop maturity. VersaMax Mn is intended to be used as a supplement to a standard fertilizer program. VersaMax™ Soybean is a dynamic mixture of macro and micronutrients that can be applied as a foliar, row starter, or sidedress application. VersaMax Soybean improves plant health by providing efficient delivery of nitrogen (N) and other essential nutrients (S, Fe, Mn, and Zn) as part of a total fertility program that will decrease plant stress and increase yield potential. Max-In® Ultra Mn is an effective foliar product that supplies manganese, which is vital for increased plant health and growth. Max- In products featuring the Ultra formulation include SureTank™ technology for enhanced compatibility with glyphosate and other postemergent herbicides, as well as soluble fertilizers. Max-In® Ultra ZMB consists of zinc, manganese, sulfur, and boron. Max-In products include patented CornSorb™ technology, which greatly increases movement of the micronutrients through the leaf cuticle to internal leaf structures. This makes more of the applied nutrient available for use by the plant.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment BECK 297NL 2 qts. VersaMax™ Soybean @ R1 11.2 58.8 +8.9 $731.32 +$100.08 2 qts. VersaMax™ Mn @ V4 10.9 57.8 +7.9 $724.67 +$93.43 2 qts. Max-In® Ultra Mn @ V4 11.1 55.9 +6.0 $697.14 +$65.90 2 qts. Max-In Ultra ZMB @ R1 11.1 55.4 +5.5 $688.31 +$57.07 Control 11.4 49.9 ---- $631.24 ----- AVERAGE 11.1 55.6 +7.1 $694.54 +$79.12 BECK 298L4 2 qts. VersaMax Mn @ V4 11.3 58.7 +9.4 $736.06 +$112.41 2 qts. Max-In Ultra ZMB @ R1 11.5 58.1 +8.8 $722.47 +$98.82 2 qts. Max-In Ultra Mn @ V4 11.3 53.5 +4.2 $666.78 +$43.13 2 qts. VersaMax Soybean @ R1 11.4 51.7 +2.4 $641.51 +$17.86 Control 11.4 49.3 ---- $623.65 ----- AVERAGE 11.4 54.2 +6.2 $678.09 +$68.06 Treatment Summary 2 qts. VersaMax Mn @ V4 11.1 58.3 +8.7 $731.00 +$103.56 2 qts. Max-In Ultra ZMB @ R1 11.3 56.7 +7.1 $704.76 +$77.32 2 qts. VersaMax Soybean @ R1 11.3 55.3 +5.7 $687.05 +$59.61 2 qts. Max-In Ultra Mn @ V4 11.2 54.7 +5.1 $681.96 +$54.52 Control 11.4 49.6 ---- $627.44 ----- AVERAGE 11.2 54.9 +6.7 $686.44 +$73.75 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. ^Net return based on $12.65/Bu. soybeans, $25/gal. VersaMax Soybean, $13/gal. VersaMax Mn, $25/gal. Max-In Ultra ZMB, and $20/gal. Max-In Ultra Mn VersaMax is a trademark of Midtech R&D, Inc. Max-In and Class Act are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Ledger is a registered trademark of Tenkoz, Inc. Liberty is a registered trademark of Bayer CropScience. L2 plot. 92 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Micronutrient Study - Continued

2 Year VersaMax ROI

$/A. $120.00

$100.00 +$44.04/A. Average $80.00 2012 $60.00 2013

$40.00

$20.00

$0.00 VersaMax Mn VersaMax Soybean Figure 1. Summary: We saw a yield gain and a postive return on investment (ROI) from all products tested. When averaged, VersaMax Mn gave the highest ROI at $103.56/A. Max-In Ultra ZMB was also a strong performer with an average 7.1 Bu./A. yield gain which equates to a $77.32/A. ROI. BECK 297NL had a higher average response to the micronutrient applications when compared to BECK 298L4. This is the second year for testing VersaMax™ Soybean and VersaMax™ Mn. Last year, we received positive results from both VersaMax products when tank mixed with glyphosate. Figure 1 illustrates the two year return on investment from both VersaMax products.

BECK’S Double Crop Soybean Study - 2013

Planted: July 13, 2013 Previous Crop: Wheat RAINFALL Harvested: November 9, 2013 Tillage: No-Till April 9.14 in. ® Population: Various Herbicide: Post: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX & May 3.26 in. Rows: Twenty-four 7.5” rows 1 qt. Class Act® Flex June 6.04 in. Eleven 15” rows Insecticide: Escalate® Replications: Two (averaged) PRODUCT TESTED: BECK 294NR™* July 1.67 in. August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in. Purpose: To evaluate BECK 294NR™* double crop soybeans planted at 7.5 and 15 inch row spacings. The population in 15 inch rows was also decreased in an attempt to raise return on investment.

Plant Pod Row Planted Lodging Height Height Percent Bushels† Net^ Return on Spacing Population (Rating 1-5) (Inches) (Inches) Moisture Per Acre Return Investment 7.5" 275,000 1.5 24.0 1.0 16.1 33.1 $298.35 ----- 15" 275,000 1.3 24.0 1.5 15.7 36.2 $337.56 +$39.21 15" 250,000 1.5 24.0 1.5 15.7 35.0 $333.33 +$34.98 AVERAGE 1.4 24.0 1.3 15.8 34.8 $323.08 +$37.10 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. ^Net return based on $12.65/Bu. soybeans $56.90/unit seed cost.

Summary: When comparing the two row spacings planted at 275,000 seeds/A., we saw a 3.1 Bu./A. yield increase from the 15 inch rows. The additional yield gave us a $39.21/A. advantage over the 7.5 inch rows. Our 15 inch planter was able to provide better depth control and seed to soil contact compared to the 7.5 inch Tye drill. At emergence, stands were more consistent in the 15 inch row spacing regardless of population. When comparing the two 15 inch populations, we were unsuccessful at increasing our net profits by lowering the population by 25,000 seeds/A. 93 Central Indiana PFR

BECK’S Soybean After Cover Crop Study - 2013

Planted: May 7, 2013 Previous Crop: Cover Crop / Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 18, 2013 Tillage: No-Till April 9.14 in. ® ® Population: 130,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX & 12 oz. Weedone May 3.26 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Pre: 1.5 pt. Ledger™ June 6.04 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Post: 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX®, 16 oz. Clethodim INSECTICIDE: Escalate® July 1.67 in. Product Tested: BECK 278R4™* August 1.12 in. Total 21.23 in.

Purpose: To evaluate soybeans planted after various cover crops. We used five different cover crop mixes, four of which are sold by Beck’s and the other is an experimental custom mix. The cover crops were broadcast into the standing corn crop on September 6, 2012. Cover Crops: Beck’s Crimson Clover: Consists of AU Robin Crimson Clover. This legume produces nitrogen and stimulates your soil health. It also works well in mixes. Beck’s Corn Champion Mix: Consists of AU Robin Crimson Clover, GroundHog™ Radish and Appin Turnip. This mix produces and scavenges nitrogen. Punisher Mix: Oats, Radish and Phecilia Beck’s Annual Ryegrass: Can grow up to 40+ inches deep to break up soil compaction, scavenge nutrients, build organic matter, add tilth and increase water holding capacity. Beck’s Soybean Builder Mix: Combination of winter hardy Annual Ryegrass, GroundHog Radish and Appin Turnip. This mix scavenges nitrogen, breaks up soil compaction and increases water holding capacity.

Application Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Cover Crop Net^ Return on Cover Crop Rate/A. Moisture Per Acre Difference Cost/A. Return Investment Beck’s Crimson Clover 18 lbs. 10.9 63.7 +3.0 $21.60 $778.71 +$10.85 Beck’s Corn Champion Mix 22 lbs. 11.2 63.2 +2.8 $35.20 $758.78 -$9.08 Punisher Mix 45 lbs. 11.2 62.9 +0.9 $22.40 $767.79 -$0.07 Beck’s Annual Ryegrass 20 lbs. 10.8 60.8 +0.1 $14.00 $749.62 -$18.24 Beck’s Soybean Builder Mix 24 lbs. 10.9 60.4 -0.3 $25.20 $733.36 -$34.50 Control ---- 10.9 60.7 ------$767.86 ---- Average 11.0 62.0 +1.3 $23.68 $759.35 -$10.21 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on $12.65/Bu. soybeans, $1.20/lb. Crimson Clover, $1.60/lb. Corn Champion Mix, $0.70/lb. Ryegrass, $1.05/lb. Soybean Builder Mix, $0.35/lb. Oats, $2.30/lb. radishes, $2/lb. Phecilia, and $5.50/A. application charge. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Weedone is a registered trademark of Nufarm Americas Inc. Ledger is a trademark of TENKOZ, Inc. GroundHog is a trademark of AMPAC Seed Company. H2 plot.

Summary: Unfortunately, only one out of the five cover crops gave us a positive return on investment. Average yields were within 1.3 Bu./A. compared to the control. In analyzing the total system cost for both rotations, soybeans after cover crops showed an average negative return of $10.21/A. This study does not include herbicide costs, due to varying programs that are used with cover crops. Any such costs should be taken into consideration when dealing with a cover crop system.

94 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Corn Show Plot - 2013

Planted: May 15, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 26, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper / field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 30,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Three 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Yield Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Rank Brand Population Weight Moisture Per Acre 1 Beck EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 30,500 58.7 20.3 248.2 2 Beck 6543HR™* 29,330 61.7 21.8 245.2 3 Beck 6626AM™* 30,160 60.1 22.3 242.0 4 Phoenix 5552A4** 30,660 56.0 21.8 241.9 5 Phoenix 5642A4** 30,500 56.2 21.8 240.2 6 Beck 5475AM™* 30,160 59.7 19.7 239.8 7 Beck 5509VR 29,830 58.4 20.6 239.7 8 Beck 6175AM™* 30,500 60.4 21.9 236.6 9 Beck EX 1317 (6372wx Genetics)™* 29,500 62.0 22.2 233.2 10 Beck 6272HR™* 30,160 61.4 21.4 232.2 11 BECK 5385A3 31,160 60.4 19.8 230.9 12 Phoenix 6542A4** 28,660 57.5 24.5 228.7 13 BECK 6948A3 30,500 57.3 22.8 225.6 14 Beck EX 1315 (6175AMXT Genetics)™* 30,330 60.6 21.4 222.1 15 Beck 6733HXR™* 30,000 59.9 22.7 220.1 16 Beck EX 1326 (6778AM Genetics)™* 26,500 56.8 22.5 217.3 17 Beck 6077AM™* 30,160 60.0 20.7 214.7 18 BECK 6348A3 29,330 58.3 22.9 212.9 19 BECK 6575HR™* 29,830 60.0 23.2 211.3 20 Phoenix 5726A4** 29,830 56.9 23.0 207.7 Average 29,880 59.1 21.9 229.5 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC.

95 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S 300 Bushel Attempt - 2013

Planted: May 13, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 27, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 38,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Six 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: For this year’s attempt to break 300 bushel corn, we looked at a combination of different treatments. These treatments included row starters, Headline® fungicide in-furrow, increasing nitrogen, utilizing a high seeding rate, and using a two pass foliar fungicide and insecticide program to obtain our goal. Each entry received a total of 235 units of nitrogen. Nitrogen applications were split applied with 32.6 units applied preplant and incorporated at planting, 32.6 units 2x2 starter treatment and the balance sidedressed at V4 to minimize nitrogen loss. This year’s entries were planted at approximately 38,500 seeds per acre and received 4 oz. of Priaxor™ fungicide, 1.28 oz. of Warrior II® and 8 oz. of Bio-Forge® at V6, followed by an application of Headline AMP® at a 10 oz. rate with 1.28 oz. of Warrior II and 1 gal. of Coron® at R1.

3 Rep Yield Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Average Rank Brand Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Bu./A. Rep 1 1 BECK 6626AM™* 37,500 59.5 22.3 288.7 284.5 2 BECK Ex 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 38,660 58.4 21.2 273.2 268.2 3 BECK 6543HR™* 37,160 61.6 21.8 268.5 266.2 4 BECK 6175AM™* 37,500 59.7 21.5 261.3 260.2 5 BECK 5509A3 39,660 57.4 21.7 255.6 249.5 6 Phoenix 6542A4** 37,330 56.1 24.2 255.8 249.7 Average 37,968 58.8 22.1 267.2 Rep 2 1 BECK 6626AM™* 37,500 58.2 23.0 282.5 2 BECK 6543HR™* 38,330 62.2 20.8 269.3 3 BECK Ex 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 38,330 60.4 20.2 264.2 4 BECK 6175AM™* 38,160 60.8 20.9 263.9 5 BECK 5509A3 38,000 58.1 20.6 245.9 6 Phoenix 6542A4** 37,160 55.3 25.4 244.2 Average 37,913 59.2 21.8 261.7 Rep 3 1 BECK 6626AM™* 38,160 59.0 23.3 282.4 2 BECK Ex 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 38,330 58.6 21.2 267.2 3 BECK 6543HR™* 35,830 62.1 22.6 260.9 4 BECK 6175AM™* 38,000 59.4 22.4 255.3 5 Phoenix 6542A4** 38,000 56.6 25.8 249.1 6 BECK 5509A3 37,830 57.5 22.2 247.1 Average 37,692 58.9 22.9 260.3

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto and Warrior II are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Headline and Headline AMP are registered trademarks of BASF. Priaxor is a trademark of BASF. Bio-Forge is a registered trademark of Stoller, USA. Coron is a registered trademark of Helena Holding Company.

Summary: This year’s long grain fill period and cool temperatures resulted in the highest yields that we have produced in the 9 year history of the Southern Indiana / Kentucky PFR program. BECK 6626AM™* topped this year’s 300 Bushel Attempt at a yield of 288.7 Bu./A. This 114 day hybrid continued to show its tremendous top end yield potential by averaging over 284 Bu./A. across all three replications! BECK EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* produced the second highest average yield at 268.2 Bu./A. followed by BECK 6543HR™* at 266.2 Bu./A. 96 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Fungicide Timing Study - 2013

Planted: May 16, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 2, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 32,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Four 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the performance of foliar fungicides on corn at various timings. Three treatments were compared to an untreated control: a single application of 4 oz. Priaxor™ applied at V5; a two pass program of 4 oz. Priaxor sprayed at V5 followed by 10 oz. of Headline AMP® at VT; and a single application of 10 oz. Headline AMP applied at the VT growth stage. Three hybrids representing the three levels of hybrid response (high, medium, and low) were used to evaluate if the optimum timing of application is affected by hybrid susceptibility.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Gross Minus^ Treatment Return on^ Brand & Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Drying Costs Cost^ Investment Phoenix 5552A4** — High Susceptibility Control 22.5 255.1 $1,301.01 $0.00 ---- 4 oz. Priaxor™ @ V5 22.2 255.4 +0.3 $1,305.60 $16.53 -$11.94 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 + 10 oz. Headline AMP® @ VT 23.4 254.2 -0.9 $1,287.27 $43.20 -$56.94 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 24.2 256.3 +1.2 $1,289.70 $26.67 -$37.98 AVERAGE 23.1 255.3 +0.2 BECK 5509A3 — Medium Susceptibility Control 20.6 243.4 $1,259.84 $0.00 ---- 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 20.1 258.7 +15.3 $1,344.21 $16.53 +$67.84 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 + 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 20.7 259.1 +15.7 $1,340.07 $43.20 +$37.03 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 21.2 255.6 +12.2 $1,316.85 $26.67 +$30.34 AVERAGE 20.7 254.2 +14.4 BECK 6175AMX™* — Low Susceptibility Control 22.1 240.2 $1,228.86 $0.00 ---- 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 21.6 236.2 -4.0 $1,213.12 $16.53 -$32.27 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 + 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 22.0 237.4 -2.8 $1,215.49 $43.20 -$56.58 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 22.5 226.7 -13.5 $1,156.17 $26.67 -$99.36 AVERAGE 22.1 235.1 -6.8 Summary Control 21.7 246.2 $1,263.50 $0.00 ---- 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 21.3 250.1 +3.9 $1,287.51 $16.53 +$7.49 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 + 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 22.0 250.2 +4.0 $1,281.02 $43.20 -$25.67 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 22.6 246.2 +0.0 $1,254.64 $26.67 -$35.53 AVERAGE 21.9 248.2 +2.6 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Return on investment is gross income of treatment (Bu./A. x $5.40/Bu.) minus drying cost ($0.04/Bu./point moisture above 15%) minus cost of treatment (Headline AMP $271.00/gal., Priaxor $529.00/gal., application charge $5.50/A.) minus gross income and drying charges for control. Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Priaxor is a trademark of BASF. Headline AMP is a registered trademark of BASF.

Summary: We experienced heavy gray leaf spot pressure and moderate to low northern corn leaf blight pressure this summer at the Kentucky PFR farm due to cool temperatures and ample moisture. This resulted in all three fungicide treatments providing significant increases in yield and profitability on BECK 5509A3. However, there was little to no yield increase with any of the fungicide treatments applied to BECK 6175AMX™* or Phoenix 5552A4**. Even though this year’s results may not have correlated as closely as we would have liked to our fungicide response ratings, it still reminds us that variation in hybrid susceptibility to disease plays a critical role in determining the profitability of fungicide applications on corn. Check out our VT Fungicide Study to see how more of our corn hybrids responded when treated with a foliar fungicide. 97 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S VT Fungicide Study - 2013

Planted: May 16, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 10, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 32,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Three 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: In recent years there has been a growing interest in controlling foliar diseases that can severely limit corn yields. This study was established to evaluate the benefits of applying foliar fungicides on the majority of the genetic families Beck’s offers in the southern marketing area. Applications were made at full tassel with a Hagie high-clearance sprayer using 15 gallons of water per acre. Diseases commonly seen at the Kentucky PFR location include gray leaf spot, southern leaf blight, and northern corn leaf blight along with occasional occurrences of southern and common rust, anthracnose and diplodia ear rot.

Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Return on^ Brand Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Investment BECK Ex 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* Untreated 59.2 19.5 261.7 ------BECK Ex 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 10 oz. Headline AMP® 59.0 20.5 271.2 +9.5 +$12.07 BECK 5475AMX™* Untreated 59.5 18.8 233.6 ------BECK 5475AMX™* 10 oz. Headline AMP 59.4 19.5 243.2 +9.6 +$16.90 BECK 5509A3 Untreated 58.9 20.6 243.4 ------BECK 5509A3 10 oz. Headline AMP 58.9 21.2 255.6 +12.2 +$30.34 Phoenix 5552A4** Untreated 58.7 22.5 255.1 ------Phoenix 5552A4** 10 oz. Headline AMP 58.7 24.2 256.3 +1.2 -$37.98 BECK 6272HR™* Untreated 59.2 20.9 237.6 ------BECK 6272HR™ 10 oz. Headline AMP 59.2 21.1 251.8 +14.2 +$44.64 BECK 6543HR™* Untreated 59.2 21.1 254.9 ------BECK 6543HR™* 10 oz. Headline AMP 59.0 21.4 265.0 +10.1 +$22.23 Phoenix 6542A4** Untreated 58.5 25.7 233.6 ------Phoenix 6542A4** 10 oz. Headline AMP 58.6 27.1 236.9 +3.3 -$23.53 BECK 6626AMX™* Untreated 58.7 25.6 248.2 ------BECK 6626AMX™* 10 oz. Headline AMP 58.8 26.4 255.3 +7.1 +$0.49 BECK 6948A3 Untreated 58.6 23.2 255.8 ------BECK 6948A3 10 oz. Headline AMP 58.5 25.4 249.2 -6.6 -$82.07 BECK Ex 1326 (6778AM Genetics)™* Untreated 58.4 22.9 240.1 ------BECK Ex 1326 (6778AM Genetics)™* 10 oz. Headline AMP 58.3 24.6 244.5 +4.4 -$20.93 Average 249.7 +6.5 -$3.78 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Return on investment is gross income of treatment (Bu./A. x $5.40/Bu.) minus drying cost ($0.04/Bu. per point moisture above 15%) minus cost of treatment (10 oz. of Headline AMP @ $271.00/gal. and $5.50/A. application charge) minus gross income and drying charges of untreated. Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Headline AMP is a registered trademark of BASF.

98 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S VT Fungicide Study - Continued

VT Fungicide: Net Return / Acre $60.00

$40.00

$20.00

$0.00

-$20.00

-$40.00

Net Return / Acre Net Return / -$60.00

-$80.00

-$100.00 BECK BECK BECK Phoenix BECK BECK Phoenix BECK BECK BECK 5828AM™* 5475AMX™* 5509A3 5552A4** 6272HR™* 6543HR™* 6542A4** 6626AMX™* 6948A3 6778AM™* Net Return $12.07 $16.90 $30.34 -$37.98 $44.64 $22.23 -$23.53 $0.49 -$82.07 -$20.93

Summary: The cool temperatures and ample rainfall we experienced this summer resulted in favorable conditions for disease in 2013. High incidence and severity of gray leaf spot were noted in a wide range of hybrids this year, along with light to moderate northern corn leaf blight pressure in a few susceptible hybrids. Thus, our 2013 study provided the most consistent responses in terms of increased yield and profitability we have encountered in nine years of testing at the Southern Indiana and Kentucky PFR farms. Even with this being the case, several hybrids with low fungicide response ratings such as BECK 6626AMX™* and BECK 6948A3 still did not show a profitable return. This proves the importance of basing the decision to spray for foliar disease on the disease susceptibility of each hybrid and the likelihood of disease infestation based on environmental conditions.

Kentucky PFR Director, Scott Ebelhar, presenting at Becknology™ Days. 99 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Plant Health Management Study - 2013

Planted: May 16, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 1, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 33,100 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Six 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: BECK 6175AM™* August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: This study was designed in conjunction with BASF to evaluate the use of sequential fungicide applications in an intensive management system. The focus is on maximizing plant health throughout the entire season. The treatments in this study were selected to determine if there are positive yield effects when multiple plant health treatments are applied at various key growth stages.

Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Return on^ Treatment Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Diff. Cost^ Investment

Untreated 31,750 58.5 21.7 221.8 ------

6 oz. Headline® EC In-furrow 32,250 60.0 21.7 227.5 +5.7 $17.81 +$12.97

4 oz. Priaxor™ In-furrow 32,500 60.0 22.2 227.5 +5.7 $16.53 +$14.25

10 oz. Headline AMP® @ R1 32,250 59.7 22.0 226.1 +4.3 $26.67 -$3.45

4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 f/b 33,250 59.4 22.0 231.0 +9.2 $43.20 +$6.48 10 oz. Headline AMP @ R1 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 & V8, 32,583 59.1 21.8 235.6 +13.8 $91.90 -$17.38 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT & R3 6 oz. Headline EC In-furrow, 4 oz. Priaxor @ 32,083 59.6 22.3 232.8 +11.0 $104.21 -$44.81 V5 & V8, 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT & R3

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Return on investment is based on Bu./A. difference x $5.40/Bu. minus treatment cost. Treatment costs: Headline EC $380.00/gal. Headline AMP $271.00/gal. Priaxor $529.00/gal. Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Headline and Headline AMP are registered trademarks of BASF. Priaxor is a trademark of BASF.

2013 Health Management Study 16.0 6 oz. Headline® In-furrow -$17.38 14.0 4 oz. Priaxor™ In-furrow -$44.81 12.0 +$6.48 10 oz. Headline AMP® @ R1 10.0

8.0 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 f/b 10 oz. +$12.97 +$14.25 Headline AMP @ R1 6.0

Bu./A. Advantage Bu./A. -$3.45 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 & V8, 10 oz. 4.0 Headline AMP @ VT & R3

2.0 6 oz. Headline In-furrow, 4 oz. Priaxor @V5 & V8, 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT & R3 0.0

100 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Plant Health Management Study - Continued

Photo 1. Intensive Management—Treated Corn. Photo 2. Intensive Management—Untreated Corn.

Summary: Each of the treatments in this year’s study provided significant yield increases compared to the untreated control. In terms of profitability; the in-furrow treatments with Headline® and Priaxor™ showed the greatest potential for profitable gains. Six ounces of Headline® EC in-furrow increased yield by 5.7 Bu./A. and profitability by $12.97/A. Four ounces of Priaxor in-furrow also increased yield by 5.7 Bu./A. while increasing profitability by $14.25/A. All other treatments in this study were not profitable. As additional treatments were added to a standard application of Headline AMP® at VT, yields continued to increase. This shows great potential for continuing to push for higher top end yields if plant health can be maintained throughout the entire growing season. We will continue to look at the concept of plant health in the future on a wide range of hybrids, populations, and under irrigation in a effort to push for maximum yield!

101 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Planting Date Study - 2013

Planted: Various Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: Various Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 34,000 Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Six 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of a mid-season and a full-season hybrid planted on several dates throughout the growing season.

Percent Bushels† Brand Planting Date Harvest Date Test Weight† Moisture Per Acre BECK 5509A3 April 6th Sept. 6th 59.7 22.5 230.7 BECK 6543HR™* April 6th Sept. 6th 60.9 22.5 220.1 AVERAGE 60.3 22.5 225.4 BECK 5509A3 April 23rd Sept. 6th 59.0 24.1 233.6 BECK 6543HR™* April 23rd Sept. 6th 61.1 25.9 238.3 AVERAGE 60.1 25.0 236.0 BECK 5509A3 April 29th Sept. 13th 57.6 22.7 230.8 BECK 6543HR™* April 29th Sept. 13th 60.8 23.0 237.3 AVERAGE 59.2 22.9 234.0 BECK 5509A3 May 14th Sept. 25th 57.2 20.7 244.2 BECK 6543HR™* May 14th Sept. 25th 61.5 20.6 243.9 AVERAGE 59.4 20.7 244.0 BECK 5509A3 May 20th Sept. 25th 58.4 22.5 240.7 BECK 6543HR™* May 20th Sept. 25th 60.7 23.5 248.3 AVERAGE 59.6 23.0 244.5 BECK 5509A3 May 29th Oct. 10th 58.0 23.5 214.8 BECK 6543HR™* May 29th Oct. 10th 60.2 23.9 245.3 AVERAGE 59.1 23.7 230.0 BECK 5509A3 June 6th Oct. 10th 57.5 26.2 240.0 BECK 6543HR™* June 6th Oct. 14th 60.9 21.3 251.8 AVERAGE 59.2 23.8 245.9 BECK 5509A3 June 12th Oct. 14th 57.1 24.6 236.1 BECK 6543HR™* June 12th Oct. 14th 60.9 25.3 234.5 AVERAGE 59.0 25.0 235.3

102 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Planting Date Study - Continued

9 Year Corn Yield by Planting Date 225.0

200.0

175.0 Bu./A. 150.0 <5.0 Bu./A. Diﬀerence 125.0 3/24 3/31 4/7 4/14 4/21 4/28 5/5 5/12 5/19 5/26 6/2 6/9 Planting Date

Summary: The nine year trend shows the optimum planting dates for corn at the Kentucky and Southern Indiana PFR farms fall between the 3rd week of April and the 1st week of May. This data set shows less than 1 Bu./A. difference in corn planted between April 24th and May 6th and less than 5 Bu./A. difference if planted between April 17th and May 13th. However, this year’s results show corn planted on June 6th produced the highest average corn yield by planting date. It should be noted that corn planted on May 14th and 20th averaged within 2 Bu./A. of corn planted on June 6th. Overall, this study produced some of the highest average yields we have recorded in the nine years of PFR testing we have conducted in the south. Ample early season moisture, timely but not excessive rains in July and August and a long, cool grain fill period provided the opportunity for excellent yields even on late planting dates in 2013.

103 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Replant Study - 2013

Planted: Various Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: Various Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: Various Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Six 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: BECK 6543HR™* August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: To replant or not to replant…that is the question. Often times, the decision to replant can be a tough one for growers. The purpose of this study is to evaluate corn stands and determine whether or not it is profitable to replant.This is done by evaluating the yield performance of corn planted at 20,000 seeds/A. with random spacing versus a more uniform 34,000 seeds/A. at various planting dates.

Planting Test† Percent Bushels† Replant Net^ Return on^ Planting Date Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Advantage Return Investment April 6th (Normal 1st Planting) 34,000 60.9 22.5 220.1 $1,122.51 April 6th 20,000 61.0 23.2 157.4 $798.33 April 23rd (Replanted) 34,000 61.1 25.9 238.3 80.9 $1,157.92 +$359.59 April 23rd 20,000 60.1 26.6 171.1 $844.55 May 14th (Replanted) 34,000 61.5 20.6 243.9 72.8 $1,237.43 +$392.88 April 29th 20,000 60.2 23.2 174.3 $884.05 May 14th (Replanted) 34,000 61.5 20.6 243.9 69.6 $1,237.43 +$353.38 May 14th 20,000 59.5 22.0 181.5 $929.28 May 29th (Replanted) 34,000 60.2 23.9 245.3 63.8 $1,212.29 +$283.01 May 20th 20,000 59.8 23.4 189.3 $958.62 June 6th (Replanted) 34,000 60.9 21.3 251.8 62.5 $1,271.27 +$312.65 May 29th 20,000 59.8 24.0 191.0 $962.64 June 12th (Replanted) 34,000 60.9 25.3 234.5 43.5 $1,144.69 +$182.05 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is gross income (Bu./A. x $5.40/Bu.) minus drying cost ($0.04/Bu./point of moisture above 15%) minus $25.00/A. estimated cost for replant when applicable. Return on investment is net return of replant entry minus net return of corresponding entry @ 20,000 seeds/ac. Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC.

If there is a need to replant a ﬁeld of Beck's corn, soybeans, wheat or elite alfalfa, as determined by a Beck's representative, Beck's will furnish the seed and royalties FREE.

104 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Replant Study - Continued

5 Year KYPFR Replant Return/A. $400.00

$300.00

$200.00

$100.00 Return/A. $0.00

-$100.00 3/31 4/7 4/14 4/21 4/28 5/5 5/12 5/19 5/26 Planting Date

Summary: This year’s results show how important it is to obtain an optimum stand to achieve high yields. Replanting stands in the 20,000 plants per acre range with variable spacing proved to be profitable for every date we planted corn in 2013.This is most likely due to timely rains that were received in late July and early September. The five year summary from this study suggest that it is profitable to replant variable stands through May 26th. After that date, it was more profitable to keep the existing stand of approximately 20,000 plants per acre. Note that prior to 2012 and 2013 (Two years where late May and June planting dates produced well above average yields) the date at which it was more profitable to keep an existing thin stand was May 15th.

April 6th planting date.

105 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Timing Study - 2013

Planted: May 1, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 27, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 32,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Six 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: BECK 6175AM™* August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose:

Applying nitrogen preplant with anhydrous ammonia (NH3) is a common practice for many growers in the southern marketing area. This is driven by the fact that NH3 is often the least expensive form of nitrogen available. The risk of weather delaying sidedress applications is also eliminated, and irregular fields often make sidedressing more difficult. However, increased nitrogen prices have made us reevaluate the way we fertilize crops in recent years. In addition to studies that identify the optimum rate of nitrogen fertilizer, it is critical we understand how the timing of these applications effect the efficiency of the nitrogen applied to a crop. This study was conducted to see if yields could be raised by applying nitrogen at different times. All treatments in this study received a total of 180 lbs./A. of nitrogen and are compared to the 100% preplant application of NH3.

Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Net^ Return on^ Treatment Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Return Investment

180 lbs. Preplant NH3 (Control) 30,827 55.0 21.9 211.1 $1,044.54 ---- ® 180 lbs. Preplant NH3 w/ N-Serve 32,332 54.8 22.2 214.3 $1,051.82 +$7.28 180 lbs. PPI UAN 32,550 55.1 21.1 217.5 $1,057.50 +$12.96 90 lbs. PPI + 90 lbs. Sidedress UAN @ V4/5 32,497 55.3 21.1 211.7 $1,026.18 -$18.36 32.5 lbs. UAN 2x2 + 150 lbs. Sidedress UAN @ V3 32,720 54.9 21.4 217.5 $1,057.50 +$12.96 180 lbs. Sidedress UAN @ V3 31,773 54.6 21.9 210.8 $1,021.32 -$23.22 180 lbs. Sidedress UAN @ V6 32,387 55.2 21.2 210.2 $1,018.08 -$26.46 491 lbs. PPI + 131 lbs. Topdress SuperU® @ V6 32,107 55.4 21.0 210.4 $1,002.77 -$41.77 491 lbs. PPI + 131 lbs. Topdress ESN® @ V6 32,163 54.6 21.2 203.9 $964.31 -$80.23 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer.

^Net return is gross income (Bu./A. x $5.40/Bu.) minus treatment cost. Return on investment is net return of entry minus net return of untreated control. UAN $0.65/lb. NH3 $0.53/lb. ESN $0.78/lb. SuperU $0.77/lb. N-Serve $10.00/A. Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Nucleus is a registered trademark of Helena Holding Company. N-Serve is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences. SuperU is a registered trademark of AGROTAIN International, LLC. ESN is a registered trademark owned by Agrium Inc.

4 Year Nitrogen Timing Summary: Return Over 100% Preplant NH3

100% N Sidedress UAN @ V3 $80.00 +$58.93 $70.00 +$50.95 30 lbs. N 2x2 UAN + Balance Sidedress UAN @ V3 $60.00 50% N PPI UAN + 50% $50.00 Sidedress UAN @ V4/5

$40.00 +$26.08 +$24.46 100% N Sidedress UAN @ V6 $30.00

Return on Investment $20.00

Figure 1. 106 3 Year Nitrogen Timing Summary: N-Serve vs. Untreated NH3

+$22.21

$25.00

$20.00

$15.00

$10.00

$5.00

Return on Investment $0.00

NH3 with N-Serve 4 Year Nitrogen Timing Summary: Return Over 100% Preplant NH3

100% N Sidedress UAN @ V3 $80.00 +$58.93 $70.00 +$50.95 30 lbs. N 2x2 UAN + Balance Sidedress UAN @ V3 $60.00 50% N PPI UAN + 50% $50.00 Kentucky PFR Sidedress UAN @ V4/5 $40.00 +$26.08 +$24.46 100% N Sidedress UAN @ V6 BECK’S Nitrogen Timing$30.00 Study - Continued

Return on Investment $20.00

Summary: 32.5 lbs. of UAN applied 2x2 at planting followed by 3 Year Nitrogen Timing Summary: sidedressing the balance at V3 provided both the highest N-Serve vs. Untreated NH yields and profitability in this year’s nitrogen timing 3 study. In fact, this is the fourth year out of six this split +$22.21 application has out performed preplant NH3; averaging an additional $54.23/A. profit over that time! The use of ® N-Serve with preplant NH3 also proved to be profitable $25.00 for the third year in a row; averaging an additional $22.21/A. profit over the past three years. $20.00 Although the 100% sidedress at V3 and 50/50 split applied entries showed profit losses in 2013, the $15.00 four year data summary still shows significant profit advantages for these treatments over preplant NH . This 3 $10.00 is the 2nd year out of three that topdress applications of SuperU® and ESN® have shown significant profit $5.00 losses compared to preplant NH3 and split applied

UAN applications. This is most likely due to the lack of Return on Investment continued surface moisture that is a common problem in $0.00 the south after these applications are made. NH3 with N-Serve

Figure 2.

Kentucky PFR Assistant, Brandon Somers, applying SuperU® for the Nitrogen Timing Study.

107 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S NH3 Seed Placement Study - 2013

Planted: May 2, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 17, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 32,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Four 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: BECK 6543HR™* August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose:

It is recommended that preplant NH3 be applied at an angle to the corn rows several weeks in advance of planting to avoid seedling injury. Unfortunately the weather doesn’t always cooperate, and NH3 applications may go on much closer to planting than desired. This study takes a look at the placement of NH3 in relation to the corn row when applied within a couple of days of planting and the effect it may have on stand establishment and yield. NH3 placed 15 inches from the row is used as a control since this is the furthest st distance it can be placed between two rows. NH3 was applied on May 1 .

Harvested Population Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Revenue^ Treatment Population Difference Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Increase 15 in. from seed (Control) 31,107 ---- 59.9 23.7 246.5 ------6 in. from seed 31,553 +446 60.4 23.3 247.1 +0.6 +$3.24 3 in. from seed 31,330 +223 61.2 23.5 244.9 -1.6 -$8.64 0 in. from seed 31,163 +53 60.9 23.7 245.9 -0.6 -$3.24 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Revenue increase is Bu./A. difference x $5.40/Bu. corn. Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC.

Summary: This year’s results showed a close correlation between stand and yield performance. As stand increased or decreased, so did yield.

NH3 placed both directly below the seed and three inches to the side resulted in slight stand and yield losses compared to the control. Surprisingly, NH3 placed 6 inches from the seed actually resulted in increased stands and a slight yield increase. That being said, there was less than a 2.2 Bu./A. difference in any of these treatments; thus resulting in little difference in revenue.

Henderson, Kentucky Facility. 108 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Stabilizer Study Preplant - 2013

Planted: May 3, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 25, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 32,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Four 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: Phoenix 6442A4** August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: Each year many corn growers apply UAN liquid nitrogen in the spring as a part of their nitrogen program. This nitrogen stabilizer study evaluates five products that have the ability to reduce nitrogen losses that can occur from lack of incorporation, dry weather, saturated soils or high velocity winds. The 55.2 gallons of 30% was applied preplant incorporated in this study. Nutrisphere-N® prevents and reduces volatilization and denitrification of liquid nitrogen fertilizers. Nutrisphere-N controls urease, keeping it from robbing nitrogen and yield potential. Nutrisphere-N protects nitrogen in its ammonium state before it gets converted, giving a greater return on your nitrogen fertilizer investment. Agrotain® Plus also blocks the activity of the naturally occurring enzyme called urease, protecting against volatility losses. Agrotain Plus is a stabilizing agent which keeps nitrogen in the ammonium form for a longer period of time and reduces volatilization, denitrification, and leaching losses. Instinct™ is a nitrogen stabilizer that contains the active ingredient nitripyrin, the same ingredient as N-Serve®. Instinct is a nitrogen stabilizer for liquid UAN solutions and works to ensure that nitrogen is stabilized in the ammonium form, which is less susceptible to losses from leaching and denitrification. Instinct keeps the soil-dwelling Nitrosomonas bacteria inactive, as this bacterium will attack ammonium and convert it to nitrates which are then prone to losses. Instinct does not protect against volatilization losses. Factor® is a urease inhibitor for UAN and Urea that delays the hydrolysis of urea which is catalyzed by urease. Factor only offers volatilization protection. Thio-Sul® is a liquid fertilizer solution that can be added to a UAN to provide sulfur to the crop. When added to UAN at a 10 - 20% volume to volume ratio this product helps minimize nitrogen loss by delaying nitrification which deters leaching and denitrification and controls urease to minimize volatilization.

Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Treatment Return on^ Treatment Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Cost^ Net Return^ Investment Untreated 32,580 55.0 22.3 221.0 ---- $1,193.40 ---- Nutrisphere-N® 31,745 54.8 22.2 220.8 $21.60 $1,170.72 -$22.68 Agrotain® Plus 31,750 54.9 21.9 226.6 $21.60 $1,202.04 +$8.64 Instinct™ 32,000 54.6 22.4 220.1 $10.39 $1,178.15 -$15.25 Factor® 31,995 55.0 22.5 223.4 $10.12 $1,196.24 +$2.84 Thio-Sul® (10%v/v) 32,500 55.4 22.2 221.0 $17.00 $1,176.40 -$17.00 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ^Net return is gross income (Bu./A. x $5.40/Bu.) minus treatment cost. Return on investment is net return of entry minus net return of untreated control. Agrotain Plus $4.50/lb. Instinct $38.00/gal. Nutrisphere-N $72.00/gal. Factor $84.00/gal. Thio-Sul $555.00/ton. Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Nutrisphere-N is a registered trademark of SFP. Agrotain is a registered trademark of Koch Agronomic Services, LLC. Instinct is a trademark of Dow AgroSciences. Factor is a registered trademark of Midtech R&D, Inc. Thio-Sul is a registered trademark of Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc. N-Serve is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences. SuperU is a registered trademark of AGROTAIN International, LLC. ESN is a registered trademark owned by Agrium Inc.

Summary: Agrotain® Plus provided a 5.6 Bu./A. increase that resulted in a $8.64/A. increase in profitability. Factor® also provided a 2.4 Bu./A. increase that resulted in a $2.84/A. increase in profitability. This is the first year that we have collected data on the use of nitrogen stabilizers with UAN at the Kentucky PFR farm. Make sure to check out the Kentucky PFR Nitrogen Timing Study for more information ® ® ® concerning the use of N-Serve on NH3 and stabilized urea products such as SuperU and ESN .

109 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Stabilizer Study Sidedress - 2013

Planted: May 3, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 28, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 32,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Four 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: Phoenix 6442A4** August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: Nitrogen stabilizers are commonly used to protect against nitrogen losses when a producers applies a large portion of their nitrogen fertilizer in the fall or early spring. Due to the fact that nitrogen loss can be one of the most yield limiting factors that a grower encounters in the field, producers often ask if it is beneficial to utilize nitrogen stabilizers with in-season applications of nitrogen.This study takes a look at the use of nitrogen stabilizers with sidedress applications of UAN at the V3 - V4 growth stage. Nutrisphere-N® prevents and reduces volatilization and denitrification of liquid nitrogen fertilizers. Nutrisphere-N controls urease, keeping it from robbing nitrogen and yield potential. Nutrisphere-N protects nitrogen in its ammonium state before it gets converted, giving a greater return on your nitrogen fertilizer investment. Agrotain® Plus also blocks the activity of the naturally occurring enzyme called urease, protecting against volatility losses. Agrotain Plus is a stabilizing agent which keeps nitrogen in the ammonium form for a longer period of time and reduces volatilization, denitrification and leaching losses. Instinct™ is a nitrogen stabilizer that contains the active ingredient nitripyrin, the same ingredient as N-Serve®. Instinct is a nitrogen stabilizer for liquid UAN solutions and works to ensure that nitrogen is stabilized in the ammonium form, which is less susceptible to losses from leaching and denitrification. Instinct keeps the soil-dwelling Nitrosomonas bacteria inactive, as this bacterium will attack ammonium and convert it to nitrates which are then prone to losses. Instinct does not protect against volatilization losses. Factor® is a urease inhibitor for UAN and Urea that delays the hydrolysis of urea which is catalyzed by urease. Factor only offers volatilization protection. Thio-Sul® is a liquid fertilizer solution that can be added to a UAN to provide sulfur to the crop. When added to UAN at a 10 - 20% volume to volume ratio this product helps minimize nitrogen loss by delaying nitrification which deters leaching and denitrification and controls urease to minimize volatilization.

Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Treatment Return on^ Treatment Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Cost^ Net Return^ Investment Untreated 31,830 53.6 22.9 229.3 ---- $1,238.22 ---- Nutrisphere-N® 31,607 53.5 22.3 231.9 $21.60 $1,230.66 -$7.56 Agrotain® Plus 31,607 52.8 22.7 231.5 $21.60 $1,228.50 -$9.72 Instinct™ 31,717 52.2 22.7 231.0 $10.39 $1,237.01 -$1.21 Factor® 31,497 54.4 22.2 233.5 $10.12 $1,250.78 +$12.56 Thio-Sul® (10%v/v) 32,053 53.1 23.1 230.8 $17.00 $1,229.32 -$8.90 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ^Net return is gross income (Bu./A. x $5.40/Bu.) minus treatment cost. Return on investment is net return of entry minus net return of untreated control. Agrotain Plus $4.50/ lb. Instinct $38.00/gal. Nutrisphere-N $72.00/gal. Factor $84.00/gal. Thio-Sul $555.00/ton. Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Nutrisphere-N is a registered trademark of SFP. Agrotain is a registered trademark of Koch Agronomic Services, LLC. Instinct is a trademark of Dow AgroSciences. Factor is a registered trademark of Midtech R&D, Inc. Thio-Sul is a registered trademark of Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc. N-Serve is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences. SuperU is a registered trademark of AGROTAIN International, LLC. ESN is a registered trademark owned by Agrium Inc.

Summary: Factor® provided a 4.2 Bu./A. advantage that resulted in a $12.56/A. increase in profitability. This is interesting considering that the mode of action in Factor should only protect against volatilization; which should have been minimized due to the fact that UAN was knifed into the ground. The remaining treatments showed a slight increase in yield over the untreated control, but the yield increases were not high enough to provide a profitable return. This certainly warrants a continued look into the use of nitrogen stabilizers with sidedress UAN in the future. This is the first year we have collected data on the use of nitrogen stabilizers with UAN at the Kentucky PFR farm. Make sure to check out the Kentucky PFR Nitrogen Timing Study, for more information concerning the use of N-Serve® on ® ® NH3 and stabilized urea products, such as Super U and ESN . 110 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Rate Study Corn After Soybeans - 2013

Planted: May 1, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 16, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 32,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Four 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: BECK 5509A3 August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: This study is designed to help us find the economic optimum nitrogen rate (EONR); that is the rate of nitrogen that maximizes profitability. Although this study was originally based on the format used by both Purdue University and the University of Illinois, we have added a wider range of rates and narrowed the difference between rates to better pinpoint the EONR. All entries, with the exception of the 0 lbs./A. control, received 10 gallons of 30% UAN as a 2x2 application at planting followed by a sidedress application of 30% UAN at the V3 growth stage to meet the total amount of N for each treatment.

Lbs. of Nitrogen Percent Moisture Bushels Per Acre† Cost of Nitrogen Return on Investment^ 0 23.3 125.1 ------100 23.4 225.7 $65.00 +$478.24 125 23.5 231.0 $81.25 +$490.61 150 22.7 241.3 $97.50 +$529.98 175 24.1 243.5 $113.75 +$525.61 200 23.7 249.3 $130.00 +$540.68 225 23.4 248.9 $146.25 +$522.27 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. ^Return on investment is gross income of treatment (Bu./A. x $5.40/Bu. corn) minus cost of nitrogen ($0.65/lb. N) minus gross income of 0 lbs. entry. Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC.

5 Year CAB: Economic Optimum Nitrogen Rate $1,130.00 $1,120.00 $1,110.00 $1,100.00 $0.55/lbs. Nitrogen

$1,090.00 $0.65/lbs. Nitrogen $1,080.00 $0.75/lbs. Nitrogen Net Return $1,070.00 $1,060.00 $1,050.00 $1,040.00 150 155 160 165 170 175 180 185 190 195 200 Nitrogen Rate

Figure 1.

Summary: The economic optimum nitrogen rate (EONR) for a corn after soybean rotation for 2013 was 200 lbs./A. This is based on an average price for corn of $5.40/Bu. and a nitrogen cost of $0.65/unit of Nitrogen. The five year data trend collected from the Southern Indiana and Kentucky PFR farms suggests that the EONR for corn following soybeans ranges from 174 - 180 lbs./A. depending on the cost of nitrogen. 111 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Rate & Population Study - 2013

Planted: May 18 , 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 15 & 18, 2013 Tillage: Field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: Various Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Six 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: BECK 6175AMX™* August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: As grower’s continue to increase seeding rates to achieve higher yields, they often ask if they should be increasing nitrogen rates as well. This study was designed to answer that very question. Three seeding rates were planted ranging from 28,000 to 36,000 seeds/A. Within each seeding rate, three different nitrogen rates were applied ranging from 140 lbs. to 220 lbs./A. A seeding rate of 32,000 seeds/A. with 180 lbs. of total nitrogen was selected as the control to which all other treatments were compared.

Lbs. of Percent Bushels† Cost of ^ Return on^ Nitrogen Population Moisture Per Acre Seed Cost^ Nitrogen Investment 140 28,000 18.0 192.4 $96.36 $91.00 -$45.55 180 28,000 18.6 199.5 $96.36 $117.00 -$33.21 220 28,000 18.9 207.9 $96.36 $143.00 -$13.85 140 32,000 18.5 202.0 $110.12 $91.00 -$7.48 180 32,000 17.8 208.2 $110.12 $117.00 ---- 220 32,000 18.5 213.6 $110.12 $143.00 +$3.16 140 36,000 17.6 211.5 $123.89 $91.00 +$30.05 180 36,000 18.9 215.0 $123.89 $117.00 +$22.95 220 36,000 19.1 220.6 $123.89 $143.00 +$27.19 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Return on investment is net income ((Bu./A. x $5.40) minus seed cost minus nitrogen cost) of treatment minus net income of control (32,000 seeds/A. + 180 lbs. nitrogen). Cost based on $275.31/bag seed and $0.65/lb. nitrogen. Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC.

Nitrogen Rate by Population $40.00

$30.00

$20.00

$10.00

$0.00

-$10.00

-$20.00

Return on Investment -$30.00

-$40.00

-$50.00 140 lbs. 180 lbs. 220 lbs. 140 lbs. 180 lbs. 220 lbs. 140 lbs. 180 lbs. 220 lbs. 28,000 28,000 28,000 32,000 32,000 32,000 36,000 36,000 36,000 ROI -$45.55 -$33.21 -$13.85 -$7.48 $0.00 $3.16 $30.05 $22.95 $27.19

Summary: This year’s results suggest that planting 36,000 seeds/A. and applying a total of 140 lbs. of nitrogen maximized profitability. Although 140 lbs./A. may be considered low; the fact that we had ample soil moisture through July not only supported the higher seeding rate, but also provided a high rate of mineralization allowing top yields to be produced on a relatively low rate of nitrogen. Nitrogen availability can vary a great deal from one year to the next. We will continue to conduct this study to get a better feel for a long-term average. 112 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S N-Gage Study - 2013

Planted: May 15, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 10, 2013 Tillage: Field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 32,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Four 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: BECK 6175AM™* August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: The goal of this study is to evaluate products that may provide increased yield and profitability when mixed with nitrogen fertilizer. N-Gage is a nitrogen efficiency product that utilizes microbes to metabolize nitrogen gas and convert it into a usable form the corn plant can absorb. Actuate is a blend of humic and fulvic acid. The humic acid is used to improve plant nutrient uptake by breaking bonds between the nutrients and the soil. Fulvic acid promotes cell division and elongation. Both products are distributed by Security Seed and Chemical in the southeastern region of Beck’s marketing area.

Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Treatment Return on^ Treatment Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Cost^ Net Return^ Investment

Control 32,700 60.3 18.7 193.7 ---- $1,045.98 ----

1 qt. N-Gage/A. 31,400 61.3 18.9 201.7 $12.00 $1,077.18 +$31.20

1 qt. N-Gage/A. & 31,500 61.3 18.7 211.0 $24.00 $1,115.40 +$69.42 1 qt. Actuate/A. †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is gross income (Bu./A. x $5.40/Bu. corn) minus treatment cost ($48.00/gal. N-Gage and $48.00/gal. Actuate). Return on investment is net return of entry minus net return of untreated control. Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC.

N-GageN-Gage Yield AdvantageYield Advantage N-GageN-Gage Return Return on Investment on Investment 215.0 215.0 $80.00 $80.00 +17.3 +$69.42 +$69.42 +17.3 $70.00 $70.00 210.0 210.0 $60.00 $60.00 205.0 205.0 +8.0 +8.0 $50.00 $50.00 200.0 200.0 $40.00 $40.00 Bu./A. Bu./A. +$31.20 +$31.20 $30.00 $30.00 195.0 195.0 $20.00 $20.00 190.0 190.0 Return on Investment $10.00 Return on Investment $10.00

185.0 185.0 $0.00 $0.00 UntreatedUntreated 1 qt. N-Gage/A. 1 qt. N-Gage/A. 1 qt. N-Gage 1 qt. & N-Gage 1 qt. Actuate/A. & 1 qt. Actuate/A. 1 qt. N-Gage/A.1 qt. N-Gage/A. 1 qt. N-Gage 1 qt. & N-Gage1 qt. Actuate/A. & 1 qt. Actuate/A. Figure 1. Figure 2.

Summary: The addition of N-Gage to our sidedress UAN application resulted in an average yield increase of 8 Bu./A. and increased profitability by $31.20/A. The addition of both N-Gage and Actuate provided a 17.3 Bu./A. average yield increase and a $69.42 increase in profitability over the control. This is our first year to test these products at the Kentucky PFR farm. 113 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S In-Furrow Fertilizer / Starter Study - 2013

Planted: May 14, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 25, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 32,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Six 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: BECK 6175AM™* August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: Will it pay to use a in-furrow pop-up fertilizer? This is a question that is often difficult to answer with a direct yes or no. There are a variety of factors that can contribute to the likelihood of obtaining a profitable response from the use of these products such as soil type, soil fertility (both in quantity and availability), erosion, and tillage practice just to name a few. Previous testing at the Southern Indiana PFR farm was conducted on a high productivity soil with average to above soil test levels for P & K, which resulted in little to no increase in profit. The move to the Kentucky PFR farm allows us to revisit this study on some medium productivity soils with moderate soil test levels: P soil test 32 lbs./A. and K test 180 lbs./A. Below is a brief description of the products in this year’s study. 10-34-0: An ammonium polyphosphate solution that is widely used in combination with UAN solutions to provide both nitrogen and phosphate to the crop. It must be used in small quantities when applied in-furrow to avoid salt injury to seedlings. Pro-Germinator®: A low-salt, 9-24-3 fertilizer that contains both an orthophoshate and carbon protected polymer phosphate that provides both readily available and controlled release phosphorus, as well as a small amount of nitrogen and potassium. Sure-K®: A chloride-free potassium solution which can be used as a foliar application or applied to the soil at planting or sidedress that presents a very low risk of crop injury. eNhance™: A nutritional supplement that combines proprietary chemistry with the proper balance of micronutrients and enzymes to produce greater nitrogen utilization and a source of crop available sulfate. Micro 500™: A micronutrient additive with a balanced combination of zinc, manganese, iron, copper and boron.

Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Return on^ Treatment Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Cost^ Investment

No Starter (Control) 31,915 59.5 23.2 231.8 ------

3 gal. 10-34-0 31,495 59.8 22.8 232.7 +0.9 $11.46 -$6.60

5 gal. 10-34-0 32,165 59.1 22.9 234.7 +2.9 $19.10 -$3.44

3 gal. Pro-Germinator® 32,080 58.9 23.0 238.6 +6.8 $24.00 +$12.72

2.5 gal. Pro-Germinator & 31,410 59.4 22.9 232.4 +0.6 $40.00 -$36.76 2.5 gal. Sure-K® 2.5 gal. Pro-Germinator & 31,580 59.7 22.8 232.0 +0.2 $44.00 -$42.92 2.5 gal. Sure-K +1 qt. eNhance™ 2.5 gal. Pro-Germinator & 2.5 gal. 31,250 59.6 22.5 234.3 +2.5 $44.00 -$30.50 Sure-K + 1 qt. Micro-500™ 5 gal. Pro-Germinator & 5 gal. 31,580 59.7 22.5 230.4 -1.4 $80.00 -$87.56 Sure-K

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Return on investment is Bu./A. difference x $5.40/Bu. minus treatment cost. Treatment costs: Pro-Germinator & Sure-K $8.00/gal. eNhance & Micro-500 $16.00/gal. 10-34-0 $665.00/ton. Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Pro-Germinator and Sure-K are registered trademarks ofAgro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers. Micro-500 and eNhance are trademarks of Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers. 114 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S In-Furrow Fertilizer / Starter Study - Continued

In-Furrow Starter: Return on Investment $20.00 +$12.72 3 gal. 10-34-0

$0.00 5 gal. 10-34-0 -$6.60 -$3.44 -$20.00 3 gal. Pro-Germinator®

-$30.50 2.5 gal. Pro-Germinator & 2.5 -$40.00 -$36.76 gal. Sure-K® -$42.92 2.5 gal. Pro-Germinator & 2.5 -$60.00 gal. Sure-K +1 qt. eNhance™ 2.5 gal. Pro-Germinator & 2.5 Return on Investment gal. Sure-K + 1 qt. Micro-500™ -$80.00 5 gal. Pro-Germinator & 5 gal. -$87.56 Sure-K -$100.00

Summary: This year’s study provided both interesting visual responses and improved yields from the use of an in-furrow pop-up starter. Nearly all of the treatments in this study appeared to be greener and taller compared to our untreated control that showed signs of significant purpling in the early vegetative growth stages (Photo1). However, only the three gallons of Pro-Germinator® provided a high enough yield response to increase profitability. The resulting 6.8 Bu./A. yield increase provided additional profits of $12.72/A. This year’s weather provided unusually high yields for this portion of the farm with lower phosphate levels. It will be interesting to see how these products perform under more moderate conditions in the future that might result in greater stress.

Untreated

3 Gal. Pro-Germinator®

Photo 1. Pro-Germinator vs. Untreated Corn in Henderson, Kentucky.

115 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Nucleus® 0-0-21 Study - 2013

Planted: May 17, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 10, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 32,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Six 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: BECK 6175AM™* August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: Nucleus® is a water based liquid fertilizer produced by Helena Chemical that contains both potassium and sulfur (0-0-21-13S). In this study Nucleus was added to our UAN starter at a rate of 2 gal/A. It can also be added to UAN as part of a sidedress application or applied through fertigation. Potassium is one of the three most essential elements in corn production that aids in stalk strength and disease tolerance. This product allows us to evaluate if supplemental potassium and sulfur may be a benefit in a high yielding corn environment.

Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Treatment Return on^ Treatment Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Cost^ Net Return^ Investment 10 gal. 30% 2x2 31,497 60.4 21.1 241.2 ---- $1,302.48 ---- (Control) 10 gal. 30% 2x2 + 30,273 60.0 20.9 240.5 $26.00 $1,272.70 -$29.78 2 gal. Nucleus® 0-0-21

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is gross income (Bu./A. x $5.40/Bu. corn) minus treatment cost ($13.00/gal. Nucleus). Return on investment is net return of entry minus net return of untreated control. Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Nucleus is a registered trademark of Helena Holding Company.

Summary: This year’s study showed no significant difference between our standard starter program (10 gallons of UAN applied 2x2) and that same program with an additional two gallons of Nucleus®. There were also no notable differences in stalk strength or standability between these two treatments. This is the first year we have tested this product at the KYPFR farm.

“This was our first year planting Beck’s on our corn after corn acres and we were very happy. BECK 6175AMX™* had a fantastic yield at 231 Bu./A., and averaged an impressive 60 lb. test weight. Competitor products haven’t held a candle to that. We’ll be planting a lot more Beck’s in the future.”

Mitchell Curtis Prairie City, Illinois

116 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Closing Wheel Study - 2013

Planted: May 16, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 24, 2013 Tillage: No-Till April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 33,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Two 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: BECK 6272HR™* August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: Which closing wheel is best? This is a common question on the minds of many growers when they are buying new planters or possibly looking to utilize no-till on more acres. With all the different options available, it is often difficult to find the right product that will handle a wide range of soil types and varying conditions. This study is designed to look at a wide array of closing wheel options that are available on the market today so growers can better answer this question.

Harvested Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Revenue^ Treatment Population Moisture Per Acre Difference Increase 1 Yetter Cast Spike Wheel / 1 Rubber Tire Wheel 32,610 21.3 201.4 9.6 $51.84 1 Martin Spading Wheel / 1 Rubber Tire Wheel 32,890 21.9 196.2 4.4 $23.76 2 Martin Dimple Wheels 32,943 21.5 196.0 4.2 $22.68 2 Posi Wheels 32,000 20.7 196.0 4.2 $22.68 2 Yetter Cast Spike Wheels w/ Chain 32,890 21.9 195.8 4.0 $21.60 1 Cast Iron Wheel / 1 Rubber Tire Wheel 32,810 20.9 195.1 3.3 $17.82 2 Cast Iron Wheels 32,443 22.2 194.9 3.1 $16.74 2 Martin Spading Wheels w/ Chain 32,610 21.9 194.0 2.2 $11.88 2 Dawn® Curvetine™ Wheels 32,277 21.4 193.8 2.0 $10.80 2 Rubber Tire Wheels 33,167 21.7 191.8 ------†Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Revenue Increase is gross income of treatment (Bu./A. x $5.40/Bu./A.) minus gross income of control (2 Rubber Tire Wheels). Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Yetter Cast Spike Wheels distributed by Yetter Manufacturing Company. Martin Spading and Dimple Closing Wheels distributed by Martin Industries, LLC. Posi Wheels distributed by Shlagel MFG. Dawn and Curvtine are trademarks of Dawn Equipment Company.

2013 Closing Wheel Study: Adv. Over 2 Rubber Wheels 12.0 +9.6 10.0 8.0 6.0 +4.4 +4.2 Bu./A. +4.2 +4.0 +3.3 +3.1 4.0 +2.2 +2.0 2.0 0.0 1 Yetter Cast Spike Wheel / 1 Rubber Tire Wheel 1 Martin Spading Wheel / 1 Rubber Tire Wheel 2 Martin Dimple Wheels 2 Posi Wheels 2 Yetter Cast Spike Wheels w/ Chain 1 Cast Iron Wheel / 1 Rubber Tire Wheel 2 Cast Iron Wheels 2 Martin Spading Wheels w/ Chain 2 Dawn® Curvetine™ Wheels

Summary: This year’s study was no-tilled into heavy conditions that created some slight challenges in terms of closing the seed trench in areas of the field with heavy residue. Although the traditional configuration of using two rubber tire wheels provided the highest average population, the pressure required to close the trench resulted in an increased amount of side-wall compaction. The two configurations with one spike tooth closing wheel and one rubber tire provided the right combination of adequate closing while at the same time removing some of the compaction created by the gauge wheels. This resulted in the two highest average yields and thus the highest revenue increases in this year’s study. 117 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Tile Width Study - 2013

Planted: April 30, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 13, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 32,400 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Six 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: BECK 6175AM™* August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: This study was designed to show the potential benefits of using drainage tile in terms of both yield and increased revenue.The Kentucky PFR farm was tiled in the fall of 2012 using 4” diameter tile plowed approximately 36” deep. Tile lines were laid 30’, 40’ and 60’ apart to determine the optimum width. All entries were compared to a portion of the field that remained un-tiled. The three rows on either side of the tile lines were also harvested separate from the remaining rows between the tiles. This is to determine how much yield was affected by the disruption of soil structure that takes place when the tile plow runs through the field. The soil series in the field where this study was conducted is listed as Dekoven silt loam. Dekoven is a silt loam soil with a silty clay base located approximately 2’ to 3’ below the surface. It is classified as very poorly drained with very slow run-off and moderate permeability.

Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Revenue^ Treatment Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Increase 30' Tile Spacing 30,873 58.2 23.9 230.3 -1.6 -$8.64 40' Tile Spacing 31,518 57.6 23.9 231.9 0.0 $0.00 60' Tile Spacing 31,538 57.5 24.1 235.6 +3.7 +$19.98 No Tile 31,525 57.4 23.8 231.9 ------

3 Rows Either Side of Tile Line 31,186 57.7 24.0 231.5 ------Remaining Rows Between Tile Lines 31,536 57.6 24.0 234.2 +2.7 +$14.58 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Revenue Increase is gross income of entry (Bu./A. x $5.40/A.) minus gross income of control. Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC.

Summary: The results from this year’s study suggest it may take a year or two to rebuild soil structure altered by plowing in tile. Yields in this study increased as the tile lines were placed further apart; suggesting the more we disturbed the soil the lower our yields (at least temporarily). We will continue to evaluate this over the next several years to see how long it takes soil structure to reestablish itself and how many years are required to pay for the tile we installed. Special thanks to Bickett Tiling and Excavating of Calhoun, KY for their help in implementing this and other tiling studies on the Kentucky PFR farm.

Tile Plow at the new Henderson, Kentucky PFR Farm. 118 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Bio-Forge® Study - 2013

Planted: May 2, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 18, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 32,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 2 qt. Degree Xtra & 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto May 3.41 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® Flex June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Insecticide: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 6543HR™* July 2.50 in. August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: This study was designed to determine if Bio-Forge® will increase yield and profitability in corn. Bio-Forge is an antioxidant that helps the plant handle stress by up-regulating genes associated with excessive ethylene production, enzymes that protect against damaging free radicals and genes that promote root growth. Bio-Forge can be applied in-furrow at planting, as a seed treatment, or through foliar applications. We have also added Actuate in one treatment. Actuate is a blend of humic and fulvic acid. The humic acid is used to improve plant nutrient uptake by breaking bonds between the nutrients and the soil. Fulvic acid promotes cell division and elongation.

Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Treatment Net^ Return on^ Treatment Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Cost^ Return Investment

Untreated 31,387 60.2 22.6 251.0 ---- $1,355.40 ----

8 oz. Bio-Forge® In-furrow 31,493 60.8 22.3 252.0 $6.13 $1,354.67 -$0.73

16 oz. Bio-Forge In-furrow 31,497 60.3 22.3 250.8 $12.25 $1,342.07 -$13.33

8 oz. Bio-Forge Foliar @ V5 31,610 60.3 22.2 249.0 $6.13 $1,338.47 -$16.93

12 oz. Bio-Forge Foliar @ V5 31,167 60.3 22.6 248.2 $9.19 $1,331.09 -$24.31

16 oz. Bio-Forge Foliar @ V5 31,887 60.6 22.5 247.8 $12.25 $1,325.87 -$29.53

8 oz. Bio-Forge + 30,773 60.7 22.2 250.6 $18.13 $1,335.11 -$20.29 1 qt. Actuate Foliar @ V5

16 oz. Bio-Forge Foliar @ R1 31,273 60.3 22.1 249.1 $17.75 $1,327.39 -$28.01

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is gross income (Bu./A. x $5.40/Bu.) minus cost of treatment. Return on investment is net return of treatment minus net return of untreated. Bio-Forge $98.00/ gal. Actuate $48.00/gal. R1 foliar application charge $5.50. Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Bio-Forge is a registered trademark of Stoller, USA.

Summary: This year’s study resulted in a yield variance of 3.2 Bu./A. or less between the untreated control and any of the treatments containing Bio-Forge® and therefore showed no increase in profitability. The high yields recorded suggest this study encountered very little stress in 2013. It will be interesting to see how the crop responds to this product when conditions are more yield limiting. This is the first year we have tested this product on corn at the KYPFR farm.

119 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Ascend® Study - 2013

Planted: May 2, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 17, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 32,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 qt. Degree Xtra , 1.5 qt. Atrazine, 3 oz. Callisto , May 3.41 in. Rows: Six 30” rows 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: BECK 6543HR™* August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: This study was designed to determine if the use of plant growth regulators will increase yield and profitability in corn.Ascend ® contains three plant growth regulators: Cytokinin, Gibberellic acid, and Indolebutyric acid. Cytokinin is a natural plant growth regulator that promotes cell division and leaf expansion while slowing leaf aging. Gibberellic acid is a naturally occurring plant growth regulator that stimulates cell division and elongation in leaves and stems. Indolebutyric acid is a plant growth regulator that simulates vigorous root formation and development, and increases cell elongation. Ascend can be applied in-furrow at planting or as a foliar treatment.

Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Treatment Net^ Return on^ Treatment Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Cost^ Return Investment

Untreated 31,387 62.8 22.5 248.3 ---- $1,340.82 ----

5 oz. Ascend® In-furrow 31,440 63.6 23.0 249.1 $10.55 $1,334.59 -$6.23

5 oz. Ascend In-furrow 31,163 61.2 23.0 247.8 $17.30 $1,320.82 -$20.00 + Foliar V3

3.2 oz. Ascend Foliar V3 31,440 63.2 22.7 248.4 $6.75 $1,334.61 -$6.21

3.2 oz. Ascend Foliar R1 31,160 64.4 22.5 249.4 $12.25 $1,334.51 -$6.31

10 oz. Headline AMP 31,107 63.0 22.6 248.2 $33.42 $1,306.86 -$33.96 + 3.2 oz. Ascend R1

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return based on gross income (Bu./A. x $5.40/Bu.) minus treatment cost. Return on investment is net return of treatment minus net return of untreated. Ascend $270.00/gal. Application charge of $5.50 applied to R1 treatment. Degree Xtra is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Callisto is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Class Act is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Ascend is a registered trademark Winfield Solutions, LLC.

Summary: This year’s study resulted in a variance of 1.1 Bu./A. or less in yield between the untreated check and any of the treatments containing Ascend® and therefore showed no increase in profitability. The high yields recorded in this study suggest that this corn encountered very little stress in 2013. It will be interesting to see how the crop responds to this product when conditions are more yield limiting. This is the first year that we have tested this product at the KYPFR farm.

120 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Soybean Show Plot - 2013

Planted: May 28, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 9, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 oz. Zidua May 3.41 in. Rows: Eleven 15” rows Post: 12.5 oz. Cobra & 10 oz. Shadow June 6.16 in. Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Yield Relative Percent Bushels† Rank Brand Maturity Moisture Per Acre Group III 1 BECK 368NR™* 3.6 16.0 77.9 2 BECK 375NR™* 3.7 15.1 77.9 3 BECK 366L4 3.6 14.5 77.6 4 BECK 391R4™* 3.9 14.9 72.3 5 BECK 394L4 3.9 14.4 71.0 6 BECK 372NL 3.7 14.6 62.5 7 BECK 389N 3.8 14.2 60.3 Average 14.8 71.4 Group IV & V 1 BECK 511R4™* 5.1 20.3 81.7 2 BECK 457R4™* 4.5 13.3 79.5 3 BECK 432NR™* 4.3 13.5 76.8 4 BECK 418NR™* 4.1 12.9 76.5 5 BECK 522L4 5.2 16.9 75.4 6 BECK 444NR™* 4.4 13.8 74.0 7 BECK 477NR™* 4.7 14.0 71.3 8 BECK 495NR™* 4.9 16.3 71.1 9 BECK 483NL 4.8 14.1 69.6 10 BECK 459L4 4.5 14.0 67.1 11 BECK 423NL 4.2 15.3 67.0 12 BECK 475L4 4.7 21.5 64.4 13 BECK 431N 4.3 15.5 58.6 14 BECK 414N 4.1 14.2 56.1 Average 15.4 70.7

†Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

121 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S 100 Bushel Attempt - 2013

Planted: May 27, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: 375NR: September 24, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® 444NR: October 4, 2013 Herbicide: 2 oz. Zidua , 1 qt. Glyphosate May 3.41 in. Population: 140,000 seeds/A. & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Rows: Eleven 15” rows Insecticide: Escalate® Replications: Two (averaged) July 2.50 in. August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: This is the sixth year we have attempted to break our 100 bushel soybean goal. Two varieties were tested in this year’s study: BECK 375NR™* (3.7 relative maturity) and BECK 444NR™* (4.4 relative maturity). The control entries in this year’s study were treated with Beck’s standard Escalate® Yield Enhancement System. The remaining entries were all treated with the 100 bushel seed treatment which includes Escalate, as well as Optimize® (inoculant and LCO promoter), Bio-Forge® (anti-oxidant to minimize early season stresses), and Votivo® (biological barrier that protects against nematodes). All treatments were planted at 140,000 seeds/A. and received an application of Headline® fungicide and Warrior II® insecticide at the R3 growth stage. The goal of the various treatments tested in this study was to encourage early vegetative growth to develop more nodes and to minimize stress in the reproductive stages to increase flower and pod retention. These treatments include using an application of ammonium sulfate at planting, an additional application of Bio-Forge @ V5, and a top-dress application of urea @ R2. A portion of those entries were then sprayed with Cobra®, a diphenyl-ether herbicide, to shorten the internodes and help with standability.

Rep 1 Rep 2 Avg. Yield Percent Bushels Bushels Bushels Increase vs. Treatment Moisture Per Acre† Per Acre† Per Acre† Standard BECK 375NR™* Control 11.7 73.4 71.5 72.5 ---- 100 Bu. Seed Treatment Only 12.0 72.7 71.8 72.3 -0.2 16 oz. Bio-Forge® @ V5 12.1 73.0 73.0 73.0 +0.5 Cobra® @ V5 12.7 71.2 73.3 72.3 -0.2 100 lbs. Urea @ R2 12.3 73.3 74.2 73.8 +1.3 75 lbs. Ammonium Sulfate @ Planting 11.8 73.4 72.4 72.9 +0.5 AMS + Cobra + Urea 12.9 72.9 72.6 72.8 +0.3 Average 12.1 72.8 72.7 72.8 BECK 444NR™* Control 15.1 75.0 73.9 74.5 ---- 100 Bu. Seed Treatment Only 15.1 76.6 77.4 77.0 +2.6 16 oz. Bio-Forge @ V5 15.1 76.5 77.1 76.8 +2.3 Cobra @ V5 15.4 74.6 77.7 76.2 +1.7 100 lbs. Urea @ R2 15.3 74.4 78.4 76.4 +2.0 75 lbs. Ammonium Sulfate @ Planting 15.2 78.2 76.9 77.6 +3.1 AMS + Cobra + Urea 15.4 73.7 77.4 75.6 +1.1 Average 15.2 75.9 76.9 76.4 2 Treatment Summary Control 13.4 74.2 72.7 73.5 ---- 100 Bu. Seed Treatment Only 13.5 74.7 74.6 74.6 +1.2 16 oz. Bio-Forge @ V5 13.6 74.8 75.1 74.9 +1.5 Cobra @ V5 14.0 72.9 75.5 74.2 +0.8 100 lbs. Urea @ R2 13.8 73.9 76.3 75.1 +1.6 75 lbs. Ammonium Sulfate @ Planting 13.5 75.8 74.7 75.2 +1.8 AMS + Cobra + Urea 14.1 73.3 75.0 74.2 +0.7 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Zidua and Headline are registered trademarks of BASF. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Optimize is a registered trademark of EMD Crop BioScience. Bio-Forge is a registered trademark of Stoller, USA. VOTiVO is a registered trademark of Bayer. Warrior II is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Cobra is a registered trademark of Valent U.S.A. Corp. 122 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S 100 Bushel Attempt - Continued

Summary: The high yielding entry in this year’s 100 Bushel Soybean Attempt was BECK 444NR™* yielding 78.4 Bu./A. This entry was treated with the 100 Bu. seed treatment mix, 100 lbs./A. of urea @ R2, and Headline® / Warrior II® @ R3. This entry also provided the highest yield increase over the control at 4.5 Bu./A. BECK 444NR™* out-yielded BECK 375NR™* by an average of 3.4 Bu./A. across all entries and reps. The highest yielding treatment across all reps in this study was an application of 75 lbs. of ammonium sulfate incorporated at planting with an average yield increase of 1.8 Bu./A. over the untreated. This is the second year in a row that an application of ammonium sulfate at planting was part of the highest yielding treatment in this study.

BECK’S Ascend® Study - 2013

Planted: May 28, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 9, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 oz. Zidua , 1 qt. Glyphosate May 3.41 in. Rows: Eleven 15” rows & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: BECK 495NR™* August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: This study was designed to determine if the use of plant growth regulators will increase yield and profitability in soybeans.Ascend ® contains three plant growth regulators: Cytokinin, Gibberellic acid and Indolebutyric acid. Cytokinin is a natural plant growth regulator that promotes cell division and leaf expansion while slowing leaf aging. Gibberellic acid is a naturally occurring plant growth regulator that stimulates cell division and elongation in leaves and stems. Indolebutyric acid is a plant growth regulator that simulates vigorous root formation and development and increases cell elongation.

Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Return on^ Treatment Per Acre Difference Cost^ Investment Control 71.8 ------3.2 oz. Ascend® @ V4 71.3 -0.5 $12.25 -$18.58 3.2 oz. Ascend @ R3 70.8 -1.0 $12.25 -$24.90 3.2 oz. Ascend @ V4 f/b 3.2 oz. Ascend @ R3 72.7 +0.9 $24.50 -$13.11 6.4 oz. Ascend @ R3 72.2 +0.4 $19.00 -$13.94 4 oz. Priaxor™ + 3.2 oz. Ascend @ R3 74.0 +2.2 $28.78 -$0.95 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Return on investment is Bu./A. difference (Bu./A. x $12.65/Bu. soybeans) minus treatment cost minus application charge. Ascend $270.00/gal. Priaxor $529.00/gal. Application charge $5.50/A. Ascend is a registered trademark Winfield Solutions, LLC. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Priaxor is a trademark of BASF.

Summary: Although a couple treatments in this year’s study provide a slight yield advantage, none of them were high enough to increase profitability. With the cool temperatures and timely rainfall we encountered in 2013, it is likely that crop stress was held to a minimum in 2013. It will be interesting to see how the crop responds to this product when conditions are more yield limiting. This is the first year we have tested Ascend® on soybeans at the KYPFR farm.

123 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Foliar Fungicide Study - 2013

Planted: May 28, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 9, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 oz. Zidua , 36 oz. Liberty May 3.41 in. Rows: Eleven 15” rows & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 36 oz. Liberty, 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: BECK 483NL August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: In recent years, interest in using fungicides to control foliar diseases in soybeans has grown, as the re-occurrence of Asian Soybean Rust in the far southern states has increased. Testing of foliar fungicides in preparation for Rust control in the past has led to the discovery that these products could be used for other yield enhancing qualities due to their ability to maintain plant health and seed quality. This test is our continued look into the usefulness of both foliar fungicides and insecticides for our growers.

2013 Summary Date Growth Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Return on^ Treatment Sprayed Stage Per Acre Difference Cost^ Investment 3.2 oz. Fastac™ July 15th R2 63.5 0.0 $8.45 -$8.45 Untreated (Control) 63.5 ------6 oz. Headline® July 15th 64.2 +0.7 $23.31 -$14.46 6 oz. Headline + 3.2 oz. Fastac July 15th 63.9 +0.4 $26.26 -$21.20 3.2 oz. Fastac August 3rd R3 63.2 +0.6 $8.45 -$0.86 Untreated 62.6 ------6 oz. Headline August 3rd 63.5 +0.9 $23.31 -$11.50 6 oz. Headline + 3.2 oz. Fastac August 3rd 64.3 +1.7 $26.26 -$4.76 3.2 oz. Fastac August 8th R4 63.3 +2.4 $8.45 +$21.91 Untreated 60.9 ------6 oz. Headline August 8th 63.7 +2.8 $23.31 +$12.11 6 oz. Headline + 3.2 oz. Fastac August 8th 63.7 +2.8 $26.26 +$9.16

5 Year Summary Growth Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Return on^ Treatment Stage Per Acre Difference Cost^ Investment Insecticide R2 77.8 -0.2 $8.45 -$10.98 Untreated 78.0 ------Fungicide Only 79.0 +1.0 $23.31 -$10.66 Fungicide/Insecticide 78.2 +0.2 $26.26 -$23.73 Insecticide R3 75.2 +0.9 $8.45 $2.94 Untreated 74.3 ------Fungicide Only 78.3 +4.0 $23.31 +$27.29 Fungicide/Insecticide 79.0 +4.7 $26.26 +$33.20 Insecticide R4 76.1 +0.9 $8.45 +$2.93 Untreated 75.2 ------Fungicide Only 77.6 +2.4 $23.31 +$7.05 Fungicide/Insecticide 77.7 +2.5 $26.26 +$5.37 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. ^Return on investment is based on Bu./A. difference x $12.65/Bu. soybeans minus treatment cost and application charge. Treatment costs: Headline $380.00/gal. Fastac $118.00/gal. Application charge $5.50. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Liberty is a registered trademark of Bayer. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Headline is a registered trademark of BASF. Fastac is a trademark of BASF Corporation.

124 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Foliar Fungicide Study - Continued

Soybean Fungicide Study: +/- Untreated (5 Year Data) 5.0 +$33.20 +$27.29 4.0

3.0 +$7.05 +$5.37 2.0 Bu./A. -$10.66 1.0 +$2.94 +$2.93 -$23.73 -$10.98 0.0 R2 R3 R4

-1.0 Insecticide Fungicide Fungicide/Insecticide

Summary: The 2013 data shows profitable yield increases for fungicide and insecticide applications made at the R4 growth stage.This is not surprising considering we received limited rainfall in July. A significant rain event on July 30th and 31st brought enough moisture for some late season disease development. Even then, yield increases were limited to less than 3 Bu./A. The five year summary would suggest that R3 would be the optimal growth stage to maximize profitability. Over that period of time fungicide and fungicide/ insecticide applications at the R3 growth stage have produced average yield increases of 4 Bu./A. or higher; resulting in increased profitability of over $33.20/A.

The Kentucky PFR team preparing a seed bed prior to planting.

125 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Fungicide Timing Study - 2013

Planted: May 27, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 3, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: 2 oz. Zidua , 1 qt. Glyphosate May 3.41 in. Rows: Eleven 15” rows & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Insecticide: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 444NR™* July 2.50 in. August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: This study takes a look at Priaxor™, a new premix fungicide from BASF. It contains the same strobilurin found in Headline® and a new active ingredient Xemium® that belongs to the carboxamide class of fungicides. In addition to evaluating this product at a standard rate of 4 oz./A. at the R3 growth stage, various sequential treatments were also tested. This study was conducted to see if any additional yield and profitability can be gained through multiple applications used to promote season long plant health.

Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Return on^ Treatment Per Acre Difference Cost^ Investment Control 65.8 ------4 oz. Priaxor™ @ R3 68.3 +2.5 $22.03 +$9.60 6 oz. Priaxor @ R3 68.2 +2.4 $30.30 +$0.06 4 oz. Priaxor @ R3 f/b 4 oz. Priaxor @ R5 69.4 +3.6 $44.06 +$1.48 4 oz. Priaxor @ R3 f/b 6 oz. Priaxor @ R5 69.1 +3.3 $52.33 -$10.59 2 oz. Priaxor @ V3 f/b 4 oz. Priaxor @ R3 67.7 +1.9 $30.30 -$6.26 4 oz. Priaxor @ V3 f/b 4 oz. Priaxor @ R3 65.1 -0.7 $38.56 -$47.42 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Return on investment is Bu./A. difference x $12.65/Bu. minus treatment cost and application charge. Treatment costs: Priaxor $529.00/gal. Application Charge $5.50/A. Zidua, Headline and Xemium are registered trademarks of BASF. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Priaxor is a trademark of BASF.

Priaxor Fungicide Study Advantage over Untreated 4.0 4 oz. Priaxor @ R3

3.0 6 oz. Priaxor @ R3

2.0 4 oz. Priaxor @ R3 f/b 4 oz. Priaxor @ R5

Bu./A. 1.0 4 oz. Priaxor @ R3 f/b 6 oz. Priaxor @ R5 0.0 2 oz. Priaxor @ V3 f/b 4 oz. Priaxor @ R3 -1.0 4 oz. Priaxor @ V3 f/b 4 oz. Priaxor @ R3

Summary: The standard application of 4 oz./A. of Priaxor™ applied at the R3 growth stage provided the highest increase in profit at $9.60/A. A sequential application of 4 oz. of Priaxor at R3 followed by a second application of 4 oz. at R5 increased yields by an additional 1.2 Bu./A., but did not provide an increase in profitability over the standard treatment.This is the first year we have tested Priaxor on soybeans at the Kentucky PFR farm. We will continue to look at the use of this product and sequential fungicide applications on soybeans in the future. 126 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Planting Date Study - 2013

Planted: Various Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: Various Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® Population: 150,000 Herbicide: 2 oz. Zidua , 1 qt. Glyphosate May 3.41 in. Rows: Eleven 15” rows & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: To evaluate performance of soybeans with various maturities planted on several dates throughout the growing season.

Planting Date Summary Variety Summary Planting Bushels Planting Bushels Brand Date Per Acre Brand Date Per Acre BECK 294NR™* April 29 76.8 BECK 294NR™* 74.5 April 29 through BECK 375NR™* April 29 84.8 BECK 375NR™* 77.0 May 20 BECK 444NR™* April 29 87.0 BECK 444NR™* 80.2 AVERAGE 82.9 BECK 375NR™* April 29 through 68.8 BECK 294NR™* May 14 74.4 BECK 444NR™* June 29 72.6 ™* BECK 375NR May 14 79.7 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. BECK 444NR™* May 14 80.1 *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. AVERAGE 78.1 Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Class Act and NG are registered BECK 294NR™* May 20 72.4 trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. BECK 375NR™* May 20 66.6 BECK 444NR™* May 20 73.4 AVERAGE 70.8 BECK 375NR™* May 27 66.4 9 Year Soybean Planting Date Trend BECK 444NR™* May 27 70.9 Bu./A. Group III & IV AVERAGE 68.7 80.0 ™* BECK 375NR June 6 63.4 75.0 BECK 444NR™* June 6 67.0 70.0 AVERAGE 65.2 BECK 375NR™* June 12 62.1 65.0 BECK 444NR™* June 12 66.8 60.0 AVERAGE 64.5 55.0 BECK 375NR™* June 21 62.7 50.0 BECK 444NR™* June 21 69.0 < 1 Bu./A. Diﬀerence AVERAGE 65.9 45.0 ™* BECK 375NR June 29 64.5 40.0 BECK 444NR™* June 29 66.8 4/17 4/27 5/7 5/17 5/27 6/6 6/16 6/26 7/6 AVERAGE 65.7 Planting Date

Summary: This year’s high yielding planting date was April 29th. Yields trended lower from that date until leveling off on June 12th. BECK 444NR™* out-yielded BECK 375NR™* by an average of 3.8 Bu./A. across all planting dates in 2013. Looking back over the history of the Southern Indiana and Kentucky PFR farms, mid-group IV soybeans have out-yielded late group III soybeans seven out of nine years. Although BECK 294NR™* recorded an average yield of 74.5 Bu./A. across the first three planting dates in 2013, BECK 375NR™* and BECK 444NR™* out-yielded them by 2.5 and 5.7 Bu./A. respectively. Over the past two years late group III and mid- group IV beans have yielded an average of 6.9 Bu./A. higher than late group II soybeans. The long-term summary chart represents the yield trend for Group III and Group IV soybeans by planting date over the past nine years. This data shows the highest yield potential (< 1 Bu./A. difference) for soybeans planted between April 19th and May 13th. 127 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Population Timing Study - 2013

Planted: Various Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: Various Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® Population: Various Herbicide: 2 oz. Zidua , 1 qt. Glyphosate May 3.41 in. Rows: Eleven 15” rows & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Insecticide: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 444NR™* July 2.50 in. August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: In addition to selecting high yielding varieties, it is important to know the correct seeding rate to maximize yield and profitability. This study compares a wide range of seeding rates across various planting dates to determine the most profitable seeding rate for each date. The goal is to determine at what point in the season seeding rates need to be increased to maximize profitability as planting progresses.

Target Emerged Bushels† Approximate Net^ Net Return Planting Date Population Population Per Acre Seed Cost Return Rank April 29 100,000 92,933 85.4 $37.49 $1,042.82 3 125,000 102,575 85.9 $46.87 $1,039.77 4 150,000 98,742 87.0 $56.24 $1,044.31 2 175,000 121,975 86.6 $65.61 $1,029.88 5 200,000 135,915 88.6 $74.98 $1,045.81 1 AVERAGE 110,428 86.7 May 14 100,000 98,742 79.7 $37.49 $970.71 2 125,000 116,167 79.8 $46.87 $962.60 4 150,000 131,268 80.1 $56.24 $957.03 5 175,000 142,885 81.5 $65.61 $965.36 3 200,000 159,148 85.2 $74.98 $1,002.80 1 AVERAGE 129,642 81.3 May 20 100,000 95,257 71.5 $37.49 $866.98 5 125,000 113,843 73.1 $46.87 $877.85 2 150,000 137,077 73.4 $56.24 $872.27 3 175,000 180,058 74.1 $65.61 $871.75 4 200,000 182,382 75.5 $74.98 $880.09 1 AVERAGE 141,723 73.5 May 27 100,000 96,418 70.3 $37.49 $851.80 2 125,000 121,975 69.9 $46.87 $837.37 5 150,000 148,693 70.9 $56.24 $840.65 3 175,000 176,573 71.5 $65.61 $838.86 4 200,000 197,483 73.8 $74.98 $858.59 1 AVERAGE 148,229 71.3 June 6 100,000 96,418 64.6 $37.49 $779.70 4 125,000 112,682 64.7 $46.87 $771.59 5 150,000 139,400 67.0 $56.24 $791.31 2 175,000 164,957 67.6 $65.61 $789.53 3 200,000 170,765 70.1 $74.98 $811.78 1 AVERAGE 136,844 66.8

Planting date data continued on the following page.

128 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Population Timing Study - Continued

Target Emerged Bushels† Approximate Net^ Net Return Planting Date Population Population Per Acre Seed Cost Return Rank

June 12 100,000 96,767 64.1 $37.49 $773.37 3 125,000 121,975 64.6 $46.87 $770.32 4 150,000 149,042 66.8 $56.24 $788.78 1 175,000 176,109 65.0 $65.61 $756.64 5 200,000 197,483 68.1 $74.98 $786.48 2 AVERAGE 148,275 65.7 June 21 100,000 98,742 66.9 $37.49 $808.79 2 125,000 116,167 66.2 $46.87 $790.56 4 150,000 130,107 69.0 $56.24 $816.61 1 175,000 176,573 68.1 $65.61 $795.85 3 200,000 170,765 67.2 $74.98 $775.10 5 AVERAGE 138,471 67.5 June 29 100,000 92,933 63.9 $37.49 $770.84 4 125,000 116,167 65.9 $46.87 $786.77 2 150,000 117,328 66.8 $56.24 $788.78 1 175,000 158,684 67.0 $65.61 $781.94 3 200,000 154,850 66.2 $74.98 $762.45 5 AVERAGE 127,992 66.0 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on Bu./A. x $12.65/Bu. minus seed cost of $48.74/unit. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC.

20122012 Optimum Optimum Soybean Soybean Seeding Seeding Rate Rate 20132013 Optimum Optimum Soybean Soybean Seeding Seeding Rate Rate 200,000200,000 250,000250,000 180,000180,000 AprilApril 29 29 160,000160,000 200,000200,000 MayMay 14 14 140,000140,000 AprilApril 23 23 MayMay 20 20 120,000120,000 MayMay 8 8 150,000150,000 100,000100,000 MayMay 25 25 MayMay 27 27 80,00080,000 JuneJune 8 8 100,000100,000 JuneJune 6 6 60,00060,000 JuneJune 12 12 40,00040,000 50,00050,000 20,00020,000 JuneJune 29 29 0 0 0 0

Summary: This year’s study showed an optimum seeding rate of 200,000 seeds/A. to be the most profitable for soybeans planted from April 29th through June 6th. This is due, in part, to thin stands that resulted from heavy rains prior to emergence for the April 29th and May 14th planting dates. As we continued to plant soybeans throughout the month of June, the 2013 data shows that the optimum seeding rate actually decreased. These results contradict the data that we collected over the past four years that resulted in less than a 4 Bu./A. difference in yield regardless of the target seeding rate used for soybeans planted by mid-May. That data set suggested the optimum seeding rate for beans planted prior to the end of May would be below 150,000 seeds/A. Similar research conducted by the University of Kentucky suggests that evenly spaced, final stands of 80,000 - 100,000 plants/A. are adequate to achieve high yields for first crop soybeans. Seeding rate data collected from the Southern Indiana PFR farm from 2006 - 2012 shows the optimum seeding rate for double crop soybeans, which are typically planted in June, increases to 220,000 seeds/A.

129 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Fastac™ Insecticide Study - 2013

Planted: June 7, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 8, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 oz. Zidua , 36 oz. Liberty May 3.41 in. Rows: Eleven 15” rows & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 36 oz. Liberty, 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: BECK 459L4 August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: As producers focus more on intensely managed soybeans, they often make more trips across the field with the sprayer. One question that comes up repeatedly is whether or not it is profitable to add insecticide to the tank mix.This study attempts to answer that question by applying Fastac™, a pyrethroid insecticide from BASF, at various growth stages throughout the year.

(No App Charge) (With App Charge) Bushels† Bu./A. Return on Return on Treatment Per Acre Difference Treatment Cost^ Investment Investment Control 57.0 ------3.2 oz. Fastac™ w/ Liberty® 58.4 +1.3 $2.95 $14.76 $9.26 3.2 oz. Fastac @ R2 58.7 +1.6 $2.95 $18.56 $13.06 3.2 oz. Fastac @ R3 57.7 +0.6 $2.95 $5.91 $0.41 3.2 oz. Fastac @ R4 56.7 -0.3 $2.95 -$6.74 -$12.25 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. ^Return on investment is Bu./A. difference x $12.65/Bu. soybeans minus treatment cost and application charge (if applicable). Fastac $118.00/gal. Application charge $5.50/A. Fastac is a trademark of BASF Corporation. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Liberty is a registered trademark of Bayer. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC.

Fastac Insecticide Study: Return over Control $25.00 $20.00 $15.00 $10.00 $5.00 $0.00 Return/A. -$5.00 -$10.00 -$15.00 With R2 R3 R4 Liberty No App. Charge +$14.76 +$18.56 +$5.91 -$6.74 App. Charge +$9.26 + $13.06 $0.41 -$12.25

Summary: Results from this study are shown both with and without applications charges to simulate a potential scenario where an additional pass was made for the sole purpose of applying an insecticide (application charge added) or as a tank mix partner in an application that was already planned (no application charge). Applications of Fastac™ with Liberty® (late vegetative growth stage) and at R2 provided yield increases that generated increased profits regardless of whether or not an application charge was applied.The R3 Fastac treatment increased yield slightly, but it wasn’t enough to provide additional profits if an application charge was applied. 130 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Study - 2013

Planted: May 27, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 28, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) ® April 5.22 in. Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: 2 oz. Zidua , 1 qt. Glyphosate May 3.41 in. Rows: Eleven 15” rows & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Insecticide: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 418NR™* July 2.50 in. August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: In an effort to raise higher yielding soybeans, growers often ask if there is a benefit to applying nitrogen to their crop. This is the question we are hoping to answer in our Soybean Nitrogen Study. The goal of this study is to increase soybean yield through the use of in-season applications of Urea, Ammonium Sulfate or Coron® (a nitrogen based liquid fertilizer).

Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Return on^ Treatment Per Acre Difference Cost^ Investment 200 lbs. AMS @ R2 70.0 +0.1 $50.50 -$49.24 100 lbs. Urea @ R2 69.0 -0.9 $32.20 -$43.59 1 gal. Coron® @ R2 69.0 -0.9 $15.50 -$26.89 Control 69.9 ------200 lbs. AMS @ R4 71.3 +1.4 $50.50 -$32.79 100 lbs. Urea @ R4 71.7 +1.8 $32.20 -$9.43 1 gal. Coron @ R4 70.7 +0.8 $15.50 -$5.38 0.5 gal. Coron @ R2 f/b 0.5 gal. Coron @ R4 69.3 -0.6 $21.00 -$28.59 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Return on investment is Bu./A. difference x $12.65/Bu. minus treatment cost and application charge. AMS $450/ton. Urea $534/ton. Coron $10.00/gal. Application charge $5.50/A. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Coron is a registered trademark of Helena Holding Company.

Soybean Nitrogen Study: Bu./A. vs. Untreated 2.0 1.5 200 Lbs. AMS 1.0 0.5 100 Lbs. Urea 0.0 -0.5 1 Gal. Coron -1.0 -1.5 R2 R4

Summary: Nitrogen applications made at the R4 growth stage showed some potential for increasing yield. An application of 100 lbs./A. of urea at R4 showed the highest yield increase of 1.8 Bu./A. This is encouraging considering that R4 applications were made on August 8th, and we received less than 0.5” of rain over the remainder of that month. It will be interesting to see if additional yield can be gained if more rain is received after applications are made in the future. At this point, none of the nitrogen treatments tested in this study provided a profit increase. 131 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Foliar Feed Study - 2013

Planted: May 27, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 3, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) ® April 5.22 in. Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: 2 oz. Zidua , 1 qt. Glyphosate May 3.41 in. Rows: Eleven 15” rows & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Insecticide: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 444NR™* July 2.50 in. August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: The goal of this study is to determine if additional yield and profit can be gained through the use of foliar fertilizers at various growth stages. The following products were tested in this year’s study: Ferti-K: A blend of Sure-K® and Ferti-Rain™ in a 2:1 ratio. Sure-K is a chloride-free potassium solution which can be used in a foliar application, applied at planting to the soil or sidedress that presents a very low risk of crop injury. Ferti-Rain is a multi- nutrient formulation used with other foliar fertilizers to stimulate foliar absorption. AC-97: Foliar nutritional product development by CP-Bio, Inc. that combines plant hormones and micronutrients. Strive: Specialty foliar fertilizer distributed by Security Seed and Chemical that contains salicylic acid which helps the plant combat stress. Exp. A & Exp. B: Are two experimental foliar nutrients products being tested by Security Seed and Chemical.

Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Return on^ Treatment Per Acre Difference Cost^ Investment Control 62.8 ------3 gal. Ferti-K @ R1 64.7 +1.9 $25.50 -$1.46 2 gal. Ferti-K @ R1 f/b 2 gal. Ferti-K @ R3 64.2 +1.4 $43.00 -$25.29 1 qt. AC-97 & 2 oz. Strive w/ Glyphosate 63.4 +0.6 $15.56 -$7.97 3 gal. Exp. A @ R3 64.7 +1.9 ------3 gal. Exp. B @ R3 64.4 +1.6 ------†Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Return on investment is gross income of treatment (Bu./A. x $12.65/Bu. soybeans) minus treatment cost and application charge (if applicable) minus gross income of control. Ferti-K $8/gal. AC-97 $48.00/gal. Strive $224.00/gal. Application charge $5.50/A. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Sure-K is a registered trademark of Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers. Ferti-Rain is a trademark of Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers. Ferti-K and Strive are distributed by Security Seed and Chemical.

Soybean Foliar Fertilizer Study 2.0 3 gal. Ferti-K @ R1

1.5 2 gal. Ferti-K @ R1 f/b 2 gal. Ferti-K @ R3 1.0 1 qt. AC-97 & 2 oz. Strive w/ Glyphosate

Bu./A. Increase 0.5 3 gal. Exp. A @ R3

3 gal. Exp. B @ R3 0.0

Summary: This year’s results show the average yield increases for all of the products tested. Three gallons of Ferti-K applied at the R1 growth stage provided a 1.9 Bu./A. yield increase; however that wasn’t quite enough to be profitable when application charges are applied. eW will continue to test these products to see how they affect the crop when it experiences more stress. We will also see if these products can be profitable when applied with other treatments such as fungicide applications.

132 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Bio-Forge® Study - 2013

Planted: May 29, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 4, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® ® Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 oz. Zidua , 36 oz. Liberty May 3.41 in. Rows: Eleven 15” rows & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Post: 36 oz. Liberty, 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: BECK 456NL August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: This study was designed to determine if Bio-Forge® will increase yield and profitability in soybeans. Bio-Forge is an antioxidant that helps to handle stress by up-regulating genes in the plant that are associated with excessive ethylene production, enzymes that protect against damaging free radicals, and genes that promote root growth. Bio-Forge can be applied in-furrow at planting, as a seed treatment, or through foliar applications. We have also added Actuate in one treatment. Actuate is blend of humic and fulvic acid. The humic acid is used to improve plant nutrient uptake by breaking bonds between the nutrients and the soil. Fulvic acid promotes cell division and elongation.

Bushels† Bu./A. Return on^ Treatment Per Acre Difference Treatment Cost^ Investment Control 53.4 ------Bio-Forge® Seed Treatment 53.4 0.0 $4.31 -$4.31 8 oz. Bio-Forge In-furrow 52.9 -0.5 $6.13 -$12.45 16 oz. Bio-Forge In-furrow 50.9 -2.5 $12.29 -$43.91 8 oz. Bio-Forge w/ Liberty® @ V4 53.4 0.0 $6.13 -$6.13 12 oz. Bio-Forge w/ Liberty @ V4 53.4 +0.1 $9.19 -$8.56 16 oz . Bio-Forge w/ Liberty @ V4 54.4 +1.0 $12.29 +$0.36 8 oz. Bio-Forge + 1qt. Actuate w/ Liberty @ V4 51.7 -1.7 $18.13 -$39.63 16 oz. Bio-Forge Foliar @ R3 53.7 +0.4 $12.29 -$13.36

†Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. ^Return on investment is Bu./A. difference (Bu./A. x $12.65/Bu. soybeans) minus treatment cost and application charge (R3 only). Bio-Forge $98.00/gal. Actuate $48.00/gal. Application charge $5.50/A. Bio-Forge is a registered trademark of Stoller, USA. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Liberty is a registered trademark of Bayer. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Actuate is distributed by Security Seed and Chemical.

Summary: This year’s study resulted in a variance of 2.5 Bu./A. or less in yield between the untreated check and any of the treatments containing Bio-Forge®. The only treatment that provided an increase in both yield and profitability was 16 oz. of Bio-Forge applied with our herbicide application just prior to canopy closure. With the minimal amount of moisture stress and cool temperatures that we encountered in 2013, it is likely that ethelyne production was held to a minimum. It will be interesting to see how the crop responds to this product when conditions are more yield limiting. This is the first year that we have tested this product on soybeans at the KYPFR farm.

133 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Cobra® Study - 2013

Planted: May 28, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 8, 2013 Tillage: In-line ripper, field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: 2 oz. Zidua , 1 qt. Glyphosate May 3.41 in. Rows: Eleven 15” rows & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Insecticide: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 477NR™* July 2.50 in. August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: Cobra® is a diphenyl ether herbicide used for control of broadleaf weed species and is commonly known for its potential to “burn” or defoliate soybeans. The goal of this study is to evaluate the use of this herbicide as a tool to shorten internode length and plant height while possibly triggering higher pod counts. Cobra was applied at 12.5 oz./A. with 1 qt./A. crop oil and 1 qt./A. UAN.

(No App Charge) (With App Charge) Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Return on^ Return on^ Treatment Per Acre Difference Cost^ Investment Investment Untreated 59.7 ------Cobra® @ V4 58.8 -0.9 $18.46 -$29.85 -$35.35 Cobra @ V5 58.5 -1.2 $18.46 -$33.64 -$39.14 Cobra @ R1 56.6 -3.1 $18.46 -$57.68 -$63.18 Cobra @ R2 58.4 -1.3 $18.46 -$34.91 -$40.41 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. ^Return on investment is Bu./A. difference x $12.65/Bu. soybeans minus treatment cost. Cobra $189.00/gal. Application charge $5.50/A. Cobra is a registered trademark of Valent U.S.A. Corp. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Liberty is a registered trademark of Bayer. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC.

Cobra Herbicide Study: Return over Untreated

$0.00 -$10.00 -$20.00 -$30.00 -$40.00 -$50.00 Return/A. -$60.00 -$70.00 V4 V5 R1 R2 No App. Charge -$29.85 -$33.64 -$57.68 -$34.91 App. Charge -$35.35 -$39.14 -$63.18 -$40.41

Summary: None of the applications of Cobra in this year’s study provided an increase in yield. Therefore there were no profits to be gained. One interesting thing to point out is the higher yield loss at the R1 growth stage. This correlates closely with results that we obtain at the Central Illinois PFR farm in 2012. Typically stresses to the soybean plant are more likely to result in higher yields when they occur during the vegetative growth stages. The data from this study shows the increased risk of yield loss when stresses take place during flowering. Results from this study are shown both with and without applications charges to simulate a potential scenario where an additional pass was made for the sole purpose ® of applying Cobra (application charge added) or as a tank mix partner in an Cobra Applied @ V5 application that was already planned (no application charge).

134 Kentucky PFR

BECK’S Harvest Aid Study - 2013

Planted: May 28, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 9, 2013 Tillage: Field cultivator (twice) April 5.22 in. ® Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Early Post: 2 oz. Zidua , 1 qt. Glyphosate May 3.41 in. Rows: Eleven 15” rows & 2.5 gal./100 Class Act® NG® June 6.16 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 1 qt. Glyphosate, 2.5 gal./100 Class Act NG Insecticide: Escalate® July 2.50 in. Product Tested: BECK 432NR™* August 0.40 in. Total 17.69 in.

Purpose: Ever had challenges with green stems and immature pods when it came time to harvest soybeans? This study was designed to see if harvest aids could be utilized to allow growers to get in the field quicker and harvest their soybeans before quality begins to deteriorate. Applications were made when approximately 75% of the pods where brown (late R7).

Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Return on^ Treatment Per Acre Difference Cost^ Investment Untreated 66.4 ------2 oz. Sharpen® + MSO + AMS 66.3 -0.1 $15.66 -$16.93 2 oz. Sharpen + Crop Oil + AMS 66.6 +0.2 $15.66 -$13.13 1 pt. Gramoxone Inteon® + NIS + AMS 67.5 +1.1 $10.97 +$2.94 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Return on investment is Bu./A. difference x $12.65/A. minus treatment cost and application charge. Sharpen $650/gal. Gramoxone $43.75/gal. Application charge $5.50/A. Zidua and Sharpen are registered trademarks of BASF. Class Act and NG are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Gramoxone Inteon is registered trademark of Syngenta Group Company.

Sharpen® Untreated

Summary: The application of a harvest aid did not appear to be detrimental to yield when applied at 75% brown pod. Our goal was to harvest the entries treated with a harvest aid as soon as the label would allow us back into the field.The label on Sharpen® states a three day preharvest interval while Gramoxone Inteon® allows for a 15 day interval. Due to rain delays this study was not harvested until 11 days after harvest aids were applied. This was late for the Sharpen treatments, but earlier than the label allows for Gramoxone. It will be interesting to see if this practice will be of benefit in the future when the Sharpen entries can be harvested as soon as the label allows. Another scenario that might be worth testing would be the use of this practice on early planted later group II and early group III soybeans that often are more susceptible to the green stem scenario in this geography. Visually we saw a difference between the treatments and the untreated. Due to the rain we received that postponed harvest, we were unable to determine if it improved the harvestability. 135 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Corn Show Plot - 2013

Planted: May 14, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 9, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® INSECTICIDE: Escalate® June 4.30 in. July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Yield Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Rank Brand Population Weight Moisture Per Acre 1 Beck 5385A3 30,750 58.7 21.0 228.3 2 BECK 5140HR™* 32,500 56.2 17.0 212.9 3 Beck 6948A3 34,750 59.0 23.1 211.7 4 BECK 6626AMX™* 31,750 58.7 21.1 210.7 5 BECK 6778AM™* 32,250 60.8 21.8 210.4 6 BECK 5475AM™* 33,000 58.5 20.1 202.4 7 BECK Ex 1308 (5475AMXT Genetics)™* 34,750 58.6 20.6 201.9 8 BECK 5509A3 33,000 58.9 20.5 201.6 9 BECK Ex 0155 (5375HRwx Genetics)™* 32,250 60.1 18.9 199.2 10 BECK Ex 0208 (5131AM Genetics)™* 35,500 57.4 16.9 194.9 11 BECK 6575HR™* 34,500 61.3 22.8 192.9 12 BECK 6543HR™* 33,750 59.4 20.3 189.6 13 BECK 5246HR™* 33,000 57.2 16.6 188.9 14 Phoenix 5552EZ** 33,500 57.9 20.3 188.5 15 Beck 5114A4 35,000 59.0 15.9 184.6 16 Phoenix 6542A4** 34,750 58.4 20.1 177.1 17 BECK Ex 1304 (4321AM Genetics)™* 34,000 58.0 15.6 175.2 18 BECK Ex 1315 (6175AMXT Genetics)™* 34,000 58.9 17.8 172.0 19 BECK 6077AM-R™* 35,500 52.5 17.3 171.3 20 Phoenix 5642A4** 33,500 59.7 17.4 168.9 21 Beck 6348A3 32,250 59.8 19.6 168.6 22 EX1325™* 32,000 59.0 16.8 167.9 23 BECK Ex 1309 (5828AMX Genetics)™* 34,500 58.8 16.4 163.9 24 BECK 6272HR™* 31,500 59.1 16.7 156.6 25 Phoenix 5842EZ** 34,500 59.2 15.4 146.9 Average 33,470 58.8 18.8 187.5 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

136 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S 300 Bushel Attempt - 2013

Planted: May 10, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 1, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: Various Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® June 4.30 in. July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To reach 300 bushel corn yields at the Central Illinois Practical Farm Research location. This is the 7th year attempting to reach 300 bushel corn. This year’s 300 bushel attempt was based on a high yield management program compared to a control. The control program consisted of a normal 180 lbs. nitrogen rate for corn after soybeans and populations of 34,500 seeds/A. No other treatments were made in this control program. The high yield program consisted of the various treatments which are listed in the High Yield Treatment table below. These treatments were used in an effort to ramp up yields to 300 Bu./A. Additionally, all treatments were used in individual PFR research plots in 2013. Please refer to the Table of Contents to find each plot summary.

Yield Planted Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Rank Brand Population Moisture Per Acre Difference Control 1 BECK 6626AMX™* 34,500 25.0 244.0 2 BECK 5509A3 34,500 26.6 240.5 3 BECK Ex 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 34,500 27.4 233.3 4 Phoenix 5552A4** 34,500 25.7 228.8 5 BECK 6175AMX™* 34,500 30.5 226.1 6 BECK 5475AMX™* 34,500 22.0 224.8 Average 34,500 26.2 232.9 High Yield Treatment 1 BECK 6626AMX™* 37,500 25.3 270.9 +26.9 2 BECK 5509A3 37,500 22.3 260.7 +20.2 3 BECK EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 37,500 21.1 257.0 +23.7 4 Phoenix 5552A4** 37,500 23.0 255.4 +26.6 5 BECK 6175AMX™* 37,500 30.1 255.3 +29.2 6 BECK 5475AMX™* 37,500 20.8 245.6 +20.8 Average 37,500 23.8 257.5 +24.6 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Priaxor is a trademark of BASF. Headline AMP is a registered trademark of BASF. VersaMax is a trademark of Midtech R&D, Inc. Infusion 2.0 is a trademark of Biovante LLC. Infusion is certified organic by BCS/OKO. BioRed is a trademark of Biovante LLC. Elixor is distributed by Biovante LLC. YDrop is a trademark of Ag Alternatives, Inc. Factor is a registered trademark of Midtech R&D, Inc. Instinct is a trademark of Dow AgroSciences. Respire is a registered trademark of Chandler, Inc. Counter is a registered trademark of AmVac Chemical Company Corporation.

High Yield Treatment Summary: 4 oz. Priaxor™ @ V5 The goal of hitting 300 Bu./A. was not met in 2013 at the Central Illinois Practical 75 lbs. Nitrogen PPI Farm Research location, but we were very close. The high yield management 10 oz. Headline AMP® @ VT program offered an average yield gain of 24.6 Bu./A. over the control. BECK 6626AMX™* took top honors with a yield of 270.9 Bu./A. which was a 26.9 Bu./A. 1 qt. VersaMax @ V4 advantage over BECK 6626AMX™* in the control. In 2014 we will try once again to 5 gal. 7-22-5 Pop-up reach the 300 Bu./A. yield. With a little help from mother nature and Beck’s strong Plant Population 37,500 genetics/traits, we strongly believe we will reach this goal soon. Counter® Soil Insecticide 1 qt. Infusion 2.0™ @ V5 1 qt. BioRed™ @ Preplant 1 qt. Elixor @ V10 7-22-5, 0-0-14, 28-0-0 YDrop™ @ V12 Factor® & Instinct™ Nitrogen Stabilizers PPI 8 oz. Respire® 137 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Fungicide Timing Study - 2013

Planted: May 8, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 2, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 35,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of Priaxor™ and Headline Amp® fungicide at various treatment timings. Treatments consisted of 4 oz. of Priaxor at the V5 growth stage, 10 oz. of Headline AMP at full tassel (VT), as well as a combination of both treatments. Full tassel or VT applications are most commonly used in our marketing area. However, over the past few years there has been a focus on early preventative fungicide applications at or near the V5 growth stage.

Brand & Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Beck’s Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment Fungicide Rating BECK 5828AMX™* Control 18.8 207.3 $1,087.91 V5 19.1 214.7 +7.4 $1,107.64 +$19.73 Medium V5 + VT 20.1 221.1 +13.8 $1,105.64 +$17.73 VT 20.4 216.1 +8.8 $1,093.59 +$5.68 BECK 5475AMX™* Control 20.8 209.5 $1,082.70 V5 20.8 217.4 +7.9 $1,106.99 +$24.30 Medium V5 + VT 21.0 220.5 +11.0 $1,094.58 +$11.88 VT 21.1 223.8 +14.3 $1,127.24 +$44.55 BECK 5509A3 Control 20.9 188.2 $971.86 V5 20.7 193.3 +5.1 $983.22 +$11.35 Medium V5 + VT 20.8 202.5 +14.3 $1,003.32 +$31.46 VT 20.9 202.7 +14.5 $1,020.07 +$48.21 Phoenix 5552A4** Control 19.5 171.9 $897.32 V5 19.5 176.8 +4.9 $906.37 +$9.05 High V5 + VT 19.5 183.2 +11.3 $913.10 +$15.79 VT 19.5 188.1 +16.2 $955.21 +$57.89 BECK 6175AMX™* Control 20.5 168.8 $874.38 V5 20.5 172.9 +4.1 $879.09 +$4.71 V5 + VT 20.6 178.3 +9.5 $879.68 +$5.30 Low VT 20.6 177.5 +8.7 $892.07 +$17.69 BECK 6626AMX™* Control 21.2 148.6 $765.59 V5 21.2 154.1 +5.5 $777.39 +$11.81 Low V5 + VT 21.3 162.5 +13.9 $793.35 +$27.76 VT 21.6 163.1 +14.5 $811.01 +$45.42 Phoenix 5642A4** Control 18.5 144.2 $758.49 V5 18.6 149.2 +5.0 $767.67 +$9.17 Medium V5 + VT 18.7 150.5 +6.3 $747.23 -$11.27 VT 18.6 149.0 +4.8 $756.47 -$2.02

138 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Fungicide Timing Study - Continued

Brand & Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Beck’s Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment Fungicide Rating BECK 6272HR™* Control 21.0 142.4 $734.78 V5 21.1 144.6 +2.2 $729.03 -$5.76 Low V5 + VT 21.2 146.6 +4.2 $712.08 -$22.70 VT 21.6 147.3 +4.9 $729.86 -$4.92 BECK 6948A3 Control 18.5 168.8 $887.89 V5 18.6 172.1 +3.3 $888.03 +$0.14 Low V5 + VT 18.7 172.4 +3.6 $862.24 -$25.64 VT 18.6 173.8 +5.0 $886.82 -$1.07 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ^Net return based on $5.40/Bu. corn, $0.04/point drying cost and treatment costs. 4 oz. Priaxor $16.53 (no application cost). VT Headline Amp $21.17/A. + $5.50 application cost. Combination treatments $37.70 + $5.50 application cost. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Headline AMP is a registered trademark of BASF. Priaxor is a trademark of BASF.

