Research Update (February 7, 2022)

 

Research Update (February 7, 2022)

 Diligence Technologies Inc., West Tennessee

 

EVENTS FROM THE PAST MONTH:

Where did January go?  We seemed to go straight from the blur of the holidays to the heart of meeting season.  January included trips to the Southern Weed Science Society meeting in Austin, TX, the NAICC in Orlando, FL, and the Cotton and Rice Conservation Tillage meeting in Jonesboro, AR.  In spite of the travel, it was particularly satisfying to have something that resembled a normal, in-person meeting schedule.  It was good to see old friends and make new ones.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

We have a lot of local meetings coming up this month.  Those are nice because we can attend and still make it home to sleep in our own bed.  The February schedule includes:

Tennessee Ag Production Association, Feb. 9, Jackson, TN

Cotton Focus, Feb. 10, Jackson, TN

Farm and Gin Show, Feb. 25-26, Memphis, TN

The WSSA was scheduled to be in Canada in February but was changed to a virtual meeting.

 

CROPPING SEASONS:

Not much happening in the field right now.  Winter wheat will not wake up for another month or two.  Normally our first field activities of the new season will be fertilizing ongoing wheat trials, spraying postemergence wheat fungicide and herbicide trials, and burndown work.  We still have blocks of winter wheat that can be converted to plots this spring if you have the need.  Also, we have room for burndown trials in some areas that traditionally make good burndown trials.  Give us a call if you are looking to get some trials established early in the spring.

 

GREENHOUSE ACTIVITIES:

Unlike the field, greenhouse trials are in mid-season form.  Like most years, we have corn, soybeans, and cotton trials underway.  However, by the time this year is over we plan to complete trials on several vegetables (tomato, squash, lettuce, broccoli) as well as turf (with a few others under consideration).  We are testing various fertility products in addition to fungicides and insecticides.  Please stop by if you would like to see what we have going at any given point (or just get warm).

We still have time to start a few more greenhouse trials if you need to get something done before spring.

 

WEATHER INFO:

A mild December gave way to a more normal January with colder temperatures and winter weather.  A snowfall or two has come and gone, and an ice storm last week left many stranded or without power.  I am looking forward to the few warm and sunny days that most always happen in late February just to remind us that winter will not last forever.

 

Thanks again to all those who have began to contact us about greenhouse trials this winter and field trials this spring (and those who will).  Please let us know what we can do to help.

Tim, Kevin, John Louis

 

Proverbs 12:24

The hand of the diligent shall bear rule, but the slothful shall be put to forced labor.

Research Update (January 10, 2022)

 

Research Update (January 10, 2022)

 

Diligence Technologies Inc., West Tennessee

 

EVENTS FROM THE PAST MONTH:

All the final reports from 2021 have been issued and we are ready to move ahead with greenhouse projects and planning for 2022.  Not to be overlooked, we had our first real professional meeting in a long time at the NCWSS in Grand Rapids.  It was good to have an event that felt pretty close to normal.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Meeting season will be in full swing beginning this month and we have several things currently on the calendar:

JAN 24-27, SWSS, Austin, TX

JAN 26-28, NAICC, Orlando, FL

FEB 3, West TN Grain Conf., Dyersburg, TN

FEB 9, TN Ag Production Assoc., Jackson, TN

FEB 10, Cotton Focus, Jackson, TN

FEB 25-26, Gin Show, Memphis, TN

Please let us know which meetings you will be attending.  We look forward to catching up with our old friends.  Also, check future editions of this blog as we will likely be adding a few more meetings to the schedule as time goes on.

 

CROPPING SEASONS:

Winter wheat is about all that is left in the field right now.  Temperatures have been relatively mild and wheat growth has been strong.  In addition to the trials we started in the fall, we also have large blocks of wheat planted that should be great for trials beginning this spring.  We generally run foliar fungicide and herbicide trials as well as the occasional wheat insecticide trail.  Let us know if you find yourself in need of some wheat work this spring and we will make it happen.

 

GREENHOUSE ACTIVITIES:

Greenhouse activity started relatively slowly this fall but seems to be picking up in a hurry as folks wrap up the holidays and remember they have projects they need to complete before spring.  We have a variety of trials underway with more kicking off soon.  Let us know what types of data you would like to generate over the winter and we will be glad to help.

 

WEATHER INFO:

When you spend Christmas in shorts, it is pretty safe to say that the weather has been mild so far this winter.  All our cold spells to date have been short.  However, I expect the real winter weather is still ahead.  We never seem to get through January and February will at least a few real tastes of winter.

 

We thank you for including Diligence Technologies in your research program.  We look forward to seeing you around the greenhouse this winter and the farm this spring.  Please let us know what we can do to help as you make plans for the coming year.

