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NW Ohio | wow this could get ugly but here we go. I have to agree with a less than impressed feeling with triple stax or traited corn in general. Here on the east edge of the corn belt we've been seeing these same results for the past 4 or 5 years. I'm saying that traits haven't made us money in the past but the fact is if you had the ability to look back @ 10 years of side by sides I don't think the traits were worth it. We have conv. corn here every year with in 8-10 bu. of the traits and in some years we've seen them better. Since all R&D has been put into traits the last 10 yrs. I have to wonder if the same amount of effort was put into conv. corn where we would be. It is hard to do a true side by side because most companies don't carry the same hybrid in a conv. and a stack so you can't get real numbers. We don't apply insecticide here as part of a normal plan we just don't get the insect pressure to justify blindly applying it. That being said we also don't run corn back to corn. Those who do I understand are at a greater risk and should use insecticide. I feel that our conv. corn has been taken from us and traits forced on us. I know Agrigold has made "some" effort to bring new conv. corns in but even at that choices are limited. With corn prices in a free fall and projected seed costs up I don't know if I can continue buying exspensive corn as insurance I'm not convinced I need. By Pro Scout's comment it seems like as long as the neighbors are planting it I don't have to. Sorry to pick on you Scout I know what your saying and I think your right to a certain extent. The other thing we need to remember is that we were all sold a bag of misinformation when traits hit the market. We were led to believe it was a cure all. Plant traits and sleep good at night, BS. Like conv. hybrids not all traited hybrids are winners. Some just plain suck. Some are very good corns but there conv. versions are most likely good corn also. Some areas of the country has benifited greatly from traits others like us saw a couple years of improved yields and then the pressure went away and now we're just paying to much for seed. If we all go back to conv. corn will the bugs come back, and how long will it take. I may be able to answer that in a few years, most guys around here that were 100% traited corn are now only 50% or less and dropping more every year. Time will tell if were riht or wrong. Good luck making your own decisions
Just a new thought maybe traited corn should be a every other year or every three year rotation for us that might help keep numbers down and be more economical. I think hte triats do work I just don't think there necessary every year.
Edited by jd 9760 9/29/2011 08:16
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Dekalb Traited corn--I've had it!