2013 CILPFR Fungicide Summary $25.00

$20.00

$15.00

$10.00 Return / A.

$5.00

$- V5 Avg. VT Avg. Combined Avg. Return $9.39 $23.49 $10.30 Yield 5.0 10.2 11.4

Figure 1. Summary: The V5 applications of Priaxor™ offered a 5.0 Bu./A. average yield increase and netted an average return of $9.39/A. Of the nine hybrids that were tested, eight proved to show positive returns. The VT applications of Headline AMP offered average yield gains of 10.2 Bu./A. with net profits of $23.49/A. Phoenix 5642A4**, Beck 6272HR™* and BECK 6948A3 were the only hybrids that had negative returns from VT applications. Combination treatments of both V5 and VT applications did not offer any additional benefit over and above the stand-alone VT treatments. In fact, combination treatments resulted in returns of $10.30/A. compared to a net return of $23.49/A. for VT applications (Figure 1). We must pay close attention to weather conditions, crop rotation, leaf disease presence, as well as fungicide response ratings for each hybrid to fully comprehend and evaluate fungicide applications. In this study, BECK 6948A3 and Beck 6272HR™* did not show any financial gain from overall fungicide applications and might be the result of this hybrids having a low fungicide response rating. This rating is provided by Beck’s Hybrids for every hybrid that we currently have in our lineup and can be a great predictor of how corn hybrids respond to various levels of leaf disease. Beck 5509A3 and Phoenix 5552A4** however, are classified as a medium- high fungicide response hybrids and might help explain the finaincial gains that occurred as a result of the fungicide applications. These fungicide response ratings cannot replace scouting fields for leaf disease, but can give an indication of how hybrids need to be managed throughout the growing season. Please contact your local Beck’s representative for more information regarding corn hybrid fungicide response. For more information on fungicide timing research please refer to page 260 for our multi-location study. 139 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S In-Furrow Fungicide Study - 2013

Planted: May 8, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 15, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 35,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 5442VT3 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate the use of Priaxor™ and Headline® EC liquid fungicides as in-furrow at plant treatments through seed firmers.

Test Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Cost Return Investment Control 57.0 22.5 201.6 ------$1,088.64 ---- 4 oz. Priaxor™ In-furrow @ Planting 57.2 22.9 206.2 +4.6 $16.53 $1,096.95 +$8.31 6 oz. Headline® EC In-furrow @ Planting 57.2 22.9 205.6 +4.0 $18.70 $1,091.54 +$2.90 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn, $16.53 Priaxor, $18.70 Headline. No application costs included. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Priaxor is a trademark of BASF. Headline is a registered trademark of BASF.

Summary: Both fungicides at planting increased yields by an average of 4.3 Bu./A. Although both treatments showed positive yield gains, Priaxor™ applications proved a higher return on investment of $5.41/A. This is our first year of testing Priaxor and Headline® EC in-furrow at the CILPFR Center. We look forward to additional testing in the future.

140 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Irrigation Study - 2013

Planted: April 8, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 12, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 38,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: This study is designed to evaluate yield differences in irrigated and non-irrigated environments. Irrigation was used on a daily basis to offset any negative drought effects. Two irrigation methods were used including overhead “pivot type” irrigation, as well as “drip” irrigation. Drip irrigation was implemented for the first time this year at the CILPFR farm. All irrigated plots received a half an inch of water up to five times per week during dry periods that persisted throughout July and August.

Test Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Gross^ Revenue Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Income Increase Phoenix 5552A4** Drip Irrigation 57.7 24.3 242.5 +48.0 $1,309.50 +$259.20 Top Irrigation 57.8 23.2 256.8 +62.3 $1,386.72 +$336.42 Control 57.1 22.8 194.5 ---- $1,050.30 ---- BECK 6175AMX™* Drip Irrigation 56.3 20.7 241.4 +49.8 $1,303.56 +$268.92 Top Irrigation 56.2 20.5 257.5 +65.9 $1,390.50 +$355.86 Control 56.1 20.3 191.6 ---- $1,034.64 ---- Phoenix 5642A4** Drip Irrigation 56.1 20.3 240.2 +36.2 $1,297.08 +$195.48 Top Irrigation 56.1 20.2 263.4 +59.4 $1,422.36 +$320.76 Control 56.0 20.0 204.0 ---- $1,101.60 ---- 3 Hybrid Average Drip Irrigation 56.7 21.8 241.4 +44.7 $1,303.38 +$241.20 Top Irrigation 56.7 21.3 259.2 +62.5 $1,399.86 +$337.68 Control 56.4 21.0 196.7 ---- $1,062.18 ---- †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. ^Gross income based on $5.40/Bu. corn. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

Summary: It is very true that rain makes grain! May and June offered very good growing conditions, but July and August at Central Illinois PFR had very dry conditions with little rainfall. When we had the opportunity to irrigate, yields responded by 53.6 Bu./A. over all three Beck corn hybrids. Pivot irrigation offered higher yield gains by nearly 18 Bu./A. over the drip irrigation concept, which equated to a higher income of almost $100.00/A. It is unclear why drip irrigation did not perform as well as pivot irrigation, but further research needs to be completed to fully understand how to use this irrigation concept. No costs were calculated for irrigation, but with the yield increase by adding water, gross revenue was increased by nearly $300.00/A. over the control.

141 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Crop Rotation & Tillage Study - 2013

Planted: BAC: May 20, 2013 Previous Crop: Various RAINFALL CAB & CAC: May 17, 2013 Tillage: Various April 8.80 in. ™ Harvested: September 27, 2013 Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict ® May 4.15 in. Population: BAC: 150,000 seeds/A. Post: 24 oz. Durango June 4.30 in. CAB & CAC: 34,500 seeds/A. INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Rows: Six 30” rows Product Tested: BECK 5385A3 July 2.60 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Beck 263NR™* August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate different forms of tillage in both first year corn, continuous corn and soybean after corn rotations. Tillage methods include no-till, strip-till, vertical-till and conventional-till. Conventional-till consists of a disk chisel plow in the fall followed by a field cultivator pass in the spring. Fall strip-till is completed with a Remlinger strip-till tool bar. Vertical-till is a Kuhn Krause Excelerator® in the fall and spring, while no-till consists of a planter equipped with no-till coulters and residue cleaners. For this study both the corn and soybeans were planted in 30” rows.

Percent Bushels† Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Cost^ Return Investment Corn After Soybeans Conventional Till 22.7 193.8 $37.00 $1,009.52 ---- Strip-Till 22.1 196.1 $42.20 $1,016.74 +$7.22 Vertical Till 21.7 196.7 $47.90 $1,014.28 +$4.76 No-Till 21.2 185.9 $25.30 $978.56 -$30.96 Average 21.9 193.1 Continuous Corn Conventional Till 21.5 191.1 $46.80 $985.14 ---- Strip-Till 21.4 183.7 $42.20 $949.78 -$35.36 Vertical Till 20.5 174.0 $47.90 $891.70 -$93.44 No-Till 20.7 161.9 $25.30 $848.96 -$136.18 Average 21.0 177.7 Soybeans After Corn Conventional Till 10.4 56.2 $37.00 $673.93 ---- Strip-Till 10.6 58.2 $42.20 $694.03 +$20.10 Vertical Till 10.1 58.3 $47.90 $689.60 +$15.67 No-Till 10.5 57.9 $25.30 $707.14 +$33.21 Average 10.4 57.7 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture for soybeans and to 15% moisture for corn. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return based on gross return minus cost of tillage, planting and burn-down herbicide pass. Cost for tillage, planting, and burn down herbicide pass were taken from the results of the 2012 University of Illinois Machinery Cost Estimates: Field Operations Guide. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Excelerator is a registered trademark of Krause Corporation. CAB Conventional-Till: A primary tillage pass in the fall followed by one pass with a field cultivator in the spring, conventional-till planter. CAC Conventional: A primary tillage pass in the fall followed by two passes with a field cultivator in the spring, conventional-till planter. BAC Conventional-Till: A primary tillage pass in the fall followed by one pass with a field cultivator in the spring, conventional-till planter. Strip-Till: Extra burn-down pass, strip-till bar and no-till planter with attachments. Vertical-Till: Extra burndown pass, one pass with a vertical tillage implement in the fall and spring, conventional-till planter. No-till: Extra burn-down pass, no till planter with attachments.

142 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Crop Rotation & Tillage Study - Continued

2009 - 2013 Corn Tillage Systems $1,050.00 $1,001.85 $1,004.00 $1,000.00 $963.66 $947.86 $950.00 2009 - 2013 Corn Tillage Systems Corn after Corn $870.55$1,050.00 $900.00 $1,001.85 $1,004.00 $1,000.00 Corn After Beans $850.00 $963.66 $947.86 $950.00 $784.43 Corn after Corn $800.00 $870.55 $900.00 $739.96 $750.00 Corn After Beans $850.00 $784.43

Average Net Return Average $700.00 $800.00 $662.88 $739.96 $650.00 $750.00

$600.00 Net Return Average $700.00 $662.88 Conventional$650.00 No-till Strip-till Vertical-Till CAB $600.00 Figure 1. 2009Conventional - 2013 Soybean No-tillTillage SystemsStrip-till Vertical-Till CAB $740.00 2009 - 2013 Soybean Tillage Systems $735.00 $740.00 $735.16 $735.00 $730.00 $735.16 $732.44 $730.00 $732.44 $729.65 $725.00 $729.65 $725.00

Return / Acre $720.00

Return / Acre $720.00 $719.08 $715.00 $719.08 $715.00

$710.00 $710.00

ConventionalConventional No-till No-till Strip-till Strip-till Vertical-till Vertical-till Figure 2.

Summary: 2013 Corn: In first year corn rotations (CAS), all tillage programs averaged 193.1 Bu./A. with vertical-tillage earning the highest yields at 196.7 Bu./A. Strip-till and conventional-till compared similarly with yields at 196.1 Bu./A. and 193.8 Bu./A. No-till offered the lowest yields at 185.9 Bu./A. Yields only varied 10.8 Bu./A. between the four tillage systems. In Continuous corn rotations (CAC), all tillage programs averaged 177.7 Bu./A. This is a 15.4 Bu./A. yield loss compared to first year corn rotations. Conventional-tillage offered the highest yields at 191.1 Bu./A. As the amount of tillage decreased, so did yields. Strip- till was 7.4 Bu./A. less, vertical-till was 17.1 Bu./A. less, while no-till was 29.2 Bu./A. less. 2013 Soybeans: For soybeans after corn (BAC) the yield trend changes. The yields of the four tillage programs were very close. Vertical-till took the honors with 58.3 Bu./A. Strip-till yielded 58.2 Bu./A., no-till yielded 57.9 Bu./A. and conventional-till yielded 56.2 Bu./A. The no-till soybean program worked very well this year and offered the highest net returns of $707.14/A. Yields only varied 2.1 Bu./A. between all four tillage systems. Multi Year Summary: At Central Illinois PFR we have been conducting this study the past five years. Figure 1 illustrates the difference in net return in no-till, vertical till and strip-till compared to the control of the conventional-tillage system, in both continuous and first year corn rotations. With first year corn, strip-till has performed within $2.26/A. of a conventional-tillage system, while no-till and vertical-till returned -$38.19/A. and -$53.99/A. respectively. In continuous corn rotations (CAC), the advantages for conventional- tillage systems has been much more significant. Vertical-till CAC and strip-till CAC returned -$130.59/A. and -$86.12/A., while no-till CAC returned -$207.67/A. These net return differences indicate conventional-tillage has been needed for CAC rotations at Central Illinois PFR, due to higher carbon loads and carbon penalties compared to a corn after soybean rotation. 2009 - 2013 soybean tillage system data in Figure 2 reveals similar trends compared to the conventional-tillage system. No-till soybeans have performed well at Central Illinois PFR and over the past five years have provided a net return within -$2.72/A. of a conventional tillage program. Even though vertical-till and strip-till have lower net returns than conventional tillage, they were still within -$5.51/A. and -$16.08/A. respectively. 143 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Moldboard Plow Study - 2013

Planted: May 20, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 27, 2013 Tillage: Various April 8.80 in. ™ ® Population: 35,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict + 2 oz. Zidua May 4.15 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: Phoenix 5552A4 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: We have had several requests to add a Moldboard plow scenario to our tillage studies at Central Illinois PFR to determine if there are advantages to adding moldboard plowing into a corn after corn rotation. The two tillage treatments evaluated in this study were: 1. Fall moldboard plow followed by a pass with the Kuhn Krause Excelerator® in the spring. 2. Fall chisel plow followed by the Kuhn Krause Excelerator in the Spring.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Tillage Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Cost Return Investment Fall Chisel Plow f/b 21.8 169.4 $27.10 $887.66 ---- Spring Kuhn Krause Excelerator® (Control) Fall Moldboard Plow f/b 22.3 180.1 +10.7 $45.70 $926.84 +$39.18 Spring Kuhn Krause Excelerator

Average 22.1 174.8

†Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ^Net return based on $5.40/Bu. corn and tillage costs. Moldboard plow scenario: 1 plow pass $33.10 + one vertical tillage pass $12.60 = $45.70. Chisel Plow: 1 plow pass $14.50 + one vertical tillage pass $12.60 = $27.10. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Excelerator is a registered trademark of Krause Corporation.

Photo 1. Fall Corn after Corn Moldboard Plow.

Summary: For the first year of this study, the moldboard plow system provided a yield advantage of 10.7 Bu./A. which equates to a return on investment of $39.18. We will continue to evaluate this tillage in the future. This year it appears that heavier tillage such as moldboard plowing offered advantages in a corn after corn rotation.

144 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Closing Wheel Study - 2013

Planted: May 15, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 25, 2013 Tillage: Chisel April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 36,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 4536A3 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To determine what impacts different closing wheel types have on plant emergence and yield. Six different closing wheel systems were used in this trial: conventional solid rubber closing wheels, 1 Yetter spike and 1 solid rubber, Great Plains MFG Inc. spider closing wheels, Yetter Paddle closing wheels, 2 Dawn Equipment Curvetine™ M Series Closing Wheels, 1 Dawn Curvetine and 1 solid rubber, as well as 2 Yetter spiked closing wheels with drag chains. The control in this study was two solid rubber closing wheels.

Emerged Stand Emerged Difference Closing Wheel Type Population (Plants/A.) 1 Yetter Spike + 1 Solid Rubber 34,160 +410.0 1 Dawn Curvetine + 1 Solid Rubber 33,670 -80.0 2 Solid Rubber (Control) 33,750 ---- Yetter Paddle 34,670 +920.0 2 Yetter Spike with Chains 35,200 +1,450.0 Great Plains Spider 34,330 +580.0 2 Dawn Curvetine 34,100 +350.0 Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Curvetine M Series is a trademark of Dawn Equipment Company.

Emerged Stand Difference (Plants/A.)

1600.0 1400.0 1200.0 1000.0 800.0 600.0 400.0 200.0 Emerged Population 0.0 -200.0 1 Yetter 1 Dawn Yetter 2 Yetter Great 2 Dawn Spike 1 Curvetine 1 Paddle Spike with Plains Curvetine Solid Solid Chains Spider Rubber Rubber +/- Control 410.0 -80.0 920.0 1450.0 580.0 350.0

Summary: Due to wind damage and stalk lodging, this plot was not harvested for yield, however stand counts were conducted after emergence. All closing wheel systems other than the 1 Dawn and 1 Solid closing wheel system, offered an average stand increase of 734 plants per acre. The two Yetter spikes with chains offered the highest stand advantage with an added 1,450 plants per acre, while the 1 Dawn and 1 Solid closing wheel system resulted in a loss of 80 plants per acre. More research needs to be conducted to determine the differences and advantages of different closing wheel types. 145 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Planter Downforce Study - 2013

Planted: May 23, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 28, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 35,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 4536A3 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: Beck’s Central Illinios PFR teamed up with Precision Planting with its 20/20 AirForce™ and DeltaForce system to conduct this automatic down force adjustment trial. Down force adjustments allow the amount of weight on a planter row unit to maintain constant ground contact and planting depth. If we set our planter row units for too much down force pressure, we can produce sidewall compaction which can lead to poor root development. Conversely, too little down force pressure leads to shallow planting depth. In both cases, yield loss occurs. Setting the amount of down force pressure depends on planting conditions and planting speed. Most planters have either a spring tension device or airbags on the planter row units. These can be adjusted manually by increasing or decreasing air pressure or by adjusting the amount of spring tension. In both cases, these are manual adjustments that have to be made on a field by field basis. Determining the amount of downforce can be difficult due to varying soil types, tillage conditions, soil moisture and seed quantity in boxes. Precision Planting’s 20/20 SeedSense® system can measure ground contact and the total row unit weight to make automatic adjustments needed to maintain ideal down force regardless of planting conditions, while maintaining the ground contact that assures uniform seeding depth. The 20/20 AirForce system uses airbags (Photo 1) as a means to change downforce, while DeltaForce uses individual hydraulic cylinders on each row (Photos 2 & 3). This is the first year of testing the DeltaForce downforce system at the CILPFR Center.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Dollar/A. Lbs. of Downforce Moisture Per Acre Difference Difference AirForce™ Variable Rate 20.3 211.5 ------0 lb. Downforce 20.4 199.8 -11.7 -$63.18 125 lbs. Downforce 20.2 211.9 +0.4 +$2.16 250 lbs. Downforce 20.5 206.6 -4.9 -$26.46 375 lbs. Downforce 20.4 204.6 -6.9 -$37.26 Average 20.4 206.9 -$31.19

DeltaForce Variable Rate: Light 20.4 214.6 +3.1 $16.74 DeltaForce Variable Rate: Standard 20.3 216.4 +4.9 $26.46 DeltaForce Variable Rate: Heavy 20.4 213.4 +1.9 $10.26 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. AirForce is a trademark of Precision Planting, Inc. SeedSense is a registered trademark of Precision Planting, Inc.

AirForce™ Multi-Year Yield Data 2009 - 2013 0.0

-2.0 -3.9 0 lb. -4.0 125 lbs. -6.0 -6.8 250 lbs. -8.0 -10.1 375 lbs. -10.0 Yield Loss / Acre Loss / Yield -11.8 -12.0 8.2 Bu./A. AirForce Advantage -14.0 146 Figure 1. Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Planter Downforce Study - Continued

Summary: AirForce™ performance this year in 2013 seemed to be consistent with results from the past five years. The 125 lbs. of downforce was the sweet spot for down pressure to maintain good seed to soil contact and proper depth control. This setting had the highest individual yield average and was within 0.4 Bu./A. of the control, which was the AirForce variable rate downforce. As downforce was lowered to the 0 lbs. setting, yields fell by nearly 12 Bu./A. as we started losing depth control and shallow planted our corn. This shallow planting cost more than $60.00/A. by not having enough downforce. As we turned up the downforce pressure past 125 lbs., yields fell by nearly 5 - 7 Bu./A. respectively for 250 lbs. and the 375 lbs. manual settings. Even though the yield response may not seem drastic at these downforce levels, net losses approached over $32.00/A . Figure 1 shows five year results of our downforce yield history at the CILPFR Center. Automatic variable rate AirForce has shown 8.2 Bu./A. yield increases over manual settings and yield improvements ranging from 3.9 - 11.8 Bu/A. DeltaForce was tested for the first time in this study at the CILPFR Center. DeltaForce is different from AirForce in the fact that it uses hydraulic cylinders to adjust row downforce instead of airbags. It also controls downforce every foot on every pass, in each individual row. DeltaForce monitors row unit weight and ground contact, then instantly and automatically adjusts to maintain the depth you set. DeltaForce works with 20/20 SeedSense® replacing the springs or air bags on your planter. DeltaForce has three automatic variable downforce settings that consist of light, standard and heavy. In comparison to the AirForce set at the standard settings, DeltaForce offered average yield increases of 4.9 Bu./A. and resulted in higher net returns of over $26.00/A. Even at the light and heavy settings, DeltaForce increased yields by 3.1 and 1.9 Bu./A. respectively. We look forward to further testing of the DeltaForce and AirForce systems in the future.

20/20 AirForce™ Air Bag System DeltaForce Hydraulic Down Pressure System DeltaForce Hydraulic Cylinder

147 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Planting Date Study - 2013

Planted: Various Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: Various Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 35,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate different planting dates of BECK 5385A3 and Phoenix 5642A4** during March, April, May and June. This enables us to analyze how planting dates affect corn yield on an annual basis, as well as multi-year averages.

Difference Test Percent Bushels† Average from Previous Brand Planting Date Weight Moisture Per Acre Bu./A. Planting Date BECK 5385A3 1st Week April 61.8 23.6 217.5 ------Phoenix 5642A4** 1st Week April 63.9 24.9 217.3 217.40 ---- BECK 5385A3 1st Week May 59.1 21.5 245.6 ------Phoenix 5642A4** 1st Week May 60.5 21.6 223.9 234.75 +17.35 BECK 5385A3 2nd Week May 60.2 23.4 219.4 ------Phoenix 5642A4** 2nd Week May 61.0 23.1 198.2 208.80 -25.95 BECK 5385A3 3rd Week May 60.9 24.5 228.7 ------Phoenix 5642A4** 3rd Week May 62.5 24.1 205.0 216.85 +8.05 BECK 5385A3 1st Week June 61.3 29.0 227.7 ------Phoenix 5642A4** 1st Week June 62.7 31.7 220.0 223.85 +7.00 BECK 5385A3 2nd Week June 62.1 30.3 190.5 ------Phoenix 5642A4** 2nd Week June 63.8 34.6 175.0 182.75 -41.10

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

2013 Yield by Planting Date

250.0 240.0 230.0 220.0 210.0 BECK 5385A3 200.0

Bu./A. 190.0 Phoenix 5642A4** 180.0 170.0 160.0 150.0 1st Week April 1st Week May 2nd Week May 3rd Week May 1st Week June 2nd Week June

Planting Date

Figure 1.

148 9 Year (2005-2013) Corn Yield by Planting Date 220 210 200 190 180 170 Bu./A. 160 150 140 130 120 3/26 4/2 4/9 4/16 4/23 4/30 5/7 5/14 5/21 5/28 6/4 6/11 Planting Date 2013 Yield by Planting Date

250.0 240.0 230.0 220.0 210.0 BECK 5385A3 200.0

Bu./A. 190.0 Phoenix 5642A4** 180.0 170.0 160.0 Central Illinois PFR 150.0 BECK’S1st Week April Planting 1st Week May Date 2nd Week MayStudy 3rd Week - May Continued 1st Week June 2nd Week June Planting Date

9 Year (2005-2013) Corn Yield by Planting Date 220 210 200 190 180 170 Economic Bu./A. 160 Optimum 150 Planting 140 Date 130 120 3/26 4/2 4/9 4/16 4/23 4/30 5/7 5/14 5/21 5/28 6/4 6/11 Planting Date Figure 2.

Summary: At Central Illinois PFR, mellow planting conditions and warm temperatures allowed us to plant our first entry onApril 5th. After the first planting date, cooler temperatures and saturated soils did not allow us to plant again until the 1st week of May. This planting date achieved the highest yields of the study. Figure 1 illustrates the yield results of the 2013 planting date study. Even though soils became dry in late July and early August, cooler temperatures allowed the corn to produce relatively good yields across the planting date range. Figure 2 explains the multi-year relationship of yield to planting date by depicting the economic optimum corn planting date over the past nine years, being between April 17th - April 28th.

Craig Kilby & Jonathan Perkins presenting at the Central Illinois PFR show in August 2013. 149 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Replant Study - 2013

Planted: Various Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: Various Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: Various Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 5385A3 & Phoenix 5642A4** July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate corn populations and determine whether or not it is profitable to replant. Replanting is a very tough decision for growers. This study evaluates populations of corn at 20,000 versus 36,000 at various planting dates to show if replanting would have paid off given the low final population and replant date. These results show an average of two corn hybrids planted at various dates throughout the spring planting season. Crop insurance replant option payments are not factored into any calculations.

Planting Percent Bushels† Replant Net^ Planting Date Population Moisture Per Acre Advantage Return 1st Week April 20,000 29.0 154.7 1st Week May (Replanted) 36,000 21.5 234.9 +80.2 +$433.33 1st Week May 20,000 27.5 176.5 3rd Week May (Replanted) 36,000 24.3 216.9 +40.4 +$200.37 2nd Week May 20,000 27.0 171.7 1st Week June (Replanted) 36,000 30.3 223.8 +52.1 +$201.79 3rd Week May 20,000 23.2 175.1 2nd Week June (Replanted) 36,000 32.5 182.7 +7.6 -$54.40 1st Week June 20,000 27.4 201.5 2nd Week June (Replanted) 36,000 32.5 182.7 -18.8 -$154.10 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ^Net Return Based on $5.40 corn, $0.04/point moisture drying cost and a replant cost of $25.00/A. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

CILPFR 6 Year Replant Economics

$400.00

$300.00

$200.00

$100.00

$0.00

Return on Replant -$100.00

-$200.00 3rd 4th 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week March March April April April April May May May May Net Advantage +$298.06 +$331.58 +$254.86 +$97.04 +$48.08 +$33.32 +$75.04 -$63.34 -$76.30 -$126.52

150 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Replant Study - Continued

summary: Replanting the low 20,000 population stands from original April plantings offered the highest benefits from replanting with average yield advantages of 80.2 Bu./A. with net returns of $433.33/A. Replanting the low 20,000 population stands from the original May plantings also offered yield advantages of 40.4 Bu./A. with net returns of $200.37/A. June replanting offered a yield loss 18.8 Bu./A. with negative returns of $154.10/A. Central Illinois PFR replant data suggests that replanting corn in April can reward growers significantly if corn stands are near or at 20,000 plants/A. However, once replant dates get into the 2nd half of May the success rate of replanting diminishes. Figure 1. illustrates that six year history of corn replanting at the CILPFR location has had positive net returns when the replanting occurred no later than the first week of May. As replanting occurred after the 1st week of May, leaving the low populations of 20,000 plants/A. has shown to offer higher net returns and profits. All factors of this replant trial are based on low corn populations of 20,000 plants/A. A grower must evaluate final corn stands to accurately know how stands are reduced. If populations would drop below 20,000 plants/A. the advantages for replanting increase significantly.

151 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Timing Study on Continuous Corn - 2013

Planted: May 7, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 23, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 35,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 5475AMX™* July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate various nitrogen timings in a corn after corn rotation. Application timings consisted of preplant incorporated, 2x2 starter at planting and various sidedress programs using liquid UAN 28% and dry urea. This study is designed to evaluate timing efficiencies, nitrogen loss and yield. The control in this study is the 100% preplant treatment which is 75 gallons of 28% applied in the spring and incorporated. All treatments received a total of 225 lbs. of nitrogen.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Return 25 gal. Preplant f/b 25 gal. @ V6 f/b 25 gal. Sidedress @ V14 19.6 179.9 +7.50 $953.46 38 gal. Preplant f/b 37 gal. Sidedress @ V10 19.4 187.3 +14.90 $1002.42 30 gal. Preplant f/b 10 gal. 2x2 f/b 35 gal. Sidedress @ V4 20.2 184.2 +11.80 $985.68 38 gal. Preplant f/b 37 gal. Sidedress @ V4 20.0 184.8 +12.40 $988.92 40 gal. Preplant f/b 35 gal. YDrop™ Sidedress @ V10 20.1 183.4 +11.00 $981.36 75 gal. Preplant (Control) 19.8 172.4 ---- $930.96 75 gal. Sidedress @ V3 20.1 166.5 -5.90 $890.10 75 gal. Sidedress @ V6 19.9 154.9 -17.50 $827.46 10 gal. 2x2 f/b 65 gal. Sidedress @ V3 19.5 172.2 -0.20 $920.88 40 gal. Preplant f/b 228 lbs. Urea Broadcast @ V7 19.9 150.2 -16.30 $806.08 Average 19.9 176.7

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return is based on $5.40 corn, $5.00/A. urea application cost, $9.00/A. sidedress application cost and $0.65/lb nitrogen. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. YDrop is a trademark of Ag Alternatives, Inc.

Return / Acre 2013 Continuous Corn Nitrogen Timing Study: Net Return $100.00

$50.00

$0.00

-$50.00

-$100.00

-$150.00 25 gal. 30 gal. 40 gal. 38 gal. 38 gal. 40 gal. Preplant f/b Preplant f/b Preplant f/b 10 gal. 2x2 Preplant f/b Preplant f/b 75 gal. 75 gal. Preplant f/b 25 gal. @ V6 10 gal. 2x2 f/ 35 gal. 75 gal. f/b 65 gal. 37 gal. 37 gal. Sidedress @ Sidedress @ 105 lbs. Urea f/b 25 gal. b 35 gal. YDrop™ Preplant Sidedress @ Sidedress @ Sidedress @ V3 V6 Broadcast Sidedress @ Sidedress @ Sidedress @ V3 V10 V4 @ V7 V14 V4 V10 Net Return $22.50 $71.46 $54.72 $57.96 $50.40 -$40.86 -$103.50 -$10.08 -$124.88

Figure 1. 152 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Timing Study on Continuous Corn - Continued Summary: Figure 1 illustrates that liquid split applications of nitrogen offered 9.6 Bu./A. yield increases with an average return on investment of $41.16/A. over the 100% preplant control. By implementing a split nitrogen application program, nitrogen losses can be limited along with the added benefit of allowing for later sidedressing with a larger window of time for applications to be completed. This year we continued our research of later nitrogen applications by way of high-clearance tractors and nitrogen tool bars from Hagie Manufacturing, New Holland and Miller St. Nazianz. These high-clearance units are able to apply nitrogen to corn up to pre- tassel heights, which gives a much larger window of application for sidedressing. Our 2013 results of these V10 and later applications proved to increase yields by an average of 11.1 Bu./A. over the 100% preplant control and equated to higher returns of $48.12/A. In addition, later sidedressing increased yields by 3.1 Bu./A. over standard V4 split application sidedressing. This yield increase would equate to higher returns of $13.92/A. and suggests a possible advantage for sidedressing when corn is an active user of nitrogen. YDrop™ applications were also made this year as an alternative approach to over the top sidedressing. 2013 was our second year of testing the YDrop system in our nitrogen management program. YDrop is a new drop system that can be installed on almost any spray machine and has the ability to precision place any liquid product within 2 - 3 inches of a crop row. Its unique design allows the ability to apply liquid products within the row at anytime throughout the season. We used the YDrop to place 28% UAN near the base of the plant for efficient nitrogen uptake. This year’s results indicated the YDrop’s yield was 11 bushels higher than that of the control and performed very similar to other sidedress type liquid applications. Photos 1 and 2 are of YDrop applications at the CILPFR nitrogen timing study. The nitrogen applications that offered the lowest yields in this study were those that consisted of non-split applications, lower upfront nitrogen amounts, or dry urea sidedress nitrogen. Application timing of 100% sidedressing was typical of past results at the CILPFR. By applying 100% of our nitrogen at a V3 or V6 sidedress without a foundation program, yields suffered by 5.9 - 17.5 Bu./A. respectively compared to the control. Just extending the 100% sidedress from V3 to a later V6 sidedress, caused yield losses of 11.6 Bu./A. Corn after corn rotations suffer through a carbon penalty due to heavy amounts of residue from the previous corn crop. This high carbon load can immobilize nitrogen, deny uptake and compete with young corn plant’s ability to access nitrogen. If we can split- apply our nitrogen as a foundation program followed by a sidedress application, we can help offset the carbon penalty and maintain adequate amounts of nitrogen throughout the entire season. Split- applications of nitrogen might offer a greater ability to “finish” nitrogen programs, increase yield potential and be more efficient with nitrogen applications. More research needs to be done to fully analyze all of the benefits, as well as disadvantages of this nitrogen program. The dry urea sidedress program garnered some of the lowest yields of the study with 16.3 Bu./A. losses, due to limited amounts of rainfall soon after the urea was applied. This was also consistent with the corn after soybean nitrogen timing study on page 160.

Photo 1. YDrop™ precision sidedress placement. Photo 2. New Holland SP275F with YDrop™ attachments installed.

153 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Timing Study on Corn After Soybeans - 2013

Planted: May 11, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 23, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 150,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 5475AMX™* July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate various nitrogen timings in a corn after soybean rotation. Application timings consisted of 28% UAN preplant incorporated, 2x2 28% UAN starter at planting, and various sidedress programs using liquid UAN 28% and dry urea. This study is designed to evaluate timing efficiencies, nitrogen loss and yield.The control in this study is the 100% preplant treatment which is 60 gallons of 28% applied in the spring and incorporated.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Return 20 gal. Preplant 28% f/b 20 gal. V6 f/b 20 gal. Sidedress @ V14 24.7 199.1 +11.50 $1057.14 30 gal. Preplant 28% f/b 30 gal. Sidedress @ V10 24.8 200.3 +12.70 $1072.62 20 gal. Preplant 28% f/b 10 gal. 2x2 f/b 30 gal. Sidedress @ V4 24.9 194.7 +7.10 $1042.38 30 gal. Preplant 28% f/b 30 gal. Sidedress @ V4 24.7 194.8 +7.20 $1042.92 30 gal. Preplant 28% f/b 30 gal. YDrop Sidedress @ V10 24.5 192.7 +5.10 $1031.58 10 gal. 2x2 f/b 50 gal. Sidedress @ V3 24.6 190.1 +2.50 $1017.54 60 gal. Preplant 28% (Control) 24.5 187.6 ---- $1013.04 60 gal. 28% Sidedress @ V3 24.6 185.5 -2.10 $992.70 60 gal. 28% Sidedress @ V6 24.6 180.2 -7.40 $964.08 40 gal. Preplant 28% f/b 60 lbs. Urea Broadcast @ V10 25.3 177.7 -7.80 $954.58 Average 24.7 191.7 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return based on $5.40/Bu. corn, $9.00/A. high-clearance application cost and $5.00/A. urea application cost. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

Return / Acre 2013 Corn After Soybean Nitrogen Timing Study: Net Return $80.00

$60.00

$40.00

$20.00

$0.00

-$20.00

-$40.00

-$60.00

-$80.00 20 gal. 20 gal. 30 gal. 40 gal. 30 gal. Preplant 28% 30 gal. Preplant 28% Preplant 28% 10 gal. 2x2 60 gal. 60 gal. Preplant 28% Preplant 28% f/b 10 gal. Preplant 28% f/b 20 gal. V6 f/b 30 gal. f/b 50 gal. 60 gal. Preplant 28% Preplant 28% f/b 60 lbs. f/b 30 gal. 2x2 f/b 30 f/b 30 gal. f/b 20 gal. YDrop Sidedress @ Preplant 28% Sidedress @ Sidedress @ Urea Sidedress @ gal. Sidedress @ Sidedress @ Sidedress @ V3 V3 V6 Broadcast @ V10 Sidedress @ V4 V14 V10 V10 V4 Net Return $44.10 $59.58 $29.34 $29.88 $18.54 $4.50 -$20.34 -$48.96 -$58.46

Figure 1. 154 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Timing Study on Corn After Soybeans - Continued Summary: Figure 1 illustrates that split liquid applications of nitrogen offered 7.7 Bu./A. yield increases with an average return on investment of $30.99/A. over the 100% preplant control. This data is consistent with past years CILPFR data indicating that split applications can offer higher yields and nitrogen loss protection. Anytime large single amounts of nitrogen are applied early in the spring, that nitrogen is subject to loss. Implementing a split nitrogen application program can offer nitrogen loss protection with the added benefit of allowing for later sidedressing with a larger window of time for applications to be completed. This year we continued our research of late nitrogen applications by way of high-clearance tractors and nitrogen tool bars from Hagie Manufacturing, New Holland and Miller St. Nazianz (Photos 1 - 2). The V10 and later sidedress applications would not have been able to be applied with a typical drawbar type sidedress applicator due to height restrictions of the corn. The high-clearance units are able to apply nitrogen to corn up to pre-tassel heights and gives a much larger window of application for sidedressing. Our 2013 results of these late V10 applications proved to increase yields by an average 10.5 Bu./A. over the 100% preplant control and equated to higher returns of $40.74/A. In addition, late sidedressing increased yields by 2.6 Bu./A. over standard V4 split application sidedressing. This yield increase would equate to higher returns of $11.13/A. and suggests a possible advantage for sidedressing when corn is an active user of nitrogen. These late sidedress applications might offer a greater ability to “finish” nitrogen programs, increase yield potential and be more efficient with nitrogen applications. More research needs to be done to fully analyze all of the benefits and disadvantages of this nitrogen program. YDrop™ applications were made this year (Photo 3) as an alternative to sidedressing. YDrops precision place liquid fertilizer at the base of the corn plant, receiving less moisture needs to incorporate nitrogen into the soil profile.YDrop applications offered 5.1 Bu./A. yield increases over the control. In addition, it yielded within 2.1 Bu./A. of a standard V4 split application sidedress. The nitrogen applications that offered the lowest yields in this study were those that consisted of non-split applications or dry urea sidedress nitrogen. 100% sidedressing programs at V3 and V6 offered 2.1 and 7.4 Bu./A. losses repectively, indicating that a portion of nitrogen was needed earlier in the growing season. The dry urea sidedress program (Photo 4) garnered the lowest yields of the study with 7.8 Bu./A. losses, due to limited amounts of rainfall soon after the urea was applied.

Photo 1. High-clearance Hagie. Photo 2. High-clearance Miller St. Nazianz.

Photo 3. YDrop precision sidedress placement. Photo 4. Dry urea application at CILPFR. 155 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Stabilizer Study - 2013

Planted: May 10, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 17, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® June 4.30 in. Product Tested: BECK 5442VT3 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: Each year many corn growers apply UAN liquid nitrogen in the spring as a part of their nitrogen program. This nitrogen stabilizer study evaluates four products that have the ability to reduce nitrogen losses that can occur from lack of incorporation, dry weather, or high velocity winds. Sixty gallons of 28% was applied preplant incorporated in this study. Nutrisphere-N® prevents and reduces volatilization and nitrification of liquid nitrogen fertilizers. NutriSphere-N controls urease, keeping it from robbing nitrogen or yield potential. NutriSphere-N protects nitrogen in its ammonium state before it gets converted, giving a greater return on your nitrogen fertilizer investment. Agrotain® Plus blocks the activity of the naturally occurring enzyme called urease, protecting against volatility losses. Agrotain Plus is a stabilizing agent which keeps nitrogen in the ammonium form for a longer period of time and reduces volatilization, denitrification, and leaching losses. Instinct™ is a nitrogen stabilizer that contains the active ingredient nitripyrin, the same ingredient known in N-Serve. Instinct is a nitrogen stabilizer for liquid UAN solutions and works to ensure that nitrogen is stabilized in the ammonium form, which is less susceptible to losses from leaching and denitrification. Instinct keeps the soil-dwelling Nitrosomonas bacteria inactive, as this bacterium will attack nitrogen and convert it to nitrates which are then prone to losses. Instinct does not protect against volatilization losses. Factor® is a urease inhibitor for UAN and Urea and delays the hydrolysis of urea which is catalyzed by urease. Factor only offers volatilization protection.

Test Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Cost^ Return Investment Control 58.2 19.0 192.7 ------$1,040.58 ---- 0.5 gal./100 Nutrisphere-N® 58.1 19.5 196.1 +3.4 $21.60 $1,037.34 -$3.24 4 lbs./ton Agrotain® Plus 58.1 19.6 199.5 +6.8 $21.60 $1,055.70 $15.12 35 oz./A. Instinct™ 58.1 19.5 196.4 +3.7 $10.39 $1,050.17 $9.59 17.5 oz. Instinct + 1.5 qt./ton Factor® 58.1 19.4 201.8 +9.1 $15.32 $1,074.41 $33.83 1.5 qt./ton Factor 58.1 19.5 199.1 +6.4 $10.12 $1,065.02 $24.44 Average 58.1 19.4 197.6 +5.9 $15.95 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn, Nutrisphere-N $21.60/A, Agrotain Plus $21.60/A, Instinct $10.39, Factor $10.12/A and Factor + Instinct $15.32. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Nutrisphere-N is a registered trademark of SFP. Agrotain is a registered trademark of Koch Agronomic Services, LLC. Instinct is a trademark of Dow AgroSciences. Factor is a registered trademark of Midtech R&D, Inc.

Summary: Nitrogen stabilizers on average increased yields by 5.9 Bu./A. and held an average positive return on investment of $15.95/A. Nutrisphere-N was the only product that did not offer a positive return on investment. Instinct, a stabilizer product that does not offer any volatilization protection, offered yield gains of 3.7 Bu./A., which was 2.7 Bu./A. lower than the average yields of stabilizers that did offer volatilization protection. This is interesting, as we might be able to assume some yield contributions from volatilization versus denitrification. Four year data evaluating Nutrisphere-N and Agrotain Plus has shown an average yield increase of 10.4 Bu./A with net returns of over $32.00/A.

156 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Urea Stabilizer Topdress Study - 2013

Planted: May 8, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 10, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 35,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® June 4.30 in. Product Tested: BECK 5442VT3 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate the yield effects of adding a nitrogen stabilizer to dry urea when used to topdress corn. Factor® was used in this study as a nitrogen stabilizer, which is a urease inhibitor. Factor offers volatilization protection and can last up to 14 days. Factor is a liquid applied to dry urea and mixed via a fertilizer blender. Dry urea was topdressed to corn at the V10 growth stage at 163 lbs./A. with a Rogator dry spinner truck (Photo 1). Thirty gallons of 32% liquid UAN was also applied as part of a “Weed-N-Feed” program preplant incorporated, which totaled 180 lbs. nitrogen applied.

Test Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Cost^ Return Investment 163 lbs./A. Non-Treated Urea (Control) 57.1 20.2 187.6 ------$1013.04 ---- 163 lbs./A. Factor® Treated Urea 57.1 20.3 201.2 +13.6 $5.13 $1081.35 +$68.31 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $84.00/gal. Factor. Factor is a registered trademark of Midtech R&D, Inc. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

Summary: After the urea was sidedressed, rainfall did not occur until 35 days later, which resulted in untreated urea volatilizing at the soil surface. When urea was treated with Factor®, volatilization losses were minimized and yields improved by 13.6 Bu./A. with a net return on investment of near $70.00/A. With dry urea being placed on the soil surface, rainfall needs to occur to incorporate the nitrogen into the soil profile and reduce the risk of volatilization.

Scan the QR code to learn more about urea topdress from Jason Webster, Beck’s CILPFR Director.

Photo 1. AgChem RoGator dry spinner truck at the CILPFR farm.

157 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Rate Study on Continuous Corn - 2013

Planted: May 15, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 20, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ ® Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict & 2 oz. Zidua May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® June 4.30 in. Product Tested: BECK 5509A3 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: This study was initially set up to help gather nitrogen data for a state-wide database coordinated by the University of Illinois. Seven nitrogen rates ranging from 0 - 250 lbs./A. were applied to determine optimum economic rates of nitrogen in a CAC and CAB crop rotation. All nitrogen rates are applied in 50% preplant “weed-n-feed” and 50% sidedress applications with UAN 28% liquid nitrogen.

Percent Bushels† Cost of Net^ Return on Lbs. of Nitrogen Moisture Per Acre Nitrogen Return Investment 0 30.5 124.5 ---- $672.30 ---- 125 28.2 172.1 $81.25 $848.09 +$175.79 150 27.7 206.1 $97.50 $1,015.44 +$167.35 175 28.7 228.2 $113.75 $1,118.53 +$103.09 200 28.5 236.0 $130.00 $1,144.40 +$25.87 225 28.4 241.4 $146.25 $1,157.31 +$12.91 250 28.9 237.1 $162.50 $1,117.84 -$39.47 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $0.65/lb. nitrogen. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

2013 CIL PFR CAC Nitrogen Study 2013 CILPFR CAC Economic N Rate

250.0 0 lb. $1,300.00 225.0 125 lbs. $1,200.00 200.0 150 lbs. 175.0 $1,100.00 175 lbs. 150.0 $1,000.00 Bu./A. 125.0 200 lbs. $900.00 100.0 225 lbs. Return/Acre $800.00 75.0 250 lbs. 0 lb. 125 lbs. 150 lbs. 175 lbs. 200 lbs. 225 lbs. 250 lbs. $700.00 Nitrogen Rate Applied Nitrogen Rate Applied Figure 1. Net Return 5 Year CAC Economic Optimum N Rate $1,200.00

158 $1,100.00

$0.60/# N $1,000.00 $0.65/# N $0.70/# N $0.60/# N $900.00

$800.00 150 155 160 165 170 175 180 185 190 195 200 205 210 215 220 225 230 235 240 245 250 Nitrogen Rate Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Rate Study on Continuous Corn - Continued

Net Return 5 Year CAC Economic Optimum Nitrogen Rate $1,050.00

$1,000.00

$0.60/lb. N $950.00 $0.65/lb. N $900.00 $0.70/lb. N

$850.00

$800.00 150 155 160 165 170 175 180 185 190 195 200 205 210 215 220 225 230 235 240 245 250 Lbs. of Nitrogen Applied Figure 2.

Summary: Figure 1 reveals that the economic nitrogen rate in a corn after corn (CAC) rotation was established at the 225 lbs./A. nitrogen rate. As nitrogen rates were increased over 225 lbs., yields and returns were not able to be driven higher. Figure 2 illustrates how 2013 nitrogen rates compare to the last five years of testing. This data would suggest that over the last five years, the Economic Optimum Nitrogen Rate was 216 - 218 lbs. of nitrogen per acre, depending on the cost/lb. of nitrogen.

159 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Rate Study on Corn After Soybeans - 2013

Planted: May 15, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 17, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ ® Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict & 2 oz. Zidua May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® June 4.30 in. Product Tested: BECK 5509A3 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: This study was initially set up to help gather nitrogen data for a state-wide database coordinated by the University of Illinois. Seven nitrogen rates ranging from 0 - 250 lbs./A. were replicated to determine optimum economic rates of nitrogen in a CAC and CAB crop rotation. All nitrogen rates are applied in 50% preplant “weed-n-feed” and 50% sidedress applications with UAN 28% liquid nitrogen.

Percent Bushels† Cost of Gross^ Return on Lbs. Nitrogen Moisture Per Acre Nitrogen Return Investment 0 19.9 145.3 ---- $784.62 ---- 100 20.0 181.6 $65.00 $915.64 +$131.02 125 20.0 197.6 $81.25 $985.79 +$70.15 150 19.5 200.8 $97.50 $986.82 +$1.03 175 20.1 208.4 $113.75 $1,011.61 +$24.79 200 20.2 206.2 $130.00 $983.48 -$28.13 225 19.9 202.4 $146.25 $946.71 -$36.77 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. ^Gross return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $0.65/lb. nitrogen. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

2013 CIL PFR CAB Economic N Rate

0 lb. $1,100.00 100 lbs. $1,000.00 125 lbs. 150 lbs. $900.00 175 lbs. $800.00 200 lbs. Return/Acre 225 lbs. $700.00 Nitrogen Rate Applied

Figure 1. CAS Economic Optimum Nitrogen Rate Net Return CILPFR 5 Year Data $1,080.00 $1,070.00 $1,060.00 $1,050.00 160 $1,040.00 $1,030.00 $1,020.00 $1,010.00 $1,000.00 150 155 160 165 170 175 180 185 190 195 200 205 210 215 220 225 Nitrogen Lbs./A. Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Rate Study on Corn After Soybeans - Continued

Net Return 5 Year CAS Economic Optimum Nitrogen Rate $1,090.00 $1,080.00 $1,070.00 $1,060.00 $1,050.00 $1,040.00 $0.60/lb. N $1,030.00 $0.65/lb. N $1,020.00 $0.70/lb. N $1,010.00 $1,000.00 $990.00 $980.00 150 155 160 165 170 175 180 185 190 195 200 205 210 215 220 225 Lbs. of Nitrogen Applied

Figure 2.

Summary: Figure 1 reveals that the economic nitrogen rate in a corn after soybeans (CAB) rotation was established at the 175 lbs./A. nitrogen rate. As nitrogen rates were increased over 175 lbs., yields and returns were not driven higher. Figure 2 illustrates how 2013 nitrogen rates compare to the last five years of testing. This data would suggest that over the last five years, the Economic Optimum Nitrogen Rate was 183 - 186 lbs. of nitrogen/A., depending on the cost/lb. of nitrogen.

161 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Late Season Nitrogen Application Study - 2013

Planted: May 7, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 22, 2013 Tillage: Field Cultivate April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 6175AMX™* July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: In this study four different types of late season nitrogen application methods were compared to a typical early season V4 sidedress. All treatments used UAN 32% and received 25 gallons preplant incorporated and 26 gallons as a late season sidedress. All sidedress applications included a nitrogen stabilizer to help control volatilization. The treatments were as follows: • Pull behind row crop sidedress unit with knives applied at V4. Used as Control in this study (Photo 1). • Hagie STS 10 with nitrogen tool-bar equipped with knives applied at V10 (Photo 2). • Miller Nitro equipped with nitrogen tool-bar equipped with high pressure injection applied at V10 (Photo 3). • New Holland SP275F equipped with YDrops™ applied at V10 (Photo 4). • New Holland SP275F equipped with classic dribble drops applied at V10 (Photo 5).

Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Gross^ Revenue Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Income Increase Sidedress Knife Injection with Pull Behind Row 57.8 22.0 222.1 ---- $1,199.34 ---- Crop Sidedresser @ V4

Knife Injection with Hagie STS 10 @ V10 57.8 22.1 227.6 +5.5 $1,229.04 +$29.70

High Pressure Injection with Miller Nitro @ V10 57.8 22.1 231.3 +9.2 $1,249.02 +$49.68

YDrop with New Holland SP275F @ V10 57.4 21.0 222.8 +0.7 $1,203.12 +$3.78

Dribble with New Holland SP275F @ V10 57.8 22.0 211.0 -11.1 $1,139.40 -$59.94

Average 57.7 21.8 226.0 +1.1 $1,220.10

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Gross income is based on $5.40/Bu. corn. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. YDrop is a trademark of Ag Alternatives, Inc.

Photo 1. Pull behind row crop sidedress unit with knives. Photo 2. Hagie Nitrogen tool bar with knives. 162 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Late Season Nitrogen Application Study - Continued

Photo 3. Miller Nitro with high-pressure injection. Photo 4. YDrop™ precision placement.

Summary: In this nitrogen study, the only treatment that did not outperform the control was the V10 dribble drops. Dribbled nitrogen showed an 11.1 Bu./A. decrease with net losses of near $60.00/A. This treatment method is one that has been utilized in years past, but fortunately we have developed some great technology to improve sidedressing. The YDrop™ treatment did not offer much yield difference from the control, but did show that we could utilize the YDrop as an effective way to sidedress nitrogen in an unconventional format, precision placing liquid fertilizer 2” - 3” away from the base of the corn plant. V10 high-pressure injection proved to offer the highest yield in this study with a 9.2 Bu./A. yield and $49.68/A. net return increase over the control. Knife applications of nitrogen at the same growth stage were 5.5 Bu./A. better than the control, but yielded 3.7 Bu./A. less than the high-pressure injection. This may have been due to either corn root pruning or the knife trench opening up and drying out after application. Each year is a learning opportunity for us and 2013 was no Photo 5. Classic Dribble Drops. different. We hope to continue this study in the future and it will be very interesting to see the yield results as the growing season changes each year.

163 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Sealer Study - 2013

Planted: May 7, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 28, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ ® Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict & 2 oz. Zidua May 4.15 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Eight (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 5385A3 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: This study evaluates the use of equipment to help safeguard nitrogen applied in sidedress applications. A double rolling coulter system (Photo 1) was used as an after-market attachment to a nitrogen toolbar on a Hagie high-clearance applicator. These double rolling coulters act as sealer units to cover applied nitrogen with soil to help protect against nitrogen volatilization. If liquid nitrogen applied as a sidedress is left exposed and not incorporated into the soil, the risk of losing nitrogen from volatilization increases significantly.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Gross^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment High Pressure Injection Non-Sealer (Control) 20.1 238.7 ---- $1,288.98 ---- Double Rolling Coulter Sealers 20.0 241.0 +2.3 $1,301.40 +$12.42

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Gross return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

Summary: The double rolling coulter system worked great in the field, sealing liquid 28% nitrogen while sidedressing. Photo 2 shows what each corn row looked like after the double rolling coulter traveled through the field. The coulters rolled soil atop of the fertilizer trench and covered the nitrogen product, protecting it from volatilization. After harvesting this trial, we found a 2.3 Bu./A. yield increase for the nitrogen sealers, which equated to $12.42/A. higher returns. Nitrogen Sealing Systems from Catlin, IL manufactures these sealers and the cost of these units average $250.00/ row. With that in mind, a grower with a 40’ nitrogen tool bar would have an initial investment of $3,750. If 2.3 Bu./A. yield gains could be sustained annually, only 290 sidedress acres would be needed to break-even on the investment. We look forward to continuing the agronomic trial in the future. Scan the QR code on the right for a video of Jason Webster, Beck’s CILPFR Director, to see Scan the QR code these nitrogen sealers in action. above to learn more about nitrogen sealers.

Photo 1. Photo 2. 164 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S N-Serve® Study - 2013

Planted: May 14, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 18, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Twelve 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: Phoenix 5642A4** July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: This study evaluates the use of fall applied anhydrous ammonia with and without N-Serve®. N-Serve contains the active ingredient nitrapyrin. Because of the economic value of applied nitrogen, it’s in our best interest to manage our nitrogen investment for the best possible return. The key to effective nitrogen management is to keep applied nitrogen in the ammonium form. N-Serve nitrogen stabilizer converts regular, unstabilized applied nitrogen to stabilized nitrogen. Stabilized nitrogen is premium nitrogen fertilizer because it enhances crop performance and provides the best overall return on investment per pound of nitrogen applied. Stabilizing your nitrogen investment promotes crop profitability and responsible stewardship of the environment.An oil-soluble product, N-Serve may be used with anhydrous ammonia, dry ammonium and urea fertilizers.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Cost Return Investment

180 lbs. NH3 (Control) 20.1 198.6 ------$1,072.44 ---- ® 180 lbs. NH3 + N-Serve 19.6 207.2 +8.6 $10.00 $1,108.88 +$36.44 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $10.00/A. N-Serve. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango and N-Serve are registered trademarks of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

2011-2013 N-Serve® Data

10.0 Bu./A. Advantage 180 179.2

170 169.2 Bu./A.

160 Control N-Serve® Treatment

Summary: ® For the 2013 growing season N-Serve applications offered a 8.6 Bu./A. yield increase over stand alone NH3 treatments. This yield benefit equated to a $36.44/A. return on investment. Three year data suggests an average yield increase of 10.0 Bu./A. which equates to an average return on investment of $54.16. This study evaluates the use of 100% of nitrogen applied in a fall application. In these high rate fall nitrogen scenarios, N-Serve is a sound agronomic investment.

165 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Soil Nitrate Study - 2013

Planted: May 15, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 20, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® June 4.30 in. Product Tested: BECK 5509A3 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: The basic premise of this study is to determine if soil nitrate test values could be used to measure overall plant available nitrogen and to evaluate how test values compare to various rates of nitrogen applied. Typically, in order to get soil nitrate results, one would have to pull samples from a field location, bag them and then deliver the samples to a professional soil testing lab.This type of testing will be evaluated in this study, but we will also research a new soil nitrate testing device called SoilSens®. SoilSens (Photo 1) is an in-field soil testing device that can measure amounts of plant available nitrate in the soil. The unique aspect of this device is the fact that it can generate nitrate results in less than five minutes, while you are still in the field, after a sample is pulled. We are using the 2013 CILPFR continuous corn nitrogen rate study for our test site. This gives us the ability to monitor soil nitrate results from 12” soil samples pulled within strips of nitrogen rates consisting of 0 lb. to 250 lbs. of actual nitrogen. Soil nitrates were pulled weekly and average test results were recorded.

