Joe Varn & Rogan Gibson, Extension Agronomy Agents
On February 8, 2024, Clemson Extension Agents Rogan Gibson, Joe Varn, and Marion Barnes hosted the corn and soybean production meeting in the Allendale County Extension Office. Seventy-five farmers and industry personnel from across the Savannah Valley gathered in the room to learn more about corn and soybean production.
Dr. Michael Plumblee, the State Corn and Soybean Specialist, kicked off the presentations with an overview of how the 2023 growing season played out. He also presented the data from his statewide corn hybrid trial with 12 entries across 8 locations. In closing, Dr. Plumblee covered the work he and his PhD student Bennett Harrelson have been working on for the past two years with double cropping soybeans behind corn in the same season. This practice hasn’t gained any popularity in the Savannah Valley district of the state yet, but farmers around the lake have shown some success in double cropping beans behind corn.
Dr. John Mueller covered diseases and nematodes on both corn and soybeans, providing growers the information to help make decisions on their farms dealing with these costly pests. Mueller also encouraged the farmers to sample each field to make sure they know exactly what nematode species they are dealing with. Dr. Mike Marshall presented on herbicides used in corn production and Enlist technologies in soybeans. Closing out the meeting, Scott Mickey with the Clemson Extension Agribusiness team gave the farmers a look at the budgets and outlook for the upcoming year.
Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.
