For folks growing continuous corn, western corn rootworm is a serious pest that needs regular attention.

Becks Hybrids announces a territory expansion into two crop-reporting districts in Iowa and three crop-reporting districts in Missouri. Becks marketing area also includes Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and southern Michigan, as well as the western two-thirds of Kentucky and Tennessee.

Beck's Hybrids announces a continued collaboration with Kinze Mfg. Inc. to conduct onfarm research by providing expertise in hybrid placement, developing spatial management zones and site-specific seeding. Through Becks Practical Farm Research (PFR) Partners program, multi-hybrid corn planting will be utilized in onfarm research in Indiana, Illinois and Iowa in spring of 2014.

Populations of European corn borer (ECB), a major corn crop pest, have declined significantly in the eastern United States, according to Penn State researchers. The decline suggests that the use of genetically modified, ECB-resistant corn hybrids an expensive, yet effective, solution that has been widely adopted by farmers may now be unnecessary in some areas.

A Purdue University study shows that high-yielding, modern corn hybrids take up not only more nitrogen from soil but more micronutrients such as zinc, iron, manganese and copper. Nitrogen fertilizer rates also influence how much of these nutrients are stored in the grain at harvest.

Leaving corn to dry in the field exposes a crop to unfavorable weather conditions, as well as wildlife damage.