Lbs. of Percent Bushels† Cost of Gross^ Lab NO3 SoilSens® Nitrogen Moisture Per Acre Nitrogen Return Test Lbs./A. Test Lbs./A. 0 30.5 124.5 0 $672.30 8.2 6.4 125 28.2 172.1 $81.25 $848.09 16.1 12.2 150 27.7 206.1 $97.50 $1,015.44 21.7 19.5 175 28.7 228.2 $113.75 $1,118.53 24.2 28.8 200 28.5 236.0 $130.00 $1,144.40 35.8 28.4 225 28.4 241.4 $146.25 $1,157.31 40.0 35.2 250 28.9 237.1 $162.50 $1,117.84 45.9 48.7 Average 28.7 206.5 $104.50 $1,010.60 27.4 25.6

Table 1. Table 2. SoilSens® Recommendations Lab Setting Recommendations SoilSens Soil Nitrate Soil NO3 Interpretation Lbs./A. Level Lbs./A. Guideline 0 - 20 Low Very likely nitrogen deficiency, sidedress nitrogen 0 - 20 20 - 40 Medium recommended 40 - 60 High 60 & Over Excess 20 - 24 Possible nitrogen deficiency, low rate of sidedress needed †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. Sufficient nitrogen available, sidedress usually not ^Gross return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $0.65/lb. nitrogen. 25 - 30 Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark recommended of Dow AgroSciences LLC. SoilSens is a registered trademark of Redshield Technology, Inc. 30 - 50 Sidedress not recommended

Excessive nitrogen, could indicate excessive applications 50 & Over of nitrogen

166 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Soil Nitrate Study - Continued

Table 3. Was Soil Nitrate Test Result Accurate with EONR? Testing Success Method 0 Lb. 125 Lbs. 150 Lbs. 175 Lbs. 200 Lbs. 225 Lbs. 250 Lbs. Rate SoilSens NO3 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes 86% Lab NO3 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes 86%

2013 CILPFR Soil Nitrate Results 60 EONR 50 40 30

Lbs./A. NO3 20 10 0 0 lbs. 125 lbs. 150 lbs. 175 lbs. 200 lbs. 225 lbs. 250 lbs. Nitrogen Nitrogen Nitrogen Nitrogen Nitrogen Nitrogen Nitrogen Lab NO3 8.2 16.1 21.7 24.2 35.8 40 45.9 SoilSens 6.4 12.2 19.5 28.8 28.4 35.2 48.7

Figure 1.

Summary: Both nitrate test types showed very similar correlation in the fact that higher nitrogen rates showed higher soil nitrate values. The SoilSens result values did tend to show lower readings by 1.8 lbs./A. on average compared to lab nitrate testing. Tables 1 - 2 illustrate the suggested recommendations by either the SoilSens manufacturer or the by the professional soil testing lab that conducted the nitrate testing. SoilSens suggests that in most cases, 40 lbs./A. of soil nitrate levels should be sufficient levels of nitrogen for plant growth (Table 1). The soil nitrate testing lab’s guideline for sufficient nitrate is 30 lbs./A. (Table 2). By using the CILPFR Continuous Corn Nitrogen Rate Study, we found the Economic Optimum Nitrogen Rate (EONR) to be 225 lbs./A. At this 225 lbs., applying additional nitrogen did not increase enough yield to pay for the extra nitrogen. If we use this 225 lbs. EONR rate as a guideline, we can then evaluate each soil nitrate test result and find its success rate of depicting adequate nitrogen needs. Table 3 illustrates the success rate for both the SoilSens and lab NO3 tests. Both tests were very accurate at applied nitrogen rates that were 175 lbs./A. and lower. However, at 200 - 225 lbs. nitrogen rates, we saw discrepancies with both test types. At the high rate of 250 lbs./A., both tests were accurate in predicting nitrogen needs. Overall, each nitrate test sustained success rates of 86% accuracy. Photo 1. SoilSens® nitrate test device.

167 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Corn After Cover Crop Study - 2013

Planted: May 15, 2013 Previous Crop: Cover Crop / Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 17, 2013 Tillage: Fall cover crop / Spring vertical tillage April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 35,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 5385A3 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose:

In this study we evaluated the advantages of cover crops and their ability to increase yield by improving soil tilth, scavenge and produce nitrogen, and shatter compaction. Corn was planted into five different cover crops planted in the fall of 2012. In addition, three different nitrogen programs were tested to evaluate nitrogen scavenging and sequestration. These nitrogen rates consisted of 180 lbs./A. (100% nitrogen program), 135 lbs./A. (75% nitrogen program) and 90 lbs./A. (50% nitrogen program).

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Lbs. of Nitrogen Moisture Per Acre Difference Return 20 lbs. RyeGrass 180 20.7 202.9 $964.66 135 20.5 198.5 -4.4 $970.15 90 20.4 195.7 -7.2 $984.28 15 lbs. Crimson Clover 180 20.4 204.2 $967.68 135 20.5 198.0 -6.2 $963.45 90 20.3 190.5 -13.7 $952.20 8 lbs. Groundhog™ Radish 180 19.9 203.4 $962.96 135 20.2 196.7 -6.7 $956.03 90 20.3 191.0 -12.4 $954.50 16 lbs. Corn Champion Mix 180 19.7 206.0 $969.80 135 20.0 201.2 -4.8 $973.13 90 20.3 195.0 -11.0 $968.90 20 lbs. Soybean Builder Mix 180 20.5 203.4 $960.36 135 20.0 200.2 -3.2 $972.33 90 20.3 195.5 -7.9 $976.20 No Cover Crop 180 20.7 198.0 $952.20 135 20.5 192.5 -5.5 $951.75 90 20.4 182.4 -15.6 $926.46 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $0.65/lb. nitrogen and cost of cover crops. KB Royal Ryegrass $14.00/A. Crimson Clover $18.00/A. GroundHog Radish $18.40/A. Corn Champion Mix $25.60/A. Soybean Builder Mix $21.00/A. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.GroundHog is a trademark of AMPAC Seed Company.

168 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Corn After Cover Crop Study - Continued

Summary: Corn planted into cover crops in general posted average increased yields of 7.8 Bu./A. over the non-cover crop control. Average overall returns from cover crops were $22.97/A. This return only calculates cost of seed and does not include tillage and/or herbicide system costs. All cover crops averaged 6.0 Bu./A higher than the non-cover crop control and these yield gains offered net returns of $12.89/A. at 100% nitrogen rates. To fully evaluate a cover crop’s ability to scavenge nitrogen, we then backed nitrogen rates to 75% of the control. Cover crops with these 25% nitrogen reductions offered yield increases of 0.92 Bu./A. and net returns of $14.82/A. over the non-cover crop control at 100% nitrogen. We then went even further and compared a 50% reduction of nitrogen. This large nitrogen deficit caused lower corn yields of -4.6 Bu./A. but with the lower nitrogen cost incurred, net returns actually were improved in the cover crop system by $15.02/A. compared to the 100% nitrogen rate on the non-cover crop control. At the 100% nitrogen rates, Beck’s Corn Champion Mix posted the highest yield gains of 206.0 Bu./A. and incurred higher net returns of $17.60/A. over the control. At 75% nitrogen rates, this mix, once again, posted highest yields at 201.2 Bu./A. and net returns of $20.93/A. At 50% nitrogen rates, Beck’s Annual Ryegrass posted the highest corn yields at 195.7 Bu./A and an overall net return of $32.08/A., compared to the 100% nitrogen non-cover crop control. In fact, Beck’s Annual Ryegrass proved the highest overall net return in this cover crop study. At the 50% nitrogen reductions, all cover crops, with the exception of GroundHog Radish, offered higher net returns than the non-cover crop control with 100% nitrogen applied. Data results such as this are exactly what we were trying to accomplish with a cover crop system. Not only did we reduce the amount of nitrogen applied, but at the same time we increased overall net profits from the system. More research needs to be done to fully understand the true benefits of cover crops and their ability to sequester nitrogen, offer yield benefits, and increase net returns as a result.

2013 Corn After Cover Crop Return/A. $990.00 $980.00 $970.00 $960.00 $950.00 $940.00 $930.00 $920.00

Average Return / Acre Return / Average $910.00 $900.00 180 lbs. (100%) Nitrogen 135 lbs. (75%) Nitrogen 90 lbs. (50%) Nitrogen RyeGrass $964.66 $970.15 $984.28 SB Mix $960.36 $972.33 $976.20 Corn Mix $969.80 $973.13 $968.90 Clover $967.68 $963.45 $952.20 Radish $962.96 $956.03 $954.50 No Cover Crop $952.20 $951.75 $926.46

169 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Trimble® GreenSeeker® Study - 2013

Planted: May 15, 2013 Previous Crop: Various RAINFALL Harvested: September 20, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ ® Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict + 2 oz. Zidua May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 5509A3 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To test the Trimble® GreenSeeker® handheld crop sensor. The Trimble GreenSeeker crop sensor is an affordable, easy-to-use measurement device that can be used to assess the health or vigor of a crop in order to make better nutrient management decisions on your farm. The GreenSeeker handheld was used to instantly take a reading of the crop’s health. Readings can be used to make non-subjective decisions regarding the amount of fertilizer to be applied to the crop. This results in more efficient use of fertilizer How it works: • The sensor emits brief bursts of red and infrared light, and then measures the amount of each type of light reflected back from the plant. • The sensor continues to sample the scanned area as long as the trigger remains engaged. • The sensor displays the measured value in terms of an NDVI reading (ranging from 0.00 to 0.99) on its LCD display screen. • The strength of the detected light is a direct indicator of the health of the crop; the higher the reading, the healthier the plant.

Did GreenSeeker Nitrogen Rich Call for More Was GreenSeeker Lbs. of Nitrogen NDVI Value Strip Difference Nitrogen? Correct? Continuous Corn 0 0.78 -0.04 Yes Yes 125 0.83 +0.01 No No 150 0.83 +0.01 No No 175 0.83 +0.01 No No 200 0.84 +0.02 No No 225 0.83 +0.01 No Yes 250 (Control) 0.82 Average 33% Accurate Corn after Soybeans 0 0.80 -0.03 Yes Yes 100 0.82 -0.01 Yes Yes 125 0.84 +0.01 No No 150 0.83 0.00 No No 175 0.83 0.00 No No 200 0.81 -0.02 Yes No 225 (Control) 0.83 Average 33% Accurate

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. Trimble and GreenSeeker are registered trademarks of Trimble Navigation Limited. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

170 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Trimble® GreenSeeker® Study - Continued

CACCAC Trimble Trimble® GreenSeeker® GreenSeeker® Values® Values CABCAB Trimble Trimble® GreenSeeker® GreenSeeker® Values® Values V3 V3 V6 V6 V9 V9 VT VT V3 V3 V6 V6 V9 V9 VT VT 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5

NDVI Value NDVI Value 0.4 NDVI Value 0.4 0.4 0.4

0.3 0.3 NDVI Value 0.3 NDVI Value 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0 0 0 0 250 lbs.250 225 lbs. lbs. 225 200 lbs. lbs. 200 175 lbs. lbs. 175 150 lbs. lbs. 150 125 lbs. lbs. 125 lbs. 250 lbs.250 225lbs. lbs.225 200lbs. lbs.200 175lbs. lbs.175 150lbs. lbs.150 125lbs. lbs.125 lbs. NitrogenNitrogen Rate Rate NitrogenNitrogen Rate Rate

Figure 1. Figure 2.

Summary: In this study, we used the Trimble® GreenSeeker® at the V9 growth stage in corn. Using this growth stage, GreenSeeker could identify areas of nitrogen deficiency early on so sidedressing could still be accomplished without having to use a high-clearance applicator. Nitrogen rich strips were used as a comparison and consisted of the highest rate of nitrogen applied in the study. We then evaluated the Greenseeker NDVI values for each nitrogen rate applied and compared it to the nitrogen rich strip to evaluate if additional nitrogen was needed. Overall the GreenSeeker did not have a large range of NDVI values for the various nitrogen rates. In combining both corn after corn and corn after soybean nitrogen studies, the GreenSeeker was correct in indicating more nitrogen was needed only 33% of the time. This high failure rate was more than likely due to the low range at all growth stages (Figures 1 & 2) of NDVI differences per treatment. This is the first year conducting this study at the CILPFR location. More data and NDVI readings need to be collected in the future to help understand how the GreenSeeker could be implemented to help a grower use this technology as part of a sound nitrogen management program.

171 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S YDrop™ Capture® LFR Study - 2013

Planted: April 23, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 23, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: This study is designed to evaluate the use of Capture® LFR® insecticide, applied on corn at the V10 growth stage via YDrop™ application. YDrop is a versatile system that can be installed on almost any sprayer and has the ability to precisely place any liquid product with 2 - 3 inches of a crop row. Its unique design allows liquid products to be applied within the row at anytime during the growing season. For this study, we installed the YDrop on a Hagie STS 10 high-clearance sprayer and evaluated applications of Capture LFR insecticide on multiple corn hybrids with various rootworm trait packages. Capture LFR contains the active ingredient Bifenthrin and is classified as a non-systemic pyrethroid that controls corn rootworms, cutworms, wireworms and grubs. It should be noted that this application at V10 is off-label and is only being demonstrated for research purposes. Capture LFR is labeled for use as a liquid fertilizer at-plant insecticide, however, we are analyzing the use of this insecticide via YDrop applications at a later date to help increase pest control at the base of the plant. Applications were made at the highest labeled rate of 8.5 oz./A., due to soil surface non-incorporated applications.

Rootworm Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Trait Moisture Per Acre Difference Cost Return Investment Phoenix 5552A4** Control MIR604 19.7 192.5 ------$1,039.50 ---- YDrop™ 8.5 oz. Capture® LFR @ V10 19.6 198.8 6.3 $28.50 $1,045.02 +$5.52 BECK 6175AMX™* Control Cry34/35 20.5 199.7 ------$1,078.38 ---- YDrop 8.5 oz. Capture LFR @ V10 20.3 202.9 3.2 $28.50 $1,067.16 -$11.22 BECK 5442VT3 Control Cry3Bb1 26.2 203.5 ------$1,098.90 ---- YDrop 8.5 oz. Capture LFR @ V10 26.2 214.5 11.0 $28.50 $1,129.80 +$30.90 BECK 6179VT3 Control Cry3Bb1 19.7 209.7 ------$1,132.38 ---- YDrop 8.5 oz. Capture LFR @ V10 20.4 217.4 7.7 $28.50 $1,145.46 +$13.08 AVERAGE 21.6 204.9 7.1 $1,092.10 +$9.57 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ^Net return based on $5.40/Bu. corn, $19.50 Capture LFR and $9.00 application cost. YDrop is a trademark of Ag Alternatives, Inc. Capture is a registered trademark of FMC Corporation. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

YDrop system on a Hagie STS 10 high-clearance sprayer. YDrop precision sidedress placement. 172 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S YDrop™ Capture® LFR Study - Continued

Summary: Capture LFR via YDrop offered average yield gains of 7.1 Bu./A. along with net returns of $9.57/A. It is interesting to note the differences in yield response within the various rootworm platform events. Beck 5442VT3 and Beck 6179VT3 containing the Cry3Bb1 platform incurred the highest benefit from Capture LFR applications with average gains of 9.4 Bu./A. and net returns of $21.99/A. However, as we evaluated other rootworm platforms such as MIR604 and Cry34/35, yield gains were reduced. The MIR 604 event in Phoenix 5552A4** incurred yield gains of 6.3 Bu./A. with a net return of $5.52/A. The Cry34/35 platform in Beck 6175AMX™* only saw yield gains of 3.2 Bu./A. and consequently incurred net losses of $11.22/A. from Capture LFR applications. This data seems to be consistent with our 2013 soil applied insecticide study evaluating various corn rootworm event platforms (see page 174). As rootworm resistance becomes more prevalent throughout Beck’s marketing area, it is important for producer’s to understand which individual rootworm events may have resistance issues. Contact your local Beck’s representative for questions regarding corn rootworm resistance.

BECK’S RyzUp® SmartGrass Study - 2013

Planted: May 8, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 22, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 35,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® June 4.30 in. Product Tested: BECK 5442VT3 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate RyzUp® SmartGrass which is an advanced formulation of the naturally occurring plant growth regulator gibberellic acid (GA3). RyzUp SmartGrass is currently registered for use on corn and pasture grass. RyzUp SmartGrass enhances early ear, vegetative and root growth through enhanced cell division and cell elongation for a stronger, more stress tolerant crop with increased capacity for greater yields.

Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Cost^ Return Investment Control 57.1 20.2 220.5 ------1190.70 ---- Ryzup® 0.5 oz./A. 57.1 20.3 221.1 0.6 $11.50 1182.44 -$8.26

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $11.50/A. RyzUp. No application costs were included. RyzUp is a registered trademark of Valent BioSciences. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

Summary: For this first year study, RyzUp® SmartGrass contributed a yield advantage of 0.6 Bu./A. which equates to a negative return on investment of $8.26/A. More research needs to be conducted to determine the advantages of RyzUp SmartGrass.

173 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Soil Applied Insecticide Study - 2013

Planted: May 15, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 17, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: This study is designed to evaluate specific rootworm events with and without a soil applied insecticide treatment.The intention is to analyze any beneficial effects of a soil applied insecticide in addition to the rootworm protection trait. Corn rootworm resistance has been documented in Illinois, and this study is designed to monitor this resistance issue with three different corn rootworm traits including MIR604, Cry34/35 and the Cry3Bb1 protein. Counter® 15G is used in this study and is an insecticide and nematicide containing the active ingredient Terbufos. It is labeled for control of corn rootworm larvae, wireworms, white grubs and seed corn maggots. Counter 15G is also labeled for control of lance, lesion, spiral, stunt, sting, stubby root and dagger nematodes.

Rootworm Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Brand Trait Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment Phoenix 5552A4** MIR604 Control 26.4 197.7 $1,167.58 Phoenix 5552A4** MIR604 8.7 lbs./A. Counter® 15G 26.8 199.6 +1.9 $1,161.84 -$5.74 Phoenix 5642A4** MIR604 Control 20.0 197.3 $1,165.42 Phoenix 5642A4** MIR604 8.7 lbs./A. Counter 15G 20.0 198.2 +0.9 $1,154.28 -$11.14 BECK 5475AMX™* Cry34/35 Control 26.2 212.1 $1,145.54 BECK 5475AMX™* Cry34/35 8.7 lbs./A. Counter 15G 25.8 212.0 -0.1 $1,128.80 -$16.54 BECK 6175AMX™* Cry34/35 Control 20.6 204.6 $1,104.84 BECK 6175AMX™* Cry34/35 8.7 lbs./A. Counter 15G 20.5 203.5 -1.1 $1,182.90 -$21.94 BECK 5442VT3 Cry3Bb1 Control 26.0 204.1 $1,102.14 BECK 5442VT3 Cry3Bb1 8.7 lbs./A. Counter 15G 25.8 218.8 +14.7 $1,165.52 +$63.38 BECK 6179VT3 Cry3Bb1 Control 20.1 199.9 $1,079.46 BECK 6179VT3 Cry3Bb1 8.7 lbs./A. Counter 15G 20.4 212.4 +12.5 $1,130.96 +$51.50 AVERAGE 23.2 205.0 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ^Net return based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $16.00/A. Counter 15G. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Counter is a registered trademark of AmVac Chemical Company Corporation.

2012-2013 Soil Applied Insecticide Study Summary $50.00 $40.00 $30.00 $20.00 $10.00 $0.00 -$10.00 -$20.00 Return/A. from Insecticide MIR604 Cry34/35 Cry3Bb1 Rootworm Trait Figure 1. 174 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Soil Applied Insecticide Study - Continued

Summary: Counter® 15G offered average overall yield gains of 4.8 Bu./A. and net returns of $9.92/A. The real story in this study resides in the average return on investment of corn hybrids with the Cry3Bb1 rootworm protein trait. These two hybrids (Beck 6179VT3 and BECK 5442VT3) showed the highest yield response from a soil applied insecticide with returns near $51.00 - $63.00/A. All other corn hybrids with alternative rootworm trait proteins, (MIR604 and Cry34/35) showed negative returns from a soil applied insecticide. Two year data suggests the Cry3Bb1 protein trait has offered an average return on investment of $40.93/A. This data suggests we could be seeing the results of corn rootworm resistance, in our area, involving the Cry3Bb1 protein.

BECK’S Incite Silica Study - 2013

Planted: May 8, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 24, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 35,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Eight 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 5442VT3 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To study the effects of Incite, a flowable silica compound that protects soil microbes and plant integrity. Many variables can limit, block, or tie up soil biological activity, nutrient uptake and plant development. Incite limits these actions from taking place; ensuring that seed, fertilizers, micronutrients and microbes are properly functioning in the soil profile and in the plant. Silica in the soil will create a barrier around soil microbes and nutrients so these compounds can freely flow in the soil for better plant uptake through the root system.Also, silica when applied as a foliar treatment to a developing plant will protect it from abiotic stresses, such as heat and lack of moisture. Silica can reduce stress as the plant grows allowing cell respiration, metabolism and photosynthesis to continue without being slowed down or stopped.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Cost Return Investment Control 17.4 214.2 ------$1,156.68 ---- 32 oz. Incite @ Preplant 17.5 222.8 +8.6 $28.16 $1,174.96 +$18.28 32 oz. Incite @ V4 17.4 222.2 +8.0 $28.16 $1,171.72 +$15.04 16 oz. Incite Preplant + 16 oz. @ V4 17.3 226.1 +11.9 $28.16 $1,192.78 +$36.10 Average 17.4 221.3 +9.5 +23.14 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and Incite $28.16/A. No application costs included. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Incite is distributed by Biovante LLC.

Summary: For this first year study, Incite contributed average yield advantages of 9.5 Bu./A. which equated to an average positive return on investment of $21.14/A. Combination treatments at preplant and V4 offered the highest yield advantage at 11.9 Bu./A. with a return on investment of $36.10/A. Single applications at preplant and V4 each performed very similarly at 8.0 - 8.6 Bu./A. yield increases, but did show lower returns than the combination treatments by nearly $20.00/A. More research needs to be conducted to determine the advantages of silica products.

175 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Carbon Penalty Study - 2013

Planted: May 8, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 28, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 5509A3 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: It is estimated that 20% of corn in Illinois is in continuous corn rotations. As producers evaluate whether to grow continuous corn, considerations must be given to the “carbon penalty” that can be associated with corn after corn. Corn residue is classified as non- fragile residue and will decompose much slower than residue from soybeans. This residue is a heavy carbon load and needs to go through a period of decomposition. This process can “immobilize” nitrogen that is intended for plant consumption. Corn after corn requires a different approach to nitrogen management in comparison to first year corn. This study evaluates the effects of the “carbon penalty” and how it relates to corn yields and nitrogen management. To illustrate this, we conducted an experiment that addresses the amount of yield loss associated from continuous corn carbon loads. This study evaluates the effects of burning corn stalks from the 2013 crop to remove the carbon load. The controlled burning of stalks was then evaluated and compared to a typical corn after corn rotation where a disk-chisel was used to bury and size residue. All treatments received 225 lbs. of nitrogen, in addition to each individual component.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Gross^ Revenue Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Increase 100% Fall Burning of Stalks, Fall Chisel Plow & 25.0 229.4 +14.4 $1238.76 +$77.76 Spring Vertical Tillage

Fall Chisel Plow, Spring Vertical Tillage (Control) 25.6 215.0 ---- $1161.00 ----

†Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. ^Gross return based on $5.40/Bu. corn. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

2010 - 2013 Carbon Penalty Summary 20 18 16 14 12 2010 10 2011 8 2012 2013 6

Yield Advantage/A. Yield 4 2 0 Crop Year Figure 1. Photo 1. Controlled burn to remove corn residue.

Summary: To prove there is in fact a carbon penalty associated with continuous corn rotations, we deliberately conducted a controlled burn to remove all corn residue (Photo 1). This controlled burn proved to reduce carbon loads and actually increased corn yields by 14.4 Bu./A. compared to utilizing tillage to decompose residue. This controlled burn proved to increase farm revenue by nearly $78.00/A. At Beck’s Hybrids we don’t condone or recommend the use of controlled burns for residue removal. This residue in the future will ultimately help add organic matter and water holding capacity to soil. We only conducted this controlled burn to prove corn residue is, in fact, carbon material that needs to be decomposed quickly to eliminate potential yield losses in corn due to immobilization of nitrogen. Figure 1 illustrates the four year data from this carbon penalty study and shows a 15.4 Bu./A. advantage of removing carbon loads before planting continuous corn.

176 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Frost Simulation Study - 2013

Planted: April 4, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 11, 2013 Tillage: Chisel April 8.80 in. ™ ® Population: 34,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict & 2 oz. Zidua May 4.15 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 25 oz. Roundup PowerMAX™ @ V4 June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Fungicide: 10 oz. Headline AMP® @ VT INSECTICIDE: Escalate® July 2.60 in. Product Tested: BECK 4530HXR™* August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To simulate and evaluate a frost environment in BECK 4530HXR™*. Frost simulations were made beginning at the V2 growth stage and continued through V5. Frost is simulated by burning plant tissue using a propane burner torch. The purpose of this study is to monitor crop responses including plant health, death loss and recovery.

Percent Bushel† Bu./ A. Percent Frost Damage Timing Moisture Per Acre Difference Loss V2 Frost 21.2 194.0 -1.4 0.7 V3 Frost 21.5 185.5 -9.2 4.7 V4 Frost 21.1 168.0 -26.9 13.8 V5 Frost 21.1 144.4 -51.8 26.4 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Zidua and Headline AMP are registered trademarks of BASF. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC.

2009 - 2013 Percent Yield Loss from Frost

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

0% V1 Frost V2 Frost V3 Frost V4 Frost V5 Frost % Yield Loss 4% 5% 11% 21% 32%

Figure 1.

Summary: For the 2013 growing season, early V2 frost events caused minimal yield losses of 1.4 Bu./A. However, much larger yield implications V1 Frost V2 Frost V3 Frost V4 Frost V5 Frost were seen as frost simulations occurred at later growth4% stages. The5% V3 frost created11% losses21% of 9.2 Bu./A.32% while the largest losses of 26.9 through 51.8 Bu./A., occurred between V4 and V5. Figure 1 illustrates the five year yield loss averages for frost events at various growth stages. As the young corn plant enters the V5 growth stage the growing point starts emerging from beneath the soil surface, which allows for higher susceptibility to frost damage. If frost events happen closer to emergence, yield losses are minimal. 177 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Pinch Row Compaction Study - 2013

Planted: April 8, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 1, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Eight 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 4630HXR™* July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To simulate and evaluate “pinch” row compaction caused by center-fill planters. Center-fill planters have a large hopper box in the center of the main frame of the planter. This hopper box, when filled with seed, adds a tremendous amount of central weight to planter systems. This extra weight can cause pinch row compaction from the center tires of the planter as they hold the large majority of mainframe weight. This study will evaluate the difference in yield of “pinch” rows, compared to rows that would simulate the outside wings of a planter that would not have pinch row compaction issues. We also evaluate pinch row compaction of a non-center fill planter as well, trying to reveal the yield difference of any pinch rows just with tires (duals) of the tractor itself.

Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Percent Gross^ Revenue Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Yield Loss Income Increase Non-Center Fill Planter Wing Rows 57.0 19.8 191.2 ------$1,032.48 ---- Pinch Rows 57.0 19.8 187.3 -3.9 -2% $1,011.42 -$21.06 Center Fill Planter Wing Rows 57.0 19.8 190.0 ------$1,026.00 ---- Pinch Rows 57.0 19.8 172.3 -17.7 -9% $930.42 -$95.58 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Gross income is based on $5.40/Bu. corn. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

2012 - 2013 Pinch Row Compaction Summary 0.0 -2.0 -3.1 Non-Center Fill -4.0 Planter Pinch Rows -6.0

Bu./A. -8.0 Center Fill Pinch -10.0 Rows -12.0 -13.3 -14.0 Treatment

Summary: With a wet spring planting season, center fill planter pinch rows suffered high yield losses of 17.7 Bu./A., compared to outside wing rows. Even the non-center fill planter suffered from yield losses of 3.9 Bu./A. in pinch rows generated from just tractor tires (duals) and smaller planter weight. These yield losses equated to 2 - 9% of overall yield. Two year data suggests a yield loss of 13.3 Bu./A. from pinch row compaction with our center fill planter simulation and -3.1 Bu./A. from non-center fill planters. Growers should be conscious of weight distribution and pinch row compaction caused by their bulk fill commodity tanks on center-fill planters, especially when planting in moist planting conditions. 178 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Drought Tolerant Technologies Study - 2013

Planted: May 8, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 5, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate two native drought tolerant traits called Agrisure Artesian™ and Optimum® AQUAmax™. This study compares yields of two hybrids that contain native drought tolerance. In certain field studies, drought tolerant hybrids have shown to deliver up to 15% more yield under drought conditions.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Brand Drought Tolerant Technology Moisture Per Acre Difference

BECK 6179VT3 None / Control 19.9 146.6 ----

Phoenix 5832A3** Agrisure Artesian™ 18.1 157.4 +10.8

BECK 5475AMX™* Optimum® AQUAmax™ 18.0 162.8 +16.2

Average 18.7 155.6 +13.5

†Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Agrisure Artesian is a trademark of Syngenta Group Company. Optimum and AQUAmax are trademarks of Pioneer. summary: Both drought tolerant hybrids offered yield gains in comparison to the non-drought tolerant hybrids in this study. Yield gains were seen from 10.8 to 16.2 Bu./A. The Optimum® AQUAmax™ hybrid delivered a 16.2 Bu/A. gain, while the Agrisure Artesian™ hybrid delivered a 10.8 Bu./A. gain. We hope these platforms, in the future, can offer yield stability in years of inconsistent rainfall or in fields with variable soil types and lower water holding capacities. While the drought tolerant products performed well in this study, keep in mind all three of these hybrids are different base genetics.

“As a new customer, I’ve been very impressed with Beck’s. With a yield advantage of 15-20 Bu./A., their corn stood better and was healthier. Beck’s is a quality company and I’m looking forward to trying more in the future.”

Chad Wilt South Charleston, OH

179 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Gypsum Study - 2013

Planted: April 9, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 9, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reek Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 34,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Twelve 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: Beck 4530HXR™* July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate applications of gypsum (Calcium Sulfate). Nutrasoft® pelletized gypsum is used as a fall applied product. Nutrasoft is a pH neutral source of soluble calcium and sulfur. It improves soil structure, which allows for increased water penetration and soil moisture retention, resulting in improved root growth. Nutrasoft is manufactured from natural, mined gypsum rock that is micro-ground into a flour like powder. It is then granulated into fertilizer sized moisture dissolvable granules.

Test† Percent Bushel† Bu./A.† Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Control 57.9 21.9 190.1 ---- 1000 lbs. Fall Applied Yearly 58.0 22.0 199.6 +9.5 2000 lbs. Fall Applied Every Other Year 58.0 21.2 198.5 +8.4 2000 lbs. Fall Applied Every Third Year 57.8 21.0 195.2 +5.1 Average 57.9 21.5 195.9 +7.7 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Nutrasoft is a registered trademark of The Andersons, Inc.

2013 Calcium Sulfate Study Results 202.0

200.0

198.0

196.0 Control 194.0 1000 lbs. Fall Applied Yearly 192.0 2000 lbs. Fall Applied Every Other Year

190.0 2000 lbs. Fall Applied Every Third Year Bushels Per Acre Bushels Per 188.0

186.0

184.0

Figure 1.

Summary: In this study, gypsum applications provided yield increases of 7.7 Bu./A. Annual applications of Nutrasoft provided the highest yield response with average yield increases of 9.5 Bu./A. Shifting applications to every other year saw a yield difference of 1.1 Bu./A. lower than annual applications, but did out-yield the control by 8.4 Bu./A. Gypsum applications made every third year gave yield increases of 5.1 Bu./A., but tended to show yield losses between 3.3 - 4.4 Bu./A. in comparison to annual or every other year applications. In the past most gypsum products have been difficult to spread due to the fineness and moisture of the product.There was a noticeable difference in Nutrasoft, as this pelletized gypsum product was very easy to spread and had no problems with caking or plugging in the spreader box. 180 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Soil Amendment Study - 2013

Planted: May 10, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 2, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® June 4.30 in. Product Tested: BECK 5509A3 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in. Purpose: Over the years, the Beck’s Practical Farm Research team has evaluated a wide range of management techniques and new technologies to help our growers improve soil health. The ability to increase soil health will hopefully lead to yield sustainability for generations to come. This increased interest has led us to implement our soil amendment study. The goal is to evaluate products that might help feed and promote the activity of soil microorganisms. The list below describes products tested in this year’s study. S-120320: A liquid biological formulation of micronutrients, enzymes and other natural organic compounds that enhance microbial breakdown. Elemental Enzyme VersaShield: An experimental product with a protective protein shell. Res 16™: A bio-stimulant liquid enzyme that accelerates the decomposition of crop residue by stimulating soil microogranisms to break down organic matter. ADM 5-0-0-3: Ammonium sulfate is a byproduct of lysine production at ADM in Decatur, IL and resembles a dark brown cooking oil. It contains 5% nitrogen and 3% sulfur. BioRed™: Is a 100% organic bacteria product containing a wide variety of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms, including those that are nitrogen-fixing. BioRed naturally produces plant growth activators within the soil such as auxins, indoleacetic acid, and gibberellins (gibberellic acid) which support the functions of growth and maturity in plants. Since BioRed contains both organic matter and microorganisms, it develops its own compost which contains humates, producing a healthier fertile soil. BioRed microbes convert atmospheric nitrogen to a usable form for the crop and metabolizes enzymes organically, assuring an “On-Demand” supply of nitrogen for the plant.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Brand Moisture Per Acre Difference 1 qt. BioRed™ Fall Applied 21.0 202.6 +9.0 16 oz. Res 16™ Fall Applied 21.0 198.6 +5.0 30 lbs. ADM 5-0-0-3 Fall Applied 21.0 201.6 +8.0 8 oz. Res 16 + 16 oz. Elemental Enzyme VersaShield Spring Applied 21.0 197.3 +3.7 8 oz. S-120320 Spring Applied 21.0 195.2 +1.6 Untreated Control 21.0 193.6 ---- Average 21.0 198.2 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. BioRed is a trademark of Biovante LLC. RES 16 is a trademark of Bioenzyme, LLC.

Summary: Soil Amendment Study: Yield This year’s results were encouraging, as every 204.0 product tested in this study showed yield gains when 202.0 BioRed ™ compared to the untreated control. BioRed and ADM 200.0 Res 16 ammonium sulfate garnered the highest yield gains of 198.0 ™ ADM 8.0 - 9.0 Bu./A. Res 16 showed yield responses of 196.0 5.0 Bu./A. (Figure 1). Bu./A. 194.0 Res 16 + EE More research needs to be conducted to fully 192.0 S-120320 190.0 understand how and why these products could assist Control growers in regard to soil health. We will continue 188.0 evaluating products and technologies within our PFR Treatment on Stalks + 225 lbs. Nitrogen Program, in an effort to help improve soil health and Figure 1. sustainability.

181 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S BioRed™ Study - 2013

Planted: May 5, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 2, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Eight 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 5442VT3 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate BioRed™ from Biovante LLC, which is a 100% organic bacteria product containing a wide variety of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms, including those that are nitrogen-fixing. BioRed naturally produces plant growth activators within the soil such as auxins, indoleacetic acid and gibberellins (gibberellic acid). Gibberellic acid supports the functions of growth and maturity in plants. Since BioRed contains both organic matter and microorganisms, it develops its own compost which contains humates, producing a healthier fertile soil. BioRed microbes convert atmospheric nitrogen to a usable form for the crop and metabolizes enzymes organically, assuring an “On-Demand” supply of nitrogen for the plant. Biovante promotes, that with the use of BioRed, commercial nitrogen rates can be reduced by up to 50 - 75% and still maintain yields within 3% of normal nitrogen fertility programs. The best results have occurred when BioRed is applied early with pre-emerge herbicide or incorporated at planting. All BioRed applications in this study were done in preplant situations.

Overall BioRed Lbs. Bushels† Bu./A. BioRed Nitrogen Net^ Return on Return on Treatment Nitrogen Per Acre Difference Cost Cost Return Investment Investment 100% Nitrogen (Control) 225 213.2 $146.25 $1,005.03 100% Nitrogen + 1 qt. BioRed™ 225 210.4 -2.8 $22.00 $146.25 $967.91 -$37.12 -$37.12 75% Nitrogen 169 202.7 $109.85 $984.73 -$20.30 75% Nitrogen + 1 qt. BioRed 169 210.9 +8.2 $22.00 $109.85 $1,007.01 $1.98 +$22.28 50% Nitrogen 113 176.5 $73.45 $879.65 -$125.38 50% Nitrogen + 1 qt. BioRed 113 191.5 +15.0 $22.00 $73.45 $938.65 -$66.38 +$59.00 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and treatment cost. Nitrogen $0.65/Alb. BioRed $22.00/A. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. BioRed is a trademark of Biovante LLC.

BioRed Yield Increase At Various Nitrogen Rates 16.0 14.0 12.0 10.0 8.0 6.0 4.0 2.0 0.0 -2.0 Bu./A. Benefit of BioRed -4.0 100% Nitrogen Program 75% Nitrogen Program 50% Nitrogen Program + 1 qt. BioRed + 1 qt. BioRed + 1 qt. BioRed BioRed -2.8 +8.2 +15.0

182 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S BioRed™ Study - Continued

Summary: The highest overall net return in this study turned out to be our control program of 100% nitrogen (225 lbs.) without the BioRed™ treatment. However, as the rate of nitrogen was decreased to 50-75% levels, BioRed™ did help to increase yields. At 75% nitrogen rates, BioRed increased yields by 8.2 Bu./A. with a return on investment of $22.28/A. This nitrogen reduction along with BioRed sustained profits within $1.98/A. of our 100% nitrogen program. This means that by adding BioRed and decreasing our nitrogen rate by 25%, we had yield losses of only 2.3 Bu./A. BioRed applied with 50% rates of nitrogen performed even better with a 15 Bu./A. yield response and a return on investment of $59.00/A. This nitrogen rate was too low and suffered yield losses of 21.7 Bu./A. with loss on investment of $66.38/A. More research needs to be done to fully understand how a product like BioRed works and can be implemented into a grower’s nitrogen program. It does appear when nitrogen is limited in supply, BioRed could be a feasible way of protecting from yield losses. Being a good steward of the land has great importance and we are in favor of reducing nitrogen rates, if it can be done without sacrificing returns. In order for the BioRed program to be successful, producers must understand the nitrogen cycle, their current nitrogen program, and must be avid crop scouts during the growing season. By instilling a program of reduced nitrogen rates, growers may need to prepare for an additional late season nitrogen application if nitrogen deficiencies occur.

BECK’S P Max™ Plus Study - 2013

Planted: May 7, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 11, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 5114A4 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate P Max™ Plus as an in-furrow pop-up fertilizer product in corn. P Max Plus is a combination product of P Max, 7-20-3 ammonium polyphosphate liquid fertilizer and micronutrients: copper, zinc, iron and manganese. In this study, P Max Plus is compared to 7-22-5 liquid row starter without micronutrients.

Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Cost Return Investment 4 gal. 7-22-5 In-Furrow (Control) 57.8 21.9 148.1 ---- $10.80 $788.94 ---- 2 gal. P Max™ Plus In-Furrow 57.7 21.7 150.6 +2.5 $22.00 $791.24 +$2.30 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. ^ Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn, $11.00/gal. P Max and $2.70/gal. 7-22-5. P Max is a trademark of Midtech R&D, Inc. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. 7-22-5 is marketed by Marco Fertilizer in Clinton, IL.

Summary: P Max™ Plus offered a 2.5 Bu./A. average yield increase over the standard row starter and equated to a return on investment of $2.30/A.

183 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S P Max™ LFS Study - 2013

Planted: May 7, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 11, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ ® Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict + 2 oz. Zidua May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 5114A4 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate P Max™ LFS which is a phosphate fertilizer additive. When mixed with liquid phosphate fertilizers, P Max LFS increases phosphorous efficiency and plant uptake. When added to liquid or dry phosphate fertilizers, it limits chemical bonding of negatively charged phosphate with positively charged elements (Ca2+, Al3+, Fe3+, Zn2+ or Mg2+) that are present in fertilizer, water or soil. These positively charged elements attach to P Max LFS so they no longer have the ability to bond with negatively charged phosphate. This keeps phosphate and micronutrients available for uptake by the growing plant. P Max LFS easily mixes with preplant, starter or sidedress liquid/suspension fertilizer solutions.

4 Year P Max™ LFS Yield Summary

7 5.0 Bu./A. † Bu./A. ^ Percent Bushels Net ReturnAvg Yield on 6 Difference Treatment Moisture Per Acre Return InvestmentIncrease 5 Control: 4 gal. 7-22-5 In-Furrow 21.9 157.7 $851.58 ---- 4 4 gal. 7-22-5 + P Max™ LFS In-Furrow 21.8 162.2 +4.5 $871.24 +$19.66 P Max Average 21.9 160.0 3 2 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $4.64/A. P Max LFS. 1 Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. P Max is a trademark of Midtech R&D, Inc. Increase Yield Average 0 2010 2011 2012 2013 P Max Treatment Date

4 Year P Max™ LFS Yield Summary 4 Year P Max™ LFS ROI Summary

5.0 Bu./A. $25.00 7 $20.97/A. Avg Yield 6 Avg ROI Increase $20.00 5 $15.00 4 3 P Max $10.00 P Max 2 $5.00 1

Return on Investment $0.00

Average Yield Increase Yield Average 0 2010 2011 2012 2013 2010 2011 2012 2013 P Max Treatment Date P Max Treatment Date Figure 1. Figure 2. 4 Year P Max™ LFS ROI Summary

$25.00 $20.97/A. Summary: Avg ROI $20.00 In this year’s study, P Max™ LFS showed yield advantages of 4.5 Bu./A. with a return on investment of $19.66/A. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate$15.00 the four year performance of P Max LFS at the CILPFR farm. This data shows a very consistent 5 Bu./A. average yield increase with an average return on investment of near $21.00/A. over that same period of time. $10.00 P Max

$5.00

Return on Investment $0.00 184 2010 2011 2012 2013 P Max Treatment Date Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Elixor Goss’ Wilt Disease Study - 2013

Purpose: To study the effects of Elixor, a 57% concentrated phosphorous acid that is an EPA-registered, systemic fungicide and bactericide. This product helps control Phytophthora, Pythium, other root rots, and kills fungal diseases on contact. Elixor boosts a plant’s immune response against mildews, common rusts and leaf blights, which in turn increases crop yields. Studies are also underway with Elixor to test the control or prevention of Goss’ Wilt, which has been a progressing disease in Illinois. Goss’ Wilt is caused by the bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis and is a bacterial disease that infects vascular tissue of the plant causing a systemic infection.

Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Cost Return Investment Control 56.6 19.1 207.8 ------$1122.12 ---- 1 qt. Elixor @ V10 56.6 19.0 213.7 +5.9 $16.50 $1137.48 +$15.36 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn, $11.00/A. Elixor and $5.50 application costs. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Elixor is distributed by Biovante LLC.

Summary: For this first year study, Elixor contributed a yield advantage of 5.9 Bu./A. which equated to a positive return on investment of $15.36/A. after cost. More research needs to be conducted to determine the advantages of Elixor. It should be noted that Goss’s Wilt was not detected in this trial site location.

Photos courtesy of Iowa State University. 185 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Starter Fertilizer Study - 2013

Planted: May 12, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 24, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 6179VT3 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate the use of 7-22-5 liquid starter fertilizer in both in-furrow and 2x2 applications. The 7-22-5 is a liquid poly phosphate starter fertilizer for use in corn to stimulate early seedling growth. It is a 100% water-soluble liquid starter fertilizer for maximum nutrient availability. In-furrow applications are made via seed firmers and 2x2 applications are made by using starter attachments ahead of the planter row units. These starter attachments apply fertilizer two inches away from the seed and two inches below the seed. Rates of starter will be varied to analyze the optimum rate per acre in both in-furrow and 2x2 starter applications.

Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Cost Return Investment Control 58.9 32.3 195.6 ------$1056.24 ---- 2 gal. In-furrow 7-22-5 58.5 31.3 204.7 +9.1 $5.40 $1099.98 +$43.74 3 gal. In-furrow 7-22-5 58.4 31.1 203.0 +7.4 $8.10 $1088.10 +$31.86 5 gal. In-furrow 7-22-5 58.1 30.3 204.57-22-5 +8.9 In-Furrow $13.50 Popup $1090.80 Treatments +$34.56 7 gal. In-furrow 7-22-5 58.3 30.7 202.1 $50.00 +6.5 $18.90 $1072.44 +$16.20 Control 57.1 27.8 193.5 ------$1044.90 ---- $40.00 2 Gal In-furrow 7-22-5 5 gal. 2x2 7-22-5 56.0 24.9 196.3 +2.8 $13.50 $1046.52 +$1.62 3 Gal In-furrow 7-22-5 10 gal. 2x2 7-22-5 55.2 22.9 199.1 $30.00 +5.6 $27.00 $1048.14 +$3.24 5 Gal In-furrow 7-22-5

15 gal. 2x2 7-22-5 54.9 22.3 201.2ROI / A. $20.00 +7.7 $40.50 $1045.98 +$1.08 7 Gal In-furrow 7-22-5 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $2.70/gal. 7-22-5. No application costs included. $10.00 Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. 7-22-5 provided by Marco Fertilizer, Clinton, IL. $- Popup Treatment

7-22-5 In-Furrow Popup Treatments 7-22-5 2x2 Treatments $3.50 $50.00 $3.00 $40.00 2 Gal In-furrow 7-22-5 $2.50 3 Gal In-furrow 7-22-5 $30.00 $2.00 5 Gal 2X2 7-22-5

5 Gal In-furrow 7-22-5 ROI /A. $1.50 10 Gal 2X2 7-22-5 ROI / A. $20.00 7 Gal In-furrow 7-22-5 $1.00 15 Gal 2X2 7-22-5 $10.00 $0.50 $- $- Popup Treatment 2x2 Treatment Figure 1. Figure 2. 7-22-5 2x2 Treatments $3.50 $3.00 Summary: $2.50 In-furrow starter treatments out-yielded 2x2 starter by 2.6 Bu./A. while realizing a higher net return of $29.61/A. 2x2 fertilizer placement $2.00 offers the ability to place higher rates 5of Gal fertilizer 2X2 7-22-5 at the row, but in this study lower rates applied in-furrow offered higher yieldsROI /A. $1.50 as well as profitability. Rates at just 2 gal./A.10 Galapplied 2X2 7-22-5 in-furrow provided the highest return on investment at $43.74/A. $1.00 15 Gal 2X2 7-22-5 $0.50 $- 186 2x2 Treatment Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Yield King Study - 2013

Planted: May 7, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: September 11, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 5114A4 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of Row Support Gold Plus and Yield King Gold provided by Advanced Agriculture Services, LLC. Row Support Gold Plus can be used alone or blended with liquid foliar and soil applied fertilizer solutions. It can also be used with pop-up fertilizers. Row Support Gold Plus contains several essential ingredients to induce early vigor and increase early root growth such as patented chelate micronutrient package of zinc, manganese, magnesium, copper, a proprietary bio-stimulant package containing a fulvic/amino/organic acid & microbial complex, an EPA registered plant hormone package offering cytokinin, gibberellic acid & auxin and a small amount of nitrogen and phosphorus. Yield King Gold stimulates root development and promotes larger leaf size for faster canopy closure and better sunlight interception. Yield King Gold replaces manganese that is tied up or stripped out of a plant with a glyphosate application when growing glyphosate tolerant crops. It also contains components and nutrients that will improve plant health including a new compound called urea phosphite that is used on agricultural crops as a fertilizer and a fungicide. Yield King Gold has the ability to feed the plant while at the same time helping control diseases that are responsible for reducing yields. Yield King Gold has components that have fungal activity on diseases such as pythium, northern corn leaf blight, rhiozoctonia and fusarium.

Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment

Control (4 gal. 7-22-5) 57.2 22.9 128.3 ---- $692.82 ----

2 qt. Yield King Gold @ V5 56.7 21.7 131.8 +3.5 $703.22 $10.40

2.5 qt. Row Support Gold Plus + 4 gal. 56.7 21.8 135.2 +6.9 $705.95 $13.13 7-22-5 + 2 qt. Yield King Gold @ V5

Average 56.9 22.1 131.8

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net Return Based on $5.40 corn, Row Support Gold Plus $15.63/A. and Yield King Gold $8.50/A. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. summary: In this second year study at Central Illinois PFR, stand alone V5 foliar applications of Yield King Gold offered yield increases of 3.5 Bu./A. and net returns of $10.40/A. Combination treatments of the Row Support Gold Plus and Yield King Gold V5 foliar offered the highest yield increases in this study at 6.9 Bu./A. and a return on investment of $13.13/A.

187 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S VersaMax™ Study - 2013

Planted: May 12, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 17, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 6175AMX™* July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: This is the third year evaluating applications of VersaMax™ Corn, which is a mixture of macro and micronutrients that can be applied as a foliar application or in row starter/sidedress applications. VersaMax improves plant health by providing efficient delivery of nitrogen (N) and other essential nutrients (S, Fe, Mn and Zn) as part of a total fertility program that will decrease plant stresses and increase potential for maximum genetic expression. VersaMax also has ingredients in the formulation that enhance the spray tank mix compatibility and spray humectancy to provide improved nutrient uptake. In this study we compare foliar treatments at 1 qt./A. applied at the V5 growth stage in both continuous corn and first year corn environments.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment Control 17.9 178.8 ---- 965.52 ---- 1 qt. VersaMax™ @ V7 20.5 185.6 +6.8 996.74 $31.22

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $22.00/gal. VersaMax. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. VersaMax is a trademark of Midtech R&D, Inc.

33 YearYear VersaMaxVersaMax Treatments:Treatments: YieldYield 33 YearYear VersaMaxVersaMax Summary:Summary: ROIROI 88 $50$50 77 66 $40$40 55 20112011 20112011 $30$30 44 20122012 20122012 33 $20$20 22 20132013 20132013

11 Return / Acre Return / Acre

Yield Increase/Acre Yield Increase/Acre Yield $10$10 00 28.728.7 $0$0 VersaMaxVersaMax TreatmentTreatment FoliarFoliar Application Application Figure 1. Figure 2.

Summary: The average V7 foliar treatments provided yield increases of 6.8 Bu./A., as well as net advantages of $31.22/A. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate three year data showing an average yield increase of 5.7 Bu./A. with returns of $30.79/A. At a price of only $5.50/A., VersaMax has performed well in our testing program, with excellent returns.

188 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Respire® Foliar Study - 2013

Planted: May 22, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 25, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 35,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: Phoenix 5552A4** July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate Respire® Foliar, which is a non-toxic liquid plant food containing micronutrients and biostimulants that promote efficient plant growth. Foliar applications boost plant respiration under drought stress or unfavorable weather conditions. This product is designed as a foliar spray treatment applied before the V5 growth stage in corn. V5 foliar treatments were not made due to rainfall events. Respire contains 7% nitrogen, chelated copper, iron, manganese, magnesium, zinc, sulfur, boron, molybdenum, humic acids and liquid fermentation products such as vitamin-B complex.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment Control 24.1 147.9 ---- $798.66 ---- Respire® @ V7 24.2 153.2 5.3 $821.28 +$22.62

†Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $6.00/A. Respire. Respire is a registered trademark of Chandler, Inc. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

2 Year Respire Summary 9 8 +6.8 Bu./A. Average 7 6 2012 5 4 2013 3 2 Bu./A. Increase 1 0 Respire Treatment

Figure 1.

Summary: In this second year study at CILPFR, Respire offered yield increases of 5.3 Bu./A. with net returns of $22.62/A. Figure 1 illustrates the two year average yield advantage of 6.8 Bu./A.

189 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Infusion 2.0 Study - 2013

Planted: May 8, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 27, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ ® Population: 35,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict + 2 oz. Zidua May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 6179VT3 July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate Infusion 2.0, which is a liquid sea salt solution that claims to enhance the immune system of plants and provides a boost of energy and growth. Infusion 2.0 produces energy for the plant by metabolizing biological systems such as the carbon cycle, cell respiration, the nitrogen cycle, mineralization and photosynthesis. It contains up to 90 trace elements that are proactive minerals capable of re-energizing plants for better health.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Cost/A. Return Investment Control 22.9 210.1 ------$1,134.54 ---- Infusion 2.0 @ V8 22.7 214.9 +4.8 $8.57 $1,151.89 +$17.35 Infusion 2.0 @ V8 & V14 22.0 218.1 +8.0 $17.14 $1,160.60 +$26.06 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn, $5.50/A. application charges and $3.07 Infusion 2.0. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Infusion 2.0 is manufactured for Biovante, LLC.

Summary: This is our first year testing Infusion 2.0 on corn. V8 applications increased yields by 4.8 Bu./A. over the control and when dual applications were made again at V14, we saw a yield bump of 8.0 Bu./A. over the control. More research needs to be completed to fully understand how sea salt applications can benefit crops, but in this case at CILPFR the applications saw a return on investment between $17.35 - $26.06/A.

Central Illinois PFR Director, Jason Webster, presenting about variable hybrid planting. 190 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Soil Boost Study - 2013

Planted: June 5, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 18, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ ® Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict & 2 oz. Zidua May 4.15 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® June 4.30 in. Product Tested: BECK Ex 1309 (5828AMX Genetics)™* July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in. Purpose: To evaluate Soil Boost, which is a combination of Humic Acid, Mycorrhizal stimulants and bacteria designed to improve the soil tilth, increase overall health and vigor of the plant. Soil Boost improves the soil’s water holding capacity. Soil Boost was applied at a rate of 1.5 pt./A. in-furrow at planting. Soil Boost can also be applied broadcast before planting at a rate of 1.5 - 2 qts./A.

Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Cost^ Return Investment Control 61.7 34.3 225.9 ------$1,219.86 ---- Soil Boost 61.6 34.0 232.5 +6.6 $9.55 $1,245.95 +$26.09 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and Soil Boost $9.55/A. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Soil Boost is manufactured by Ag Chem Broker, Inc.

Summary: For this first year study Soil Boost offered a yield advantage of 6.6 Bu./A. and a return on investment of $26.09/A. More data needs to be compiled to fully understand the benefits of Soil Boost.

BECK’S Seed Coat™ Study - 2013

Planted: May 2, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans Harvested: October 8, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk ™ ® Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict + 2 oz. Zidua Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 4530HXR™*

Purpose: To evaluate Seed Coat™, which is a 2% sulfur, 2% manganese and 2% zinc seed treatment specifically designed to enhance seedling emergence and plant growth. Seed Coat was applied similar to a talc or graphite application mixed in the seed hopper at planting.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Cost/A. Return Investment Control 25.6 131.0 ------+$707.40 ---- Seed Coat™ 27.1 130.5 -0.5 $2.85 +$701.85 -$5.55 Average 26.4 130.8 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $2.85/A. Seed Coat. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Seed Coat is a trademark of DeltAg Formulations.

Summary: This is our first year testing Seed Coat™ on corn at the CILPFR farm. There were no yield advantages to using seed coat at planting. Therefore, after the cost of Seed Coat there was a net loss of $5.55/A. More testing needs to be done to evaluate the use of Seed Coat as a micronutrient package at planting or a replacement/combination product for talc or graphite. 191 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Aquasorb Study - 2013

Planted: May 22, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 24, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ ® Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict & 2 oz. Zidua May 4.15 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK Ex 1309 (5828AMX Genetics)™* July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate Aquasorb, which is a water retainer that, when incorporated into a soil or substrate, absorbs and retains large quantities of water and nutrients. Unlike most products that become hydrated, Aquasorb has the ability to easily release the absorbed water and nutrients, thereby allowing the plant to have water and nutrients available at will, as a function of the absorption-release cycles. Aquasorb limits losses of water and nutrients due to leaching, reduces evaporation from the soil and improves the physical properties of compacted soils through good aeration. Aquasorb was applied with our Soil Warrior® zone tillage bar and placed at the bottom of a 6” strip. Corn was planted directly above the Aquasorb treatment giving the corn roots the ability to grow through the treatment.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment Control 30.3 178.6 ---- $964.44 ---- Aquasorb 30.3 182.6 +4.0 $937.29 -$27.15 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $48.75/A. at a rate of 15 lbs./A. Aquasorb. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Soil Warrior is a registered trademark of Environmental Tillage Systems.

Summary: Aquasorb treatments offered yield increases of 4.0 Bu./A. which equates to a return on investment of -$27.15/A. in one year. The cost of this product is $48.75/A. but lasts in the soil for five to seven years. IfAquasorb could in fact have multiple years of use, the overall cost per acre would be $7.00 - $10.00/A. over the five to seven year period. More research needs to be conducted to reveal the benefits of Aquasorb and how it can control water availability. We will continue to test Aquasorb over the next few years to evaluate return on investment over time.

