USA
May 9, 2013
In sports, teams can often afford to lose the first few games of the year before turning things around and making the playoffs at season’s end. But producing sunflowers is almost the exact opposite. After a poor start to the season with weak stand establishment, there is little chance for a mid-season recovery and likely no cause for celebration at harvest.
“If growers want to realize their sunflower yield potential, good stand establishment and plant spacing are critical,” said Hans Kandel, extension agronomist at North Dakota State University. “Uniform stands maximize sunlight exposure for production. If plants grow uniformly, they can better compete with weeds and form more consistent sized heads.” In Kandel’s annual sunflower survey published by the National Sunflower Association, results indicate that stand establishment plays a significant role throughout the season.
“Some of the data suggest the biggest limiting factor in many sunflower growing areas is stands that are not uniform,” Kandel said. “According to the survey responses, data indicate that stand establishment affects yield return.”
The right management techniques and crop protection products can help ensure sunflower hybrids get off to a strong start and set the foundation for a prosperous season. While disease pathogens, insects, weeds and weather are ever-present threats, sunflower growers have access to an arsenal of crop protection products, technology and know-how to grow more sunflowers for positive results at harvest.
Quality hybrids and clean machines
Strong stand establishment doesn’t start with planter calibration or pesticide applications – it starts with thoughtful seed selection.
“It’s important to choose a hybrid with good vigor and resistance to downy mildew,” said Roger Plooster, an agronomic service representative with Syngenta in South Dakota. “Syngenta offers 14 high quality sunflower hybrids, many of which include downy mildew resistance and NuSun® oleic characteristics.”
To get the most out of quality hybrids, growers should properly maintain and calibrate planters and seed disks to establish good seed-to-soil contact – essential to the germination process.
“Sunflower farmers must use correct planting plates and make sure they are clean. Adjusting the planter to the correct setting is very important,” Kandel said. “And I know farmers like to plant fast, but by running tractors slower, they can ensure better seed placement.”
Kandel also emphasized the importance of planting depth, which can vary according to region and soil type. Contact a local extension office for guidelines and best practices regarding sunflower planting depth and seed spacing.
Straighten up rows with Unistand
Unfortunately, sunflower seeds are not identical to one another. Their variance in size and shape can result in inaccurate planting depth and uneven rows.
To help address these issues, Syngenta recently launched Unistand™ technology, an innovative sunflower pelleting technology available on select hybrids that consistently produces size 3 sunflower seeds. Because of their uniform seed size, Syngenta sunflower hybrids pelleted with Unistand plant more easily and won’t clog planters like traditional clay-based pellets.
“Unistand really helps growers with two things: seeds are more plantable because of consistent size and excellent singulation; and the technology prevents environmental factors like moisture from affecting the seed,” Plooster explained.
The improved plantability of sunflower seeds with Unistand also address a big threat to stand establishment – inconsistent spacing. Because of the uniform seed size, growers will experience increased singluation. In fact, 2012 field research using commercial planters showed seeds with Unistand improved average plant spacing within the row by 30 percent. “The more uniformly seeds are spread within the row, the more evenly they will emerge and grow,” Kandel said. “Getting the right number of plants in the ground is important, but distributing them evenly is essential. Sunflowers are very sensitive when they’re close together – one will become dominant and the other will not contribute to yield.”
Defeat downy mildew, cream cutworms and wear down weevils
While quality hybrid selection is an important first step in establishing a strong sunflower stand, Kandel and Plooster recommend using seed treatments to provide a defense against early-season disease and insect pests. To help sunflower plants start strong and defeat pests, Unistand technology includes CruiserMaxx® Sunflower insecticide/fungicide seed treatment.
CruiserMaxx Sunflower insecticide/fungicide seed treatment combination delivers superior protection against devastating pests, including downy mildew. CruiserMaxx Sunflower combines Cruiser® 5FS insecticide with Apron XL®, Dynasty® and Maxim® 4FS for effective protection against sunflower insects and diseases and establish strong stands.
“If there are issues with any potential diseases, such as downy mildew, seed treatments will protect the seed and help produce a more uniform stand,” Kandel said.
Thriving in wet conditions two to three weeks after planting and an annual worry for sunflower growers around the country, downy mildew can severely stunt plant growth and impact yield.
“Downy mildew has become a problem not just in the Northern Plains but around the country,” Plooster said. “For even greater protection, applying Dynasty seed treatment fungicide at a higher labeled rate has proven very effective in lessening the severity of or even controlling downy mildew.”
In addition to downy mildew, early-season insect pests can impact stand establishment. Plooster recommended scouting regularly for cutworms and seed weevils, especially during early emergence. Cutworms feast on sunflower stems, usually at early growth stages, while seed weevils feed on plant bracts and damage seeds by laying eggs in them. Both pests cause considerable damage that can play a significant role in yield loss; however, supplemental insecticide applications can help control these insects.
“Insect pests can be devastating for a sunflower crop, so it’s important for growers to scout and monitor regularly,” Plooster said. “Insecticides like Warrior II with Zeon Technology® will protect sunflower crops from weevils and cutworms so growers can realize increased yield potential.”
Tool up now, celebrate later
Harvest yields are usually a reflection of the planning and work that happened at the beginning of the season. Through effective pest control and proper management techniques, sunflower growers who establish solid stands can celebrate at the end of the year like they made the playoffs.
Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some crop protection products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Warrior II with Zeon Technology is a Restricted Use Pesticide. Warrior II with Zeon Technology is highly toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment on blooming crops and weeds. Do not apply this product or allow it to drift onto blooming plants when bees are foraging adjacent to the treatment area.
CruiserMaxx Sunflower is a treater-applied combination of separately registered products containing Cruiser 5FS insecticide and three fungicides: Apron XL, Maxim 4FS and Dynasty.
NuSun products from Syngenta produce oil content that meets the standard for NuSun certification. Note: NuSun is a mid-oleic sunflower and has oleic levels between 55-80 percent. NuSun seed is produced via conventional breeding.
Apron XL®, Cruiser®, CruiserMaxx®, Dynasty®, Maxim®, Unistand™ and Warrior II with Zeon Technology® are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. NuSun® is a certification mark of the National Sunflower Association.
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