Deltapine Kicks Off NPE Program’s 17th Season
Five Bollgard 3 ThryvOn cotton with XtendFlex Technology (B3TXF) and four Bollgard 3 XtendFlex (B3XF) cotton variety candidates will be evaluated by New Product Evaluators growers this seasonfor the Class of ’25.
The lineup includes candidates with a range of maturities and native trait tolerances to reniform nematode, root-knot nematode and bacterial blight.
“There are a lot of things we are excited about in this Class of ’25 variety candidate lineup across all growing regions that includes genetics with strong yield potential and a range of native traits that our NPE growers have asked for,” said Eric Best, Deltapine cotton product manager.
Deltapine continues to work on bringing high-performing genetics and more ranges of maturities in the B3TXF trait platform to build on the success of recent variety releases, including DP 2414 B3TXF and DP 2328 B3TXF.
This year’s B3TXF variety candidates include products in more maturities and nematode resistance. The B3XF variety candidates being evaluated offer strong-yielding genetics in line with recent Deltapine releases, including DP 2127 B3XF and DP 2333 B3XF.
NPE growers located across the Cotton Belt will plant and manage variety candidates in their own growing systems and conditions.
Their feedback throughout the season and final yield and quality results will help determine which of the nine candidates have the proven performance worthy enough to make it into the Deltapine Class of ’25 for planting next season.
“The NPE Program began in 2008 as a way of identifying the best genetics to bring to market in a Deltapine bag, and now each new class of Deltapine varieties brings to the market improved yield potential and improved agronomics based on feedback from NPE growers,” Best said.
“The program has become an industry-trusted cotton variety commercialization program, and we look to continue raising the performance bar in cotton with our NPE growers and the Class of ’25,” Best said.
Nutrien Acquires New Biocontrol Technology
Nutrien Ag Solutions announces the acquisition of Suncor Energy’s AgroScience assets, which consists of several patented and patent-pending technologies in the area of biocontrol. This new biocontrol technology is expected to introduce chlorin-based photosensitizer to the global market as a biocontrol solution for integrated pest management (IPM).
The acquisition is aligned with Nutrien Ag Solutions’ strategy to invest in novel, patented and effective biocontrol technologies through its Loveland Products business. The proprietary technology for use in the global agriculture industry aims to offer a new mode of action, plus advantages in resistance management. Categorized as a biocontrol tool, research and field-trial data show the technology as having market-competing potential in delivering efficacy, stability and economic value comparable to traditional synthetic crop protection inputs.
“As the biocontrol market grows, we believe farmers will increasingly demand bio-based solutions that work within existing management practices to achieve bottom-line benefits in yield and efficiency and support efforts to improve sustainability,” said Casey McDaniel, vice president of Loveland Products.
“We believe that biologicals are important next-step tools for elevating the potential in every field. In the coming months and years, we aim to bring more of these types of offerings to market under the Loveland brand or partner brands for farmers of all scales and in all geographies.”
The new chlorin-based photosensitizer formulations are expected to launch in certain global markets by 2025.
Product submissions to the EPA in the United States are anticipated by 2026. Nutrien Ag Solutions plans to market these products as part of the Loveland Products portfolio.
2024 Milan No-Till Field Day Announces Event Program
The program for the 33rd Milan No-Till Field Day has been announced, with topics such as pesticide restrictions, herbicide-resistant weeds and climate-smart agriculture headlining this year’s event.
Hosted on Thursday, July 25, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the AgResearch and Education Center at Milan, participants will be able to attend 15 different tours discussing no-till farming.
Each tour will be led by up to seven speakers from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture and other organizations across the Mid-South. Topics will include:
■ No-Till Corn Production.
■ No-Till Cotton Production.
■ No-Till Soybean Production.
■ Update on Pesticide Labels and History of the Endangered Species Act (ESA); Georgia’s Work on Pesticide Use Limitation Areas for Endangered Species.
■ Herbicide-Resistant Weed Management.
■ Impacts of ThryvOn Technology on Economically Important Insects in Cotton.
■ Crop Water Management.
■ Cover Crops: Current and Future Trends.