192 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Soybean Show Plot - 2013

Planted: May 15, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 14, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 150,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Yield Relative Percent Bushels† Rank Brand Maturity Moisture Per Acre Group II 1 BECK 265NL 2.6 12.1 70.4 2 BECK 238L4 2.3 11.9 67.6 3 BECK 298L4 2.9 11.9 65.9 4 BECK 241NR™* 2.4 11.6 65.5 5 BECK 295 2.9 12.5 64.8 6 BECK 294NR™* 2.9 11.4 63.3 7 BECK 278R4™* 2.7 11.6 61.4 8 BECK 229NR™* 2.2 11.4 58.6 Average 2.6 11.8 64.7 Group III & IV 1 BECK 423NL 4.2 11.9 72.3 2 BECK 372NL 3.7 12.0 69.3 3 BECK 394L4 3.9 11.9 68.8 4 BECK 313NL 3.1 12.0 68.1 5 BECK 354L4 3.5 12.0 68.1 6 BECK 358R4™* 3.5 11.3 66.3 7 BECK 335NR™* 3.3 11.5 65.6 8 BECK 389N 3.8 12.1 65.1 9 BECK 337L4 3.3 12.2 64.5 10 BECK 432NR™* 4.3 11.9 64.1 11 BECK 331N 3.3 12.3 63.8 12 BECK 368NR™* 3.6 11.4 63.3 13 BECK 312R4™* 3.1 11.5 63.2 14 BECK 366L4 3.6 12.3 62.6 15 BECK 391R4™* 3.9 11.5 62.6 16 BECK 327 3.2 12.4 61.4 17 BECK 418NR™* 4.1 11.7 61.3 18 BECK 431N 4.3 12.6 61.3 19 BECK 414N 4.1 12.2 59.8 20 BECK 319N 3.1 12.1 58.7 21 BECK 375NR™* 3.7 11.8 58.3 Average 3.6 11.9 64.2

193 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S 100 Bushel Attempt - 2013

Planted: May 10, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 8, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: Various Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 375NR™* & 335NR™* July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in. Purpose: This study is part of an effort by Beck’s PFR team to reach 100 bushel soybean yields! Various treatments throughout the growing season were used to enhance yield potential. Every entry in this study was treated with Priaxor fungicide and Fastac insecticide. The following are the individual treatments that were used in this study in an effort to increase yield: Cobra®: Used in this study at the V3 growth stage to shorten internode P Max™ Plus: A combination product of P Max, 7-20-3 ammonium length and increase pod development. polyphosphate liquid fertilizer, copper, zinc, iron, and manganese. Mechanical Roll: Physical damage by way of a roller was applied Applied at R2 to spoon feed nutrients. to soybeans at the V3 growth stage to shorten internode length and Foliar King Red: A 6-18-5 foliar fertilizer for soybeans. Contains a stimulate pod development. new compound called urea phosphonate (phosphite) that is used as YDrop™: An R2 application of 28%, 7-22-5, and 0-0-14 was used to a fertilizer as well as a fungicide. spoon feed NPK nutrients, through YDrop™ precision placement Respire®: Applied at R2, Respire contains 7% nitrogen, chelated Nitrogen: 20 gallons of preplant incorporated 28% nitrogen, used to copper, iron, manganese, magnesium, zinc, sulfur, boron, stimulate early growth and offer soybeans an early nitrogen source until molybdenum, humic acids, and liquid fermentation products such as nodulation can take over. vitamin-B complex.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. 2 Variety Average Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Bu./A. Bu./A. Diff. BECK 335NR™* 5 gal. 28%, 5 gal. 7-22-5 + 5 gal. 0-0-14 YDrop™ @ R2 11.0 78.9 +5.7 76.3 +3.8 Respire® @ R2 11.2 77.7 +4.5 75.1 +2.5 60 lbs. Nitrogen @ Preplant 11.0 77.5 +4.3 76.2 +3.6 P Max™ Plus @ R2 11.1 75.5 +2.3 75.2 +2.6 Mechanical Roll @ V3 11.1 74.4 +1.2 72.8 +0.2 10 gal. 0-0-14 + 5 gal. 7-22-5 @ R2 11.0 74.3 +1.1 75.2 +2.6 2 gal. Foliar King Red @ R2 11.2 74.3 +1.1 74.0 +1.4 Cobra® @ V3 10.9 74.1 +0.9 72.6 +0.0 Escalate® (Control) 10.8 73.2 ---- 72.6 ---- Average 11.0 75.5 +2.6 +2.1 BECK 375NR™* 10 gal. 0-0-14 + 5 gal. 7-22-5 @ R2 11.6 76.1 +4.2 60 lbs. Nitrogen @ Preplant 11.3 74.9 +3.0 P Max Plus @ R2 11.5 74.9 +3.0 5 gal. 28%, 5 gal. 7-22-5 + 5 gal. 0-0-14 YDrop @ R2 11.4 73.7 +1.8 2 gal. Foliar King Red @ R2 11.2 73.7 +1.8 Respire @ R2 11.2 72.4 +0.5 Escalate (Control) 11.0 71.9 ---- Mechanical Roll @ V3 11.2 71.1 -0.8 Cobra @ V3 11.6 71.0 -0.9 Average 11.3 73.3 +1.6 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Cobra is a registered trademark of Valent U.S.A. Corp. YDrop is a trademark of Ag Alternatives, Inc. Respire is a registered trademark of Chandler, Inc. P Max is a trademark of Midtech R&D, Inc. Foliar King Red is distributed by Advanced Agriculture Services, LLC.

Summary: 100 Bu./A. yields were not accomplished in this high yield study this year. Beck 375NR™* averaged 73.3 Bu./A, while Beck 335NR™* averaged 75.5 Bu./A. Even though the 100 Bu. level was not reached, we did learn quite a bit about individual treatment performances. Individual treatments increased yield on average by 2.1 Bu./A. YDrop applications offered the highest yield gains in this study at 3.8 Bu./A. with applications of 28%, 7-22-5, and 0-0-14. When 28% was eliminated from the mix, yields fell by 1.2 Bu./A., but still offered yield gains of 2.6 Bu./A. overall. 60 lbs. of nitrogen applied preplant increased yields by 3.6 Bu./A. while Respire®, P Max™ Plus and Foliar King Red treatments included yield gains of 2.5, 2.6, and 1.4 Bu./A. repsectively. Mechanical rolling in the past has seen some significant yield gains, but this year saw only 0.2 Bu./A. yield benefit. We will continue to work hard trying to reach the 100 Bu./A yield level, while at the same time hopefully understanding more about individual treatments and how they can affect soybean yield and profitability. 194 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Herbicide Systems Study - 2013

Planted: May 20, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 7, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. Population: 35,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Various May 4.15 in. Rows: Four 30” rows INSECTICIDE: Escalate® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the benefits of residual herbicide compounds as part of a soybean herbicide system. Zidua and Sonic were used as the residual component in both glyphosate and glufosinate systems.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference BECK 294NR™* Sonic Pre-emerge f/b Glyphosate @ R1 12.6 60.3 +2.0 Zidua Pre-emerge f/b Glyphosate @ R2 12.5 60.1 +1.8 Zidua Pre-emerge f/b Glyphosate @ R3 12.5 60.7 +2.4 Zidua Pre-emerge f/b Glyphosate @ R4 12.6 58.9 +0.6 Zidua Pre-emerge f/b Glyphosate @ R1 12.5 60.1 +1.8 Zidua f/b Raptor, Volunteer & Cobra @ V8 12.6 62.3 +4.0 Clean Tillage f/b 24 oz. Glyphosate @ V3 + R1 (Control) 12.6 58.3 ---- Average 12.6 60.1 +2.1 BECK 313NL Sonic Pre-emerge f/b Glufosinate @ R1 12.8 61.0 +1.7 Zidua Pre-emerge f/b Glufosinate @ R2 12.8 61.6 +2.3 Zidua Pre-emerge f/b Glufosinate @ R3 12.7 60.0 +0.7 Zidua Pre-emerge f/b Glufosinate @ R4 12.8 58.5 -0.8 Zidua Pre-emerge f/b Glufosinate @ R1 12.8 63.0 +3.7 Zidua f/b Raptor, Volunteer & Cobra @ V8 12.8 62.4 +3.1 Clean Tillage f/b 24 oz. Glyphosate @ V3 + R1 (Control) 12.8 59.3 ---- Average 12.8 60.8 +1.8 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Sonic is a trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Zidua and Raptor are registered trademarks of BASF. Volunteer is a trademark of TENKOZ, Inc. Cobra is a registered trademark of Valent U.S.A. Corp. Roundup Ready is a registered trademark used under license from Monsanto Company. LibertyLink is a registered trademark of Bayer.

Summary: Non-residual programs in both glyphosate and glufosinate systems offered yield decreases of 2.0 Bu./A., as well as having the poorest weed control of all treatments. In regard to post herbicide timing, extending applications to growth stage R4 caused yield decreases compared to R2 timings of 1.2 Bu./A. for the RoundUp Ready® system and 3.1 Bu./A. for the LibertyLink® system. This data might suggest that later post herbicide applications, to control late flushes of weeds, could cause yield loss compared to earlier R2 - R3 applications. With the potential or threat of weed resistance, Beck’s strongly encourages the use of residual compounds as a part of a sound herbicide program.

195 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Fungicide / Insecticide Study with Leaf Wetness Data - 2013

Planted: May 9, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 1, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 165,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 335NR™* July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: Beck’s Hybrids Practical Farm Research conducted its 5th year of soybean fungicide timing research in 2013. These fungicide trials were developed to analyze the performance of soybean fungicides at various growth stages from R2 through R5. Weather data is a unique aspect to this research study, as climatic variables such as leaf wetness, humidity, temperature, and rainfall are all collected using a weather station as shown in Photo 1. Leaf wetness sensors calculate the amount of time during a 24 hour period when soybean leaves have high amounts of moisture. This high amount of moisture could indicate that the environment could be conducive for the development and spread of leaf diseases, which could lead to yield loss. This could lead to an important determination of whether to apply a fungicide treatment to protect soybean yield losses. One of the motives of this study is developing an agronomic model to determine when or if a producer should spray a soybean fungicide. This model could use leaf wetness values to forecast when conditions may be favorable for the development of disease, which would then lead to a recommendation to apply fungicide. Priaxor™ is a fungicide released from BASF in 2012 that contains the same active ingredient as Headline® fungicide, as well as Xemium a new carboxamide class of fungicide that inhibits spore growth. Priaxor is a 2:1 ratio of Headline and Xemium. In addition to fungicide performance, this study will also evaluate the effectiveness of adding a foliar insecticide as a tank mix partner. Fastac™ contains the active ingredient alpha-cypermethrin and targets the nerve impulses of insects, which leads to effective control. Fastac insecticide controls a broad-spectrum of piercing-sucking and chewing pests, including aphids, corn rootworm beetles and stink bugs. It’s also a very affordable insecticide costing only $2.95/A.

Insecticide Fungicide Growth Leaf Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Stage Wetness Moisture Per Acre Difference Difference Return Investment Control R2 5.3 13.7 76.0 ------Priaxor™ R2 13.7 80.2 ---- +4.2 $992.50 +$31.10 Priaxor + Fastac™ R2 13.2 81.8 +1.6 +5.8 $1,009.79 +$48.39 Control R2 3.8 13.4 73.0 ------Priaxor R2 13.6 76.1 ---- +3.1 $940.64 +$17.18 Priaxor + Fastac R2 13.5 76.8 +0.7 +3.8 $946.54 +$23.09 Control R3 3.8 13.3 70.3 ------Priaxor R3 13.4 73.8 ---- +3.1 $911.54 +$22.25 Priaxor + Fastac R3 10.5 75.3 +1.5 +3.8 $927.57 +$38.27 Control R3 3.5 10.3 71.4 ------Priaxor R3 10.3 74.9 ---- +3.5 $925.46 +$22.25 Priaxor + Fastac R3 10.3 76.1 +1.2 +4.7 $937.69 +$34.47 Control R4 2.0 10.4 62.8 ------Priaxor R4 10.3 64.4 ---- +1.6 $792.63 -$1.79 Priaxor + Fastac R4 10.0 65.2 +0.8 +2.4 $799.80 +$5.38 Control R4 1.1 10.1 67.8 ------Priaxor R4 10.0 69.4 ---- +1.6 $855.88 -$1.79 Priaxor + Fastac R4 10.0 69.9 +0.5 +2.1 $859.26 +$1.59 Control R5 1.1 10.1 68.1 ------Priaxor R5 10.1 68.9 ---- +0.8 $849.56 -$11.91 Priaxor + Fastac R5 9.9 69.4 +0.5 +1.3 $852.93 -$8.53 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on $12.65/Bu. soybeans, $16.53/A. Priaxor, $2.95/A. Fastac and $5.50/A. application cost. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Headline is a registered trademark of BASF. Priaxor is a trademark of BASF. Fastac is a trademark of BASF Corporation. 196 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Fungicide / Insecticide Study with Leaf Wetness Data - Continued Summary: Fastac™ insecticide tank-mixes increased yield over the stand-alone fungicide in every treatment timing, offering average yield gains of 1.0 Bu./A. This additional yield increase proved to increase net return by $9.34/A. Priaxor™ fungicide treatments offered average yield gains of 2.6 Bu./A. with the R2 growth stage exhibiting the largest yield gains of 4.2 Bu./A. Dry conditions persisted after these R2 initial treatments. Consequently, yield response diminished from fungicide applications as a result. Figure 1 illustrates the performance of Priaxor fungicide treatments at growth stages R2 - R5, as well as the corresponding leaf wetness value for that same treatment period. R2 timings revealed beginning leaf wetness values of 5.3 hours of leaf wetness/day, while each additional growth stage proved to only decrease in wetness each week. The highest yields were associated with Priaxor fungicide treatments when leaf wetness values were near four to five hours of leaf wetness/day. As leaf wetness dropped under four hours/day, so did yield response from fungicide. Figure 2 illustrates the five year data we have collected representing leaf wetness values and how they correlate to yield gains from soybean fungicides. Figure 2 illustrates the five year yield and leaf wetness summary conducted from 2009 - 2013.These results were collected from Beck’s PFR locations, as well as through the PFR Partner Program where growers participated with fungicide and leaf wetness testing on their own farms. This multi-year data suggests highest yield increases from soybean fungicide is at growth stages R2 - R3, but more interesting is the fact that during this time period leaf wetness values were at their highest levels. Over 2009 - 2013, the average break-even price for soybean fungicides was 2.1 Bu./A. when we consider the average price of soybeans, the cost of fungicide product , and application associated from it. This break-even price could suggest a forecast model that might suggest soybean fungicide applications offer highest yield benefit when leaf wetness values are near 5 hours/day. To build an effective and predictive agronomic model, many years of research would have to be collected and analyzed. Until a larger database is collected, leaf wetness economic thresholds are moving averages. These moving averages make it difficult to determine not only 2013 CILPFR Leaf Wetness current leaf wetness levels, but maybe more importantly, how it relates & Fungicide Response to temperature and rainfall moving averages and how they correspond to 6 4.5 each other. This trial simulation may never be a consistent tool to make an 4.0 5 agronomic model, but hopefully will serve as a useful way to analyze current 3.5 weather variables and possibly serve as a “guideline” to accurately observe 4 3.0 overall crop conditions. 2.5 3 By gaining more information from trials such as this, over time; we can 2.0 educate ourselves about how the relationships differ from multiple variables 2 1.5 such as climatic data and yield response to soybean fungicides. In Hours/Day 1.0 conclusion, more research needs to be done to fully realize the correlation 1 0.5 Gain Yield Average between leaf diseases, weather data and fungicide yield responses. This 0 0.0 study, in Beck’s Practical Farm Research, shows that data is being done Leaf Wetness Average to R2 R2 R3 R3 R4 R4 R5 determine the value and economics of soybean fungicide applications. Growth Stage ApplicationPhoto 1. 2013 Break-even 1.7 Bu/A. Leaf Wetness Yield

2013 CILPFR Leaf Wetness Multi-Year Leaf Wetness Data 2009-2013 & Fungicide Response 7 3.0 6 4.5 4.0 6 2.5 5 3.5 5 4 3.0 2.0 2.5 4 3 1.5 2.0 3

2 1.5 !"#$%&'()* 1.0

Hours/Day 1.0 2 1 0.5 Gain Yield Average 0.5 Gain Yield Average 1

0 0.0 Leaf Wetness Average Average Leaf Wetness Leaf Wetness Average R2 R2 R3 R3 R4 R4 R5 0 0.0 R2 R3 R4 R5 Growth Stage Application Growth Stage 2013 Break-even 5 Year Avg. Leaf Wetness Yield 1.7 Bu/A. Break-even = 2.1 Bu./A. Leaf Wetness Yield

Figure 1. Figure 2. Multi-Year Leaf Wetness Data 2009-2013 7 3.0 6 2.5 5 2.0 4 197 1.5 3

!"#$%&'()* 1.0 2

1 0.5 Gain Yield Average Average Leaf Wetness Leaf Wetness Average 0 0.0 R2 R3 R4 R5 Growth Stage 5 Year Avg. Break-even = 2.1 Bu./A. Leaf Wetness Yield Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Row Width & Population Study - 2013

Planted: May 16, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 26, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: Various Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 335NR™* July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: In this study 15 inch and 30 inch row widths were compared at various planting populations from 75,000 - 250,000 seeds/A. Seed costs for each entry were calculated to determine net returns and establish economic optimum planting rates for each row width system.

Bushels† Approx. Net^ Treatment Per Acre Seed Cost Return 15” Rows 75,000 82.7 $28.12 $1,018.04 100,000 81.3 $37.49 $990.95 125,000 79.5 $46.87 $958.81 150,000 76.2 $56.24 $907.69 175,000 71.8 $65.61 $842.66 200,000 72.4 $74.98 $840.88 225,000 72.2 $84.36 $828.97 250,000 72.2 $93.73 $819.60 Average 76.0 $912.57 30” Rows 75,000 71.2 $28.12 $872.56 100,000 72.2 $37.49 $875.84 125,000 72.2 $46.87 $866.46 150,000 72.2 $56.24 $857.09 175,000 72.8 $65.61 $855.31 200,000 76.0 $74.98 $886.42 225,000 74.5 $84.36 $858.07 250,000 71.6 $93.73 $812.01 Average 72.8 $860.47 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on $12.65/Bu. soybeans and $48.74/unit seed cost. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

Summary: 2013 data suggests that 15 inch rows out-yielded 30 inch rows by 3.2 Bu./A. which equates to a net return increase of $45.00/A. Figure 1 illustrates the same trend by revealing the six year average of a 5.0 Bu./A. advantage for 15 inch rows over 30 inch rows. This yield increase equates to a $34.55/A. advantage in net return over 30 inch rows (Figure 2). In regard to seeding rates, 2013 data suggests 30 inch rows achieved the economic optimum planting rate at 200,000 seeds/A. while 15 inch rows at 75,000 seeds/A. This is the second straight year 15 inch rows have achieved the economic optimum planting population at 75,000 seeds/A. It is very important for growers to take into account long-term multi-year data versus one year data sets. Beck’s Practical Farm Research strives to inform growers of what has happened over a long period of time versus what has happened for a single growing season. Seven year consecutive data suggests that the economic optimum planting rates have been 100,000 - 125,000 seeds/A. for 15 inch rows and 125,000 - 150,000 seeds/A. for 30 inch rows.

198 2007-2013 Soybean Economic Optimum Population 15" Rows = $34.55 Advantage $740.00

$720.00

$700.00

Net Return $680.00 30" $660.00 15"

$640.00 Central Illinois PFR $620.00 BECK’S75,000 Row W100,000idth & 125,000Population 150,000 Study 175,000 - Continued 200,000 Population

RAINFALL 2007-2013 Soybean Population Yield April 8.80 in. 15" Rows = +5.0 Bu./A. May 4.15 in. 70 June 4.30 in. July 2.60 in. 68 August 0.40 in. 66 Total 20.25 in. 64

62 30" Bu./A. 60 15" 58 56 54 75,000 100,000 125,000 150,000 175,000 200,000

Population Figure 1.

2007-2013 Soybean Economic Optimum Population 15" Rows = $34.55 Advantage $740.00

$720.00

$700.00

Net Return $680.00 30" $660.00 15"

$640.00

$620.00 75,000 100,000 125,000 150,000 175,000 200,000 Population

Figure 2. 2007-2013 Soybean Population Yield 15" Rows = +5.0 Bu./A. 70 68 66 64

62 30" Bu./A. 60 15" 58 199 56 54 75,000 100,000 125,000 150,000 175,000 200,000

Population Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Population Timing Study - 2013

Planted: Various Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: Various Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: Various Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Seven 15” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. INSECTICIDE: Escalate® July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in. Purpose: In addition to selecting high yielding varieties, it is important to know the correct seeding rate to maximize yield and profitability. This study compares a wide range of seeding rates across various planting dates to determine the most profitable seeding rate for each date. The first goal of this study is to determine at what point in the season that seeding rates need to be increased to maximize profitability as planting progresses later in the season. In years where late planting of soybeans occur, planting populations are usually increased to help maximize sunlight interception due to the shortened growing season. The second goal of this study is to determine if later maturing soybean varieties should be selected as late planting of soybeans occur. Beck 297NL and 356NL are evaluated to compare any maturity differences.

Beck 297NL Beck 356NL Planting Bushels† Net^ Planting Bushels† Net^ Date Pop. Per Acre Cost Return Date Pop. Per Acre Cost Return 75,000 58.3 $25.52 $711.97 75,000 50.7 $25.52 $615.83 100,000 67.5 $34.03 $819.84 100,000 65.5 $34.03 $780.85 125,000 67.1 $42.54 $806.28 125,000 66.4 $42.54 $790.68 2nd Week April 2nd Week April 150,000 71.4 $51.05 $852.16 150,000 66.2 $51.05 $786.52 175,000 72.3 $59.55 $855.04 175,000 66.1 $59.55 $783.70 200,000 69.0 $68.06 $804.79 200,000 65.5 $68.06 $773.92 Average 67.6 Average 63.4 75,000 62.1 $25.52 $760.04 75,000 55.1 $25.52 $671.49 100,000 62.7 $34.03 $759.12 100,000 63.0 $34.03 $762.92 125,000 66.0 $42.54 $792.36 125,000 63.9 $42.54 $765.80 3rd Week May 3rd Week May 150,000 64.9 $51.05 $769.94 150,000 64.3 $51.05 $762.35 175,000 66.8 $59.55 $785.47 175,000 70.2 $59.55 $828.48 200,000 58.6 $68.06 $673.23 200,000 68.0 $68.06 $792.14 Average 63.5 Average 64.1 75,000 57.5 $25.52 $701.85 75,000 55.5 $25.52 $676.55 100,000 59.9 $34.03 $723.70 100,000 55.3 $34.03 $665.51 125,000 59.3 $42.54 $707.61 125,000 58.3 $42.54 $694.96 1st Week June 150,000 65.6 $51.05 $778.79 1st Week June 150,000 60.4 $51.05 $713.01 175,000 66.1 $59.55 $776.61 175,000 60.5 $59.55 $705.77 200,000 44.3 $68.06 $492.33 200,000 54.4 $68.06 $620.10 Average 58.8 Average 57.4 75,000 54.3 $25.52 $661.37 75,000 62.9 $25.52 $770.16 100,000 58.1 $34.03 $700.93 100,000 55.7 $34.03 $670.57 2nd Week June 125,000 58.9 $42.54 $702.55 125,000 59.3 $42.54 $707.61 2nd Week June 150,000 60.5 $51.05 $714.28 150,000 61.0 $51.05 $720.60 175,000 64.5 $59.55 $756.37 175,000 61.3 $59.55 $715.89 200,000 61.9 $68.06 $714.97 200,000 58.3 $68.06 $669.43 Average 59.7 Average 59.8 75,000 48.1 $25.52 $582.94 75,000 65.4 $25.52 $801.79 100,000 54.6 $34.03 $656.66 100,000 55.4 $34.03 $666.78 125,000 55.3 $42.54 $657.01 125,000 64.4 $42.54 $772.12 4th Week June 4th Week June 150,000 60.5 $51.05 $714.28 150,000 69.6 $51.05 $829.39 175,000 54.6 $59.55 $631.14 175,000 67.9 $59.55 $799.38 200,000 60.6 $68.06 $698.53 200,000 62.6 $68.06 $723.83 Average 55.6 Average 64.2 200 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Population Timing Study - Continued

Optimum Planting Population / Planting Date 200,000

150,000

100,000 297NL 356NL Planted Population 50,000

0 2nd Week April 3rd Week May 1st Week June 2nd Week June 4th week June Planting Date

Table 1. Bu./A. Difference by variety

Brand 2nd Week April 3rd Week May 1st Week June 2nd Week June 4th Week June BECK 297NL +4.2 ---- +1.4 ------BECK 356NL ---- +0.6 ---- +0.1 +8.6 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. ^Net return is based on $12.65/Bu. soybeans and 100 bag price of BECK 297NL and BECK 356NL with calculated population. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

Summary: Our first goal for this study was to determine if planting populations need to be increased with later planting dates.The 2013 data would suggest that after the 1st week of June there was minimal benefit to increasing planting populations above 150,000 seeds/A. The second goal of this study was to evaluate whether or not to plant a later maturing soybean at later planting dates to help capture a longer growing season. Table 1 reveals the yield differences between the early and late maturing soybean varieties at each planting date in our study. Beck 297NL performed best at the earliest planting dates while Beck 356NL performed best at the latest planting date. This also suggests that there was very little yield difference between the two varieties when planted during the 3rd week of May through the 2nd week of June. However, after the 2nd week of June the later maturing soybean variety out- yielded the earlier maturing soybean variety by 8.6 Bu./A. compared to seeding rates at 150,000 seeds/A.

201 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Planting Date Study - 2013

Planted: Various Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: Various Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 165,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate different planting dates of soybeans during April, May, June and July. This enables us to see how planting dates affect soybean yield on an annual basis as well as multi-year averages. BECK 297NL and BECK 356NL were the varieties evaluated.

† 2006-2013 Soybean PlantingPercent Dates Bushels Percentage Brand80 & Planting Date Moisture Per Acre Yield Loss BECK 297NL 1st Week70 April 10.7 76.5 2nd Week May 10.4 66.0 -14% 3rd Week60 May 10.5 60.7 -21% 4th Week May 12.0 59.2 -23% 1st Week50 June 11.9 56.9 -26% 1st Week July 18.9 35.4 -54% rd 40

3 WeekBu./A. July 18.9 37.7 -51% BECK30 356NL 1st Week April 11.0 56.9 nd 2 Week20 May 11.7 64.4 +13% 3rd Week May 12.2 59.8 +5% 4th Week10 May 12.2 56.2 -1% 1st Week June 13.1 62.4 +10% 1st Week0 July 15.0 56.3 -1% 3rd Week July1st Week 2nd Week 3rd Week 4th Week 1st Week 2nd Week 3rd Week 4th Week18.9 1st Week 2nd Week35.4 3rd Week 4th-38% Week 1st Week 3rd Week Apr Apr Apr Apr May May May May June June June June July July †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciencesPlanting LLC. Date

2013 Soybean Planting Date Average Yield 297NL - 356NL 80.0

70.0

60.0

50.0

40.0 Bu./A. 30.0

20.0

10.0

0.0 1st Week April 2nd Week May 3rd Week May 4th Week May 1st Week June 1st Week July 3rd Week July Planting Date

Figure 1. 202 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Planting Date Study - Continued

2006-2013 Soybean Planting Dates 80

40 Bu./A.

0 1st Week 2nd Week 3rd Week 4th Week 1st Week 2nd Week 3rd Week 4th Week 1st Week 2nd Week 3rd Week 4th Week 1st Week 3rd Week Apr Apr Apr Apr May May May May June June June June July July Planting Date

Figure 2.

Summary: 2013 Soybean Planting Date Average Yield Figure 1 illustrates that the highest yields from297NL this year’s - 356NL planting date study came from the earliest planting dates. The 1st week of April80.0 offered average yields of 66.7 Bu./A. However, as planting dates were delayed, yields fell accordingly. May plantings suffered average70.0 yield losses of 5.7 Bu./A, June 7.1 Bu./A. and July 25.5 Bu./A.

The60.0 long-term data in Figure 2 illustrates the average yields of soybean planting dates for 2006 - 2013. This data indicates significant yield losses from a delayed planting date does not occur until after the 1st week of June. It is also interesting to note there was only a 2.750.0 Bu./A. difference between the planting dates of the 2nd week of April and the 4th week of May. This indicates a large planting window40.0 without sacrificing yield, due to planting delays. However, once delayed planting occurs after the 1st week of June yields can sufferBu./A. significantly. CILPFR data suggests yield losses associated from delayed planting after the first week of June is 4.4 Bu./A. per week.30.0 20.0

10.0

0.0 1st Week April 2nd Week May 3rd Week May 4th Week May 1st Week June 1st Week July 3rd Week July Planting Date

203 203 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Soybean After Cover Crop Study - 2013

Planted: May 17, 2013 Previous Crop: Cover Crop / Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 2, 2013 Tillage: Various April 8.80 in. ® Population: 145,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 40 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 4.15 in. Rows: Eight 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 241NR™* July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: In this study we evaluated the advantages of cover crops and their ability to increase soil tilth, scavenge and produce nitrogen, and address soil density layers. This particular study investigates the differences in soybeans planted in a soybean after corn rotation, versus soybeans grown after a fall planted cover crop after corn. The control in this study is our typical soybean program at CILPFR, fall chisel plowing followed by a Kuhn Krause Excelerator® vertical tillage program in the spring. Beck’s Soybean Builder Mix cover crop was seeded at 20 lbs./A. on September 11, 2012 with a no-till grain drill after the corn was harvested. The cover crop was destroyed by applying a burndown in the spring, vertical tilled and then planted to soybeans. Beck’s Soybean Builder Mix contains a mix of GroundHog™ Radishes, Annual Ryegrass and Appin Turnips.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment

Soybeans after Corn 11.3 51.5 ---- $624.38 ----

Soybeans after Beck’s Soybean 11.4 58.2 +6.7 $676.23 +$51.86 Builder Mix †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Cover crop net return based on :$12.65/Bu. soybeans, cover crop planting $16.40, seed $21.00, spring vertical-till $12.60 and burndown $10.00 = $60.00. Non cover crop net return based on: $12.65/Bu. soybeans, chisel plow $14.50 spring vertical till $12.60 = $27.10. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Excelerator is a registered trademark of Krause Corporation. GroundHog is a trademark of AMPAC Seed Company.

Summary: Soybeans planted in this cover crop system increased yields by 6.7 Bu./A. over the non-cover crop control. After addressing the total system costs, soybeans after the Soybean Builder Mix cover crop achieved higher net returns of near $50.00/A. More research needs to be done to fully understand where and how these yield increases are to be contributed. Cover crops have become popular with many growers across Beck’s marketing area and our PFR program strives to implement these agronomic studies into our program to help educate growers on how these systems can improve soil health and yields.

204 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Soybean Sudden Death Syndrome Study - 2013

Planted: May 14, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 1, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 150,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 241NR™* July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: This study evaluates an experimental seed treatment from Bayer Crop Sciences called BCS-L2026. This seed treatment has been designed to offer protection against Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) in soybeans. SDS is the common name for a root-rot of soybeans caused by the fungus Fusarium solani f.sp.glycine. L2026 has the same active ingredient as 1940A used in previous years, but is applied to the seed at a higher rate. Currently this seed treatment is not available for sale and was grown under crop destruct protocols from 2011 to 2013.

Percent Bushels† Treatment Moisture Per Acre Control 12.3 80.0 BCS-L2026 12.1 78.4 Average 12.2 79.2

†Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer.

Summary: BCS-L2026 presented a yield decrease of 1.6 Bu./A., however multi-year data would suggest a yield benefit of +1.0 Bu./A. 2011 and 2012 saw yield increases of 1.6 and 3.0 Bu./A., respectively. At CILPFR we have not had significant outbreaks of SDS over the last few years, however this treatment could be a promising tool in the future for growers who battle SDS on an annual basis.

205 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Optimize Study - 2013

Planted: May 11, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 27, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 150,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Sixteen 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 241NR™* July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To evaluate Optimize®, which is a unique seed applied product that enhances natural growth processes essentially enabling soybeans to achieve full genetic potential by maximizing crop performance all season long. Optimize contains a Bradyrhizobium japonicum inoculant along with a LCO Promoter Technology®. This is a naturally occurring molecule (Lipo-chitooligosaccharide) that advances both root and shoot development and improves plant health, independent of soil conditions. The result of this is healthier soybean plants that can withstand environmental stresses throughout the season.

Percent Bushels† Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Return Investment Control 10.6 71.4 $903.21 ---- Optimize® 10.5 73.0 $919.41 +$16.20 Average 10.6 72.2

†Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. ^Net return is based on $12.65/Bu. soybeans and $4.04/A. Optimize. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Optimize and LCO Promotor Technology are registered trademarks of Novozymes AVS.

Beck's CILPFR 10 Year Optimize Study: Return on Investment

$20 $18 $16 $14 Average Net Return = $9.21/A. $12 $10 $8 $6 $4 $2 $0

Return on Investment/A. 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Crop Year

Figure 1.

Summary: Ten year data in Figure 1 suggests Optimize® has offered yield increases of 1.46 Bu./A. with average net returns of $9.21/A. At Beck’s Central Illinois PFR, we have had consistent results with Optimize increasing yields and profitability.

206 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Stratego® Leverage® Study - 2013

Planted: June 2, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 9, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 150,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Eight 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 241NR™* July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: This study evaluates tank mix applications of Stratego® YLD fungicide and Leverage® insecticide on BECK 241NR™*. Stratego YLD is registered for corn and soybeans featuring the latest in triazole technology. Offering two different modes of action, it provides both preventive and curative activities along with improved surface coverage and systemic movement to provide broad-spectrum, long- lasting disease control and higher yield potential. Leverage contains Imidacloprid (the active ingredient in Gaucho) and Cyfluthrin (the active ingredient in Baythroid). Applications were made at R2 growth stages.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment Control 11.1 49.3 ---- $623.65 ---- Stratego® + Leverage® @ R2 11.2 52.6 +3.3 $634.70 +$11.05

†Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on $12.65/Bu. soybeans, $18.19/A. Stratego, $7.00/A. Leverage and $5.50 application cost. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Stratego and Leverage are registered trademark of Bayer CropScience.

Summary: 2012 - 2013 Return on Investment For the 2013 growing season the application of Stratego® YLD + Leverage® at the R2 growth stage offered a yield increase of 3.3 Bu./A. Yield Return on This yield advantage equated to a return on investment of $11.05/A. Two Year Increase Investment year data suggests an average yield increase of 4.3 Bu./A. and a return on 2012 +5.3 $40.12 investment of $25.29/A. 2013 +3.3 $11.05 Average +4.3 $25.59

207 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Starter Fertilizer Study - 2013

Planted: May 22, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 27, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Two (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 362NR™* July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: The goal of this study is to evaluate any yield effects of placing liquid fertilizer in a 2x2 band at planting. 7-22-5 is a liquid polyphosphate starter fertilizer and the 0-0-14 is a liquid muriate of potash.

Percent Bushels† Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Return Investment Control 10.4 61.2 $774.18 2 gal. 7-22-5 + 5 gal. 0-0-14 2x2 Starter 10.4 62.7 $782.71 +$8.53 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on $12.65/Bu. soybeans and $2.60/gal. 7-22-5 and $1.05/gal. 0-0-14. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. 7-22-5 and 0-0-14 provided by Marco Fertilizer, Clinton IL.

2 Year Soybean Starter Fertilizer Return on Investment 3.5 2.9 Average 2.2 Bu./A. Increase 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.5 1.0 Bu./A. Increase 0.5 0.0 2012 2013

Figure 1.

Summary: 2x2 applications this year realized 1.5 Bu./A. yield gains. After cost of product, these starter treatments netted an additional $8.53/A. These yield gains were about half of last year’s results (Figure 1). More research needs to be done with these starter fertilizer products on soybeans, but we have seen some promising results with the 2x2 starter.

208 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S VersaMax™ Study - 2013

Planted: May 16, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: September 27, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk April 8.80 in. ™ Population: 150,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict May 4.15 in. Rows: Eight 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 263NR™* July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: This study evaluates applications of VersaMax™, which is a mixture of macro and micronutrients that can be applied as a foliar application or in row starter/sidedress application. VersaMax is designed for use in both corn and soybeans, and is intended to be used as a supplement to a standard fertility program. VersaMax will improve plant health by providing efficient delivery of nitrogen (N) and other essential nutrients (S, Fe, Mn and Zn) as part of a total fertility program that will decrease plant stress and increase potential for maximum genetic expression. VersaMax also has ingredients in the formulation that enhance the spray tank mix compatibility and spray humectancy to provide improved nutrient uptake.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment Control 10.6 72.4 3 Year VersaMax$915.86 ™ 1 qt. VersaMax Soybean @ R2 10.4 73.9 +1.5Soybean $929.59Yield Data +$13.73 Control 10.5 76.2 $963.93 1 qt. VersaMax Soybean @ R3 10.6 77.5 +1.3 $975.13 +$11.19 5 Control 10.6 76.1 $962.671.7 Bu./A. Average Increase 4 1 qt. VersaMax Soybean @ R4 10.7 77.5 +1.4 $975.13 +$12.46 AVERAGE 10.6 75.6 3 +1.4 2 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. ® ® *XL brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL is a registered trademark Bu./A. Yield of1 DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return based on $12.65/Bu. soybeans and $5.25/A. Versamax. No application costs included. VersaMax is a trademark of Midtech R&D, Inc. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered0 trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. 2011 2012 2013

3 Year VersaMax 3 Year VersaMax Soybean Soybean Yield Data ROI Data $14.70/A. Average ROI 5 $20 1.7 Bu./A. Average Increase 4 $15 3 $10 2 $5 Yield Bu./A. Yield 1 0 $0

2011 2012 2013 Return on Investment/A. 2011 2012 2013

Figure 1. Figure 2. 3 Year VersaMax Soybean

Summary: ROI Data Replications of VersaMax™ on all three treatments$14.70/A. Averageshowed averageROI yield gains of 1.3 to 1.5 Bu./A. with very little yield differences between$20 growth stages. Figures 1 - 2. Illustrates three year average results for VersaMax Soybean, this data suggests an average yield increase$15 of 1.7 Bu./A. along with an average return on investment of $14.70/A.

$10

$5 209 $0

Return on Investment/A. 2011 2012 2013 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Respire® Foliar Study - 2013

Planted: June 5, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn Harvested: October 15, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk ™ Population: 150,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 335NR™* Purpose: To evaluate Respire® Foliar, which is a non-toxic liquid plant food containing micronutrients and biostimulants that promote efficient plant growth. Foliar applications boost plant respiration under drought stress or unfavorable weather conditions. Respire contains 7% nitrogen, chelated copper, iron, manganese, magnesium, zinc, sulfur, boron, molybdenum, humic acids and liquid fermentation products such as vitamin-B complex.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment Control 13.7 55.7 ---- $704.61 ---- 8 oz. Respire® @ R1 13.9 57.6 +1.9 $722.64 +$18.03 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on $12.65/Bu. soybeans and $6.00/A. Respire. Respire is a registered trademark of Chandler, Inc. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

Summary: In this first year study for soybeans at CILPFR, Respire® performed well with a yield increase of 1.9 Bu./A. which equates to a net advantage of $18.03/A. More research needs to be conducted to determine the full benefits of Respire.

BECK’S Soybean Seed Coat™ Study - 2013

Planted: May 20, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn Harvested: October 8, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk ™ ® Population: 150,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict + 2 oz. Zidua Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 294NR™*

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Cost/A. Return Investment Control 12.8 52.6 ------+$665.39 ---- Seed Coat™ 12.8 53.5 +0.9 $2.85 +$673.93 +$8.54 Average 12.8 53.1 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on $12.65/Bu. soybeans and $2.85/A. Seed Coat. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Seed Coat is a trademark of DeltAg Formulations.

Summary: This is our first year testing Seed Coat™ on soybeans at the CILPFR farm. At-planting applications increased soybean yields by nearly 1 Bu./A. over the control with a return on investment of $8.54/A. More testing needs to be done to evaluate the use of Seed Coat as a micronutrient package at planting or a replacement/combination product for talc or graphite. 210 Central Illinois PFR

BECK’S Moldboard Plow Study - 2013

Planted: June 5, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 2, 2013 Tillage: Various April 8.80 in. ™ ® Population: 150,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 5 oz. Verdict + 2 oz. Zidua May 4.15 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® June 4.30 in. Replications: Three (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 312R4™* July 2.60 in. August 0.40 in. Total 20.25 in.

Purpose: To determine if there are any advantages to adding moldboard plowing into a soybean tillage rotation. For this study soybeans were following corn stalks. The three tillage treatments were: 1. Fall moldboard plow followed by a pass with the Kuhn Krause Excelerator® in the spring. 2. Fall chisel plow followed by the Kuhn Krause Excelerator in the spring. 3. Kuhn Krause Excelerator fall and spring passes.

Test† Percent Bushels† Net^ Return on Tillage Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Cost Return Investment Fall Moldboard Plow f/b 57.1 14.7 51.3 $45.70 $603.25 -$28.65 Spring Kuhn Krause Excelerator® Fall Chisel Plow f/b 57.0 14.6 52.1 $27.10 $631.97 ---- Spring Kuhn Krause Excelerator Fall Vertical Tillage f/b 54.4 14.3 52.5 $25.20 $638.93 +$6.92 Spring Kuhn Krause Excelerator

Average 56.2 14.5 52.0

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return based on $5.40/Bu. corn and tillage costs. Moldboard plow scenario: 1 plow pass $33.10 + one vertical tillage pass $12.60 = $45.70. Chisel Plow: 1 plow pass $14.50 + one vertical tillage pass $12.60 = $27.10. Vertical Tillage: 2 passes 12.60 + 12.60 = 25.20. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Excelerator is a registered trademark of Krause Corporation.

Summary: All of the tillage programs in this study yielded within 1.0 Bu./A., but the real difference in this study is net return after cost of tillage. The fall chisel plow followed by the Kuhn Krause Excelerator® pass in the spring is the CILPFR normal program. Fall moldboard plowing resulted in net losses of nearly $29.00/A. However the Kuhn Krause Excelerator tillage system offered a net return advantage of almost $7.00/A. This year’s results revealed major tillage is not always needed to increase soybean yields. This was also consistent with our tillage rotation study that can be found on page 142.

Photo 1. Fall 2012 moldboard plow. Photo 2. Spring 2013 Kuhn Krause Excelerator®. 211 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Corn Show Plot - 2013

Planted: May 18, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 7, 2013 Tillage: Fall Disk Rip / Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 28,400 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Pre: 3 qt. Lexar® June 6.31 in. Post: 48 oz. Glyphosate Insecticide: Escalate® , Force® 3G & Arctic® 3.2 EC July 5.57 in. August 0.99 in. Total 27.39 in.

Yield Test† Percent Bushels† Rank Brand Weight Moisture Per Acre 1 Phoenix 6542A4** 56.8 21.6 251.4 2 BECK EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 56.3 16.8 237.2 3 BECK 6543HR™* 56.5 17.9 236.3 4 BECK 6626AM™* 56.5 18.3 236.1 5 BECK 6733HXR™* 56.7 19.1 233.7 6 BECK 5509VR 56.2 18.0 233.1 7 BECK 5475AM™* 56.4 16.8 231.5 8 Phoenix 5726A4** 56.4 19.5 225.9 9 Phoenix 5552A4** 56.2 17.2 225.5 10 BECK EX 1317 (6372wx Genetics)™* 56.6 18.7 225.1 11 BECK 6348A3 56.3 18.3 222.4 12 BECK 5385A3 56.5 17.7 222.0 13 BECK EX 1326 (6778AM Genetics)™* 56.6 20.3 221.4 14 BECK 6575HR™* 56.7 19.8 219.4 15 Phoenix 5642A4** 56.3 19.0 218.6 16 BECK 6948A3 56.8 21.2 206.2 AVERAGE 56.5 18.8 227.9 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Lexar and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Arctic is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC.

Director of Research, Dr. Kevin Cavanaugh, presenting at the SILPFR Field Show. 212 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Closing Wheel Study - 2013

Planted: May 30, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 11, 2013 Tillage: Spring Reel Disk April 8.77 in. ® Population: 31,700 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Two 30” rows Pre: 3 qt. Lexar® June 6.31 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 48 oz. Glyphosate Insecticide: Escalate® , Force® 3G & Arctic® 3.2 EC July 5.57 in. Product tested: BECK 6543HR™* August 0.99 in. Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: To determine what effects different closing wheel types have on plant population and yield. Six different closing wheel types were used in this study. Conventional solid rubber, Martin Spikes, Yetter Spikes, Yetter Paddles, Martin Dimples and Dawn® Curvetine™ closing wheels were used in our evaluation at two different pressure settings for each combination. The Martin Spikes and Yetter Spikes were used by themselves and were paired with one rubber to give eight total combinations tested. The choice of pressure settings and use of drag chains were determined by recommendations for our southern Illinois soil types. Less than ideal planting conditions were also targeted for this study.

Drag Percent Harvested Bushels† Closing Wheel Combination Pressure Chains Moisture Population Per Acre Rubber / Rubber 2nd Notch No 24.2 24,667 199.8 Rubber / Rubber 3rd Notch No 23.7 25,333 194.3 AVERAGE 24.0 25,000 197.1 Martin Spike / Martin Spike None Yes 23.9 25,667 199.3 Martin Spike / Martin Spike 2nd Notch Yes 23.7 26,167 198.1 AVERAGE 23.8 25,917 198.7 Martin Spike / Rubber None Yes 23.7 24,500 191.9 Martin Spike / Rubber 2nd Notch Yes 23.4 26,000 196.4 AVERAGE 23.6 25,250 194.2 Yetter Spike / Yetter Spike None Yes 23.5 25,333 194.6 Yetter Spike / Yetter Spike 2nd Notch Yes 23.4 25,500 195.6 AVERAGE 23.5 25,417 195.1 Yetter Spike / Rubber None Yes 23.3 25,167 190.3 Yetter Spike / Rubber 2nd Notch Yes 22.9 27,000 190.3 AVERAGE 23.1 26,083 190.3 Yetter Paddle / Yetter Paddle 2nd Notch Yes 23.2 26,333 190.9 Yetter Paddle / Yetter Paddle 3rd Notch Yes 22.6 27,000 195.4 AVERAGE 22.9 26,667 193.2 Martin Dimple / Martin Dimple None Yes 22.7 25,833 193.9 Martin Dimple / Martin Dimple 2nd Notch Yes 22.8 26,833 183.6 AVERAGE 22.8 26,333 188.8 Dawn® Curvetine™ / Dawn Curvetine None Yes 22.8 24,833 191.6 Dawn Curvetine / Dawn Curvetine 2nd Notch Yes 22.7 28,000 199.8 AVERAGE 22.8 26,417 195.7 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Lexar and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Arctic is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC. Curvetine is a trademark of Dawn Equipment Company.

Summary: Two pressure averages for the closing wheel types showed a range from 188.8 Bu./A. for the Martin Dimple closing wheels to 198.7 Bu./A. for the Martin Spike closing wheels. However, all other combinations stayed close to the overall plot average of 194.1 Bu./A. Some variation was seen between pressure settings, but not by more than 10.3 Bu./A. The harvest population counts were based on two row averages across all three replications of the study which showed on the low end at 24,000 plants/A. to the high end at 28,000 plants/A.

213 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S 300 Bushel Attempt - 2013

Planted: May 19, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 4, 2013 Tillage: Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 36,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Pre: 3 qt. Lexar® June 6.31 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Post: 48 oz. Glyphosate Insecticide: Escalate® , Force® 3G & Arctic® 3.2 EC July 5.57 in. August 0.99 in. Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: This study attempted to break 300 Bu./A. using eight hybrids. Practices included using 125 lbs. nitrogen in the form of SuperU®, 16 oz. of Mpact® preplant incorporated, 32 oz. Soil Boost, 8 oz. of Ultra-Che Zinc 9% EDTA, 6 oz. Ascend®, 7 oz. Capture® LFR and 5 gal. 7-24-4 as an in-furrow application along with 10 gal. of 28% placed 2x2 at planting. We followed that up with a sidedress application of 95 lbs. nitrogen with 32% UAN at the V6 growth stage bringing us to a total of approximately 250 lbs. of nitrogen. Fungicide applications of 4 oz. Priaxor™ at the V5 growth stage and 10 oz. Headline AMP® at the VT growth stage were also made.

Test† Percent Bushels† Net^ Brand Weight Moisture Per Acre Return REP 1 BECK EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 55.6 18.7 296.8 $1,411.23 Phoenix 6542A4** 56.7 22.9 255.3 $1,187.13 BECK 6543HR™* 56.0 18.9 245.1 $1,132.05 BECK 6175AMX™* 55.8 18.4 244.4 $1,128.27 BECK 6575HR™* 56.3 21.0 243.6 $1,123.95 BECK 6626AMX™* 56.2 19.9 237.3 $1,089.93 BECK EX 1326 (6778AM Genetics)™* 56.3 21.2 231.8 $1,060.23 BECK 6077AM™* 55.5 17.1 227.0 $1,034.31 AVERAGE 56.1 19.8 247.7 $1,145.89 REP 2 Phoenix 6542A4** 56.7 22.5 267.4 $1,252.47 BECK EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 55.7 18.0 258.4 $1,203.87 BECK EX 1326 (6778AM Genetics)™* 56.4 21.7 243.3 $1,122.33 BECK 6543HR™* 56.1 19.1 241.7 $1,113.69 BECK 6175AMX™* 55.9 18.3 238.3 $1,095.33 BECK 6626AMX™* 56.3 20.0 235.9 $1,082.37 BECK 6077AM™* 55.7 17.6 233.7 $1,070.49 BECK 6575HR™* 56.2 19.9 217.9 $985.17 AVERAGE 56.1 19.3 241.9 $1,114.77 2 REP AVERAGE BECK EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 55.7 18.3 277.6 $1,307.55 Phoenix 6542A4** 56.7 22.7 261.4 $1,220.07 BECK 6543HR™* 56.0 19.0 243.4 $1,122.87 BECK 6175AMX™* 55.9 18.3 241.4 $1,112.07 BECK EX 1326 (6778AM Genetics)™* 56.4 21.5 237.5 $1,091.01 BECK 6626AMX™* 56.2 20.0 236.6 $1,086.15 BECK 6575HR™* 56.2 20.5 230.7 $1,054.29 BECK 6077AM™* 55.6 17.3 230.4 $1,052.67 AVERAGE 56.1 19.7 244.9 $1,130.84

214 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S 300 Bushel Attempt - Continued

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. EXTRA TREATMENT COSTS ABOVE ^Net return based on gross return minus the cost of in-furrow treatments, fungicide(including NORMAL SILPFR PROGRAM VT application charge), additional nitrogen above base nitrogen rate, and a plant population increase of 3,000 plants per acre based on $250.00/bag average cost. Base nitrogen rate High Level Program Cost/A. used for calculation is 180lbs. N. Mpact $40.00/gal. Soil Boost $51.00/gal. Ultra-Che Zinc 9% ® EDTA $33.23/gal. Ascend $270.00/gal. Capture LFR $326.90/gal. 7-24-4 $ 5.50/gal. Priaxor 16 oz. Mpact $5.00 $529.00/gal. Headline AMP $271.00/gal. Application charge $5.50/A. 32 oz. Soil Boost $12.75 *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. 8 oz. Ultra-Che Zinc 9% EDTA $2.08 **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a 6 oz. Ascend® $12.66 Syngenta Group Company. ® Lexar and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup 7 oz. Capture LFR $17.88 PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Arctic and Ascend are 5 gal. 7-24-4 $27.50 registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Mpact is a registered trademark of Enviro Products Corp. Capture is a registered trademark of FMC Corporation. Priaxor is a trademark ™ 4 oz. Priaxor $16.53 of BASF. Headline AMP is a registered trademark of BASF. SuperU is a registered trademark 10 oz. Headline AMP® $21.17 of AGROTAIN International, LLC. Soil Boost is manufactured by Ag Chem Broker, Inc. 3,000 Plant Population Increase $9.38 70 lbs. Nitrogen $61.05 $185.99

Summary: After facing water logged conditions in May and June, we were not expecting to set any records with this year’s 300 Bushel Attempt. However, as the season progressed, this study clearly stood out as one of our better looking corn plots. Sidedress and fungicide applications went on in a timely manner and improved the overall health going into August. Dry August conditions brought about stalk cannibalization, especially in the wet areas of the plot where compaction and saturated soils had been prevalent in the early part of the season. The first entry yielded a whopping 296.8 dry Bu./A., which is the highest we have ever had at Southern Illinois PFR! The first rep of the attempt averaged 247.7 Bu./A. The next replication of eight hybrids saw an average of 241.9 Bu./A. resulting in a two replication average of 244.9 Bu./A. Since we did not have a control for this year’s study, the net return is based on the gross return minus the cost of our high level program of $185.99/A., which is figured from adding up the costs of treatments that exceed our normal program here at Southern Illinois PFR. With the exception of our continuous corn nitrogen rate study, the 300 Bu./A. Attempt was our highest yielding plot on the farm. Even though we did not reach the 300 bushel goal, this attempt was a huge success for us and we look forward to reaching 300 Bu./A. in the future.

215 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Fungicide Timing Study - 2013

Planted: CaB: May 18, 2013 Previous Crop: CAB: Soybeans RAINFALL CAC: June 12, 2013 CAC: Corn April 8.77 in. Harvested: CAB: October 4, 2013 Tillage: Spring Reel Disk (twice) May 5.75 in. CAC: October 25, 2013 Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX® June 6.31 in. Population: 33,000 seeds/A. Pre: 3 qt. Lexar® Rows: Four 30” rows Post: 48 oz. Glyphosate July 5.57 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Insecticide: CAB: Escalate® & Arctic® 3.2 EC & Force® 3G August 0.99 in. CAC: Escalate® , & Arctic® 3.2 EC Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate hybrid specific responses to various fungicide application timings.Treatments consisted of 4 oz. of Priaxor™ at the V5 growth stage, 10 oz. Headline AMP® at full tassel (VT), and a combination of the two timings. A full tassel (VT) application is most common throughout our marketing area, but if expected disease pressure is high it may be necessary to apply an early preventative treatment. Three levels of hybrid response (low, medium, and high) were used to evaluate if timing is affected by susceptibility of disease pressure.

CORN AFTER SOYBEAN STUDY

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Cost of Net^ Return on Brand & Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Treatment Return Investment BECK 6175AMX™* — LOW RESPONSE Control 17.9 208.4 ----- $0.00 $1,101.19 ----- 4 oz. Priaxor™ @ V5 18.0 209.1 +0.7 $16.53 $1,087.52 -$13.67 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 + 10 oz. Headline AMP® @ VT 18.3 193.4 -15.0 $43.20 $975.63 -$125.56 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 17.8 205.9 -2.5 $26.67 $1,062.13 -$39.06 AVERAGE 18.0 204.2 -5.6 BECK 5509A3 — MEDIUM RESPONSE Control 20.4 185.7 ----- $0.00 $962.67 ----- 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 20.9 190.2 +4.5 $16.53 $965.66 +$2.99 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 + 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 21.1 191.4 +5.7 $43.20 $943.66 -$19.01 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 20.4 180.5 -5.2 $26.67 $909.04 -$53.63 AVERAGE 20.7 187.0 +1.7 PHOENIX 5552A4** — HIGH RESPONSE Control 20.3 223.8 ----- $0.00 $1,161.07 ----- 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 20.4 228.9 +5.1 $16.53 $1,170.09 +$9.01 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 + 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 20.8 241.2 +17.4 $43.20 $1,203.32 +$42.24 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 20.5 237.2 +13.4 $26.67 $1,202.02 +$40.95 AVERAGE 20.5 232.8 +12.0 TREATMENT SUMMARY Control 19.5 206.0 ----- $0.00 $1,074.87 ----- 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 19.8 209.4 +3.4 $16.53 $1,074.30 -$0.57 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 + 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 20.1 208.7 +2.7 $43.20 $1,041.31 -$33.56 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 19.6 207.9 +1.9 $26.67 $1,057.84 -$17.03 AVERAGE 19.7 208.0 +2.7

216 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Fungicide Timing Study - Continued

CONTINUOUS CORN STUDY

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Net^ Return on Brand & Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Cost Return Investment BECK 6175AMX™*- LOW RESPONSE Control 31.3 179.1 ----- $0.00 $850.37 ----- 4 oz. Priaxor™ @ V5 31.1 175.6 -3.5 $16.53 $818.62 -$31.74 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 + 10 oz. Headline AMP® @ VT 31.5 190.0 +10.9 $43.20 $857.40 +$7.03 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 30.3 188.0 +8.9 $26.67 $873.47 +$23.11 AVERAGE 31.1 183.2 +5.4 BECK 5509A3 - MEDIUM RESPONSE Control 31.8 159.2 ----- $0.00 $752.70 ----- 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 29.2 179.0 +19.8 $16.53 $848.40 +$95.70 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 + 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 34.6 192.6 +33.4 $43.20 $845.84 +$93.14 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 31.4 183.9 +24.7 $26.67 $845.75 +$93.05 AVERAGE 31.8 178.7 +26.0 PHOENIX 5552A4** - HIGH RESPONSE Control 32.7 185.3 ----- $0.00 $869.43 ----- 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 32.6 180.9 -4.4 $16.53 $832.98 -$36.45 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 + 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 34.8 197.0 +11.7 $43.20 $864.57 -$4.85 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 34.2 192.0 +6.7 $26.67 $862.67 -$6.76 AVERAGE 33.6 188.8 +4.7 TREATMENT SUMMARY Control 31.9 174.5 ----- $0.00 $824.26 ----- 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 31.0 178.5 +4.0 $16.53 $833.37 +$9.10 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 + 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 33.6 193.2 +18.7 $43.20 $856.08 +$31.82 10 oz. Headline AMP @ VT 32.0 188.0 +13.4 $26.67 $860.78 +$36.52 AVERAGE 32.1 183.6 +12.0 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn, Priaxor $529.00/gal., Headline AMP $271.00., application cost $5.50/A. and drying cost $.04/point moisture. Lexar and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Arctic is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC. Headline AMP is a registered trademark of BASF. Priaxor is a trademark of BASF.

