Competition is generally a good thing for you.  In this case it’s Enlist versus Xtend, and the result is lower-priced seed as the traits (and their owners) battle for market share on your farm.  This is great news!  What’s even better is that the competition is likely to get even more intense in coming years with the expected launch of XtendFlex soybeans in 2021.  XtendFlex will offer tolerance to Roundup, dicamba, and glufosinate (Liberty).

Sclerotinia white mold has been a terrible problem in 2018 and 2019 across much of the Upper Midwest.  The only positive note here is that soybean breeders have been hit hard by the disease, as well.  They would tell you what a blessing this has been to their programs as the varieties in development that had little tolerance to the disease were wiped out.  The result is that varieties coming out over the next 4 to 5 years should have significant improvements in white mold tolerance.

The same could be said for other diseases that have thrived in the wet, humid seasons of 2018 and 2019.  I’d look for improvements coming in the new soybean varieties in their tolerance levels to frogeye, phytophthora, and some other key diseases.

More exciting news is coming with the expansion of a defensive characteristic few have been talking about.  There is a gene that has been identified in soybeans that when present can actually help the plant block out salt!  Let me say that another way, there is a salt excluder gene for soybeans, and it’s available right now.

There are also soybeans coming for 2021 with the salt excluder gene at maturities as early as 0.6 in the Hefty Brand Enlist E3 lineup.  I’m thrilled to bring beans like this to the Red River Valley in the north.  They also work great for irrigated acres and salty acres everywhere!

Prices are way down, which is great.  Even better is yield potential has never been higher.   Plant Hefty Brand Soybeans on your farm with Hefty Complete Soybean Seed Treatment to see the difference!