 

Proverbs 10:4

He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand, but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

 

Research Update (December 6, 2021)

  

Research Update (December 6, 2021)

 

Diligence Technologies Inc., West Tennessee

EVENTS FROM THE PAST MONTH:

Everything is finally out of the field (mostly)!  We finished off the soybeans (although they were still none too dry when we took them out in November).  The cotton is picked (with the exception of one trial) but we still have some ginning and quality data to take care of for the final reports.  It feels good just to have it all out of the weather and begin to turn our attention to winter activities (winter wheat, maintenance, greenhouse trials, and meetings).  Still waiting for a “normal” year, but I’m pretty sure 2021 was not it.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Be sure to look for us at the meetings this winter.  We plan to be at the following events over the next couple of months:

North Central Weed Science Society (Grand Rapid, MI, Dec. 13-16)

Southern Weed Science Society (Austin, TX, Jan. 24-27)

NAICC (Orlando, FL, Jan. 24-28)

We will be doing a bit of fancy footwork to make both the SWSS and NAICC, but I think we can pull it off.

We will be adding additional meetings as we finalize our plans.  Will keep you posted.

 

CROPPING SEASONS:

The only crop remaining in the field at this point is winter wheat.  We have a few trials that were treated near planting that are already underway.  We also have a large block of wheat planted for those trials that come up over the winter and need to be treated in the spring.  Keep us in mind when those postemergence fungicide and herbicide trials materialize this winter.

 

 GREENHOUSE ACTIVITIES:

When the world outside turns cold, at least we can hide in the heated greenhouse.  Assorted plants are growing in there now, but we still have room for plenty more (it’s a pretty big greenhouse).  Now is a great time to start planning your winter projects and collect some data ahead of next season.  Give us a call and we will get started.

 

WEATHER INFO:

A couple of weeks ago, we had what appears to be our last 70 degree days for a while.  Winter has arrived and we are preparing to be largely inside.  The harvest season was wetter than normal which delayed harvest both by making the fields muddy and by preventing the crops from drying down at a normal pace.  Just glad to be largely on the other side of harvest at this point.

 

PEST INFO:

The generally mild and moist fall has caused to an abundance of winter annual weeds.  We should have good populations for any late fall burndown studies and also next spring for the traditional burndown trial timing.  Let us know your needs.

 

As we near the end of 2021, we would like to say that we again have been truly blessed to be able to serve you this past season.  We wish you a wonderful season as you celebrate the birth of Christ with your family and friends, and look forward to working with you again in the years to come.

            Tim, Kevin, & John Louis

 

Proverbs 27:23-24

Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds; for riches are not forever.

Research Update (November 1, 2021)

 

Research Update (November 1, 2021)

 

Diligence Technologies Inc., West Tennessee

EVENTS FROM THE PAST MONTH:

Yielded corn trials are completed and everyone should have their corn data at this point.  Soybean harvest is just starting.  Some of our soybeans finished off nicely and are coming out pretty much on schedule.  Other soybean trials have tended to defy the calendar and remain green well past their normal harvest date.  We should have the last of them out shortly, but it has been something of a struggle to get them dry enough to harvest.  Cotton defoliation is wrapping up and we should begin picking cotton within the week.  Depending on the trial (and planting date, variety, etc.), it appears we will harvest some cotton that has a top crop that never opened up.  With our relatively low heat units this summer, we were just not able to finish off some of the crop the way we normally would.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Meeting season is fast approaching and it appears that most of our winter gatherings are still planning to meet “in-person”.  This will be a welcome relief from last winter if we can actually pull it off.  We are in the process of planning our winter calendar at present, so check back in December for a list of the events we plan to be at in the next few months.

 

CROPPING SEASONS:

As you can tell from our above discussion, finishing off the harvest season is our major focus right now.  We have also started planting wheat trials as well as some wheat areas to use next spring for trials that come up over the winter.  We still have a small window left to plant wheat if you need something started this fall, but let us know quickly as wheat planting will come to an end fairly soon.

 

GREENHOUSE ACTIVITIES:

Our annual greenhouse maintenance is pretty much complete and we are open for business this winter.  Now is a great time to start discussing your greenhouse projects since we still have several months to get things done.  We can conduct a wide variety of trials on various crops, weeds, and insects.  Let us know how we can help.

 

WEATHER INFO:

October was relatively mild with warmer temperatures lasting into the later half of the month.  The warm weather has since given way to more seasonally cooler temperatures.  We have had the occasional shower to work around during harvest, but nothing too bad in terms of rain.  Our biggest weather challenge in October was the abundance of days with heavy dew that would not dissipate until the afternoon.  This left us with very short harvest windows on occasion.  We are hoping for a dry November that lets us finish up harvest in good shape.

 

PEST INFO:

The warm fall we experienced this year has left us with an excellent crop of winter annuals already covering the ground in many places.  Let us know if you are looking to place any additional fall burndown trials.  We should have a place for them.

 

We hope to have our remaining trials out of the field and data on the way soon.  Thanks again to all the folks that sent us work to do this season.  We are truly grateful.

 

Proverbs 22:29

Seest thou a man diligent in his business?  He shall stand before kings…