Corn after soybean Study Summary: Considering the wet conditions of the 2013 season, disease pressure was relatively low for May planted corn on the SILPFR farm. The results of this study reflected what we expected to see with these hybrids. With the exception of the V5 application on BECK 5509A3, the low and medium response hybrids showed a negative return on investment, whereas the high response hybrid (Phoenix 5552A4**), showed a positive return on investment for all fungicide application timings. The treatment summary shows that even though we saw an overall average increase of 2.7 Bu./A. by applying fungicide, the return on investment is negative for all three fungicide application timings.

Continuous Corn Study Summary: Unlike the May planted corn after soybeans fungicide timing study, the continuous corn fungicide timing study was planted in June and did have some late season southern rust show up. We used the same hybrid group for both studies and used the same group of fungicide treatments. In this case, the low response hybrid showed a 5.4 Bu./A. advantage, the medium response hybrid showed a 26 Bu./A. advantage, and the high response hybrid showed a 4.7 Bu./A. increase from applying fungicide compared to the control of each hybrid. Return on investment showed a negative advantage for the fungicide applications made to the high response hybrid and the low response hybrid on average, but a strong, positive advantage for the medium response hybrid. The most profitable fungicide application in the treatment summary was the sole VT application at $36.52/A. followed by the combination V5/VT application at $31.82/A., and last but not least the V5 application alone showed a $9.10/A. return on investment. The overall results from the treatment summary came out differently from the corn after soybeans in that we experienced an overall positive response in yield of 12 Bu./A. and a positive return of $25.81/A. over the untreated control. 217 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S VT Fungicide Study - 2013

Planted: May 30, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 21, 2013 Tillage: Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 33,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Pre: 3 qt. Lexar® June 6.31 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Post: 48 oz. Glyphosate Insecticide: Escalate® , Force® 3G & Arctic® 3.2 EC July 5.57 in. August 0.99 in. Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: This study evaluates hybrid specific response to fungicide applications. HeadlineAMP ® was applied by ground, without surfactants, at full tassel (VT) and this study is part of a multi-location data set across PFR sites.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Return on^ Brand & Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Investment Control BECK 5475AMX-R™* 16.1 153.7 BECK EX1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 15.9 163.0 Phoenix 5642A4** 22.8 174.2 BECK 6175AMX™* 18.1 178.6 BECK 6272HR™* 19.4 173.3 BECK 6348A3 19.2 184.9 Phoenix 6542A4** 26.1 173.2 BECK 6575HR™* 21.3 163.3 BECK 6948A3 22.7 195.0 20.2 173.2 10 oz. Headline AMP® BECK 5475AMX-R™* 16.7 164.3 +10.6 +$26.16 BECK EX1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 15.7 191.1 +28.1 +$125.59 Phoenix 5642A4** 23.4 178.9 +4.7 -$7.05 BECK 6175AMX™* 19.0 165.7 -12.9 -$100.70 BECK 6272HR™* 20.2 155.6 -17.7 -$124.11 BECK 6348A3 19.3 180.8 -4.1 -$48.84 Phoenix 6542A4** 26.3 189.1 +15.9 +$50.62 BECK 6575HR™* 21.4 172.5 +9.2 +$20.00 BECK 6948A3 21.9 186.8 -8.2 -$62.45 20.4 176.1 +2.8 -$13.42 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ^Return on Investment is based on Bu./A. difference multiplied by $5.40/Bu. corn minus the drying cost of $.04/point, minus the cost of Headline AMP @ $21.17/A., minus the cost of application @ $5.50/A. Lexar and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Arctic is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC. Headline is a registered trademark of BASF.

Summary: Yield differences ranged from -17.7 Bu./A. to +28.1 Bu./A. with a return on investment range of -$124.11/A. to +$125.59/A. The hybrid responses followed hybrid characteristics in terms of placement and fungicide response that we have rated on our product fact sheets. The hybrids that are better suited toward lower productivity soils, and rated as low response, showed an overall negative response to fungicide applications. All other hybrids in this study are rated as medium response to fungicide. They are typically recommended more for medium to better productivity soils and showed a positive response to fungicide. We still saw an overall negative return on investment of $13.42/A. even when yields increased by 2.8 Bu./A. by treatment with fungicide.

218 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Planting Date & Replant Study - 2013

Planted: Various Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: Various Tillage: Fall Disk Rip / Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: Various Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Pre: 3 qt. Lexar® June 6.31 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Post: 48 oz. Glyphosate Insecticide: Escalate® , Force® 3G & Arctic® 3.2 EC July 5.57 in. August 0.99 in. Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate performance of BECK 6175AMX™* and BECK 6272HR™* planted on several dates throughout the growing season. This enables us to see how planting dates affect corn yield on an annual basis, and to compare multi-year averages. We evaluated yield performance of corn planted at 20,000 seeds/A. with random spacing versus corn planted at 31,700 seeds/A. with consistent spacing across multiple planting dates.

Harvested Percent Bushels† Planting Date Brand Population Moisture Per Acre May 18th BECK 6175AMX™* 31,750 18.3 222.1 May 18th BECK 6272HR™* 30,500 18.6 240.2 AVERAGE 31,125 18.5 231.2 May 25th BECK 6175AMX™* 31,500 20.3 253.4 May 25th BECK 6272HR™* 30,750 21.6 210.4 AVERAGE 31,125 21.0 231.9 May 30th BECK 6175AMX™* 26,500 22.4 174.6 May 30th BECK 6272HR™* 31,250 22.8 206.5 AVERAGE 28,875 22.6 190.6 June 11th BECK 6175AMX™* 30,750 21.1 197.0 June 11th BECK 6272HR™* 28,250 23.5 197.5 AVERAGE 29,500 22.3 197.2 Data based on 31,700 planting population.

Planted Test† Percent Bushels† Replant Net^ Additional Planting Date / Replant Date Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Advantage Return $/A. MAY 18th — 1st Planting BECK 6175AMX™* 31,700 55.8 18.3 222.1 $1,170.02 BECK 6272HR™* 31,700 55.9 18.6 240.2 $1,262.49 BECK 6175AMX™* 20,000 55.9 19.3 187.9 $982.34 BECK 6272HR™* 20,000 56.1 20.1 196.5 $1,021.01 MAY 30th — Replanted BECK 6175AMX™* 31,700 57.0 22.4 174.6 -13.3 $866.16 -$116.18 BECK 6272HR™* 31,700 57.2 22.8 206.5 +10.0 $1,025.67 +$4.66 MAY 25th BECK 6175AMX™* 20,000 56.9 21.4 194.7 $1,001.54 BECK 6272HR™* 20,000 57.3 23.3 207.1 $1,049.58 JUNE 11th — Replanted BECK 6175AMX™* 31,700 57.4 21.1 197.0 +2.3 $990.87 -$10.67 BECK 6272HR™* 31,700 58.2 23.5 197.5 -9.6 $974.35 -$75.23 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return based on $5.40/Bu. corn, drying cost of $0.04/point of moisture and $25.00 replant cost. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Lexar and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Arctic is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC. 219 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Planting Date & Replant Study - Continued

Summary: Due to wet conditions early in the season, our first planting date was not until May 18th. Four planting dates ranging from May 18th through June 11th allowed us to evaluate late season planting dates. Overall, additional dollars per acre were not gained by replanting in this late season scenario. When we take a look at the four consistently spaced 31,700 seeds/A. planting dates, the yield trend is consistent between the first two dates even though individual hybrid yields fluctuate. However, the May 30th date shows a substantial decrease in yield which could be attributed to heavy rains causing a poor stand. The final planting date entry on June 11th yielded 197.2 Bu./A. on average between both hybrids.

220 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Tillage Study - 2013

Planted: May 24, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 7, 2013 Tillage: Various April 8.77 in. ® Population: 27,000 & seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Pre: 3 qt. Lexar® June 6.31 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Post: 48 oz. Glyphosate Insecticide: Escalate® , Force® 3G & Arctic® 3.2 EC July 5.57 in. Product Tested: BECK 5475AMX™* August 0.99 in. Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: In this study, we evaluated different tillage practices. Since this is a long-term study, treatments are kept on the same areas as previous years. The wet spring of 2013 created the need to make a light vertical tillage pass on the strip till, in-line rip, and no-till blocks in order to dry out the soil enough to plant.

Percent Bushels† Tillage Moisture Per Acre Fall Strip / Spring Vertical Tillage 20.1 200.3 Fall In-Line Rip / Spring Vertical Tillage 19.4 200.9 Spring Vertical Tillage 20.1 198.3 Fall Disk Chisel / Spring Vertical Tillage 19.2 193.8 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Lexar and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Arctic is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC.

Summary: The fall in-line ripped treatment produced the highest yields at 200.9 Bu./A. This is consistent with the 2011 results where the advantage went to the fall in-line rip/spring vertical tillage. The lowest yield came from the fall disk chisel treatment, with a yield of 193.8 Bu./A. Fall chiseling was also the second lowest performer in the 2011 data. We do not have 2012 data to reference since the drought produced inconsistent data.

221 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Timing Study - 2013

Planted: May 24, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 7, 2013 Tillage: Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 33,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Pre: 3 qt. Lexar® June 6.31 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Post: 48 oz. Glyphosate Insecticide: Escalate® , Force® 3G & Arctic® 3.2 EC July 5.57 in. Product tested: BECK 6175AMX™* August 0.99 in. Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: This study is part of a multi-year, multi-location data set that attempts to pinpoint by geography the most practical and economical timing for applying nitrogen.

Test† Percent Bushels† Net^ Return on Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Return Investment 180 lbs. Nitrogen Pre-Incorp UAN (Control) 56.3 19.3 162.7 $761.58 ----- 90 lbs. Nitrogen Pre-Incorp. UAN f/b 90 lbs. Sidedress UAN @ V4 - V5 56.4 19.5 204.8 $988.92 +$227.34 180 lbs. Nitrogen 100% Sidedress UAN @ V3 57.3 23.2 219.2 $1,066.68 +$305.10 10 gal. UAN 2x2 UAN f/b 150 lbs. Nitrogen Sidedress UAN @ V3 56.6 20.4 215.7 $1,047.78 +$286.20 180 lbs. Nitrogen 100% Sidedress UAN @ V6 57.9 24.9 206.5 $998.10 +$236.52

10 gal. 2x2 UAN f/b 150 lbs. Nitrogen Broadcast SuperU® @ V4 - V5 56.5 19.8 185.9 $868.14 +$106.56 10 gal. 2x2 UAN f/b 150 lbs. Nitrogen Sidedress UAN + Agrotain® Plus @ V3 56.7 20.8 217.2 $1,034.28 +$272.70 10 gal. 2x2 UAN f/b 150 lbs. Nitrogen Sidedress UAN + Instinct™ @ V3 56.7 20.5 215.6 $1,036.85 +$275.27

†Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return based on $5.40/Bu. corn minus the cost of nitrogen at $0.65/lb., SuperU $713.00/ton, Agrotain Plus $21.60/A., and Instinct $10.39/A. Lexar and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Arctic is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC. Agrotain is a registered trademark of Koch Agronomic Services, LLC. Instinct is a trademark of Dow AgroSciences. SuperU is a registered trademark of AGROTAIN International, LLC.

2 Year Nitrogen Timing Summary: Return Over 100% Preplant UAN

50% N PPI UAN + 50% $200.00 Sidedress UAN $175.00 $150.00 30 lbs. N 2x2 UAN + $125.00 Sidedress UAN $100.00

Return $75.00 100 % Sidedress UAN $50.00 $25.00 $0.00

Figure 1. 222 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Timing Study - Continued

Summary: With the ample amount of moisture received during the growing season, it is no surprise that this year’s results follow the pattern of recent years where split applications and later applications yielded higher than the 100% preplant application. The most profitable application this year was the 100% sidedress application at V3. However, 100% sidedress at the V3 time frame may not be the best option every year since the weather pattern does not always play in our favor. An observation worth mentioning is the 100% sidedress treatments were roughly a leaf collar stage behind the 100% preplant and 50/50 split timings prior to sidedress. Apparently, that did not impact the yield on the 100% V3 application but may have had some impact on the 100% V6 application. The least profitable application out of the eight treatments tested was the 100% preplant application yielding a net return of $106.56/A. lower than the least profitable split application of UAN/SuperU®. SuperU proved to be a profitable split application method this year, but we had rainfall within a week after application. However, we witnessed some visible leaf burning on the edges shortly after application. We also tested the use of Agrotain® Plus and Instinct™ as nitrogen stabilizers at V3 sidedress which proved profitable, but not as much as the straight UAN at the same rate and timing. Figure 1 shows a strong advantage in return from split and later applications over the 100% preplant UAN.

CINPFR Assistant, Jason Gahimer, presenting at Becknology™ Days. 223 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Stabilizer Study - 2013

Planted: May 18, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 1, 2013 Tillage: Fall Disk Rip / Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 33,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Pre: 3 qt. Lexar® June 6.31 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Post: 48 oz. Glyphosate Insecticide: Escalate® , Force® 3G & Arctic® 3.2 EC July 5.57 in. Product tested: BECK 6543HR™* August 0.99 in. Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: This nitrogen stabilizer study evaluates four products that have the capability to reduce nitrogen losses that can be associated with the use of UAN liquid nitrogen. A nitrogen rate of 180 lbs. along with the nitrogen stabilizer products were broadcast applied and incorporated prior to planting. Nutrisphere-N® from Specialty Fertilizer Products prevents and reduces volatilization and nitrification of liquid nitrogen fertilizers. Nutrisphere-N controls urease, keeping it from robbing nitrogen or yield potential. Plants can do more with nitrogen in its ammonium form than they can with nitrates. Nutrisphere-N protects nitrogen in its ammonium state before it gets converted, giving a greater return on your nitrogen fertilizer investment. Agrotain® Plus from Agrotain International, blocks the activity of the naturally occurring enzyme called urease, protecting against volatility losses. Agrotain Plus is a stabilizing agent which keeps nitrogen in the ammonium form for a longer period of time and reduces volatilization, denitrification, and leaching losses. Instinct™ from Dow AgroSciences is a nitrogen stabilizer that contains the active ingredient nitripyrin, the same ingredient used in N-Serve®. Instinct is a nitrogen stabilizer for liquid UAN solutions and works to ensure that nitrogen is stabilized in the ammonium form, which is less susceptible to losses from leaching and denitrification. Instinct keeps the soil-dwelling Nitrosomonas bacteria inactive, as this bacterium will attack nitrogen and convert it to nitrates which are prone to losses. Factor® is a urease inhibitor for UAN and Urea and delays the hydrolysis of urea which is catalyzed by urease. Factor only offers volatilization protection.

Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Gross Net^ Return on Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Return Investment Agrotain® Plus 56.6 19.4 213.0 -1.1 $1,150.20 $1,128.60 -$27.54 Nutrisphere-N® 56.6 19.5 214.2 +0.1 $1,156.68 $1,135.08 -$21.06 Instinct™ 56.6 19.3 218.6 +4.5 $1,180.44 $1,170.05 +$13.91 Factor® 56.6 19.4 218.0 +3.9 $1,177.20 $1,167.08 +$10.94 Control 56.6 19.7 214.1 ----- $1,156.14 $1,156.14 ------AVERAGE 56.6 19.5 215.6 +1.9 $1,164.13 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net Return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn minus the cost of treatment. Nutrisphere-N $21.60/A., Agrotain Plus $21.60/A., Instinct $ 10.39/A., and Factor $10.12/A. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Per acre product costs based on 180 lbs. nitrogen applied. 30 lbs. nitrogen was applied to all treatments as a 2x2 application method at planting. Lexar and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Arctic is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC. Nutrisphere-N is a registered trademark of SFP. Agrotain is a registered trademark of Koch Agronomic Services, LLC. Instinct is a trademark of Dow AgroSciences. Factor is a registered trademark of Midtech R&D, Inc.

Craig Hurley, Product Placement Specialist. 224 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Stabilizer Study - Continued

2 Year Nitrogen Stabilizer Yield 2011, 2013 200.0 198.0 196.0 194.0 Agrotain® Plus 192.0 Nutrisphere-N® 190.0 Instinct™ 188.0 Control Average Bu./A. Average 186.0 184.0 182.0 180.0 Nitrogen Stabilizer

Summary: The use of stabilizer products provided an average of 1.9 Bu./A. increase over the control. Instinct showed a 4.5 Bu./A. increase and a return on investment of $13.91/A. Factor provided a 3.9 Bu./A. gain over the control along with a $10.94/A. return on investment. Nutrisphere-N showed a slight increase and Agrotain Plus showed a slight decrease compared to the control with both having negative returns. Two year data for Agrotain® Plus, Nutrisphere-N® and Instinct™ shows no yield gain over the control.

Spring planting at the Southern Illinois PFR farm. 225 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Rate Study on Continuous Corn - 2013

Planted: May 18, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 3, 2013 Tillage: Fall Disk Rip / Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 33,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Pre: 3 qt. Lexar® June 6.31 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 48 oz. Glyphosate Insecticide: Escalate® , Force® 3G & Arctic® 3.2 EC July 5.57 in. Product tested: BECK 5509A3 August 0.99 in. Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: This continuing study evaluates seven different nitrogen rates to determine the optimum economic rate in a corn after corn cropping system. Nitrogen rates range from 125 - 250 lbs./A. in 25 lb. increments with the exception of the zero rate of nitrogen. The nitrogen was split applied with 30 lbs. nitrogen in the form of UAN applied 2x2 with the planter and the balance sidedressed at the V6 growth stage with UAN.

Percent Bushels† Net^ Lbs. of Nitrogen Moisture Per Acre Return 250 20.5 260.2 $1,242.58 225 20.7 264.2 $1,280.43 200 20.8 252.9 $1,235.66 175 20.7 265.3 $1,318.87 150 20.5 252.7 $1,267.08 125 20.3 237.4 $1,200.71 0 22.7 186.8 $1,008.72 AVERAGE 20.9 245.6 $1,222.01 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return based on $5.40/Bu. corn. Nitrogen price based on $0.65/lbs. Lexar and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Arctic is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC.

Economic Optimum Nitrogen Rate Net Return Corn After Corn - 3 Year Data $1,000.00

$950.00 $0.55/lb. N. $900.00 $0.65/lb. N. $0.75/lb. N. $850.00

$800.00 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 230 240 250 Nitrogen Rate

Summary: For this season, the economic optimum nitrogen rate came out to be 175 lbs./A. The most surprising information this year, is that the zero nitrogen rate yielded 186.8 Bu./A. In past years, it has been drastically lower which is what we would expect to see. Due to the corn crop failure in the drought of 2012, we decided to move this study to a new location where a uniform application of nitrogen had been made to the 2012 corn crop. Even though we had pulled nitrogen samples on the farm that proved nitrate nitrogen had decreased drastically from the fall of 2012 to the spring of 2013, we believe there could have been some effect from carryover nitrogen. Regardless, even at 186.8 Bu./A., the zero nitrogen rate still proved to be 50.6 Bu./A. less than the 125 lbs. nitrogen rate and came out to be the lowest net return for the 2013 study. Multi-year data for the economic optimum nitrogen rate on this farm is closer to 190 lbs. nitrogen depending on the cost of nitrogen. 226 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Sidedress Spacing Study - 2013

Planted: May 30, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 11, 2013 Tillage: Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 33,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Pre: 3 qt. Lexar® June 6.31 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 48 oz. Glyphosate Insecticide: Escalate® & Arctic® 3.2 EC July 5.57 in. Product Tested: BECK 6175AMX™* August 0.99 in. Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: This study is designed to evaluate the effect on yield from sidedressing nitrogen in a 60” spacing compared to a traditional 30” spacing. Spring applied DAP gave us 36 lbs./A. and 10 gallons of 28% applied 2x2 with the planter, brought the total balance prior to sidedress to 66 lbs./A. Lastly, 114 lbs. nitrogen in the form of 32% was applied sidedress with a five knife toolbar to both row spacings. Hoses were kinked on two of the five knives giving us the 60” spacing effect.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference 30" Nitrogen Spacing 19.4 173.4 ----- 60" Nitrogen Spacing 20.1 176.2 +2.8 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Lexar is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Arctic is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC.

Summary: The first year results from this study showed a 2.8 Bu./A. advantage to the 60” nitrogen spacing. With the ample rainfall we received after sidedress, nitrogen should have had plenty of movement in soil solution which might be why we saw such a close comparison this season. Some thoughts for the future are to remove the two knives in between not being used in the 60” nitrogen spacing in order to eliminate the possibility of a tillage effect from the knives. Overall, we feel that this was an accurate test this season and think that a bigger difference might be seen in a year like 2012 which showed little to no rainfall after sidedress applications. Evidence of minimal movement of nitrogen could be seen in the fall 2012 cover crops where nitrogen had not moved across the 60” spacing between applicator passes.

Southern Illinois PFR Director, Jonathan Perkins, presenting at the SILPFR Field Show. 227 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Cover Crop & Nitrogen Rate Study - 2013

Planted: June 12, 2013 Previous Crop: Cover Crop / Failed Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 25, 2013 Tillage: Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 33,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Pre: 3 qt. Lexar® June 6.31 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 48 oz. Glyphosate Insecticide: Escalate® & Arctic® 3.2 EC July 5.57 in. Product Tested: BECK 6077AM™* August 0.99 in. Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: In this study, we are evaluating the advantages of cover crops and their ability to increase yield, soil tilth, scavenge and produce nitrogen, and shatter compaction. Corn was planted into 3 different cover crops that were planted in the fall of 2012 after the drought and crop failure at Southern Illinois PFR. In addition, we evaluated three different nitrogen programs to determine nitrogen scavenging and sequestration. These nitrogen rates consisted of 216 lbs. (100% nitrogen treatment), 166 lbs. (50 lbs. less nitrogen treatment) and 116 lbs. (100 lbs. less nitrogen treatment).

Cover Net Return Crop Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Nitrogen Net^ Return on Treatment Cost/A. Moisture Per Acre Difference Reduction Return Investment BECK’S CORN CHAMPION MIX $35.20 100% Nitrogen 23.2 207.9 ------$947.06 +$33.92 50 lbs. Less Nitrogen 22.1 189.1 -18.8 -$69.02 $878.04 -$35.10 100 lbs. Less Nitrogen 20.8 158.4 -49.5 -$202.30 $744.76 -$168.38 AVERAGE 185.1 GROUNDHOG™ RADISH $23.00 100% Nitrogen 23.7 202.7 ------$931.18 +$18.04 50 lbs. Less Nitrogen 21.2 183.8 -18.9 -$69.56 $861.62 -$51.52 100 lbs. Less Nitrogen 21.0 148.8 -53.9 -$226.06 $705.12 -$208.02 AVERAGE 178.4 CRIMSON CLOVER $20.40 100% Nitrogen 23.7 190.9 ------$870.06 -$43.08 50 lbs. Less Nitrogen 22.1 184.6 -19.5 -$1.52 $868.54 -$44.60 100 lbs. Less Nitrogen 22.5 132.3 -58.9 -$251.44 $618.62 -$294.52 AVERAGE 169.3 NO COVER CROP 100% Nitrogen (Control) 24.7 195.1 ------$913.14 ---- 50 lbs. Less Nitrogen 23.4 175.6 -6.3 -$72.80 $840.34 -$72.80 100 lbs. Less Nitrogen 22.0 136.2 -58.6 -$253.06 $660.08 -$253.06 AVERAGE 169.0 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net Return based on gross return minus cost of cover crop. Corn $5.40/Bu. Nitrogen cost at $0.65/unit of N. 100% treatment based on 216 lbs. actual N/A. Lexar is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Arctic is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC. GroundHog is a trademark ofAMPAC Seed Company.

Summary: After the failure of a corn crop in 2012, due to drought conditions, one of the positive aspects turned out to be an impressive stand of cover crops. With the ability to seed effectively with a ground rig after a failed corn crop and Hurricane Isaac providing ample moisture shortly thereafter, early growing conditions were ideal for cover crops. The radishes and turnips winter killed and left us with only crimson clover to contend with in the spring. After getting a good kill of the crimson clover, we were set up to get the corn planted into these cover crop treatments, but the rainy weather kept us out until June 12th. The results of the study showed an 8.6 Bu./A. overall average increase for the corn planted into the cover crop treatments in comparison to the non-cover crop control. The overall average net return from cover crops was $20.48/A. over the non-cover crop control. An important note is that this figure only takes into account the cost of seed and not herbicide or tillage costs. At 100% rates of nitrogen, cover crops yielded 5.4 Bu./A. higher and $2.96/A. improvement over the control. In order to repeat a practice done at Central Illinois PFR in 2012 to evaluate the cover crop’s ability to scavenge/produce nitrogen, we backed down nitrogen rates to 50 lbs. less than our 100% rate. At 50 lbs. less nitrogen, 228 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Cover Crop & Nitrogen Rate Study - Continued cover crops increased yields by 10.2 Bu./A. and net returns by $29.06/A. We backed it down even further to 100 lbs. less nitrogen and it still proved profitable at a slight increase of 2.9 Bu./A. and net returns of $1.19/A. Beck’s Corn Champion Mix proved to show the highest yields over the control with a 16.2 Bu./A. At 50 lbs. less nitrogen, Beck’s Corn Champion Mix had a 13.5 Bu./A. advantage over the control and increased even higher over the control at 100 lbs. less nitrogen by a whopping 22.2 Bu./A. The 100% nitrogen Beck’s Corn Champion Mix proved to be our highest net return in the study coming in at $947.06/A. Even though yields decreased as we dropped from 100% rates of nitrogen down to 100 lbs. less nitrogen, we still had a positive increase over the control across all cover crop treatments. Individually, Beck’s Corn Champion Mix and GroundHog™ Radishes both consistently showed higher yields and net returns at each nitrogen rate over the control. However the Crimson Clover was only higher in the 50 lb. less nitrogen rate. Based on the results from this study, we feel that we did see the benefits of sequestration. Further research with cover crops needs to be done in order to get a better handle on the benefits of cover crops and their effects on soil tilth, nutrient sequestration/production, compaction reduction, yield and most importantly, net return.

2013 Corn After Cover Crop: Bu./A. 220.0 210.0 2013 Corn After Cover Crop: Bu./A. 220.0200.0 210.0190.0 200.0180.0 190.0170.0 180.0160.0 150.0

Average Bu./A. Average 170.0 160.0140.0 130.0 150.0 100% N 50 lbs. less N 100 lbs. less N Average Bu./A. Average Corn Mix140.0 207.9 189.1 158.4 Radish 130.0 202.7 183.8 148.8 100% N 50 lbs. less N 100 lbs. less N CloverCorn Mix 190.9207.9 189.1184.6 158.4132.3 NoRadish Cover Crop 202.7195.1 183.8175.6 148.8136.2 Clover 190.9 184.6 132.3 No Cover Crop 2012195.1 Corn After Cover Crop:175.6 Return/A. 136.2 $950.00 $900.00 2012 Corn After Cover Crop: Return/A. $850.00$950.00 $800.00$900.00 $750.00$850.00 $700.00$800.00

Average Return/A. Average $650.00$750.00 $600.00$700.00 100% N 50 lbs. less N 100 lbs. less N Average Return/A. Average $650.00 Corn Mix $947.06 $878.04 $744.76 Radish$600.00 $931.18 $861.62 $705.12 100% N 50 lbs. less N 100 lbs. less N CloverCorn Mix $947.06$870.06 $878.04$868.54 $618.62$744.76 RadishNo Cover Crop $931.18$913.14 $861.62$840.34 $660.08$705.12 Clover $870.06 $868.54 $618.62 No Cover Crop $913.14 $840.34 $660.08

229

Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Hybrid Trait / Insecticide Study - 2013

Planted: May 30, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 12, 2013 Tillage: Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 33,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Pre: 3 qt. Lexar® June 6.31 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 48 oz. Glyphosate Insecticide: Escalate® , Force® 3G & Arctic® 3.2 EC July 5.57 in. August 0.99 in. Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: This multi-purpose study was designed to evaluate the potential yield protection benefit ofAM (above ground insects i.e. corn borer) and AMX (above/below ground insects i.e. corn borer/rootworm) traits in comparison to a straight Roundup Ready version of the same hybrid. It also evaluated the potential yield protection benefit of adding the soil applied insecticide Force® 3G to each of these trait platforms.

Bu./A Bu./A Return on^ Percent Bushels† Difference from Difference from Investment Brand Treatment Moisture Per Acre Trait Stack Force 3G from Force 3G BECK 6175RR™* Without Force® 3G 20.4 199.3 ---- BECK 6175AM™* Without Force® 3G 21.2 189.7 -9.6 BECK 6175AMX-R™* Without Force® 3G 20.2 174.1 -25.2 AVERAGE 20.6 187.7 -17.4 BECK 6175RR™* With Force® 3G 21.6 206.0 ---- +6.7 +$15.28 BECK 6175AM™* With Force® 3G 22.4 201.7 -4.3 +12.0 +$43.90 BECK 6175AMX-R™* With Force® 3G 20.7 182.9 -23.1 +8.8 +$26.62 AVERAGE 21.6 196.9 -13.7 +9.2 +$28.60 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. ^^Return on Investment is based on net return from $5.40/Bu. corn minus the cost of Force 3G insecticide $20.90/A. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Lexar and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Arctic is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC.

Summary: For the first year of this multi-purpose study, we discovered an overall advantage to the application of Force® 3G across all trait platforms and saw a disadvantage to the addition of above ground, as well as above/below ground traits. The overall advantage to the use of Force 3G came up to a 9.2 Bu./A. average across all three versions of the hybrid tested. In relation to the traits, this study showed a 15.6 Bu/A. disadvantage by using anything beyond a straight RR trait on this hybrid. Two reasons why we think this occurred include: minimal to no pressure from insect pests, and a higher protein energy demand in the stacked versions of the hybrid compared to the RR that was able to utilize that energy for yield. The main takeaway is that the traits are there to protect yield robbing pests from doing damage. The base genetics of the hybrid can produce just as well if not better with the lack of pressure from these pests, especially if other environmental factors such as drought conditions come into play. Seeing as these are only one year results, further research is necessary to determine the potential benefits from both the transgenic traits, as well as the soil applied insecticide.

231 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Stalk Degradation Study - 2013

Planted: June 12, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 26, 2013 Tillage: Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 33,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Pre: 3 qt. Lexar® June 6.31 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Post: 48 oz. Glyphosate Insecticide: Escalate® & Arctic® 3.2 EC July 5.57 in. August 0.99 in. Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: With the adoption of conservation tillage practices and increased plant populations also comes an increase in crop residue that has created some challenges with stand establishment and nutrient tie up. This study evaluates the use of residue breakdown treatments in an effort to help reduce nutrient tie up in a continuous corn rotation. Treatments were made in the fall of 2012 across two hybrids, BECK 6348A3 and BECK 6272HR™*.

Percent Bushels† Net^ Return on Brand Treatment Moisture Per Acre Return Investment BECK 6348A3 16 oz. RES 16™ 22.9 205.5 $1,094.70 +$43.32 BECK 6272HR™* 16 oz. RES 16 25.6 202.9 $1,080.66 -$13.92 AVERAGE 24.2 204.2 $1,087.68 +$14.70 BECK 6348A3 16 oz. RES 16 + 1 gal. P 256 27.1 198.2 $1,040.28 -$11.10 BECK 6272HR™* 16 oz. RES 16 + 1 gal. P 256 23.4 191.9 $1,006.26 -$88.32 AVERAGE 25.2 195.1 $1,023.27 -$49.71 BECK 6348A3 Untreated Control 23.5 194.7 $1,051.38 ----- BECK 6272HR™* Untreated Control 26.8 202.7 $1,094.58 ----- AVERAGE 25.1 198.7 $1,072.98 ----- BECK 6348A3 16 oz. RES 16 + 24 oz. S-120320 27.0 192.8 $1,019.37 -$20.91 BECK 6272HR™* 16 oz. RES 16 + 24 oz. S-120320 23.1 187.8 $992.37 -$13.89 AVERAGE 25.1 190.3 $1,005.87 -$17.40 BECK 6348A3 Fall Disk Rip 23.6 180.8 $950.52 -$100.86 BECK 6272HR™* Fall Disk Rip 27.2 188.3 $991.02 -$103.56 AVERAGE 25.4 184.6 $970.77 -$102.21 BECK 6348A3 15 gal. 28% 27.2 184.1 $959.51 -$91.87 BECK 6272HR™* 15 gal. 28% 23.9 175.4 $912.53 -$182.05 AVERAGE 25.6 179.8 $936.02 -$136.96 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn minus the cost of the following treatments: RES 16 $9.50/A., P256 $15.00/A., S120320 $6.75/A., $0.65/lb N. for 28% UAN, and Disk Ripper cost of $20.30/A. is based on the Machinery Cost Estimates: Field Operations section of the 2012 Illinois Farm Management Handbook. Lexar is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Arctic is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC. RES 16 is a trademark of Bioenzyme, LLC.

Summary: The only product that showed a positive return on investment in this study was the 16 oz. of RES 16™. This particular treatment showed a response in front of BECK 6348A3 and produced a $43.32/A. return on investment to be the only profitable application. BECK 6272HR™* treated with 16 oz. Res 16™ showed a -$13.92/A. return on investment. All other attempts of adding products or performing tillage showed a negative return on investment when compared to the control.

232 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Soil Amendment Study - 2013

Planted: May 18, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 5, 2013 Tillage: Fall Disk Rip / Reel Disk Spring (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 28,400 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Pre: 3 qt. Lexar® June 6.31 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 48 oz. Glyphosate Insecticide: Escalate® , Force® 3G & Arctic® 3.2 EC July 5.57 in. Product tested: BECK EX 1326 (6778AM Genetics)™* August 0.99 in. Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: To evaluate various products made to improve biological activity in the soil and see if there are any yield and/or soil health benefits. The products were broadcast applied and incorporated prior to planting.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Control 22.5 217.1 ---- 8 oz. S-120320 + 16 oz. Elemental Enzyme VersaShield 22.3 212.4 -4.7 8 oz. RES 16™ + 16 oz. Elemental Enzyme VersaShield 22.6 210.7 -6.4 16 oz. Elemental Enzyme VersaShield 22.3 208.6 -8.5 200 lbs./A. Organo Hume® + 1 gal./A. Organo Liquid Hume® 22.2 207.3 -9.8 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Lexar and Force are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Arctic is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC. RES 16 is a trademark of Bioenzyme, LLC. Organo Hume and Organo LIquid Hume are registered trademarks of Black Earth.

Summary: The control had a yield of 217.1 Bu./A. and was not matched by any of the four treatments used. Some differences in soil rigidity were noticed in walking through the treatments prior to harvest. Although the ground was hard and compacted from working it wet in the spring, the Organo Hume/Liquid Organo Hume combination left the soil feeling softer under foot along with improved tilth upon digging, but did not prove to yield any higher. With this being a first year study for these product combinations, further testing is needed in order to come to a conclusion. Soil amendment products are intended to provide more benefit after multiple years of application in an effort to sustain healthy soil with greater biological activity.

“I was very pleased with my Beck’s Escalate® soybeans this year. They looked great from emergence and yielded over 70 Bu./A.”

Brent Riewerts Port Byron, IL

233 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Foliar Study - 2013

Planted: June 12, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 25, 2013 Tillage: Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 33,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Pre: 3 qt. Lexar® June 6.31 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post: 48 oz. Glyphosate Insecticide: Escalate® & Arctic® 3.2 EC July 5.57 in. Product Tested: BECK 6348A3 August 0.99 in. Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: This study evaluates various foliar applied products, including fertilizers, biological stimulants, and plant growth regulators. All applications were made at the V5 growth stage with the exception of N-Rage® which was applied at both the V5 growth stage and the VT growth stage.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Return on^ Treatment Rate Per Acre / Timing Moisture Per Acre Difference Investment Enhance® 2 qt. @ V5 22.9 213.3 +2.0 -$6.70 N-Rage® 1 gal. @ V5 & 1 gal. @ VT 22.8 216.5 +5.2 +$8.48 Ryzup SmartGrass™ 0.5 oz. @ V5 23.1 219.1 +7.8 +$30.62 Control 23.2 211.3 ------Max-In® Ultra ZMB 2 qt. @ V5 23.0 212.7 +1.4 -$4.94 Max-In® Sulfur 2 qt. @ V5 22.3 215.7 +4.4 +$11.26 Max-In® Boron 1 pt. @ V5 22.6 207.4 -3.9 -$24.78 W18 (9-18-9)® 2 gal. @ V5 21.8 215.2 +3.9 +$9.36 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. ^Return on Investment is based on $5.40/Bu. corn times Bu./A. difference minus the following treatment costs: Enhance $17.50/A., N-Rage $19.60/A., Ryzup SmartGrass $11.50/A., Max-In Ultra ZMB $12.50/A., Max-In Sulfur $12.50/A., Max-In Boron $3.72/A., W18 $11.70/A., and $5.50/A. cost for VT application. Lexar is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Arctic is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC. Enhance is a registered trademark ofAg Concepts. N-Rage and W18 (9-18-9) are registered trademarks of Na-Churs Plant Food Company dba NACHURS ALPINE SOLUTIONS. Ryzup SmartGrass is a trademark of Valent BioSciences Corporation. Max-In is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC.

Summary: This first year study showed an overall yield advantage and positive return on investment from our foliar applications. Considering the June 12th planting date, yields were phenomenal for Southern Illinois PFR with the non-treated control coming in at 211.3 Bu./A. RyzUp SmartGrass™ increased yield by 7.8 Bu./A. over the control and net return by $30.62/A. The only product that showed a negative yield was Max-In® Boron, which was less than the control by 3.9 Bu./A. and -$24.78/A. on return. The other products used in this study showed a yield advantage, but the Enhance® and Max-In® ZMB treatments did not justify the cost when it came to return.

234 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S In-Furrow Study - 2013

Planted: May 30, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 12, 2013 Tillage: Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 33,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Pre: 3 qt. Lexar® June 6.31 in. Replications: Two (averaged) Post: 48 oz. Glyphosate Insecticide: Escalate® & Arctic® 3.2 EC July 5.57 in. Product Tested: BECK 6272HR™* August 0.99 in. Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: This study was set up to evaluate various fertilizer, biological, insecticide, fungicide, and plant growth regulator products applied in- furrow with the planter. Applications were made through a liquid fertilizer system utilizing Keeton seed firmers.

Percent Bushels† Per Bu./A. Return on^ Treatment Moisture Acre Difference Investment 5 oz. Ascend® + 1 pt. Ultra-Che® Zinc 9% EDTA 25.8 216.5 +16.2 +$72.78 1 gal. Organo Liquid Hume® 25.7 210.7 +10.4 +$39.16 12.8 oz. AgZyme® 26.2 209.8 +9.5 +$40.30 5.2 oz. Headline® 26.1 208.8 +8.5 +$30.46 5 gal. 7-24-4 26.0 208.5 +8.2 +$16.78 4 oz. Capture® LFR 26.7 206.4 +6.1 +$22.72 32 oz. Soil Boost 25.8 204.3 +4.0 +$8.85 5 gal. W18(9-18-9)® + 1 pt. Ultra-Che Zinc 9% EDTA 26.4 201.6 +1.3 -$26.38 Control 26.9 200.3 ------1 gal. SuperHume® 26.7 197.2 -3.1 -$32.34 Average 26.2 206.4 +6.8 +$19.15 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Return on Investment calculated using Bu./A. Difference x corn price of $5.40/Bu. minus the following costs by product: 7-24-4 $27.50/A. Ascend $10.55/A. Ultra-Che Zinc 9% EDTA $4.15/A. Soil Boost $12.75/A. Organo Liquid Hume $17.00/A. Headline $15.44/A. Capture LFR $10.22/A. W18 $29.25/A. Super Hume $15.60/A. AgZyme $11.00/A. Lexar is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Arctic is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC. Ascend and Ultra-Che are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Headline is a registered trademark of BASF. Soil Boost is manufactured by Ag Chem Broker, Inc. Organo Liquid Hume is a registered trademark of Black Earth. Capture is a registered trademark of FMC Corporation. W18 (9-18-9) is a registered trademark of Na-Churs Plant Food Company dba NACHURS ALPINE SOLUTIONS. SuperHume and AgZyme are registered trademarks of Ag Concepts Corporation.

Summary: The first year results of this study showed an overall positive yield response and return on investment.The only treatments to show a negative return in comparison to the control were SuperHume® and the combination of W18 (9-18-9)® with zinc. The W18 with zinc showed a positive yield response, but was not enough to cover the cost of treatment. The treatment that showed the highest increase in yield and return on investment both was Ascend® (a plant growth regulator product) with zinc. Coming in at 16.2 Bu./A. and $72.78/A. higher than the control, it and all of the rest of these products are worth taking a look at in the future to see if we can repeat similar results. Overall, we were able to increase yield above the untreated control by 6.8 Bu./A. on average with our selection of products this year.

235 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Soybean Show Plot - 2013

Yield Relative Percent Bushels† Rank Brand Maturity Moisture Per Acre GROUP III 1 BECK 375NR™* 3.7 11.1 55.1 2 BECK 368NR™* 3.6 10.6 54.7 3 BECK 358R4™* 3.5 11.0 53.5 4 BECK 354L4 3.5 10.8 52.7 5 BECK 391R4™* 3.9 10.6 50.1 6 BECK 389N 3.8 10.4 50.0 7 BECK 366L4 3.6 10.4 49.5 8 BECK 394L4 3.9 10.8 48.0 9 BECK 372NL 3.7 10.3 43.8 AVERAGE 10.7 50.8

GROUP IV & V 1 BECK 418NR™* 4.1 10.7 56.6 2 BECK 432NR™* 4.3 10.9 56.4 3 BECK 444NR™* 4.4 10.7 56.0 4 BECK 457R4™* 4.5 10.6 52.1 5 BECK 495NR™* 4.9 10.6 50.6 6 BECK 483NL 4.8 11.1 49.7 7 BECK 511R4™* 5.1 14.3 47.6 8 BECK 459L4 4.5 11.4 47.2 9 BECK 477NR™* 4.7 11.0 47.2 10 BECK 431N 4.3 10.8 44.9 11 BECK 414N 4.1 10.7 44.3 12 BECK 423NL 4.2 10.5 43.4 13 BECK 522L4 5.2 18.2 42.4 14 BECK 475L4 4.7 15.1 38.1 AVERAGE 11.9 48.3 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Authority is a registered trademark of FMC. Section is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Liberty is a registered trademark of Bayer. Flexstar is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company.

236 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S 100 Bushel Attempt - 2013

Planted: June 7, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 9, 2013 Tillage: Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Pre: 8 oz. Authority® Assist & June 6.31 in. Replications: Two (averaged) 24 oz. Roundup PowerMAX Post: 32 oz. Roundup PowerMAX & July 5.57 in. 8 oz. Section® 2EC August 0.99 in. INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: This was our attempt at producing 100 bushel soybeans, using products and practices that have shown yield advantages in past Southern Illinois PFR studies. Three Beck soybean varieties were used and we compared a Base treatment with a Hi-Level treatment in an effort to achieve high yields.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Return on^ Brand Moisture Per Acre Difference Investment BECK 375NR™* Base 13.7 53.6 ------Hi-Level 13.9 57.0 +3.4 -$23.81 BECK 418NR™* Base 12.8 55.3 ------Hi-Level 12.9 56.5 +1.2 -$51.64 BECK 444NR™* Base 12.9 53.2 ------Hi-Level 13.0 56.1 +2.9 -$30.13 TREATMENT SUMMARY Base 13.1 54.0 ------Hi-Level 13.3 56.5 +2.5 -$35.20 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. ^Return on Investment is the difference in net return of the treatment entry compared to the control. Net return based on a soybean price of $12.65 and costs for Hi-Level Treatment of $66.82. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Base Treatment = Escalate Seed Treatment System + 12.8 oz. Mpact + 12.8 oz. AgZyme preplant incorporated. Hi-Level Treatment = Escalate + Optimize + Bio ForgeST + Votivo seed treatment, Soil Booster 32 oz. + HKW6 2 gal. + Capture LFR 4 oz. In-furrow, 1.5 qts. Max-In Ultra Manganese @ V4 + 2 lbs. Sugar @ R3, and Priaxor 4 oz. + Warrior II 1.28 oz. @ R3. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Authority is a registered trademark of FMC. Section is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC. Mpact is a registered trademark of Enviro Products Corp.

Summary: With the wet spring and planting delays, this study got off to a late start with a June 7th planting date. Our end result was far short of our goal, with a high yield of 57.0 Bu./A. Across the three varieties, the Hi-Level treatment gained 2.5 Bu./A. over the Base treatment, for a net economic loss of $35.20/A. As in previous 100 bushel attempts, our extra inputs did not give us any added profitability over the base treatment even while achieving higher yields overall. We will continue to try different products and agronomic practices in the expectation of hitting 100 Bu./A.

237 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Herbicide Systems Study - 2013

Planted: June 8, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 9, 2013 Tillage: Fall Disk Rip / Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Residual Pass: 8 oz. Authority® Assist, 24 oz. Roundup PowerMAX June 6.31 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Post Liberty: 36 oz. Liberty® & 8 oz. Section® 2EC Post Glyphosate: 32 oz. Roundup PowerMAX & 8 oz. Section 2EC July 5.57 in. R Stage Liberty: 29 oz. Liberty August 0.99 in. R Stage Glyphosate: 32 oz. Roundup PowerMAX Total 27.39 in. INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Purpose: This study is designed to evaluate the use of a residual herbicide on both Roundup Ready® and LibertyLink® soybean varieties, as well as to observe if there are any yield effects with various application timings of the two herbicide programs.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference BECK 391R4™* Glyphosate f/b Glyphosate 12.4 50.8 -0.4 Residual f/b Glyphosate (Control) 11.8 51.2 ---- Residual f/b Glyphosate @ R2 11.8 51.2 +0.0 Residual f/b Glyphosate @ R3 11.8 50.5 -0.7 Residual f/b Glyphosate @ R4 11.8 52.0 +0.8 AVERAGE 11.9 51.1 BECK 394L4 Liberty® f/b Liberty 11.8 52.6 -1.4 Residual f/b Liberty (Control) 12.1 54.0 ---- Residual f/b Liberty @ R2 11.9 52.5 -1.5 Residual f/b Liberty @ R3 11.9 55.5 +1.5 Residual f/b Liberty @ R4 11.9 54.6 +0.6 AVERAGE 11.9 53.8

†Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Roundup PowerMAX and Roundup Ready are registered trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Liberty and LibertyLink are registered trademarks of Bayer. Authority is a registered trademark of FMC. Section is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC.

238 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Herbicide Systems Study - Continued

2 Year Herbicide Systems Glyphosate Summary Bu./A. Difference 2 Year Herbicide Systems GlyphosateGlyposate Summary Bu./A. Difference 3.0 Glyposate 3.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 0.0

Bu./A. 0.0 -1.0 Bu./A. -1.0 -2.0 -2.0 -3.0 Glyphosate ONLY Residual f/b Glyphosate Residual f/b Glyphosate Residual f/b Glyphosate Residual f/b Glyphosate -3.0 (Control) f/b Glyphosate @ R2 f/b Glyphosate @ R3 f/b Glyphosate @ R4 Glyphosate ONLY Residual f/b Glyphosate Residual f/b Glyphosate Residual f/b Glyphosate Residual f/b Glyphosate (Control) f/b Glyphosate @ R2 f/b Glyphosate @ R3 f/b Glyphosate @ R4 Figure 1.

2 Year Herbicide Systems Liberty Summary Bu./A. Difference 2 Year Herbicide Systems LibertyLiberty Summary Bu./A. Difference 3.0 Liberty 3.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 Bu./A. 0.0

Bu./A. -1.0 -1.0 -2.0 -2.0 -3.0 Liberty ONLY Residual f/b Liberty Residual f/b Liberty Residual f/b Liberty Residual f/b Liberty -3.0 (Control) f/b Liberty @ R2 f/b Liberty @ R3 f/b Liberty @ R4 Liberty ONLY Residual f/b Liberty Residual f/b Liberty Residual f/b Liberty Residual f/b Liberty (Control) f/b Liberty @ R2 f/b Liberty @ R3 f/b Liberty @ R4

Figure 2.

Summary: By controlling early season weed pressure, the use of a residual herbicide increased yields of both the Roundup Ready® and LibertyLink® varieties by 0.4 Bu./A. and 1.4 Bu./A. respectively. For the Roundup Ready system, the only reproductive growth stage application that decreased yield was at R3, and for the LibertyLink system, yield was only decreased at the R2 growth stage. Figures 1 and 2 show a consistent yield decrease for both herbicide systems at the R2 growth stage.

239 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Fungicide Study - 2013

Planted: June 7, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: Various Tillage: Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Pre: 8 oz. Authority® Assist & June 6.31 in. Replications: Three (averaged) 24 oz. Roundup PowerMAX® Post: 36 oz. Liberty® & 8 oz. Section® 2EC July 5.57 in. INSECTICIDE: Escalate® August 0.99 in. Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: This study looks at the use of Priaxor™ fungicide applied at R3 across eight Beck LibertyLink soybean varieties. Beck’s PFR has clearly shown differences in individual corn hybrid fungicide response, and this study attempts to determine if there are differences in individual soybean variety response. It also gives us the chance to evaluate overall fungicide response.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Return on^ Brand & Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Investment Control BECK 337L4 13.3 55.1 BECK 354L4 13.1 57.9 BECK 394L4 13.1 57.9 BECK 423NL 13.0 55.3 BECK 459L4 12.5 55.7 BECK 475L4 15.6 48.2 BECK 483NL 13.9 57.8 BECK 522L4 18.0 53.6 Average 14.1 55.2 4 oz. Priaxor™ @ R3 BECK 337L4 13.2 57.2 +2.1 +$4.54 BECK 354L4 13.3 57.7 -0.2 -$24.56 BECK 394L4 13.1 60.1 +2.2 +$5.80 BECK 423NL 13.2 57.4 +2.1 +$4.54 BECK 459L4 13.1 58.4 +2.7 +$12.13 BECK 475L4 17.1 50.4 +2.2 +$5.80 BECK 483NL 13.4 58.3 +0.5 -$15.71 BECK 522L4 17.2 56.7 +3.1 +$17.19 Average 14.2 57.0 +1.8 +$0.74 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. ^Return on Investment calculated as bushel advantage x $12.65 soybean price minus Priaxor $16.53/A. minus application charge of $5.50/A. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Authority is a registered trademark of FMC. Liberty and LibertyLink are registered trademarks of Bayer. Section is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Priaxor is a trademark of BASF.

Summary: Considering the wet start to the season, late season conditions were fairly dry at Southern Illinois PFR. Disease pressure was at a minimum from our observations in this study. Yield responses ranged from -.2 Bu./A. to +3.1 Bu./A., with an average yield advantage across all eight varieties of 1.8 Bu./A. Return on investment ranged from -$24.56/A. to +$17.19/A., with an eight variety average return of +$0.74/A. Differences among variety responses were clearly seen, but multi-year/location testing needs to be completed before variety recommendations can be made. 2013 environmental conditions were not as conducive to late season disease pressure as in past years.

240 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Tillage Study - 2013

Planted: June 11, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 9, 2013 Tillage: Various April 8.77 in. ® Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Pre: 8 oz. Authority® Assist & June 6.31 in. Replications: Two (averaged) 24 oz. Roundup PowerMAX® Post: 32 oz. Roundup PowerMAX® & July 5.57 in. 8 oz. Section® 2EC August 0.99 in. INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Total 27.39 in.

Purpose: To evaluate four different tillage practices in this long-term study. Treatments were kept on the same areas as previous years. The wet spring of 2013 created the need to make a light vertical tillage pass on the strip till, in-line rip, and no-till blocks in order to dry the soil prior to planting.

Percent Bushels† Brand Tillage Moisture Per Acre BECK 391R4™* Fall Strip/Spring Vertical Tillage 11.0 49.3 BECK 477NR™* Fall Strip/Spring Vertical Tillage 11.1 48.8 AVERAGE 11.1 49.1 BECK 391R4™* Fall In-line Rip/ Spring Vertical Tillage 11.0 49.3 BECK 477NR™* Fall In-line Rip/ Spring Vertical Tillage 11.2 49.4 AVERAGE 11.1 49.4 BECK 391R4™* Spring Vertical Tillage (No-Till) 10.9 49.2 BECK 477NR™* Spring Vertical Tillage (No-Till) 11.0 47.3 AVERAGE 11.0 48.3 BECK 391R4™* Fall Disc Chisel/ Spring Vertical Tillage 10.9 46.6 BECK 477NR™* Fall Disc Chisel/ Spring Vertical Tillage 11.1 46.8 AVERAGE 11.0 46.7

†Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Authority is a registered trademark of FMC. Section is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC.

Summary: The fall in-line ripped treatments produced the highest yields at 49.4 Bu./A. This is the first year out of three that in-line ripping showed a yield advantage. The lowest yield came from the fall disk chisel treatments, with a yield of 46.7 Bu./A. Fall chiseling was also the lowest performer in 2012.

Southern Illinois PFR farm. 241 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Cover Crop Study - 2013

Planted: June 12, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 10, 2013 Tillage: Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Pre: 8 oz. Authority® Assist & June 6.31 in. Replications: Three (averaged) 24 oz. Roundup PowerMAX Post: 32 oz. Roundup PowerMAX & July 5.57 in. 8 oz. Section® 2EC August 0.99 in. INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Total 27.39 in. Product Tested: BECK 477NR™* Purpose: The interest in cover crops has dramatically increased, especially to improve soil biological activity and overall soil health. This study evaluates four different cover crops and their effect on soybean yield. The four treatments chosen were annual ryegrass, Soybean Builder Mix (Annual Ryegrass, Appin turnips and GroundHog™ Radish), GroundHog Radish, and GroundHog Radish with oats. All cover crops were aerial seeded into standing corn in the fall of 2012, with excellent stand establishment.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference GroundHog™ Radish + Oats 11.1 48.5 +0.2 Control 11.1 48.3 ---- Soybean Builder Mix 11.5 48.2 -0.1 Annual Ryegrass 11.0 47.7 -0.6 GroundHog Radish 11.2 47.7 -0.6 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Authority is a registered trademark of FMC. Section is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. GroundHog is a trademark of AMPAC Seed Company.

Summary: None of the cover crops tested produced a significant yield difference from the non-cover crop control. It is important to note that any benefits from cover crops are likely to show up from a multi-year system. Striving to produce the levels of soil biological activity and health that produce positive results, and evaluating benefits should not be based on a single year of yield data alone.

242 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Gypsum Study - 2013

Purpose: To determine any soil and/or yield benefits with the use of gypsum. In this long-term study, the gypsum blocks received 1000 lbs./A. of gypsum in the springs of 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Brand Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference BECK 375NR™* No Gypsum Applied 12.7 58.2 ---- BECK 375NR™* 1000 lbs. Pelletized Gypsum 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010 12.7 57.6 -0.6 BECK 418NR™* No Gypsum Applied 11.9 61.1 ---- BECK 418NR™* 1000 lbs. Pelletized Gypsum 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010 12.0 61.2 +0.1

Summary: For the 4th year in a row, gypsum did not produce any significant yield benefits. This has also held true for wheat and corn studies at this location. We have not seen any benefits with gypsum in either yield or soil structure. Benefits from gypsum are supposedly soil dependent, and from what our data set shows, the soils at our Southern Illinois PFR site do not appear to be improved with this product.

