With its remarkable benefits and effectiveness in disease protection, it’s no wonder that more growers are choosing to plant Bt corn. Produced through the science of biotechnology, the Bt corn hybrid provides nearly
season-long protection against the problematic European corn borer without the potentially harmful use of insecticides. In fact, the use of Bt corn eliminates several insecticide-related concerns. With Bt corn, growers no longer need to determine the appropriate time for applications, choose the most effective insecticide for their operations, or weigh the health and environmental risks.

Use of Bt corn has increased dramatically over the last several years, and growers are discovering its many advantages. Besides its obvious safety and environmental benefits, Bt corn is more economical, as the initial cost is less than a single application of insecticide. Other benefits include reduced harvest and yield loss due to lower disease incidence in general. Bt corn has also been shown to be safe on beneficial insects. Perhaps the most significant benefit is the fact that Bt corn allows growers to take a proactive stance in the prevention and control of crop-devastating disease. Rather than applying insecticides during the season risking misapplication due to weather conditions and other unpredictable factors, growers can take that first step toward healthy crops before emergence.
 

NEED HELP PLANTING IN EXTREME RESIDUE CONDITIONS?

All of these features make Bt corn the clear choice for growers today, but what about the residue that it leaves behind? The well-established practice of leaving residue on the soil surface combined with the remarkable advantages of Bt corn is sure to bring healthy plants and optimum emergence, right? Not until we can manage the residue effectively.

Growers are finding that Bt corn residue tends to be heavier and denser, making removal prior to planting more difficult. It is a well-known fact that effective residue management techniques produce healthy, nutrient-enriched plants, but in order to ensure proper seed placement and avoid hairpinning, residue needs to be moved before planting. Bt corn growers who practice residue management need a practical way to effectively remove residue from the row.

VICTOR MILLER, OELWEIN, IA
24 row 20” planter
“I was able to plant into conditions that I never before thought was possible.”

There are a wide variety of residue manager wheels currently available on the market. When choosing such an attachment for use on Bt corn residue, it is imperative to look for a model that will power through the toughest conditions, taking on trash and wet, heavy residue without bunching it. The attachment should move residue to the side of the row rather than heaving it upward as many row cleaner wheels are known to do. Crop residue between the rows becomes a protective cover, trapping vital moisture needed in drier times and preventing the soil from crusting in heavy rains.

KEVIN MALECEK, DANUBE, MN
24 row 22” planter
“The Shark Tooth® Wheels did an excellent job in corn-on-corn acres of clearing the cornstalks without throwing them into the next row on my 22” planter.”

Bt corn growers have been quite successful using the Shark Tooth® Wheel designed by Yetter Manufacturing Company for their residue management needs. This unique product features backward-sloping teeth, resembling a shark's teeth, with sharp-cutting edges that grab and completely sever residue for easier removal.

High residue and BT cornstalks
are not a problem for the
Shark Tooth® Residue Managers.

If you are having residue management problems at planting, simply call a Yetter Planter Fit-Up Specialist™ for the different options.