Drought has created significant challenges for farmers across the Corn Belt in the last several years, impacting everything from weed control to plant health. Get expert tips and resources to help you manage through drought — from planting to harvest.
Resources for Managing Through Drought
Drought Prep Starts With Seed
Planting drought-tolerant hybrids can help alleviate drought stress. Work with your seed dealer to find the right hybrid for your acres.
Insights From Pioneer Field Agronomists
Get more tips on seed selection to preserve yield through dry conditions.
Get local insights from Pioneer agronomists
A Whole Acre Approach to Drought Management
Watch this video to learn more about the recent impacts of drought, and how to best manage through dry weather conditions.
Hear from experts at Commodity ClassicNutrient Management
Dry conditions prevent plants from accessing important soil nutrients. These nutrients can also become immobilized when soil moisture is lacking. The following products can help ensure crops get the nutrients they need throughout the growing season.
Consider Utrisha® P at planting
Unlock the true potential of your phosphorous fertilizer applications with Utrisha® P.
See How It Works
Boost nutrient use efficiency with Utrisha® N
This biological works well in high-yielding soybean environments and on corn acres where nitrogen loss is an ongoing problem.
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Improve fertilizer ROI
Instinct NXTGEN® & N-Serve® nitrogen stabilizers can be used to protect fields from nitrogen loss.
Reduce Leaching and Dentrification
Protect nitrogen above ground
When weather is especially warm and windy, the volatilization process speeds up. PinnitMax® TG nitrogen stabilizer can help.
Prevent Volatilization of Urea and UANDisease Management
When corn and soybeans are under drought stress, they can face more significant yield losses to disease and insect predation.
Consider Sosdia® Stress abiotic stress mitigator
to protect plant health
Sosdia Stress allows corn and soybeans to thrive under stressful conditions.
- Maximizes the conversion of water into crop biomass
- Protects plant proteins and cell membranes
- Allows plants to focus on growth instead of stress repair
Don’t forget about fungicides
Drought usually helps prevent disease from occurring, but rain can trigger a disease outbreak. A proactive fungicide application can help limit yield loss and promote better crop health.
- Extends photosynthesis or staygreen capabilities
- Enhances stalk quality and strength
- Promotes better standability through harvest
See how Aproach® Prima fungicide can help.
Weed Management
Weeds compete with your crop for water and other important nutrients. Drought conditions can also limit the effectiveness of residual herbicides and impact your key spraying windows to control those weeds. Here are ways to improve weed management through dry weather conditions.
Plan for a program approach
Keeping fields clean from the start, and continuing to control weeds throughout the growing season, will help ensure you’re able to meet yield goals.
Capitalize on benefits of the Enlist® weed control system
The system gives you more weed control flexibility, without strict application cutoff dates — so you can adjust herbicide applications depending on weather conditions.
Evaluate the adjuvants in your tank mix
To conserve water, weeds like kochia and ragweed can develop thick, waxy cuticles, which are difficult for herbicides to penetrate. If you’re dealing with weeds like these, you may need to evaluate the adjuvants in your tank mix to ensure effective control. This may mean upgrading to a crop oil concentrate (COC) or methylated seed oil (MSO), to help ensure better herbicide uptake.
Get more tips on weed control during dry weather conditions
Harvest
Keep plans flexible to ensure the best possible corn and soybean yield. You may need to harvest fields in a different order than you have in past years. Listen to this podcast episode for expert tips on fall weed control and advice as you plan for weed and disease control in 2024.
TruChoice Savings
You can save up to 10% on crop protection products to preserve yield during drought. Corteva Agriscience is pleased to deliver upfront savings through the TruChoice® offer.
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Sign Up NowEnlist Duo® and Enlist One® herbicides are not registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your area. Enlist Duo and Enlist One are the only 2,4-D products authorized for use with Enlist® crops. Consult Enlist herbicide labels for weed species controlled. Aproach® Prima, Instinct NXTGEN®, PinnitMax® TG, Sosdia® Stress abiotic stress mitigator, Utrisha® N, and Utrisha P are not registered for sale or use in all states. Sosdia Stress is not available for sale in the states of CA, FL and OR. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Do not fall-apply anhydrous ammonia south of Highway 16 in the state of Illinois. Optinyte® is a registered active ingredient. Always read and follow label directions.