243 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Induced Stress Study - 2013

Planted: June 12, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 10, 2013 Tillage: Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Pre: 8 oz. Authority® Assist & June 6.31 in. Replications: Two (averaged) 24 oz. Roundup PowerMAX® Post: 32 oz. Roundup PowerMAX® & July 5.57 in. 8 oz. Section® 2EC August 0.99 in. INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Total 27.39 in. Product Tested: BECK 444NR™* Purpose: It has been observed that stress at certain stages of soybean growth can increase yield, such as hail damage in the vegetative growth stage. This study attempts to increase yield by inducing stress using both mechanical and chemical means. All treatments were made just prior to the R1 growth stage (beginning of flowering). Mechanical treatments included rolling with a lawn roller, simulating hail damage with a custom made machine (Whipper Snapper), and dragging a tarp across the crop. Chemical methods were the applications of Cobra, 2,4-DB, and both in combination.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Control 11.9 51.5 ---- Tarp 11.8 50.8 -0.7 Whipper Snapper 12.2 50.7 -0.8 Cobra® 11.8 49.9 -1.6 Lawn Roller 12.4 48.0 -3.5 Cobra + 2,4-DB 12.2 47.5 -4.0 2,4-DB 13.6 13.0 -38.5 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Authority is a registered trademark of FMC. Section is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Cobra is a registered trademark of Valent U.S.A. Corp.

Summary: None of the treatments produced higher yields than the non-treated control. The application of 2,4-DB at full labeled rate killed most of the plants, resulting in a 38.5 Bu./A. yield loss. We feel the combination of water and stressors may have been too much and stimulated loss instead of gain. The question remains, just how much stress is too much?

Cobra® herbicide damage. 244 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S In-Furrow Study - 2013

Planted: June 11, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 9, 2013 Tillage: Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Pre: 8 oz. Authority® Assist & June 6.31 in. Replications: Two (averaged) 24 oz. Roundup PowerMAX Post: 32 oz. Roundup PowerMAX & July 5.57 in. 8 oz. Section® 2EC August 0.99 in. INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Total 27.39 in. Product Tested: BECK 444NR™* Purpose: This study is set up to evaluate various fertilizer, biological, insecticide, fungicide, and plant growth regulator products applied in- furrow with the planter. Applications were made through a liquid fertilizer system utilizing Keeton seed firmers.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Return on^ Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Investment 5 oz. Ascend® 11.0 58.7 +3.6 +$34.99 4 oz. Capture® LFR 11.0 56.1 +1.0 +$2.43 2 gal. HKW18™ 11.0 55.9 +0.8 -$2.18 Control 10.9 55.1 ------2 gal. HKW6™ 10.9 54.9 -0.2 -$11.63 5.2 oz. Headline® 10.9 54.3 -0.8 -$25.56 32 oz. Soil Boost 10.9 54.1 -1.0 -$25.40 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Return on investment calculated using bushel advantage x soybean price of $12.65/Bu. minus the following costs by product: HKW6 $9.10/A. HKW18 $12.30/A. Capture LFR $10.22/A. Headline $15.44/A. Soil Boost $12.75/A. Ascend $10.55/A. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Authority is a registered trademark of FMC. Section is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC. HKW6 and HKW18 are trademarks of Na-Churs Plant Food Company dba NACHURS ALPINE SOLUTIONS. Capture is a registered trademark of FMC Corporation. Headline is a registered trademark of BASF. Ascend is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Soil Boost is manufactured by Ag Chem Broker, Inc.

Summary: None of the fertilizer, biological, or fungicide products produced a positive economic return. The insecticide Capture® LFR increased yield by 1.0 Bu./A., for an economic return of $2.43/A. The plant growth regulator Ascend® increased yield by 3.6 Bu./A., giving a $34.99/A. return on investment. Based on the results from this year, these products will continue to be evaluated in the future.

245 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S 2x2 Study - 2013

Planted: June 10, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 10, 2013 Tillage: Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Pre: 8 oz. Authority® Assist & June 6.31 in. Replications: Three (averaged) 24 oz. Roundup PowerMAX® Post: 32 oz. Roundup PowerMAX® & July 5.57 in. 8 oz. Section® 2EC August 0.99 in. Insecticide: Escalate® Total 27.39 in. Product Tested: BECK 391R4™* Purpose: This study is designed to evaluate various starter fertilizer products applied with the planter in a 2X2 placement.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Return on^ Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Investment 10 gal. 28-0-0 12.9 49.9 +3.0 +$18.53 6 gal. HKW6™ 12.9 48.3 +1.4 -$9.59 6 gal. W18™ 12.9 47.8 +0.9 -$23.72 3 gal. Double-OK™ 13.1 47.3 +0.4 -$11.74 Control 13.0 46.9 ------6 gal. HKW18™ 13.0 46.8 -0.1 -$38.17

†Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Return on investment based on a soybean price of $12.65/Bu. and treatment cost: 28-0-0 $19.42/A. HKW6 $27.30/A. Double-OK $16.80/A. HW18 $35.10/A. HKW18 $36.90. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Authority is a registered trademark of FMC. Section is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC. HKW6, W18, HKW18, and Double-OK are trademarks of Na-Churs Plant Food Company dba NACHURS ALPINE SOLUTIONS.

Summary: Out of the N,P,K, formulations that were tested, the only product that gave a positive economic return over the non-treated control was 28-0-0 UAN, providing a profit of $18.53/A. With this being the first year of testing, further evaluation is necessary to see if there is a repeat outcome.

246 The Beck Experience Center in Atlanta, Indiana. Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Foliar Study - 2013

Planted: June 8, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 9, 2013 Tillage: Fall Disk Rip / Spring Reel Disk (twice) April 8.77 in. ® Population: 140,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Burndown: 48 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 5.75 in. Rows: Six 30” rows Pre: 8 oz. Authority® Assist & June 6.31 in. Replications: Three (averaged) 24 oz. Roundup PowerMAX Post: 32 oz. Roundup PowerMAX & July 5.57 in. 8 oz. Section® 2EC August 0.99 in. INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Total 27.39 in. Product Tested: BECK 368NR™* Purpose: This study evaluates various foliar applied products, including fertilizers, biological stimulants, and sugar. All applications were made at the R3 growth stage, with the exception of manganese at V4.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Return on^ Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Investment 2 gal. HKW6™ + 2 gal. N-Rage® @ R3 12.2 60.8 +0.1 -$27.44 2 qts. Enhance® @ R3 12.2 60.8 +0.1 -$21.74 2 gal. HKW6 @ R3 12.2 60.7 +0.0 -$14.60 Control 12.2 60.7 ------2 gal. N-Rage @ R3 12.1 60.6 -0.1 -$20.87 2 lbs. Sugar @ R3 12.2 60.5 -0.2 -$9.45 1.5 qts Max-In® Ultra Manganese @ V4 12.2 59.3 -1.4 -$29.18

†Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Return on investment calculated using Bushel Advantage x soybean price of $12.65 minus application charge of $5.50/ acre and the following costs by product: HKW6 $9.10/A. N-Rage $14.10/A. Enhance $17.50/A. Sugar $1.42/A. and Max-In Ultra Manganese $11.47/A. with no application charge. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Authority is a registered trademark of FMC. Section is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions LLC. HKW6 is a trademark and N-Rage is a registered trademark of Na-Churs Plant Food Company dba NACHURS ALPINE SOLUTIONS. Enhance is a registered trademark of Ag Concepts. Max-In is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC.

Summary: None of the treatments produced a significant yield advantage over the non-treated control, and all gave a negative return on investment. Further evaluation will need to be pursued in the future.

247 Southern Illinois PFR

BECK’S Soybean Soil Amendment Study - 2013

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Super Hume® 11.4 52.7 +3.9 AgZyme® 11.6 52.3 +3.5 Organo Liquid Hume® 11.5 51.1 +2.3 Pervaide® 11.4 50.9 +2.1 Elemental Enzyme VersaShield 11.5 50.5 +1.7 Res 16 + Elemental Enzyme VersaShield 11.7 49.8 +1.0 S-120320 + Elemental Enzyme VersaShield 11.6 49.8 +1.0 Control 11.7 48.8 ---- S-120320 11.9 46.6 -2.2 Mpact® 12.3 46.4 -2.4 Soil Boost 12.0 46.3 -2.5 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Authority is a registered trademark of FMC. Section is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. Mpact is a registered trademark of Enviro Products Corp. RES 16 is a trademark of Bioenzyme, LLC. AgZyme, Super Hume and Pervaide are registered trademarks of Ag Concepts Corporation. Organo Liquid Hume is a registered trademark of Black Earth. Soil Boost is manufactured by Ag Chem Broker, Inc.

Summary: This years results showed yield gains for all but three products tested. We received our highest yield increase from Super Hume® at 3.9 Bu./A. We intend on continuing our evaluations of soil amendment products in our attempts to improve soil quality, yield and your bottom line.

248 Ohio PFR

BECK’S Corn Show Plot - 2013

Planted: May 21, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 29, 2013 Tillage: Field Cultivation April 3.47 in. ® ® Population: 32,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar & 22 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 2.29 in. Rows: Three 30” rows Insecticide: Escalate® June 3.65 in. July 4.20 in. August 1.10 in. Total 14.71 in.

Percent Yield Harvested Test† Broken Percent Bushels† Rank Brand Population Weight Stalks Moisture Per Acre 1 BECK 6948A3 26,000 58.51 0.0 21.74 208.5 2 BECK 5509VR 26,500 58.69 0.0 20.55 204.5 3 Phoenix 5642A4** 25,000 58.35 0.0 21.73 200.6 4 Phoenix 5552A4** 28,500 58.6 0.0 20.82 199.7 5 BECK 6543HR™* 24,500 58.64 0.0 21.45 195.5 6 BECK 6626AMX™* 25,500 58.79 0.0 21.43 194.2 7 BECK 6348A3 26,500 58.42 0.0 21.41 191.5 8 BECK 6272HR™* 23,500 58.91 0.0 20.77 188.3 9 Phoenix 6542A4** 25,500 58.49 0.0 22.18 187.8 10 BECK 6077AM™* 25,000 58.86 0.0 20.46 187.1 11 BECK 6575HR™* 25,500 58.45 0.0 22.45 187.1 12 BECK 5475AM™* 25,500 59.38 0.0 19.35 185.8 13 BECK EX 0208 (5131AM Genetics)™* 24,500 59.73 0.0 18.23 184.9 14 BECK 5140HR™* 26,000 59.55 0.0 18.9 184.4 15 BECK 5435AMX™* 25,000 59.27 0.0 19.88 182.9 16 BECK EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 25,500 58.86 0.0 20.21 178.7 17 BECK EX 1326 (6778AM Genetics)™* 26,000 58.61 0.0 20.82 177.9 18 BECK 6175AMX™* 27,500 58.73 0.0 21.11 177.4 19 BECK 5385A3 24,500 59.16 0.0 20.10 171.9 20 BECK 5475AMX™* 25,000 59.17 0.0 19.83 171.2 21 BECK 5246HR™* 22,000 59.7 0.0 18.95 167.2 22 BECK EX 1304 (4321AM Genetics)™* 23,500 59.5 0.0 18.09 164.8 23 BECK EX 0155 (5375HRwx Genetics)™* 23,500 59.49 0.0 19.36 158.8 24 BECK 4536A3 22,000 59.61 0.0 18.17 152.2 AVERAGE 25,104 58.98 0.0 20.33 183.5 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Lexar is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC.

249 Ohio PFR

BECK’S 300 Bushel Attempt Corn After Corn - 2013

Planted: May 22, 2013 Previous Crop: Corn RAINFALL Harvested: October 26, 2013 Tillage: No-Till ® ® April 3.47 in. Population: 37,636 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 1 oz. Sharpen & 22 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 2.29 in. Rows: Three 30” rows Post: 22 oz. Roundup PowerMAX® & 1.67 qt. Lexar® June 3.65 in. Insecticide: Escalate® July 4.20 in. August 1.10 in. Total 14.71 in.

Purpose: This is a 300 bushel corn after corn yield attempt. In this study, we use multiple hybrids in an attempt to achieve our goal. There are many different management practices used to achieve 300 Bu./A. Typically we look at several different combinations of biologicals, fungicides, insecticides, increased nitrogen and higher planted populations, however this year we only increased population and nitrogen.

Yield Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Rank Brand Population Weight Moisture Per Acre REP 1 1 BECK 5509A3 31,000 57.8 22.8 232.2 2 Phoenix 5642A4** 32,000 57.8 22.2 216.3 3 Phoenix 5552A4** 30,000 58.1 24.3 212.0 4 BECK 6175AMX™* 29,500 58.1 26.0 204.5 5 BECK 6077AM™* 31,500 58.1 24.8 204.4 6 BECK 6626AM™* 33,000 58.0 24.1 199.1 7 BECK 5475AMX™* 29,000 58.2 23.1 195.4 Average 31,125 58.0 23.6 207.3 REP 2 1 Phoenix 5552A4** 31,000 57.8 22.3 242.2 2 BECK 6077AM™* 32,000 58.1 24.4 228.9 3 BECK 6175AMX™* 30,000 57.4 25.7 221.2 4 BECK 6626AM™* 33,000 58.0 23.8 218.9 5 BECK 5509A3 28,500 57.9 21.0 207.2 6 Phoenix 5642A4** 29,500 57.7 21.7 182.7 7 BECK 5475AMX™* 31,000 58.2 23.4 181.2 Average 30,438 57.9 22.9 206.1 REP 3 1 BECK 6626AM™* 32,500 58.1 23.5 233.6 2 BECK 6077AM™* 29,000 58.1 25.0 214.5 3 BECK 5509A3 28,500 57.7 22.0 211.2 4 Phoenix 5552A4** 28,000 58.2 24.3 197.0 5 BECK 6175AMX™* 32,000 58.1 25.9 194.8 6 BECK 5475AMX™* 30,500 58.2 23.4 186.5 7 Phoenix 5642A4** 32,500 57.7 21.3 185.6 Average 29,875 58.0 23.2 200.0 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Sharpen is a registered trademark of BASF. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Lexar is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company.

Summary: In our attempt to achieve a 300 bushel corn after corn yield, we weren’t equipped to do many of the management practices that we wanted. This year we were able to plant a higher population and applied 300 lbs. of nitrogen in a split application using 28%. The yields this year averaged between 200 and 207 Bu./A. in three replications. In the future, we will continue to evaluate different products and practices to help us achieve our goal of 300 bushel yields. 250 Ohio PFR

BECK’S 300 Bushel Attempt Corn After Soybeans - 2013

Planted: May 14, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 25, 2013 Tillage: Field Cultivation ® ® April 3.47 in. Population: 37,636 seeds/A. Herbicide: Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar & 22 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 2.29 in. Rows: Three 30” rows Insecticide: Escalate® June 3.65 in. July 4.20 in. August 1.10 in. Total 14.71 in.

Purpose: This is a 300 bushel corn after soybean yield challenge using several different hybrids to achieve our goal. In a normal year, we would use a combination of different biologicals, increased nitrogen, higher seeding rates, fungicides and insecticides for increased yield potential. We were not equipped this year to utilize all of these combinations but we were able to plant a higher seeding rate and we applied 300 lbs. of nitrogen in a split application using 28%.

Yield Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Rank Brand Population Weight Moisture Per Acre REP 1 1 BECK 6626AM™* 34,000 58.8 20.9 243.0 2 BECK 5509A3 34,500 58.6 20.8 230.5 3 BECK 6077AM™* 33,000 58.7 20.7 228.1 4 BECK 6175AMX™* 34,000 58.6 21.7 225.3 5 BECK 5475AMX™* 37,000 58.9 20.5 224.4 6 Phoenix 5642A4** 35,000 58.6 20.9 221.3 7 Phoenix 5552A4** 36,000 58.5 21.4 200.6 Average 34,625 58.7 20.8 223.0 REP 2 1 BECK 6077AM™* 36,500 58.9 19.8 228.2 2 BECK 6175AMX™* 33,000 59.1 19.9 225.3 3 BECK 5475AMX™* 36,000 59.0 20.0 223.3 4 Phoenix 5552A4** 36,500 58.9 19.5 221.3 5 BECK EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 36,500 59.1 19.0 215.5 6 BECK 6626AM™* 37,000 59.4 18.8 213.5 7 BECK 5509A3 33,500 58.7 19.9 210.4 8 Phoenix 5642A4** 34,500 59.4 17.8 204.7 Average 35,714 59.1 19.3 218.8 REP 3 1 BECK EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 37,000 59.2 18.4 222.4 2 BECK 6077AM™* 35,500 58.9 19.4 221.6 3 BECK 6175AMX™* 32,500 58.8 19.9 217.6 4 BECK 5509A3 31,000 59.1 18.7 215.7 5 BECK 6626AM™* 32,500 59.2 18.9 214.2 6 Phoenix 5642A4** 36,000 59.2 18.0 213.8 7 Phoenix 5552A4** 33,000 59.1 18.5 211.2 8 BECK 5475AMX™* 37,000 59.2 19.4 209.7 Average 34,313 59.1 18.9 215.8 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Lexar is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company.

Summary: This year’s efforts to produce a 300 bushel yield came up a bit short. We had a range of 206 to 243 Bu./A. depending on the hybrid. We will challenge ourselves every year with new ideas and different management practices to achieve this 300 bushel yield and we challenge you to do the same on your farm by entering our 300 bushel challenge. 251 Ohio PFR

BECK’S Planting Date Study - 2013

Planted: May 9, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 28, 2013 Tillage: Field Cultivation April 3.47 in. ® ® Population: 32,271 seeds/A. Herbicide: Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar & 22 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 2.29 in. Rows: Three 30” rows Insecticide: Escalate® June 3.65 in. July 4.20 in. August 1.10 in. Total 14.71 in.

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of two hybrids planted on several planting dates throughout the growing season.

Harvested Percent Bushels† Planting Date Brand Population Moisture Per Acre May 9th BECK 5435AMX™* 31,500 20.1 221.0 May 9th BECK 6175AMX™* 31,500 20.5 224.6 AVERAGE 31,500 20.3 222.8 May 15th BECK 5435AMX™* 31,000 19.7 214.6 May 15th BECK 6175AMX™* 30,000 20.1 221.1 AVERAGE 30,500 19.9 217.9 May 24th BECK 5435AMX™* 31,500 18.2 211.6 May 24th BECK 6175AMX™* 29,000 22.6 220.4 AVERAGE 30,250 20.4 216.0 May 31st BECK 5435AMX™* 31,000 24.7 207.6 May 31st BECK 6175AMX™* 30,500 24.4 197.3 AVERAGE 30,750 24.6 202.5 June 8th BECK 5435AMX™* 29,000 26.3 160.6 June 8th BECK 6175AMX™* 30,500 28.0 181.9 AVERAGE 29,750 27.2 171.3

†Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Lexar is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC.

Summary: We started later than expected on our planting date study, but we were still able to plant on five different dates to show the yield advantages. This years results were as expected and proved that the earlier the planting date, the higher the yields. We saw a 61 Bu./A. advantage in BECK 5435AMX™* and a 43 Bu./A. advantage in BECK 6175AMX™* by planting early. We will continue this study every year so we have years of cumulative data.

252 Ohio PFR

BECK’S Replant Study - 2013

Planted: May 9, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 28, 2013 Tillage: Field Cultivation April 3.47 in. ® ® Population: Various Herbicide: Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar & 22 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 2.29 in. Rows: Three 30” rows Insecticide: Escalate® June 3.65 in. July 4.20 in. August 1.10 in. Total 14.71 in.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate planting dates to determine when it is still profitable to replant. eW used two hybrids and started planting on May 9th and finished June 8th. We were able to evaluate replanting by planting 32,271 and 21,525 populations.

Planted Percent Bushels† Replant Net^ Additional Planting Date Population Moisture Per Acre Advantage Return $/A. BECK 5435AMX-R™* May 9th (Normal 1st Planting) 32,271 20.1 221.0 $1,148.32 May 9th 21,525 20.3 183.7 $953.04 May 15th (Replanted) 32,271 19.7 214.6 +30.9 $1,093.50 +$140.46 May 15th 21,525 19.7 169.9 $885.52 May 24th (Replanted) 32,271 18.2 211.6 +41.7 $1,090.56 +$205.04 May 24th 21,525 21.0 178.5 $921.06 May 31st (Replanted) 32,271 24.7 207.6 +29.1 $1,015.49 +$94.43 May 31st 21,525 24.3 151.6 $762.24 June 8th (Replanted) 32,271 26.3 160.6 +9.0 $769.65 +$7.41 BECK 6175AMX-R™* May 9th (Normal 1st Planting) 32,271 20.5 224.6 $1,163.43 May 9th 21,525 20.8 185.8 $960.21 May 15th (Replanted) 32,271 20.1 221.1 +35.3 $1,123.84 +$163.63 May 15th 21,525 20.4 183.6 $951.78 May 24th (Replanted) 32,271 22.6 220.4 +36.8 $1,098.16 +$146.38 May 24th 21,525 23.5 190.1 $961.91 May 31st (Replanted) 32,271 24.4 197.3 +7.2 $966.24 +$4.33 May 31st 21,525 24.8 169.9 $850.86 June 8th (Replanted) 32,271 28.0 181.9 +12.0 $862.67 +$11.81 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return based on $5.40/Bu. corn, $0.04/point drying cost, and $25/A. replant cost. Lexar is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC.

Summary: Although we started planting at a later date than expected, we were still able to show that profit levels were favorable all the way up to the end of May. Once June hit the profitability started to decrease. This was Ohio’s first year as a PFR location and we will continue to do a replant study every year to show the long-term data for more accurate results.

253 Ohio PFR

BECK’S Population Study - 2013

Planted: May 19, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 27, 2013 Tillage: Field Cultivation April 3.47 in. ® ® Population: Various Herbicide: Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar & 22 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 2.29 in. Rows: Three 30” rows Insecticide: Escalate® June 3.65 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Products Tested: BECK 5140HR™*, BECK 5475AM™*, BECK 6077AM™* & BECK 6175AMX™* July 4.20 in. August 1.10 in. Total 14.71 in.

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate four hybrids at six planting populations from 24,000 - 44,000 in 4,000 seeds/A. increments in 30 inch rows. The data of all four hybrids were combined to evaluate the most economic population at the London facility. To find the most economic planting population we identify the population that maximizes profitability for seed cost and price for corn. The seed cost was calculated on each planting population.

OHPFR Optimum Seeding Rate: Net Return $960.00 30" Rows - 2013 $940.00 $920.00 $900.00 33,000 Seeds/A. $880.00 $860.00 $840.00 $820.00 24 28 32 36 40 44 Final Stand x 1,000

Summary: The economic optimum planting population in 30 inch rows based on yield data collected from 24,000 - 44,000 seeds/A. at the London farm is 33,000 seeds/A. This three replication, one year data, fits typical planting populations that local growers use on a regular basis. To see 20 and 30 inch row population comparisons please refer to the row width and population multi-location data on page 268.

254 Ohio PFR

BECK’S No-Till vs. Conventional-Till Corn After Soybeans - 2013

Planted: May 21, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 29, 2013 Tillage: No-Till/Field Cultivation April 3.47 in. ® ® Population: 32,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 1 oz. Sharpen & 22 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 2.29 in. Rows: Three 30” rows Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar® & 22 oz. Roundup PowerMAX June 3.65 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Insecticide: Escalate® July 4.20 in. August 1.10 in. Total 14.71 in.

Purpose: This study compares no-till vs. conventional-till in a corn after soybean rotation to show the yield differences between tillage practices. In our first year, we were able to start our future no-till corn after corn study along with continuing our corn after soybean study. We used four different hybrids and three replications to provide more accurate results.

Harvested Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Treatment Population Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference No-Till BECK 5385A3 28,500 58.4 21.5 186.0 BECK 5475AMX™* 26,250 58.7 20.7 163.5 BECK 6175AM™* 28,500 58.5 21.6 175.2 BECK 6272HR™* 27,500 58.4 22.2 168.6 Average 27,688 58.5 21.5 173.4 Conventional-Till BECK 5385A3 29,000 59.0 21.2 187.4 +1.4 BECK 5475AMX™* 27,500 59.1 21.2 180.2 +16.7 BECK 6175AM™* 28,250 59.0 21.4 180.1 +4.9 BECK 6272HR™* 28,417 59.1 21.6 179.4 +10.8 Average 28,292 59.0 21.4 181.8 +8.4 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Sharpen is a registered trademark of BASF. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Lexar is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company.

Summary: Our first year corn after soybean tillage study was no surprise to us.The conventional-tillage showed an advantage of 8.42 Bu./A. over the no-till which resulted in a $45.47/A. gross profit. Our other PFR sites have been performing this study for multiple years and the results have shown an average of 16.1 Bu./A. conventional-till advantage. This study will be conducted every year to provide long-term data that will help determine what tillage practices perform best in this region.

255 Ohio PFR

BECK’S Nitrogen Rate Study - 2013

Planted: May 15, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 26, 2013 Tillage: Field Cultivation April 3.47 in. ® ® Population: 33,674 seeds/A. Herbicide: Post: 1.67 qt. Lexar & 22 oz. Roundup PowerMAX May 2.29 in. Rows: Four 30” rows Insecticide: Escalate® June 3.65 in. Replications: Three (averaged) Product Tested: BECK 5509A3 July 4.20 in. August 1.10 in. Total 14.71 in.

Purpose: This study evaluates the amount of nitrogen needed to provide the optimum yield that maximizes profitability. This study was conducted on a corn after soybean rotation using 5509A3 as our test hybrid. The nitrogen rates that were used ranged from 100 to 225 lbs. in 25 lb. increments along with using no nitrogen at all.

Percent Harvested Broken Percent Bushels† Net^ Lbs. of Nitrogen Population Stalks Moisture Per Acre Return 225 25,000 0.0 20.2 185.6 $855.99 200 21,833 0.0 19.8 189.6 $893.84 175 23,000 0.0 19.8 187.2 $897.13 150 24,500 0.0 19.7 179.5 $871.80 125 23,333 0.0 19.4 170.7 $840.53 100 21,500 0.0 19.5 164.2 $821.68 0 24,667 0.0 20.1 78.0 $421.20 AVERAGE 23,405 0.0 19.8 165.0 $800.31 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net return based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $0.65/lb. nitrogen. Lexar is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC.

Summary: The 2013 results show that the optimum nitrogen rate maximizes profitability at 175 lbs./A. This study will be conducted every year to show the long-term data so we can get more accurate results, therefore helping us to maximize our profits.

256 Ohio PFR

BECK’S Soybean Show Plot - 2013

Planted: May 15, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 14, 2013 Tillage: Field Cultivation April 3.47 in. ® Population: 128,357 seeds/A. Herbicide: Post: 22 oz. Roundup WeatherMAX , May 2.29 in. Rows: Two 30” rows 16 oz. Clethodim, 4 oz. Pursuit® & June 3.65 in. 16 oz. Basagran® Insecticide: Escalate® July 4.20 in. August 1.10 in. Total 14.71 in.

Plant Pod Standability Yield Height Height 1 = Erect Bushels† Rank Brand (Inches) (Inches) 5 = Flat Per Acre GROUP II 1 BECK 278R4™* 31.0 3.0 1.5 47.0 2 BECK 265NL 32.0 2.0 1.5 43.7 3 BECK 298L4 33.0 3.0 2.0 43.4 4 BECK 294NR™* 37.0 3.0 1.5 41.6 5 BECK 238L4 29.0 2.0 2.0 41.0 6 BECK 241NR™* 27.0 2.0 1.5 40.6 7 BECK 229NR™* 30.0 3.0 1.5 36.5 AVERAGE 31.3 2.6 1.6 42.0 GROUP III & IV 1 BECK 335NR™* 32.0 2.0 2.0 47.3 2 BECK 368NR™* 40.0 3.0 2.0 46.6 3 BECK 358R4™* 32.0 3.0 2.0 46.2 4 BECK 418NR™* 37.0 2.0 2.0 45.2 5 BECK 337L4 32.0 2.0 2.0 44.9 6 BECK 375NR™* 41.0 3.0 2.0 43.3 7 BECK 391R4™* 33.0 2.0 2.5 43.0 8 BECK 312R4™* 38.0 3.0 1.5 41.9 9 BECK 313NL 34.0 2.0 2.0 41.8 10 BECK 354L4 27.0 2.0 2.0 41.8 AVERAGE 34.6 2.4 2.0 44.2 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Pursuit and Basagran are registered trademarks of BASF Corporation. Roundup PowerMAX is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC.

Product Associate I, Joanne Volenec, presenting the Soybean Show Plot at Becknology™ Days.

257 Ohio PFR

BECK’S Escalate® vs Untreated Study - 2013

Planted: May 14, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 14, 2013 Tillage: No-Till April 3.47 in. ® ® Population: 130,000 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 1 oz. Sharpen & 22 oz. Roundup WeatherMAX May 2.29 in. Rows: Two 30” rows Post: 8 oz. Clethodim, 16 oz. Flexstar® & June 3.65 in. Replications: Two (averaged) 32 oz. Roundup PowerMAX® Post: 26 oz. Roundup PowerMAX® July 4.20 in. Insecticide: Escalate® August 1.10 in. Total 14.71 in.

Purpose: This study compares six different varieties of Escalate vs. untreated soybeans that was planted in mid-May. In this study we evaluate the yield advantages of using the Escalate seed treatment.

Escalate Untreated Escalate Advantage Brand Bushels Per Acre Bushels Per Acre Bushels Per Acre BECK 294NR™* 53.2 53.9 -0.7 BECK 335NR™* 53.7 53.1 +0.6 BECK 368NR™* 58.4 60.2 -1.8 BECK 375NR™* 56.0 52.3 +3.7 BECK 398NR 54.0 53.0 +1.0 AVERAGE 55.1 54.5 +0.6 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Sharpen is a registered trademark of BASF. Flexstar is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX and Roundup WeatherMAX are registered trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC.

Summary: This year, the average yields for the Escalate seed treatment vs. the untreated soybean resulted in a near tie for the first time since this study started in 2010. The Escalate seed treatment protects the seed early in adverse weather conditions. This year we had optimum growing conditions early and then August brought very little rain to the Ohio PFR site. The Escalate seed treatment has provided a favorable yield advantage in the past four years of data, at the CINPFR farm. The Escalate treatment has shown a 4.7 Bu./A. yield advantage and also a 3,570 increased population over the untreated soybeans. This study will be performed every year to provide more accurate results to show the advantage of using our Escalate yield enhancement system.

258 Ohio PFR

BECK’S Row Spacing & Population Study - 2013

Planted: May 24, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans RAINFALL Harvested: October 14, 2013 Tillage: No-Till April 3.47 in. ® ® Population: Various Herbicide: Pre: 1 oz. Sharpen & 22 oz. Roundup WeatherMAX May 2.29 in. Rows: Two 30” rows Post: 8 oz. Clethodim, 16 oz. Flexstar® & June 3.65 in. Replications: Two (averaged) 32 oz. Roundup PowerMAX® Post: 26 oz. Roundup PowerMAX® July 4.20 in. Insecticide: Escalate® August 1.10 in. Product Tested: BECK 325NR™* & BECK 418NR™* Total 14.71 in.

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the row spacing and population combinations that prove the best yield potential. We compared two varieties using 75,000 - 200,000 seeds/A. in 25,000 increment seeding rates while planting in 15” and 30” rows.

Beck 325NR™* Beck 418NR™* Beck 325NR™* Beck 418NR™* Target 15” Rows† 15” Rows† Average† 30” Rows† 30” Rows† Average† Population Bu./A. Bu./A. Bu./A. Bu./A. Bu./A. Bu./A. 75,000 29.9 39.6 34.8 36.5 34.5 35.5 100,000 34.8 36.4 35.6 35.3 37.2 36.3 125,000 34.2 39.4 36.8 35.1 35.1 35.1 150,000 33.5 40.0 36.8 35.2 37.6 36.4 175,000 35.1 42.1 38.6 35.6 37.0 36.3 200,000 35.1 41.3 38.2 37.9 31.2 34.6 AVERAGE 36.8 35.7 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. Sharpen is a registered trademark of BASF. Flexstar is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Roundup PowerMAX and Roundup WeatherMAX are registered trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC.

Summary: This year’s results showed that there was not a significant yield difference between the 15” and 30” rows. The 15” rows showed the best yield advantage at 175,000 seeds/A. and the 30” rows showed that the 150,000 seeds/A. were the optimum seeding rates. If you look at our fourteen year average Bu./A. between the 15” and 30” rows, you will only see a 1 Bu./A. advantage by using 15” rows.

259 Multi-Location

BECK’S Corn Fungicide Timing Study - 2013

Purpose: The goal of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Priaxor™ and Headline AMP® fungicides on three different corn hybrids at our various PFR locations. Treatment timings will consist of 4 oz. Priaxor at the V5 growth stage, 10 oz. Headline AMP at full tassel (VT), as well as a combination of both treatments. VT applications are most commonly used in our marketing area , however over the past few years there has been a focus on early preventative fungicide applications at or near the V5 growth stage.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Return on^ Brand Application Moisture Per Acre Difference Investment BECK 6175AMX™* Control 23.5 197.4 ------BECK 6175AMX™* 4 oz. Priaxor™ @ V5 23.2 197.5 +0.1 -$13.65 BECK 6175AMX™* 10 oz. Headline Amp® @ VT 23.5 203.3 +5.9 +$3.18 BECK 6175AMX™* 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 & 10 oz. Headline Amp @ VT 23.7 205.1 +7.7 -$5.88 AVERAGE 23.5 200.8 +4.6 -$5.45 Phoenix 5552A4** Control 23.7 203.7 ------Phoenix 5552A4** 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 23.6 204.7 +1.0 -$10.66 Phoenix 5552A4** 10 oz. Headline Amp @ VT V5 24.5Fungicide 213.5Timing : All +9.8PFR Location +$16.01s ** Phoenix 5552A4 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 & 10 oz. Headline Amp @ VT$70.00 24.5 209.0 +5.3 -$23.1116 AVERAGE$60.00 24.1 207.7 +5.4 -$5.9214 BECK 5509A3 Control $50.00 23.7 197.6 ------12 10 BECK 5509A3 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 $40.00 22.5 211.5 +13.9 +$63.84 8 BECK 5509A3 10 oz. Headline Amp @ VT $30.00 23.8 215.9 +18.3 +$64.92 6 BECK 5509A3 4 oz. Priaxor @ V5 & 10 oz. Headline Amp @ VTnvestment/A. $20.00 24.3 221.3 +23.7 +$71.22 4

AVERAGEon I 23.6 211.6 +18.6 +$66.66 $10.00 2 † Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. $0.00 Increase/A. Yield *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. 0 **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of Return a Syngenta-$10.00 Group Company. -2 ^Return on Investment is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and treatment cost. Headline AMP $271/gal. Priaxor $529/gal. Drying cost $0.04/point moisture. Application charge -$20.00 -4 $5.50/A. (VT applications only). BECK Phoenix BECK 5509A3 Headline AMP is a registered trademark of BASF and Priaxor is a trademark of BASF. 6175AMX™* 5552A4** Return -$13.65 -$10.66 +$63.84 Yield +0.1 +1.0 +13.9

V5 Fungicide Timing : All PFR Locations 2013 VT Fungicide Timing: All Locations $70.00 16 $70.00 20 $60.00 14 18 $60.00 $50.00 12 16 10 $50.00 $40.00 14 8 12 $30.00 $40.00 6 nvestment/A. 10 $20.00 nvestment/A. 4 $30.00 8 on I $10.00 on I 2 $20.00 6 Yield Increase/A. Yield

$0.00 Increase/A. Yield 0 4

Return Return $10.00 -$10.00 -2 Return 2 -$20.00 -4 $0.00 0 BECK Phoenix BECK Phoenix BECK 5509A3 BECK 5509A3 6175AMX™* 5552A4** 6175AMX™* 5552A4** Return -$13.65 -$10.66 +$63.84 Return +$3.18 +$16.01 +$64.92 Yield +0.1 +1.0 +13.9 Yield +5.9 +9.8 +18.3

Figure 1. Figure 2. 2013 VT Fungicide Timing: All Locations $70.00 20 18 $60.00 16 $50.00 260 14 $40.00 12 10 nvestment/A. $30.00 8 on I $20.00 6 4 Increase/A. Yield $10.00 Return Return 2 $0.00 0 BECK Phoenix BECK 5509A3 6175AMX™* 5552A4** Return +$3.18 +$16.01 +$64.92 Yield +5.9 +9.8 +18.3 2013 V5 + VT Fungicide Timing: All Locations $80.00 25

$60.00 20 $40.00 15

nvestment/A. $20.00

on I 10 $0.00 Yield Increase/A. Yield -$20.00 Multi-Location5 Return Return -$40.00 0 BECK Phoenix BECK 5509A3 6175AMX™* 5552A4** BECK’S Corn Fungicide TimingReturn Study-$5.88 - Continued-$23.11 +$71.22 Yield +7.7 +5.3 +23.7

2013 V5 + VT Fungicide Timing: 2013 Fungicide Application Summary: All Locations All Locations $80.00 25 $30.00 14.0

12.0 $60.00 20 $25.00 10.0 $40.00 $20.00 15 8.0 nvestment/A. $20.00 $15.00

nvestment / A. / nvestment 6.0

on I 10 $0.00 $10.00 on I 4.0 5 Increase/A. Yield -$20.00 $5.00 2.0 A. / Increase Yield Return Return

-$40.00 0 Return $0.00 0.0 BECK Phoenix Average BECK 5509A3 Average V5 Average VT 6175AMX™* 5552A4** Combo Return -$5.88 -$23.11 +$71.22 Return +$13.18 +$28.04 +$14.08 Yield +7.7 +5.3 +23.7 Yield +5.0 +11.3 +12.2

Figure 3. Figure 4. 2013 Fungicide Application Summary: All Locations $30.00 14.0 Summary: $25.00 12.0 Figure 1 shows the net return and yield response of all three hybrids in regard to V5 Priaxor™ applications. Beck 5509A3 was the 10.0 only hybrid$20.00 that exhibited higher yields and net returns from V5 fungicide applications. BECK 6175AMX™* and Phoenix 5552A4** both showed minimal yield response and consequently realized8.0 net losses from V5 applications of $10.66 - $13.65/A respectively. $15.00 FigureA. / nvestment 2 shows the net return and yield response of all three6.0 hybrids when Headline AMP® is applied at the VT growth stage. Again, $10.00 Beckon I 5509A3 responded with huge average yield gains of4.0 18.3 Bu./A. and an impressive $64.92/A., return on investment. Phoenix 5552A4** also exhibited nice yield gains of 9.8 Bu./A. with positive net returns of $16.01/A. BECK 6175AMX™* showed a 5.9 Bu./A.

$5.00 A. / Increase Yield yield response, but this low gain only created a $3.18/A. return2.0 on investment.

Return Return $0.00 0.0 Figure 3 shows the net return and yield responseAverage of all three hybrids when applied with both V5 and VT fungicide treatments. Average V5 Average VT Again continuing the trend, Beck 5509A3 providedCombo higher yields and net returns from combination fungicide applications with yield increasesReturn of 23.7+$ Bu./A.13.18 and net+$ 28.04returns over $71.00/A.+$14.08 Beck 6175AMX™* and Phoenix 5552A4** showed yield responses of 5.3 and 7.7 Bu./A.,Yield but failed+5.0 to prove positive+11.3 return on+1 investment2.2 with losses of $5.88/A. - $23.11/A. More testing is needed to truly understand the value of V5 and VT fungicide treatments, but it is clear in our testing program that VT applications currently are giving the highest net returns. Figure 4 illustrates the overall differences in yield and net return from all fungicide applications in this study. VT fungicide treatments show near 6 Bu./A. yield gains over V5 treatments with an additional $14.86/A. return on investment. Due to higher costs per acre with little additional yield response, combination fungicide treatments revealed net losses of $13.96/A. compared to stand alone VT treatments. We must pay close attention to weather conditions, crop rotation, leaf disease presence, as well as fungicide response ratings for each hybrid to fully comprehend and evaluate fungicide applications. In this study, Beck 6175AMX™* showed little financial gain from overall fungicide applications and might be the result of this hybrid having a low fungicide response rating. This rating is provided by Beck’s Hybrids for every corn hybrid that we currently have in our lineup and can be a great predictor of how corn hybrids respond to various levels of leaf disease. Beck 5509A3 and Phoenix 5552A4** however, are classified as a medium-high fungicide response hybrids and might help explain the financial gains that occurred as a result from fungicide applications.These fungicide response ratings cannot replace scouting fields for leaf disease, but can give an indication of how hybrids need to be managed throughout the growing season. Please contact your local Beck’s representative for more information regarding corn hybrid fungicide response.

261 Multi-Location

BECK’S VT Fungicide Study - 2013

Purpose: In recent years there has been a growing interest in controlling foliar diseases that can limit corn yields. This study was established to evaluate the benefits of applying foliar fungicides on multiple genetic families that Beck’s offers. Applications were made at full tassel with a high-clearance sprayer.

Yield Percent Bushels† Advantage Return on^ Brand Application Moisture Per Acre vs. Untreated Investment BECK 5475AMX™* Untreated 18.7 199.1 ----- BECK 5475AMX™* 10 oz. Headline AMP® 19.1 209.9 +10.8 +$26.70 BECK EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* Untreated 18.0 208.4 ----- BECK EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* 10 oz. Headline AMP 18.9 222.8 +14.4 +$41.34 Phoenix 5642A4** Untreated 20.4 169.2 ----- Phoenix 5642A4** 10 oz. Headline AMP 21.0 178.1 +8.9 +$15.20 BECK 6272HR™* Untreated 20.4 188.1 ----- BECK 6272HR™* 10 oz. Headline AMP 20.8 189.5 +1.4 -$22.44 BECK 6626AMX-R™* Untreated 23.6 182.6 ----- BECK 6626AMX-R™* 10 oz. Headline AMP 23.3 195.2 +12.6 +$39.37 BECK 6948A3 Untreated 21.3 206.7 ----- BECK 6948A3 10 oz. Headline AMP 21.8 203.6 -3.1 -$46.70 AVERAGE 20.6 196.1 +7.5 +$8.91

†Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ^Return on Investment is based on $5.40/Bu. corn, $271/gal. Headline Amp, $0.04/point drying cost, and $5.50/A. application charge. Headline AMP is a registered trademark of BASF.

Summary: The cool temperatures and abundant rainfall we received this summer resulted in favorable conditions for disease in 2013. Thus our 2013 study provided consistent responses in terms of increased yield and profitability, across all four PFR locations. Even with this being the case, several hybrids with low fungicide response ratings, such as BECK 6272HR™* and BECK 6948A3 still did not show a profitable return. With the four locations averaged, our highest return on investment came from the application of HeadlineAmp ® to EX 1310 (5828AM Genetics)™* at $41.34/A. Across all four locations, we were able to net a $8.91/A. return on investment, when applying a VT fungicide application to the six multi-location hybrids tested in 2013.

“Our BECK 5475LL corn came in at 247 Bu./A. and BECK 368NR™* soybeans were 80 Bu./A. But even more impressive, in our side-by-side comparison of 104-day corn, BECK 5140HR™* had a 15 Bu./A. advantage over Pioneer!”

Kyle Brown, Lafayette, IN

262 Multi-Location

BECK’S Nitrogen Stabilizer Study - 2013

Purpose: Each year, many corn growers apply UAN liquid nitrogen in the spring as part of their nitrogen program. This nitrogen stabilizer study evaluates four products that have the ability to reduce nitrogen losses that can occur from lack of incorporation, dry weather, or high velocity winds. 180 lbs. of nitrogen, along with the nitrogen enhancement products, were applied over the soil surface and incorporated prior to planting.

Test† Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Weight Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment Factor® 57.4 20.8 205.8 +5.0 $1,101.20 +$16.88 Agrotain Plus® 57.1 20.5 206.3 +5.5 $1,092.42 +$8.10 Instinct™ 57.2 20.8 203.6 +2.8 $1,089.05 +$4.73 Nutrisphere-N® 57.4 20.7 201.8 +1.0 $1,068.12 -$16.20 Control 57.5 20.5 200.8 ---- $1,084.32 ----- AVERAGE 57.3 20.7 203.7 +3.6 $1,087.02 +$3.38 †Bushels per acre and test weight corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net Return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn, $10.12/A. Factor, $21.60/A. Agrotain Plus, $10.39/A. Instinct, and $21.60/A. Nutrisphere-N. Factor is a registered trademark of Midtech R&D, Inc., Agrotain is a registered trademark of Koch Agronomic Services, LLC., Instinct is a trademark of Dow AgroSciences., and Nutrisphere-N is a registered trademark of SFP.

Summary: When we evaluated three location data (Central Indiana, Central Illinois, and Kentucky) we received an average 3.6 Bu./A. yield benefit from the four stabilizer products tested. Agrotain Plus® gave us our highest yield gain at 5.5 Bu./A., but due to product cost differences Factor® was our best return on investment with $16.88/A. Overall, we saw a positive return on investment from three of the four products tested in 2013. For specific location results, please refer to the Nitrogen Stabilizer Studies listed under each Practical Farm Research site.

BECK’S Nitrogen Timing Study Corn After Soybeans - 2013 Purpose: Increased input prices have made us reevaluate the way we fertilize our crops in recent years, especially nitrogen. In addition to studies that identify the optimum rate of nitrogen fertilizer, this study shows the timing of these applications may also affect the efficiency of nitrogen applied to a crop. Timings consist of preplant, 2x2 at planting, and various sidedress applications. All treatments in this study received a total of 180 lbs./A. of nitrogen.

Percent Bushels† Net^ Return on Treatment Moisture Per Acre Return Investment 10 gal. 2x2 UAN f/b Sidedress UAN @ V3 21.1 209.5 $1,014.30 +$102.06 100% Sidedress UAN @ V3 22.0 206.7 $999.18 +$86.94 50% Preplant Incorporated UAN f/b 50% Sidedress UAN @ V4-V5 20.8 205.9 $994.86 +$82.62 100% Sidedress UAN @ V6 22.0 201.7 $972.18 +$59.94 100% Preplant Incorporated UAN (Control) 20.6 190.6 $912.24 ---- AVERAGE 21.3 202.9 $978.55 +$82.89 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. ^Net Return based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $0.65/lb. nitrogen.

Summary: In recent years, split and 100% in-season nitrogen applications proved more profitable than 100% preplant incorporated.This proved true again this year with an average return on investment of $82.89/A. We received our highest yield and net return from the 2x2 followed by a V3 sidedress application. This four location average shows a $18.90/A. monetary gain from split applications compared to the 100% V3 and V6 sidedress. The two year average return on investment for split applications compared to 100% V3 and V6 sidedress equates to $16.53/A. For specific location results, refer to the nitrogen timing dtudies listed under each Practical Farm Research site. 263 Multi-Location

BECK’S Nitrogen Rate Study - 2013

Purpose: How much nitrogen should I apply to my corn crop? This is one of the most common questions that we receive from growers, and one of the most difficult to answer. Although Beck’s Practical Farm Research team has developed numerous studies to evaluate nitrogen management over the years, the nitrogen rate study has been the flagship of these testing efforts. In 2006, we were approached by both Purdue University and the University of Illinois to help gather data that might help growers answer this very question. At that time we adopted the philosophy of basing our nitrogen rate recommendations on the Economic Optimum Nitrogen Rate (EONR), or rate that maximizes profitability for a given cost of nitrogen and price for corn. Over time, the protocol used to determine the EONR has evolved. We are currently testing rates that range from 0 - 225 lbs./A. for corn after soybeans and 0 - 250 lbs./A. for corn after corn. Treatments are replicated at least twice at each of our Practical Farm Research facilities. All nitrogen is split applied; with a portion of the nitrogen applied at planting either broadcast or 2x2 and the balance applied at the V3-V4 growth stages. All corn after corn treatments were placed in the same strips as they were the previous year. The yield results for each treatment are plotted on a chart that allows us to determine the approximate yield for each pound of additional nitrogen fertilizer that is applied for that given data set. A selected price per bushel of corn and price per pound of nitrogen are applied thus resulting in the EONR. Essentially, this has given us the ability to calculate the rate of nitrogen that will maximize profitability based on pricing scenarios given to us by our customers for their farms using yield data collected through Practical Farm Research testing. The results seen below are based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $0.65/lbs. of nitrogen using the data collected from four farms both from 2013 and collectively over the past five years.

2013 Economic Optimum N Rate Corn After Soybeans Net Return 2013 Economic Optimum N Rate $1,060.00 Corn After Soybeans Net$1,050.00 Return $1,060.00 $1,040.00 $1,050.00 $1,030.00 $1,040.00 173 lbs./A. $1,020.00 $1,030.00 $1,010.00 173 lbs./A. $1,020.00 $1,000.00 $1,010.00 $990.00 $1,000.00 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 $990.00 Nitrogen Rate 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 Nitrogen Rate Economic Optimum N Rate Corn After Soybeans - 5 Year Data Net Return Economic Optimum N Rate $1,020.00 Corn After Soybeans - 5 Year Data Net$1,010.00 Return $1,020.00 $1,000.00 $1,010.00 $990.00 $1,000.00 178 lbs./A. $980.00 $990.00 $970.00 178 lbs./A. $980.00 $960.00 $970.00 $950.00 $960.00 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 $950.00 Nitrogen Rate 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 Nitrogen Rate

264 Multi-Location

BECK’S Nitrogen Rate Study - Continued

2013 Economic Optimum N Rate Corn After Corn Net Return 2013 Economic Optimum N Rate $1,090.00 Corn After Corn Net$1,080.00 Return $1,090.00 $1,070.00 $1,080.00 $1,060.00 $1,070.00 209 lbs./A. $1,050.00 $1,060.00 $1,040.00 209 lbs./A. $1,050.00 $1,030.00 $1,040.00 $1,020.00 $1,030.00 $1,010.00 $1,020.00 175 185 195 205 215 225 235 245 $1,010.00 Nitrogen Rate 175 185 195 205 215 225 235 245 EconomicNitr Optimumogen Rate N Rate Corn After Corn - 5 Year Data Net Return Economic Optimum N Rate $980.00 Corn After Corn - 5 Year Data Net Return $98070.00

$97060.00

$96050.00 212 lbs./A. $95040.00 212 lbs./A. $94030.00

$93020.00 175 185 195 205 215 225 235 245 $920.00 Nitrogen Rate 175 185 195 205 215 225 235 245 Nitrogen Rate

Summary: The Economic Optimum Nitrogen Rate (EONR) for corn after soybeans based on yield data collected in 2013 at a price of $5.40/Bu. corn and a nitrogen cost of $0.65/lb. of nitrogen is 173 lbs./A. Applying the same economic scenario to yield data collected over the past five years suggest an EONR of 178 lbs./A. Data collected from our corn after corn testing in 2013 suggested an EONR of 209 lbs./A. The five year average shows an EONR of 212 lbs./A. This suggests that nitrogen rates for corn after corn should be approximately 34 - 36 lbs./A. higher than nitrogen rates used for corn after soybean to maximize profitability. This is not surprising considering that we are often planting at higher populations and leaving more residue on the ground, thus increasing the “carbon penalty” for growing corn after corn. For specific location results, please refer to the Nitrogen Rate Studies listed under each PFR site.

265 Multi-Location

BECK’S Nitrogen Utilization Multi-Year Study - 2013

Purpose: When talking about a certain hybrid, have you ever heard the statement, “That hybrid is a nitrogen hog” or “That a hybrid needs its nitrogen all upfront”? If you wonder what that means, this study is designed to answer those question and to gain a better understanding of nitrogen use on a per hybrid basis. We tested two nitrogen programs, listed below, and implemented this study at four Practical Farm Research sites. 150 lbs. Preplant Only 75 lbs. Preplant and 75 lbs. Sidedress

2012 2013 3 Site Average 2 Site Average Bu./A. Advantage from Bu./A. Advantage from Brand Split Nitrogen Brand Split Nitrogen Phoenix 5642A4** -6.8 BECK 6175AMX™* -11.8 BECK 5509A3 -2.5 Phoenix 5552A4** -6.9 BECK 6626AMX™* -1.7 BECK 5475AMX™* -5.8 Phoenix 5552A4** +0.3 Phoenix 5642A4** -1.7 BECK 6175AMX™* +0.7 BECK 6626AMX™* +1.2 BECK 5475AMX™* +2.7 BECK 6272HR™* +2.1 BECK 6272HR™* +7.5 BECK 5509A3 +6.5 BECK 6077AM™* +15.6 BECK 6077AM™* +9.3

2 Year Summary 3 Year summary 2012 & 2013 2011 - 2013 Bu./A. Advantage from Bu./A. Advantage from Brand Split Nitrogen Brand Split Nitrogen Earlier User Earlier User BECK 6175AMX™* -5.6 BECK 6175AMX™* -2.7 Phoenix 5642A4** -4.3 Phoenix 5642A4** +0.3 Phoenix 5552A4** -3.3 BECK 6626AMX™* +1.7 BECK 5475AMX™* -1.6 BECK 6272HR™* +4.6 BECK 6626AMX™* -0.3 BECK 6077AM™* +12.9 BECK 5509A3 +2.0 Later User ™* BECK 6272HR +4.8 *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered BECK 6077AM™* +12.5 trademark of DuPont Pioneer. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a Later User trademark of a Syngenta Group Company.

Summary: We compared nitrogen efficiency between 100% preplant and split applied treatments, across eight hybrids. The individual year data shows how the environment affects the plant’s use of nitrogen. However, when we combine the data into a two or three year average we see some similar trends. The hybrids that show a negative or very low advantage to split applied nitrogen use nitrogen more efficiently. A good example of these types of hybrids would be the BECK 75 family. Our two year summary shows BECK 6175AMX™* and BECK 5475AMX™* having no benefit to the split application of nitrogen. In general hybrids that show a large response to split applied nitrogen tend to be less efficient users of nitrogen. This study helps identify which hybrids benefit from a split application of nitrogen. This can be helpful in prioritizing acres to sidedress and appropriate placement of hybrids in the field. We plan to continue this study to evaluate nitrogen use over multiple years and genetic families.

266 Multi-Location

BECK’S Closing Wheel Study - 2013

Purpose: Which closing wheel is right for my farm? This is a common question for many growers when they purchase new planters or possibly look to utilize no-till on more acres. With the different options available, it is often difficult to find the right product that will handle a wide range of soil types and varying conditions. This study was designed to test multiple closing wheel options available on the market today. The control in this study was two solid rubber closing wheels. Central Indiana and Kentucky PFR location data was compiled and averaged in this multi-location summary.

Emerged Bushels† Bu./A. Revenue^ Closing Wheel Population Per Acre Difference Increase 2 Dawn® Curvetine™ Wheels 32,201 202.4 +5.6 +$30.24 2 Martin Dimple Wheels 31,347 201.1 +4.3 +$23.22 1 Yetter Cast Spike Wheel & 1 Solid Rubber Wheel 31,727 200.7 +3.9 +$21.06 2 Yetter Cast Spike Wheels with Drag Chain 31,742 200.6 +3.8 +$20.52 2 Solid Rubber Wheels (Control) 31,568 196.8 ------AVERAGE 31,717 200.3 +4.4 +$23.76 †Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. ^Revenue Increase is gross income of treatment (Bu./A. x $5.40/Bu. corn) minus gross income of control (2 Solid Rubber Wheels). Yetter Cast Spike Wheels distributed by Yetter Manufacturing Company. Martin Dimple Closing Wheels distributed by Martin Industries, LLC. Curvetine is a trademark of Dawn Equipment Company.

Summary: The studies this year were no-tilled into heavy conditions at both Practical Farm Research locations. Our goal was to test how the different closing wheel combinations would compare to standard rubber closing wheels, when planting conditions were unfavorable. We received a yield increase from all closing wheel combinations compared to the two solid rubber wheels (Control). Our highest emerged population and yield came from the Dawn® Curvetine™ M-Series. The 5.6 Bu./A. yield increase, from the Dawn Curvetine’s, equates to a $30.24/A. revenue increase when compared to the traditional two rubber wheel configuration. Closing wheel costs were not figured in the revenue increase due to being a one time purchase. In conclusion, different closing wheel combinations can be profitable when planting in less than desirable conditions.

Kevin Shirk and John Wint install Martin Dimple and Dawn® Curvetine™ closing wheels at the CINPFR farm. 267 Multi-Location

BECK’S Corn Row Width & Population Study - 2013

Purpose: This study compares multiple hybrids in various row spacings at final populations ranging from 24,000 to 44,000 plants per acre to determine the optimum final population by row spacing.