■ Climate-Smart Agriculture and Soil Health.
■ Hemp Production.
■ Ag Water Treatment: Navigating the Produce Safety Rule.
■ The Ongoing Transformation of UT AgResearch Centers Through American Rescue Plan Funding.
■ Soil Fertility Management.
■ Soil-Borne Soybean Diseases.
“While the fundamental components of no-till have remained the same, new challenges arise,” said Blake Brown, director of the AgResearch and Education Center at Milan. “Our highly anticipated field day provides research-based information to help farmers succeed in this ever-changing industry.”
Certified Crop Adviser and pesticide recertification points will be offered.
The AgResearch and Education Center at Milan is located at 3A Ledbetter Gate Road in Milan, Tennessee. Sponsorships and exhibitor spots are currently being offered. Contact LesLee Smelser at 731-686-7362 for more information.
Record Heat Tests California Worker Safety Measures
According to the Californa Farm Bureau, over the past two decades, heat illness awareness and prevention has become a major focus for California farms that rely on workers to harvest crops and perform other essential work during the hottest months of the year.
Farmers and farm labor safety experts in California said heat-illness awareness and preparedness have evolved since the state established the nation’s first heat-safety law for outdoor workers in 2005.
Outdoor workers must have access to water, shade and rest when the temperature rises above 80 degrees Fahrenheit. When it hits 95 degrees, more frequent breaks are required.
Required Certifications And Licenses For Remotely Piloted Spray Drones
Spray drones, officially known as Remotely Piloted Aerial Application Systems (RPAAS) are here and increasingly a common sight in our production fields. These aircraft can treat areas that are otherwise difficult to access by traditional manned equipment and do it semi-AI person flying a drone beside a corn field autonomously.
While this technology represents a significant step forward in on-farm automation, currently, there is always a pilot/applicator nearby, supervising operations. Safe, responsible and effective applications of pesticides and fertilizers still fall on the shoulders of these applicators.
Drones, including RPAAS, are considered aircraft by the FAA and the Arkansas Department of Agriculture. RPAAS applications are aerial applications and must follow the aerial application section of Federal label as well as comply with any applicable state laws and rules.
Anyone operating RPAAS systems is required to hold the following applicable certifications. RPAAS applications made for hire (commercial operations) require the following:
■ Commercial Firm License with aerial category, including insurance.
■ Individual Commercial License with aerial category and other applicable categories needed (i.e., agriculture plants).
Private applicators using RPAAS to make applications on their own land must comply with licensing requirements and must hold:
■ Private Applicator with pilot.
Authorization FAA requirements for private and commercial operations:
■ Pilot license under FAA Part 107 (drone).
■ Part 137 Dispensing Chemicals and Agricultural Products via UAS.
■ Section 44807 waiver: Special Authority for Certain Unmanned Aircraft Systems (over 55 lbs.).
Applications Open For LSU AgCenter Leadership Class
The LSU AgCenter Agricultural Leadership Development Program is now accepting applications for Class XIX, scheduled to begin January 2025 and completed February 2027.
The deadline for leadership class applications is Aug. 23.
“Developing leaders is essential to advancing agriculture, especially in areas such as finance, policy issues and regulatory matters,” said Matt Lee, vice president for agriculture and dean of the College of Agriculture.
Bobby Soileau, program director, said class members will be exposed to critical agricultural issues and strategies that can be used to inform the public how they affect ag and the general populace.
The curriculum includes 10 seminars: seven lecture-based seminars in various locations across the state and three travel seminars. The travel seminars entail a trip to Washington, D.C. and travel to another state to learn about ag issues there. The culmination of the program and last seminar is an international study tour.
Participants are expected to commit to attending all the seminars throughout the two-year program. They will also be expected to pay a small portion of their costs for their studies and travel.
Most of the program is underwritten by endowments and annual giving through the LSU Foundation, including the Chalkley Family Endowment, the H. Rouse Caffey Endowment, the Robert R. Soileau Endowment and the Ag Leaders of Louisiana Endowment.
To apply, visit www.lsuagcenter.com/agleadership. The interview process for being accepted into the program will begin in September.