Agronomic Optimum Final Stand Bu./A. 30" Rows vs. 20" Rows (5 Year, 4 Locations) 220.0 Agronomic Optimum Final Stand Bu./A. 30" Rows vs. 20" Rows (5 Year, 4 Locations) 220.0210.0 34,000 plants/A. 210.0200.0 30" Rows 34,000 plants/A. 200.0190.0 20" Rows 36,000 plants/A. 30" Rows 180.0 190.0 20" Rows 36,000 plants/A. 180.0170.0 170.0160.0 24 27 30 33 36 39 42 160.0 Final Stand x 1,000 24 27 30 33 36 39 42 EconomicFinal Sta Optimumnd x 1,000 Final Stand Net Return 30" Rows vs. 20" Rows (5 Year, 4 Locations) $960.00 Economic Optimum Final Stand 30" Rows vs. 20" Rows (5 Year, 4 Locations) Net$9 40Return.00 $960.00 $920.00 $940.00 $900.00 30" Rows $920.00 33,000 plants/A. 20" Rows $880.00 30" Rows $900.00 33,000 plants/A. $860.00 33,000 plants/A. 20" Rows $880.00 $840.00 33,000 plants/A. $860.00 $820.00 $840.00 24 28 32 36 40 $820.00 Final Stand x 1,000 24 28 32 36 40 Final Stand x 1,000

268 Multi-Location

BECK’S Corn Row Width & Population Study - Continued

Agronomic Optimum Final Stand Bu./A. 30's vs. 20's vs. Twins (4 Year, 2 Locations) 200.0 Agronomic Optimum Final Stand Bu195.0./A. 30's vs. 20's vs. Twins (4 Year, 2 Locations) 200.0 190.0 195.0 185.0 30" Rows 190.0 180.0 20" Rows 185.0 37,000 plants/A. 30" Rows 175.0 Twin Rows 180.0 37,000 plants/A. 20" Rows 170.0 37,000 plants/A. 175.0 39,000 plants/A. Twin Rows 165.0 37,000 plants/A. 170.0 160.0 39,000 plants/A. 165.0 24 28 32 36 40 44 160.0 Final Stand x 1,000 24 28 32 36 40 44 EconomicFinal Sta Optimumnd x 1,000 Final Stand Net Return 30's vs. 20's vs. Twins (4 Year, 2 Locations) $1,050 Economic Optimum Final Stand Net$1,030 Return 30's vs. 20's vs. Twins (4 Year, 2 Locations) $1,010$1,050 $1,030 $990 30" Rows $1,010$970 20" Rows $950$990 30" Rows $930$970 Twin Rows 34,000 plants/A. 36,000 plants/A. 20" Rows $910$950 34,000 plants/A. $890$930 Twin Rows 34,000 plants/A. 36,000 plants/A. $910 $870 34,000 plants/A. $850$890 $870 24 28 32 36 40 44 $850 Final Stand x 1,000 24 28 32 36 40 44 Net return is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $311.31/unitFinal seed costSta (zonend 1 pricing)x 1,000

Summary: The data shown in these summary charts were taken from multiple locations across multiple years. The 30” vs. 20” row data was collected at the Central Indiana, Central Illinois, Southern Illinois, and Southern Indiana PFR farms over the past 5 years. This five year data set suggests that the agronomic optimum population to maximize yield was 34,000 plants/A. in 30” rows and 36,000 plants/A. in 20” rows. However, the economic optimum population that maximized profitability in both row spacings was approximately 33,000 plants/A. When both row spacings are achieved at their optimum populations, 30” rows provided a $19.80/A. advantage over 20” rows. Over the past four years we have also collected data comparing 30”, 20”, and twin row configurations at the Central Illinois and Southern Indiana PFR farms. Over that time period, the populations that maximized yield were at 37,000 plants/A. for 30” rows and twin rows, while 39,000 plants/A. maximized yield in 20” rows. The economic optimum populations proved to be significantly lower with 34,000 plants/A. maximizing profitability in 30” rows and twin rows while 36,000 plants/A. proved to be most profitable in 20” rows. 30” rows proved to be the most profitable by a margin of $28.91/A. over 20” rows and by $34.69/A. over twin rows when all three row spacings achieved their optimum population. 269 Multi-Location

BECK’S Soybean Herbicide Systems Study - 2013

Purpose: With increasing weed resistance issues we are currently facing, we decided to start taking a closer look at using different modes of action. This study was designed to evaluate potential benefits of utilizing a residual compound as part of a soybean herbicide program. We are also evaluating the growth stage label restrictions on glyphosate and Liberty herbicides.

Percent Bushels† Bu./A. 2 Year Average Treatment Moisture Per Acre Difference Bu./A. Difference Glyphosate f/b Glyphosate 12.4 59.2 +0.3 +0.6 Residual f/b Glyphosate (Control) 12.2 58.9 ------Residual f/b Glyphosate R2 12.2 58.0 -0.9 -2.3 Residual f/b Glyphosate R3 12.3 59.4 +0.5 +0.5 Residual f/b Glyphosate R4 12.2 59.4 +0.5 +0.5 AVERAGE 12.2 58.9 +0.1 -0.2 Liberty f/b Liberty® 12.2 57.5 -0.8 -0.8 Residual f/b Liberty (Control) 12.3 58.3 ------Residual f/b Liberty R2 12.3 56.6 -1.7 -1.6 Residual f/b Liberty R3 12.3 57.9 -0.4 -0.6 Residual f/b Liberty R4 12.3 56.5 -1.8 -1.6 AVERAGE 12.3 57.4 -1.2 -1.1 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. Liberty is a registered trademark of Bayer.

Summary: This year’s multi-location averages showed mixed results for the use of a residual compound. The use of a residual in the glyphosate system resulted in 0.3 Bu./A. yield loss compared to the glyphosate f/b glyphosate treatment. However, in the Liberty system it provided a 0.8 Bu./A. yield increase. Although a yield benefit may not be seen every year, we strongly recommend the use of a residual compound as part of any soybean herbicide program. Rotating herbicide chemistries can help prohibit the development of herbicide resistance. As mentioned above, we also tested the growth stage label restrictions on applying glyphosate and Liberty. Similar to last year, both herbicide programs received a yield loss when post applications were made at the R2 growth stage. When analyzing the two year multi-location average, we saw a yield loss from every application past the R1 label restriction for Liberty. However, the glyphosate system only showed a negative yield response from the R2 application. For specific location results, please refer to the Soybean Herbicide Systems Studies listed under the Central Indiana, Central Illinois and Southern Illinois PFR sites.

270 Why pfr partners

The PFR Partners program brings Beck’s team of experienced PFR directors and personnel right to the farmer. By developing the program, we’re giving farmers in our marketing area an opportunity to participate in practical farm research on their own farm. Due to the number of studies, collection of data will continue into the winter months. However we are excited to share the data that is collected. We have included three PFR partner studies for your viewing.

The complete PFR Partner data set will be posted on www.beckshybrids.com.

PFR Partner Trial Possibilities

Nitrogen Rate

Nitrogen Timing

Seed Population/Row Width

V5 Fungicides

VT Fungicides

Foliar Feed Fertilizers

Seed Treatments

Vertical Tillage

300 Bu. Challenges

Site-Specific, Multi-Hybrid Corn Planting

Site-Specific, Multi-Variety Soybean Planting PFR Partners

BECK’S Site-Specific, Multi-Hybrid Corn Planting Study - 2013 In 2013 Beck’s Practical Farm Research Team began its second year of evaluation in regard to site-specific multi-hybrid corn planting. At Beck’s Hybrids, we are passionate about recommending the right corn hybrid for our customer’s farms. With that being said, this was the driving force behind introducing Beck’s Hybrid’s very first multi-hybrid planter that was built in 2012. This precision planter is designed to automatically change corn hybrids on the fly as it plants through varying soil type changes or management zones. Photo 1 shows a picture of Beck’s site-specific multi- hybrid corn planter. Beck’s Hybrids partnered with Kinze Manufacturing and transformed a 3600 Twin Row Planter into one that can be loaded with two corn hybrids and then plant each product in the appropriate areas within a field. Site-specific hybrid and seeding rate prescription files can be imported into an onboard computer, in this case an AgLeader® Integra controller with SeedCommand™. The combination of this planter and GIS equipment allowed us the ability to effectively change corn hybrids, as well as seeding rates automatically throughout the field. Photo 1. Our Kinze 3600 twin row planter allowed us the benefit of loading the planter with two hybrids, but gave us the ability to plant the hybrid of choice in various management zones in the field. The front row units of the twin row planter were designated for corn hybrids that were classified as “defensive” hybrids, while the back row units were loaded with a more “offensive” hybrid. The concept of this design allowed us to plant “defensive” corn hybrids on tougher soils with lower organic matter, water holding or cation exchange capacities. “Offensive” corn hybrids were then planted on the best soils of the farm that typically have the highest yields. Photo 2 shows a close-up view of the offset row units.

Front Row Unit: “Defensive Hybrid” Offset 8” Left

Rear Row Unit: “Offensive Hybrid” Offset 8” Right

Photo 2. Twin Row Multi-Hybrid Planting Individual hydraulic motors on the front and rear drive shafts allow us to change corn hybrids at each soil type or management zone while traveling throughout the field. As this process happens, corn rows are shifted 8” left or right to allow for the corn hybrid transition. Photo 3 illustrates this transition in corn hybrid placement with the twin row planting design.

At each hybrid change within the field, corn rows are offset 8” to account for twin row offset. Precision transition can be implemented to include efficient placement of seed, allowing for minimum over or under seeding.

Photo 3. Multi-Hybrid Transition A new addition to our implementation of multi-hybrid planting consisted of auto-correcting our GPS based AB lines for auto-guidance. Since the adoption of auto-steer and guidance has become so popular for planting based operations, we felt it necessary to utilize

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BECK’S Site-Specific, Multi-Hybrid Corn Planting Study - Continued guidance technology and auto-correct for the 8” offset each time a hybrid change occurs in the field. Photo 4 shows the effects of a 30” corn row when we make a hybrid change within the field. PointA is the initial location where the planter changed corn hybrids and is instantly offset 8”. To account for this corn hybrid transition, we installed a multi-directional GPS receiver on the planter tractor. This sliding GPS receiver is programed to automatically move 8” left or right to account for the shift in row as the hybrid changes from the front or rear of the multi-hybrid planter (Point B). This allows the ability to use a one standard AB line for auto-guidance, as well as eliminating wide or narrow rows on the outside rows of the planter.

Point A: Initial Hybrid Point B: Multi-Directional Change 8” Offset GPS Receiver auto corrects for 8” offset and moves to original AB guidance line.

Photo 4.

Management zones are a key component of this precision based multi-hybrid corn planting system. Knowing where to plant each hybrid and at what seeding rate is a difficult task for a grower. Developing long-term yield data is helpful in determining and understanding where variable yielding areas are located on a spatial basis within a given field. GPS yield monitor data is probably the best data to use, but soil type and/or other management zone creations can also be made to develop prescription files for variable hybrid and planting seeding rates. By knowing the spatial difference in a farm’s overall yield potential, it can allow for the use of a multi-hybrid corn planting system to offer precision placement of corn hybrids. Figure 1 is a GPS yield/soil type map of a farm in Livingston County, Illinois where CILPFR conducted multi-hybrid corn planting research. This farm has a variety of soil types and slopes that make corn hybrid placement very difficult. 146A The 232A is an Ashkum silty clay loam that generally is the highest yielding area of the farm. It has higher water holding capacity, high organic matter and 146B2 produces great yields. However the 146B2 is an Elliot silty clay loam with up to 4% slopes with lower water holding capacity, lower organic matter, and generally are the lowest yielding areas of the farm due to higher crop stress levels. 232A After evaluating these production areas, management zones were created and a variable rate prescription was developed to determine corn hybrid Figure 1. placement, as well as planting population for each hybrid in the field.Two corn hybrids were chosen for this field including Phoenix 5832A3** and Beck 5442VT3. Phoenix 5832A3** was chosen as the corn hybrid for lower productive Corn Soybean Label Name Slope Drainage Yield Yield soils, as it is a more “defensive” hybrid with great emergence and overall Somewhat handles crop stress well. Beck 5442VT3 was chosen as the “offensive” hybrid 146A Elliot Silt Loam 0 - 2% Poor 151 45 and was placed in the higher productive soils in an effort to achieve higher Elliot Silty Clay Somewhat 143 43 yields. Finally, “educational blocks” (Figure 2) were also developed as a control 146B2 Loam 2 - 4% Poor method to help evaluate if the intended hybrid and population was in fact the Ashkum Silty correct placement or population. These educational blocks evaluated both corn 232A Clay Loam 0 - 2% Poor 154 47 hybrids in each management zone and compared various plant populations within those same zones. Prescription files were generated and imported into the AgLeader Integra Seed Command modules. Two consoles were needed to control the multi-hybrid planter. Each console executed the GIS prescription for the appropriate front or rear section of the planter.

Figure 2. Beck 5442VT3 Multi-Hybrid and Seeding Prescription Figure 3. Phoenix 5832A3** Multi-Hybrid and Seeding Rate Prescription Educational Blocks “Split” Planter Evaluates each hybrid in Evaluates both hybrids being side-by-side scenarios planted in a split type planting within each management scenario. Also simulates a zone at various planting grower filling a planter with populations two hybrids and planting both throughout the field at the same time. 273 PFR Partners

BECK’S Site-Specific, Multi-Hybrid Corn Planting Study - Continued In evaluating the results of this multi-location variable hybrid planting study, yields were increased by an average of 5.0 Bu./A in low productivity yield zones and 4.2 Bu./A in high productivity yield zones. Changing to a more “offensive” hybrid in high productivity soils increased net returns by $22.68/A. Changing to a defensive type hybrid in low productivity soils increased revenue by $27.00/A.

2013 Multi-Hybrid Planting Summary Table 1. Low Productivity Yield Zone High Productivity Yield Zone Return on Return on Brand Yield Winner Investment Brand Yield Winner Investment Beck 5442VT3 +5.0 Bu./A. $27.00/A. Beck 5442VT3 ------Phoenix 5832A3** ------Phoenix 5832A3** +4.2 Bu./A. $22.68/A.

The “split” planter example on this farm simulated a grower filling half the planter with each hybrid and planting both hybrids throughout the field. We added this component to our testing in order to evaluate yield of multi-hybrid planting compared to how a grower might utilize planting two hybrids in a field at the same time. In this scenario, the multi-hybrid concept averaged yield gains of 4.9 Bu./A over the split planter technique. These yield gains are consistent with the yield gains seen in each of the educational blocks placed in each productivity zone. Two years of consecutive data indicate positive returns for multi-hybrid planting. Please keep in mind that the results of this study are only from one trial location. Multi-hybrid planting was implemented this year into Beck’s PFR Partner program where Beck’s customers were able to evaluate this new planting concept on their own farms. At the time of this publication, very few locations of the 15+ trial locations had completed harvesting or data collection. The overall results will be printed into an additional Beck’s PFR Partner publication released at a later date.

Photo 5. Multi-Hybrid Planting at Tassel Growth Stage

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BECK’S Site-Specific, Multi-Hybrid Corn Planting Study - Continued In evaluating the variable rate seeding portion of this study, both corn hybrids were planted at 30,000, 32,000 and 34,000 populations in low productivity yield zones and 32,000, 34,000 and 36,000 in high productivity yield zones (Table 2). This year’s results were interesting to look at each individual hybrid and relate it to its ear type placement. BECK 5442VT3 has a flex type ear and showed the highest yield, as well as net return at the lowest populations in each yield management zone. Conversely, Phoenix 5832A3** has a determinate ear and achieved highest yields and net return in high productivity yield areas at 36,000 seeding rates. Low productivity yield zones proved the highest net return at 32,000 seeding rates. These results indicate that planting populations can be easily manipulated by knowing the soils yield capabilities, as well as ear flex potential of corn hybrids. If a grower understands management zones within a field, variable rate seeding could be an effective way to increase yield potential, net returns, and at the same time efficiently place the correct amount of seed where needed.

2013 Variable Rate Population Summary Table 2. Defensive Hybrid Phoenix 5832A3** Defensive Hybrid Phoenix 5832A3** Low Productivity Soil Zones High Productivity Soil Zones Bushels† Net^ Bushels† Net^ Population Per Acre Return Population Per Acre Return 30,000 202.4 $986.34 32,000 226.3 $1,108.29 32,000 207.2 $1,005.15 34,000 232.2 $1,133.04 34,000 206.9 $996.42 36,000 234.4 $1,137.82

Offensive Hybrid BECK 5442VT3 Offensive Hybrid BECK 5442VT3 Low Productivity Soil Zones High Productivity Soil Zones Bushels† Net^ Bushels† Net^ Population Per Acre Return Population Per Acre Return 30,000 202.3 $982.44 32,000 240.9 $1,183.55 32,000 195.0 $935.69 34,000 234.0 $1,138.96 34,000 201.7 $964.54 36,000 232.9 $1,125.68 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. **Phoenix™ brand is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix™ is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ^Net return based on $5.40 corn, $293.31/unit seed cost for BECK 5442VT3 and $284.31/unit seed cost for Phoenix 5832A3**

More research needs to be done to evaluate the practice of site-specific, multi-hybrid planting. Beck’s Practical Farm Research Program looks forward to testing various corn hybrids in the future to help growers choose the best hybrids for their farms. Multi- hybrid planting in the future could be an excellent way to master corn hybrid placement. In the days ahead we will see new corn traits that offer tolerance to drought or even low nitrogen environments. Variable hybrid planting will allow the ability to place these traits and hybrids on the right acres and give a grower an agronomic and economic advantage. While this technology is in its infancy stages, it is imperative that growers start to develop management zones in their fields as soon as possible so they are ready for this technology if and when it becomes available in the future.

Scan the QR code to learn more about the site-specific multi-hybrid planting study from Jason Webster, Beck’s CILPFR Director.

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BECK’S Nitrogen Management Study - 2013

Planted: May 17, 2013 Previous Crop: Soybeans Harvested: October 25, 2013 Tillage: Chisel / Reel Disk ™ Population: 34,500 seeds/A. Herbicide: Pre: 8 oz. Verdict Rows: Eight 30” rows Post: 24 oz. Durango® Replications: Four (averaged) INSECTICIDE: Escalate® Product Tested: BECK 6175AMX™*

Purpose: This trial was designed to evaluate multiple types of nitrogen management programs. Different nitrogen programs are evaluated in this study and to compare a grower’s normal nitrogen program to six other types of nitrogen systems. The nitrogen components that we will evaluate in this trial consist of nitrogen rate, timing, form and placement. This study was designed as part of an agronomic segment of Beck’s PFR Partner Program, which cooperates with Beck’s customers to conduct agronomic research on their own farms. A PFR Director works with each PFR Partner to develop agronomic protocols and then implements the plan in cooperation with the grower. The protocol for this PFR Partner nitrogen trial is as follows: Program 1: Grower’s normal nitrogen program: For this plot location, the program consists of 180 lbs. total nitrogen with 25 gal. 32% nitrogen applied preplant then 26 gal. 32% applied as a V3 sidedress. Program 2: Grower’s normal 180 lbs. nitrogen program (1) plus an additional 50 lbs. nitrogen. This treatment allows a grower to understand if their normal program under applied nitrogen. Program 3: Grower’s normal 180 lbs. nitrogen program (1) minus 50 lbs. nitrogen. This treatment allows a grower to understand if their normal program over applied nitrogen. Program 4: Grower’s 25 gal. 32% preplant nitrogen program while replacing the V3 sidedress with a later V10 26 gal. sidedress application applied with high-clearance tractor and nitrogen toolbar (Photo 1) Program 5: Growers 25 gal. preplant nitrogen program while replacing the V3 26 gal. 32% sidedress with a later V10 OptRx® variable rate nitrogen rate application applied with high-clearance tractor (Photo 2) OptRx Crop Sensors measure and record data about crops in real-time using the reflectance of light shined on growing plants. Sensors can be installed across an application boom to collect information while driving through the field.The data is logged and mapped to be used in further analysis or for real-time variable rate applications. The OptRx crop sensor helps growers apply nitrogen based on crop vigor. For example, the sensor tells the applicator to apply less nitrogen on healthy corn plants and more nitrogen on weaker, unhealthy corn plants, according to a calibration specific to that field. In addition, OptRx’s advanced light-sensing technology is not dependent on ambient light—offering maximum flexibility to be used day or night. Program 6: Grower’s 25 gal. 32% preplant nitrogen program while replacing the V3 26 gal. 32% sidedress with a later V10 dry urea sidedress applied with dry spinner truck (Photo 3). Urea sidedress has become a popular method of applying nitrogen in some parts of Beck’s marketing area. Dry 46-0-0 urea is applied with a spinner truck over top of corn during the growing season. The advantages with this system are that it is quick to apply and acres can be completed fast. The disadvantage with urea is its volatility, the loss of nitrogen as atmospheric gas when it converts to ammonia. Another concern is the possible crop injury from urea prills landing on leaf tissue and causing leaf burn. Program 7: Grower’s 25 gal. 32% preplant nitrogen program while replacing the V3 26 gal. 32% sidedress with a later V10 YDrop™ precision placement application (Photo 4 & 5). YDrop is a versatile system that can be installed on almost any spray machine and has the ability to precision place any liquid product within 2 - 3” of a crop row. Its unique design allows the ability to apply liquid products within the row at anytime throughout the season. In this study, we installed the YDrop on a New Holland SP275F high-clearance sprayer. The protocols in this particular study are constant, with exception to the grower’s normal nitrogen program which can change at each location trial site. Each treatment consists of the same total rate of nitrogen that the grower’s normal program consists of, with the exception of the OptRx treatment. This treatment variable rate applies nitrogen based upon plant needs. Nitrogen stabilizers were used all on treatments that did not incorporate nitrogen at each application, which consisted of the YDrop and urea sidedress. Factor®, a nitrogen stabilizer from Rosens, Inc., was used as a volatilization inhibitor to help protect nitrogen that was laid on the soil surface. This stabilizer protects from volatilization for up to 14 days, until rain occurs and incorporates nitrogen into the soil profile.

Scan the QR code to learn more about nitrogen management and the OptRx Sensor from Jason Webster, Beck’s CILPFR Director. 276 PFR Partners

BECK’S Nitrogen Management Study - Continued

Photo 1. Photo 2.

Photo 3. Photo 4.

Total Lbs. of Lbs. of Nitrogen Percent Bushels† Bu./A. Net^ Return on Treatment Nitrogen Savings Moisture Per Acre Difference Return Investment Grower’s Program: 25 gal. Preplant 180 0 19.0 208.9 ---- $1,002.06 ---- 32% f/b 26 gal. 32% Sidedress @ V3

Grower’s Program + 50 lbs. Nitrogen 230 +50 19.5 213.3 +4.4 $993.32 -$8.74

Grower’s Program - 50 lbs. Nitrogen 130 -50 19.6 189.9 -19.0 $931.96 -$70.10

Grower’s Program f/b High-Clearance 180 0 19.5 216.4 +7.5 $1,042.56 +$40.50 Sidedress @ V10 Grower’s Program f/b High-Clearance 162 -18 19.4 210.3 +1.4 $1,021.32 +$19.26 OptRx® Variable Rate Nitrogen @ V10 Grower’s Program f/b 198 lbs. High- 180 0 19.5 197.6 -11.3 $955.48 -$46.58 Clearance Urea Sidedress @ V10 Grower’s Program f/b High-Clearance 180 0 19.5 211.9 +3.0 $1,016.03 +$13.97 Ydrop™ Sidedress @ V10

†Bushels per acre corrected to 15% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Return on Investment is based on $5.40/Bu. corn and $411/ton 32% UAN. Verdict is a trademark of BASF. Durango is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. YDrop is a trademark of Ag Alternatives, Inc. OptRx is a registered trademark of Ag Leader Technology. 277 PFR Partners

BECK’S Nitrogen Management Study - Continued

Summary: In this study the grower’s normal program yielded higher than three of the six total nitrogen programs. The highest yielding program consisted of the V10 high-clearance sidedress, offering 7.5 Bu./A yield gains over the grower’s normal program. This, in turn, equated to higher net returns of $40.50/A. V10 sidedress application could be an efficient way of applying nitrogen when the corn plant requires high amounts of nitrogen, as well as reducing the risk for nitrogen losses such as denitrification and leaching that could be associated with early nitrogen applications. OptRx variable rate nitrogen treatments yielded within 1.4 Bu./A of the grower’s program, but required 18 lbs. less nitrogen which allowed for increased overall net returns of $19.26/A. This is our first test of the OptRx system as a part of a nitrogen management program. These individual trial results are exciting to see, as the OptRx recommended lowered rates of nitrogen, without sustaining overall yield losses. More research needs to be collected to fully evaluate the performance of OptRx sensors in our PFR Partner Program, but if these results continue it would be, not only advantageous on an agronomic basis, but environmentally and economically as well. In the nitrogen placement aspect of our study, YDrop applications yielded similarly to the growers normal nitrogen program, yielding within 3.0 Bu/A. and $13.97/A. additional net returns. YDrop precision placement could be an overall effective tool for sidedressing and is better than dribble type nitrogen application since it applies the fertilizer at the base of plant, or even between each plant. This helps get the product closer to the root zone and decreases the amount of rainfall needed to incorporate it into the soil. Applying 50 lbs. additional nitrogen over and above the growers program did increase yields by 4.4 Bu./A., but failed to offer a positive net return. 50 lbs. less nitrogen wreaked havoc on yields, lowering them by 19 Bu./A. with negative net returns of $70.00/A. This also indicates the grower’s normal nitrogen rate of 180 lbs. did not over-apply or under-apply nitrogen, as that rate of nitrogen performed better than both the 50 lbs. higher and 50 lbs. lower rates. The dry urea treatment offered yield decreases of 11.3 Bu./A. and net losses of $46.58/A. compared to the growers program. It is unclear why the urea performed as badly as it did, especially since rainfall of 0.5” was received within 24 hours of the application. This particular nitrogen trial is one of many of its kind involved in Beck’s PFR Partner Program. However, at publishing time very little yield data had been received to calculate all of the location yields. In future weeks, a completed PFR Partner Summary of yields will be published and be available for viewing. Thank you to all PFR Partners who participated in this study and we look forward to seeing the overall results of each nitrogen treatment, as well as, how it compares to growers’ normal nitrogen rates.

Photo 5.

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BECK’S Site-Specific, Multi-Variety Soybean Planting Study - 2013 One of the newest projects Beck’s PFR team has been researching involves the concept of site-specific soybean variety placement. At Beck’s Hybrids, we are passionate about recommending the right product for our customer’s soil types. This past year at the Central Illinois Practical Farm Research Center we introduced for the first time, site-specific, multi-variety soybean planting.e W have been testing site-specific, multi-hybrid corn planting for the past two years and thought it would be prudent to also evaluate this same concept in soybeans. The premise with this agronomic trial is designed to automatically change soybean varieties on the fly as we plant through varying soil type changes or management zones. The goal of this study is two-fold: 1. Evaluate any yield advantages of multi-variety soybean planting on various soil types or management zones. The general concept is to plant a more “offensive” soybean variety on the highest productivity areas and a more “defensive” soybean variety on soils that are prone to higher degrees of crop stress. 2. Evaluate the Economic Optimum Seeding Rate (EOSR) for various soil types or zones. This study will analyze seeding rate populations of 130,000, 165,000 and 200,000 in each of high and low productivity yielding areas within a field. Photo 1 shows a picture of Beck’s site-specific, multi-variety soybean planter. Beck’s Hybrids partnered with Kinze Manufacturing and transformed a 3600 Twin Row planter that can be loaded with two soybean varieties and then plant each variety in the appropriate areas within a field. Photo 2 illustrates the transition in soybean variety placement that the twin row format allows. Site-specific variety and seeding rate prescription files can be imported into an onboard computer, in this case an AgLeader® Integra controller with SeedCommand™. The combination of this planter and GIS equipment allowed us the ability to effectively change soybean varieties automatically throughout the field. Management zones are a key component of this site-specific, multi-variety soybean planting system. Knowing where to plant each variety and at what population is a difficult task for a grower. Developing long-term yield data is helpful in determining where variations in yield are at on a spatial basis within a given field. GPS yield monitor data is probably the best data to use, but soil type (Figure 1) and/or other management zone creations can also be made to develop prescription files for multi-variety soybean planting.

Photo 1. Photo 2.

Scan the QR code to see Beck’s site-specific, multi-variety soybean study in the field. Jason Webster, Beck’s CILPFR Director explains the project and shows soybean varieties changing within the field.

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BECK’S Site-Specific, Multi-Variety Soybean Planting Study - Continued

Corn Soybean Label Name Slope Drainage Yield Yield Somewhat 146A Elliot Silt Loam 0 - 2% Poor 151 50 Elliot Silty Clay Somewhat 146B2 Loam 2 - 4% Poor 143 48 Moderately 223B2 Varna Silt Loam 2 - 4% eroded Well 135 43 4 - 6% slope Moderately 223C2 Varna Silt Loam eroded Well 133 42 Ashkum Silty Clay 232A Loam 0 - 2% Poor 154 51

Figure 1 is a farm in Ford County, Illinois where CILPFR conducted site-specific, multi-variety planting research. This farm has a variety of soil types and slopes that are quite contrasting. 232A is an Ashkum silty clay loam that generally is the highest yielding area of the farm. It has higher water holding capacity, higher organic matter and typically produces great yields. 146B2 is an Elliot silty clay loam with up to 4% slopes and 223B2-C2 is a Varna silt loam with up to 6% slopes. These are lower water holding capacity soils, lower in organic matter and generally are the lowest yielding areas of the farm. After evaluating these production areas, a variable rate prescription was developed to determine soybean variety placement, as well as seeding rates for each variety in the field. Two soybean varieties were chosen for this field including Beck 335NR™* and BECK 294NR™*. Beck 294NR™* was chosen as the soybean variety for lower productive soils, as it is a more “defensive” variety with great emergence and taller height to help achieve more effective canopy closure on tougher soil types. Beck 335NR™* was chosen as the “offensive” variety and was placed in the higher productive soils in an effort to achieve higher yields. Finally, “educational blocks” were also developed as a control method to help evaluate if the intended variety and seeding rate was, in fact, the correct placement and/or population. These “educational blocks” evaluated both soybean varieties in each management zone and Figure 1. GPS Soil Type Map compared various seeding rates within those same zones. Figure 2 illustrates the prescription files that were used for this project.

Site-Specific, Multi-Variety / Seeding Rate Prescription Table 1 illustrates the yield results for the multi-variety Figure 2. soybean planting study. Yields were increased by an average of 2.8 Bu./A in high productivity yield Seeding Rate zones and 3.7 Bu./A. in low productivity yield zones. 187,500 - 200,000 Changing to a more offensive variety in high productive 170,000 - 187,500 soils, increased net returns by $35.42/A. Changing 157,500 - 170,000 to a defensive type variety in low productivity soils 140,000 - 157,500 increased revenue by $46.81/A. More research needs 130,000 - 140,000 to be done to evaluate the practice of site-specific, multi-variety soybean planting. Beck’s Practical Farm Research Program looks forward to testing various soybean varieties in the future to help growers choose the best product for their particular soil types. While this technology is in its infancy, it is imperative that growers start to develop management zones in their fields as soon as possible so that they are ready for this technology if and when it becomes available in the future. Table 2 showcases the results of our efforts in variable seeding rates of soybeans across multiple yield environments. Beck 335NR™*, our offensive soybean Defensive Variety Offensive Variety for this study, revealed that in high productivity yield BECK 294NR™* BECK 335NR™* zones, low populations of 130,000 seeds/A. achieved 280 PFR Partners

BECK’S Site-Specific, Multi-Variety Soybean Planting Study - Continued economic optimum seeding rate. As seeding rates were increased, yields actually decreased and in turn, caused lower net returns. When this same soybean was placed in low productivity yield zones, higher seeding rates of 165,000 seeds/A. were needed for highest yields as well as economic optimum seeding rate. Our defensive soybean in Beck 294NR™* responded a little differently in the fact that it needed the highest population of 200,000 seeds/A. in low productivity yield zones to achieve not only highest yields, but also economic optimum seeding rate. As soils turned to higher productivity yield zones, conversely to Beck 335NR™*, higher seeding rates were also needed for higher yields. Both the 165,000 and 200,000 seeding rates increased yields by 4.5 to 11.4 Bu./A. respectively, compared to the low seeding rate of just 130,000 seeds/A.

Site-Specific Multi-Variety Soybean Summary Table 1. Low Productivity Yield Zone High Productivity Yield Zone Return on Return on Brand Yield Winner Investment Brand Yield Winner Investment Beck 294NR™* Beck 294NR™* +3.7 Bu./A. +$46.81/A. ------(Defense) (Defense) Beck 335NR™* Beck 335NR™* ------+2.8 Bu./A. +$35.42/A. (Offense) (Offense)

Variable Seeding Rate Summary Table 2. Defensive Soybean Variety BECK 294NR™* Defensive Soybean Variety BECK 294NR™* Low Productivity Soil Zones High Productivity Soil Zones Bushels† Net^ Bushels† Net^ Population Per Acre Return Population Per Acre Return 130,000 48.6 $566.05 130,000 55.9 $658.40 165,000 46.6 $527.63 165,000 67.3 $789.49 200,000 52.4 $587.88 200,000 60.4 $689.08

Offensive Soybean Variety BECK 335NR™* Offensive Soybean Variety BECK 335NR™* Low Productivity Soil Zones High Productivity Soil Zones Bushels† Net^ Bushels† Net^ Population Per Acre Return Population Per Acre Return 130,000 41.0 $469.01 130,000 71.4 $853.57 165,000 53.8 $617.57 165,000 60.1 $697.27 200,000 36.2 $381.57 200,000 56.8 $642.16 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *XL® brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL® is a registered trademark of DuPont Pioneer. ^Net return is based on $12.65/Bu. soybeans and $48.74/unit seed cost for BECK 294NR™* and $49.54/unit seed cost for BECK 335NR™*

In summary, this study did reveal that both soybean varieties required lower seeding rates in “offensive” yield zones and higher seeding rates in “defensive” yield zones in achieving economic optimum seeding rates. This is in fact how we expected soybean seeding rates to vary across contrasting yield environments. However, more research needs to be conducted to monitor this theory and to fine-tune actual seeding rate selections. With only one year of data evaluating site-specific multi-variety, soybean planting, it’s hard to make any solid conclusions at this time. To fully understand the value of this system we need multiple years of data, as well as improved knowledge of how soybean varieties react in various growing environments. Now that we have the ability to use precision based multi-variety planters, it could give us the capabilities to possibly understand how to increase yields as well as profitability in soybean production. 281 Central Illinois Wheat

BECK’S Wheat Show Plot - 2013

Planted: October 15, 2012 Previous Crop: Soybeans Harvested: July 10, 2013 Tillage: Vertical Population: 1.5 million seeds/A. Fertilizer: 100 lbs. Nitrogen, top-dress, March 1, 2013 Rows: Thirty, 7.5" rows Insecticide: Escalate® Replications: Two (averaged)

Test Percent Bushels† Yield Rank Brand Weight Moisture Per Acre 1 BECK 120 56.9 14.5 70.3 2 BECK 129 56.9 14.8 69.2 3 BECK 129 + 2 lbs. GroundHog™ Radish 56.9 14.7 67.2 4 BECK 135 56.9 14.9 66.9 5 BECK 113 57.0 14.1 65.1 6 BECK 87 57.0 13.6 60.8 AVERAGE 56.9 14.4 66.6 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. GroundHog is a trademark of Ampac Seed Company.

Southern Illinois Wheat

BECK’S Fungicide Study - 2013

Planted: October 13, 2012 Previous Crop: Soybeans Harvested: June 28, 2013 Tillage: Vertical Population: 1.5 million seeds/A. Herbicide: 0.9 oz. Harmony® Extra SG Rows: Twenty-four, 7.5” rows Insecticide: Escalate® Replications: Eight (averaged) Product Tested: BECK 135

Purpose: This study evaluated the use of Prosaro® fungicide, applied at early flowering, to reduce fusarium infection and improve yield.

Wheat Fungicide Study - 2012 Dry Test Percent Bushels† Bu/A. Economic Treatment Timing Weight Moisture Per Acre Advantage Advantage Prosaro® Early Flower 58.1 14.5 65.4 + 3.6 +$4.38 Control ---- 58.3 14.2 61.8 ------

†Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. Harmony is a registered trademark of DuPont. Prosaro is a registered trademark of Bayer CropScience.

Summary: Wet conditions during flowering favor the development of the fusarium fungus (head scab). The SILPFR site experienced extremely wet conditions leading up to, and following flowering, with moderate moisture during flowering.The application of Prosaro returned an additional 3.6 Bu./A., with a net economic return of $4.38/A.

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BECK’S Nitrogen Rate Study - 2013

Planted: October 12, 2012 Previous Crop: Soybeans Harvested: June 29, 2013 Tillage: Vertical Population: 1.4 million seeds/A. Herbicide: 0.9 oz. Harmony® Extra SG Rows: Twenty-four, 7.5” rows Fungicide: 6.5 oz. Prosaro® Replications: Two (averaged) Insecticide: Escalate®

Purpose: This study is find to discover the economic optimum nitrogen rate (EONR),All treatments received 30 lbs. nitrogen/A. in the fall and spring applications. With the exception of Program 1, all other programs received split shots of 28% UAN solution between Feekes 3 and Feekes 5 growth stages to meet the total spring applied nitrogen for each program. The Feekes 5 applications were also treated with Agrotain® Plus.

Nitrogen Program 1 Nitrogen Program 2 Nitrogen Program 3 Fall Feekes 3 Feekes 5 Total Spring Fall Feekes 3 Feekes 5 Total Spring Fall Feekes 3 Feekes 5 Total Spring 30 lbs. N. 40 lbs. N. 0 lbs. N. 40 lbs. N. 30 lbs. N. 40 lbs. N. 25 lbs. N. 65 lbs. N. 30 lbs. N. 40 lbs. N. 50 lbs. N. 90 lbs. N. Test Percent Net^ Test Percent Net^ Test Percent Net^ Brand Weight Moisture Bu./A.† Return Weight Moisture Bu./A.† Return Weight Moisture Bu./A.† Return

BECK 113 57.9 14.8 61.0 $450.84 58.0 14.7 72.0 $515.27 57.9 14.9 76.6 $535.22 BECK 120 58.5 13.8 61.0 $450.84 58.4 13.9 71.7 $512.93 58.1 14.5 70.8 $489.92 BECK 129 57.2 15.9 61.0 $450.84 57.1 16.1 73.6 $527.77 56.6 17.3 72.0 $499.29 BECK 135 57.5 15.5 65.8 $488.33 57.3 15.8 74.6 $535.58 56.9 16.8 72.7 $504.76 Avg 57.8 15.0 62.2 $460.21 57.7 15.1 73.0 $523.08 57.4 15.9 73.0 $507.10

Nitrogen Program 4 Nitrogen Program 5 Fall Feekes 3 Feekes 5 Total Spring Fall Feekes 3 Feekes 5 Total Spring 30 lbs. N. 40 lbs. N. 75 lbs. N. 115 lbs. N. 30 lbs. N. 40 lbs. N. 100 lbs. N. 140 lbs. N. Test Percent Net^ Test Percent Net^ Brand Weight Moisture Bu./A.† Return Weight Moisture Bu./A.† Return

BECK 113 57.9 15.0 80.2 $547.34 58.3 14.8 82.5 $549.33 BECK 120 58.5 13.9 77.8 $528.60 58.4 14.1 79.8 $528.24 BECK 129 56.8 16.8 80.6 $550.47 56.6 17.3 82.7 $550.89 BECK 135 57.4 15.7 78.0 $530.16 56.9 16.8 82.9 $552.45 Avg 57.6 15.3 79.2 $539.53 57.6 15.7 82.0 $545.42

†Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *Net return calculated using $7.81/Bu. price for wheat less cost of nitrogen each application. Prosaro is a registered trademark of Bayer CropScience. Harmony Extra SG is a registered trademark of DuPont.

Summary: This year the results of the study showed that across the average of the 4 varieties, 140 lbs. of spring applied nitrogen was the EONR. With an exceptionally wet spring, it is not surprising that we saw the highest rate of applied nitrogen provide the highest profitability. Looking at the varieties individually, only BECK 120 showed a smaller profitability at the highest nitrogen rate.

283 Southern Illinois Wheat

BECK’S Nitrogen Timing Study - 2013

Planted: October 12, 2012 Previous Crop: Soybeans Harvested: June 29, 2013 Tillage: Vertical Population: 1.4 million seeds/A. Herbicide: 0.9 oz. Harmony® Extra SG Replications: Two (averaged) Fungicide: 6.5 oz. Prosaro® Insecticide: Escalate®

Purpose: This study is set up to evaluate different timing applications on two varieties. Some treatments also include the use of a nitrogen stabilizer/inhibitor products. Each treatment received 30 lbs. nitrogen/A. in the form of 11-52-00 in the fall followed by various timings and forms to bring the total of spring applied nitrogen to 100 lbs./A.

Application Timing BECK 120 Percent Test Net Fall Nitrogen Feekes 3 Feekes 5 Bu./A.† Moisture Weight Return 100 lbs. N as UAN 61.1 13.9 58.5 $407.76 100 lbs. N as UAN + Agrotain® Plus 63.5 13.8 58.6 $415.80 100 lbs. N as ESN 78.9 13.9 58.5 $538.49 100 lbs. N as UAN + Agrotain Plus 63.9 14.2 58.3 $418.92 100 lbs. N as UAN 65.5 13.9 58.6 $442.13 100 lbs. N as Urea 78.4 14.2 58.5 $544.84 100 lbs. N as SuperU 84.2 14.0 58.5 $573.30 100 lbs. N as UAN + Instinct™ 65.6 14.2 58.3 $432.25 100 lbs. N as ESN 72.2 14.0 58.5 $486.16 40 lbs. N as UAN 60 lbs. N as UAN 68.9 14.0 58.5 $463.18 40 lbs. N as Urea 60 lbs. N as Urea 86.2 14.0 58.5 $600.26 40 lbs. N as UAN 60 lbs. N as UAN + Agrotain Plus 69.4 14.0 58.5 $460.65 40 lbs. N as UAN 60 lbs. N as UAN + Instinct 65.1 13.9 58.6 $422.84 100 lbs. as UAN + Instinct 70.4 14.0 58.5 $469.73 100 lbs. UAN + Agrotain Plus 71.9 14.1 58.5 $481.40 AVERAGE 69.2 14.1 58.5

284 Southern Illinois Wheat

BECK’S Nitrogen Timing - Continued

BECK 113 Percent Test Net Fall Nitrogen Feekes 3 Feekes 5 Bu./A.† Moisture Weight Return 100 lbs. N as UAN 63.6 14.1 58.5 $427.29 100 lbs. N as UAN + Agrotain® Plus 62.4 14.1 58.4 $407.20 100 lbs. N as ESN 74.0 14.6 58.2 $500.22 100 lbs. N as UAN + Agrotain Plus 68.6 14.4 58.3 $455.63 100 lbs. N as UAN 63.1 14.5 58.2 $423.38 100 lbs. N as Urea 82.0 14.6 58.3 $572.96 100 lbs. N as SuperU® 82.0 14.4 58.4 $556.12 100 lbs. N as UAN + Instinct™ 62.5 14.5 58.2 $477.47 100 lbs. N as ESN 68.6 14.5 58.2 $458.05 40 lbs. N as UAN 60 lbs. N as UAN 69.5 14.6 58.2 $467.87 40 lbs. N as Urea 60 lbs. N as Urea 85.8 14.5 58.2 $597.14 40 lbs. N as UAN 60 lbs. N as UAN + Agrotain Plus 67.2 14.4 58.3 $443.47 40 lbs. N as UAN 60 lbs. N as UAN + Instinct 70.0 14.4 58.4 $461.11 100 lbs. as UAN + Instinct 70.6 14.4 58.4 $471.30 100 lbs. UAN + Agrotain Plus 69.1 14.2 58.5 $459.53 AVERAGE 70.6 14.4 58.3 †Bushels per acre corrected to 13% moisture. *Net return calculated using $7.81/Bu. price for wheat minus the cost of nitrogen for each application. Prosaro is a registered trademark of Bayer CropScience. Harmony is a registered trademark of DuPont. Agrotain is a registered trademark of Koch Agronomic Services, LLC. SuperU is a registered trademark of AGROTAIN International, LLC. ESN is a registered trademark owned by Agrium Inc. Instinct is a trademark of Dow AgroSciences.

Summary: Fall Application: Out of the fall applications that were all made as a single pass, the ESN treatment provided the highest net return of the 3 fall treatments that were evaluated. The 2 variety average for all fall applications showed a $449.46/A. net return which is the lowest of the 4 timings. 100% Feekes 3 Application: The Feekes 3 application is normally when the early season nitrogen applications are made to enhance tillering. This year’s results showed a clear advantage to the urea forms of nitrogen over the UAN formulations, with the highest return coming in at $558.90/A. across the two varieties from straight urea without nitrogen stabilizers. The average of all 100% Feekes 3 applications is $486.77/A., which is the second highest of the four timings. 100% Feekes 5 Application: Typically the Feekes 5 time frame is referred to as being the optimal time to topdress nitrogen. However, these applications can sometimes be the toughest to make due to potential weather and/or soil conditions. The overall average of the 100% Feekes 5 application is $470.49/A. which is less profitable than the Feekes 3 100% application timing. 40/60 Split Application: The split application method is an approach that typically involves applying part of the nitrogen at the Feekes 3 growth stage and the other part at the Feekes 5 growth stage. Although it creates two passes across the field, 2013 results from this study show it to be the most profitable timing of the 4 tested.This approach involved applying 40 lbs. nitrogen/A. at the Feekes 3 time frame and was followed by an application of 60 lbs. nitrogen/A. at the Feekes 5 time frame. The two variety average of straight urea at a net return of $598.70/A. The average of the split application timing proved to be the most profitable program with a net return of $489.56/A.

285 Southern Illinois Wheat

BECK’S Herbicide Study - 2013

Rep. 1: Corn Planted: October 12, 2012 Previous Crop: Rep. 2: Soybeans Harvested: June 28, 2013 Tillage: Vertical Population: 1.4 million seeds/A. Herbicide: Fall applied various Replications: Two (averaged) Fungicide: 6.5 oz. Prosaro®

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate potential yield gains or losses from using fall applied post-emergence wheat herbicides. Seven labeled herbicides were evaluated on five Beck wheat varieties. Replication 1 followed corn and replication 2 followed soybeans for this study.

BECK 87 BECK 113 BECK 120 Test Percent Net^ Test Percent Net^ Test Percent Net^ Herbicide Weight Moisture Bu./A.† Return Weight Moisture Bu./A.† Return Weight Moisture Bu./A.† Return

Control 58.4 14.7 77.2 $597.43 58.0 15.3 80.1 $620.08 57.9 14.8 86.3 $668.50

Finesse® 55.6 17.3 68.2 $520.74 57.4 16.1 69.5 $530.90 57.9 15.0 71.6 $547.30

Metribuzin 58.4 14.7 85.8 $661.66 57.4 15.9 78.8 $606.99 58.0 14.8 78.0 $600.74

Harmony® Extra SG 58.3 14.7 77.9 $573.49 57.3 16.1 71.1 $520.38 58.3 14.5 72.4 $530.53

Olympus Flex® 58.2 14.9 75.2 $567.41 57.5 15.8 77.0 $581.47 58.0 14.7 78.3 $591.62

PowerFlex® 58.3 14.8 82.6 $627.74 57.3 16.1 72.5 $548.86 58.0 14.8 82.3 $625.39

Dicamba 58.2 14.9 78.9 $608.67 57.5 15.7 73.3 $564.93 58.0 14.7 78.2 $603.20

Prowl H2O® 58.4 14.7 79.0 $602.74 57.6 15.5 76.5 $583.22 58.1 14.6 79.5 $606.65

Average 58.0 15.1 78.1 $594.99 57.5 15.8 74.9 $569.60 58.0 14.7 78.3 $596.74

BECK 129 BECK 135 5 Variety Average Test Percent Net^ Test Percent Net^ Test Percent Net^ Herbicide Weight Moisture Bu./A.† Return Weight Moisture Bu./A.† Return Weight Moisture Bu./A.† Return

Control 56.6 17.8 73.9 $571.66 56.9 16.9 81.5 $631.02 57.6 15.9 79.8 $617.74

Finesse® 56.9 17.6 69.9 $534.02 56.6 17.5 73.2 $559.79 56.9 16.7 70.5 $538.55

Metribuzin 56.6 17.5 82.9 $639.01 56.9 16.9 85.0 $655.41 58.5 16.0 82.1 $632.76

Harmony® Extra SG 56.2 18.7 76.5 $562.56 56.9 17.0 78.0 $574.27 57.4 16.2 75.2 $552.25

Olympus Flex® 56.5 17.8 78.2 $590.84 57.0 16.8 85.6 $648.64 57.4 16.0 78.9 $596.00

PowerFlex® 56.5 18.2 84.2 $640.23 56.6 17.9 80.4 $610.55 57.3 16.4 80.4 $610.55

Dicamba 56.5 17.8 80.7 $622.73 57.3 16.6 76.1 $586.80 57.5 15.9 77.4 $597.27

Prowl H2O® 56.7 17.3 80.4 $613.67 57.0 16.7 84.0 $641.79 57.6 15.8 79.9 $609.61

Average 56.6 17.8 78.3 $596.84 56.9 17.0 80.5 $613.53 57.5 16.1 78.0 $594.34

†Bushels per acre and test weight were corrected to 13% moisture. *Net return calculated using $7.81/Bu. price for wheat minus the cost of herbicide and application cost for each treatment. Prosaro is a registered trademark of Bayer CropScience. Finesse and Harmony Extra SG are registered trademarks of DuPont. Olympus Flex is a registered trademark of Bayer Cropscience LP. PowerFlex is a registered trademark of Dow Agrosciences LLC. Prowl H2O is a registered trademark of BASF Corporations. 286 Southern Illinois Wheat

BECK’S Herbicide Study - Continued

Summary: This study showed that there could be yield penalties associated with some of the selected products. This study also revealed that wheat varieties react differently to fall applied herbicides. The herbicide Metribuzin yielded 2.3 bushels above the control and showed an increase of $15.02/A. The rest of the herbicides used in this study proved to be more costly than beneficial to apply in the fall compared to the control. Although this is the first year for this study, it does demonstrate that fall herbicide selections should be made with a careful consideration of what effect the chemistry might have on yield potential and not just based on weed pressure alone.

BECK’S High Yield Attempt - 2013

Planted: October 13, 2012 Previous Crop: Soybeans Harvested: June 29, 2013 Tillage: Vertical Population: 1.5 million seeds/A. Herbicide: 0.9 oz. Harmony® Extra SG Rows: Twenty-four 7.5” rows Fungicide: 6.5 oz. Prosaro® Replications: Two (averaged) Insecticide: Escalate®

Purpose: High Yield Program This study was an attempt to achieve the highest Seeding Rate: 1.5 million seeds/A. yield possible, using proven wheat management techniques. In addition, this study was planted Nitrogen Rate: 30 lbs. Nitrogen Fall 2012 as 11-52-0 on a long-term gypsum study area, giving us the 50 lbs. Nitrogen as UAN Feekes 3 ® opportunity to evaluate any yield response to 80 lbs. Nitrogen as UAN + Agrotain Plus @ Feekes 5 gypsum treatments. Herbicide: Spring applied 0.9 oz. Harmony® Extra SG Fungicide: Prosaro® @ early flower Foliar Applications: Fall applied Soil Plus II™ @ 1 qt. Fall applied Mpact® @ 12.8 oz.

Dry Test Percent Bushels† Management Practice Weight Moisture Per Acre High Yield Program + Gypsum — 3 years BECK 120 58.2 14.3 83.6 BECK 135 57.0 16.5 91.4 AVERAGE 57.6 15.4 87.5 High Yield Program BECK 120 58.3 14.1 84.2 BECK 135 57.1 16.1 91.5 AVERAGE 57.7 15.1 87.8 †Bushels per acre and test weight were corrected to 13% moisture. Prosaro is a registered trademark of Bayer CropScience. Agrotain is a registered trademark of Koch Agronomic Services, LLC. Harmony is a registered trademark of DuPont. Soil Plus II is a trademark of Cropchem Research, Inc. Mpact is a registered trademark of Enviro Products Corp. Prosaro is a registered trademark of Bayer CropScience.

Summary: While this study did not include a control, it did yield approximately 12 Bu./A. above the average yield of all SILPFR studies, and this shows that attention to wheat management can return significant yield advantages. The three year gypsum treated area yielded 0.3 bushels less that the non-gypsum area. This lack of yield response agrees with our long-term corn and soybean studies, in which gypsum has not shown a yield response in our soils at Neoga, IL.

287 seed: technologies

Herbicide In-Plant Insect Protection (not including seed treatments) Tolerance Beck’s Export Technology Logos Descriptor Notice Glyphosate Liberty ECB CRW BCW WBC SWCB FAW SB CEW DCW

® Roundup Ready Corn 2 RR ** x

® LibertyLink LL * x

® Agrisure GT RR/GT * x

® Agrisure CB/LL Bt1 * x x x S SS

AgrisureViptera 3110 VR * x x x x x x x x x x

® Agrisure 3000GT A3 * x x x x x SSS

Agrisure Viptera 3111 A4 * x xxxxxxxxxx

TM Agrisure 3122 E-Z Refuge EZ * x x x x x x x x S

® Herculex I Insect Protection Hx1 * x x x x x x x S Herculex®I Insect Protection ® HR w/ Roundup Ready Corn 2 * x x x x x x x x S

Herculex® XTRA Insect Protection ® HXR w/ Roundup Ready Corn 2 * x x x x x x x x x S

Optimum® AcreMax® AM-R insect protection * x x x x x x x S Optimum® AcreMax® AM insect protection * x x x x x x x x S

Optimum® AcreMax® Xtra AMX-R insect protection * x x x x x x x x S

Optimum® AcreMax® Xtra AMX insect protection * x x x x x x x x x S

Optimum® AcreMax® XTreme AMXT insect protection * x x x x x x x x x S

x = Control S = Suppression / Intermediate Protection (Partial protection depending on the development stage of the plant when insects infest the plant.) ECB = European Corn Borer CRW = Protection Against: Western Corn Rootworm, Northern Corn Rootworm, Mexican Corn Rootworm BCW = Black Cutworm WBC = Western Bean Cutworm SWCB = Southwestern Corn Borer FAW = Fall Armyworm SB = Stalk Borer CEW = Corn Earworm DCW = Dingy Cutworm

™ ® ™ Phoenix is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. *XL brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. Phoenix Phoenix™ brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc. XL®,is a trademark of DuPont Pioneer.

Export Approval Notice *Although fully approved in the United States, Canada and Japan, grain and certain grain by-products from THESE HYBRIDS MAY NOT BE APPROVED for all markets. Customers are advised to discuss trait acceptance policies with their local grain handler prior to delivering grain containing biotech traits. **Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. This product has been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Biotechnology Industry Organization. B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your seed representative for the registration status in your state. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Roundup PowerMAX®, Roundup Ready 2 Technology and Design®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup®, ®YieldGard, and the YieldGard Corn Borer Design are registered trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Respect the Refuge and Corn Design® and Respect the Refuge® are registered trademarks of National Corn Growers Association. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Liberty®, LibertyLink®, the Water Droplet logo, PONCHO and VOTiVO are registered trademarks of Bayer. Liberty is not registered in all states. Herculex® Insect Protection technology by Dow AgroSciences and DuPont Pioneer. ®Herculex and the Herculex Shield Logo are registered trademarks of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Optimum® AcreMax® and Optimum® AcreMax® XTreme insect protection system available through the XL® brand. XL®, Optimum® and AcreMax® are trademarks of Pioneer. XL® is distributed by Beck’s Hybrids. Herculex®I, Herculex®RW and Herculex®XTRA trait products’ availability are subject to re-registration by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Roundup Ready® is a registered trademark used under license from Monsanto Company. Agrisure®, Agrisure Viptera®, Phoenix and E-Z Refuge™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Agrisure® Technology incorporated into these seeds is commercialized under license from Syngenta Seeds, Inc. Herculex® Technology incorporated into these seeds is commercialized under license from Dow AgroSciences LLC. For more information, visit www.agrisuretraits.com. Trademark Statement Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Always read and follow label instructions. Bayer (reg’d), the Bayer Cross (reg’d), Liberty®, LibertyLink®, Respect the Rotation™ and the Water Droplet Design (reg’d) are trademarks of Bayer. Liberty is not registered in all states. For additional product information call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our website at www.BayerCropScience.us.

Seed Technologies Chart revised May 2013