Author Archives: Dervin Druist (Pennsylvania)

About Dervin Druist (Pennsylvania)

Dervin loves hunting and camping, and is also an avid baseball fan.

Storm Damaged Crops in the Northeast

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Dervin Druist (Pennsylvania)

Another year of extremes! We started the growing season in the Northeast with a very wet month of May, followed by a hot and dry summer. As we move into early September, we are getting more than enough rain. Over the past few weeks, we have had heavy rainfall in many parts of the Northeast, and it looks like it will continue. The weather forecast for central Pennsylvania is calling for 7-10 inches of rainfall this week. Many of you … Continue reading →

Posted in Corn, Harvest, Pennsylvania, Soybeans | View Comments

Root Zone Wars

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Dervin Druist (Pennsylvania)

Corn is developing quickly this time of year, and Syngenta agronomists often get questions about nutrient deficiencies, herbicide concerns, and other plant growth related topics. On my recent service calls, I was reminded again of the importance of the root zone. Planting into optimum conditions was difficult this spring, and now the roots are battling the seed zone issues that we created mechanically, or by hydraulic compaction due to the very heavy rainfall we had at times. Hydraulic Surface Compaction … Continue reading →

Posted in Pennsylvania, Planting, Profitability, Syngenta | View Comments

How Early Can I Plant Corn?

Posted on March 30, 2011 by Dervin Druist (Pennsylvania)

As we prepare for the 2011 planting season, I’d like to refresh our minds with a few ideas on how we can maximize stand uniformity.  We have heard many times that improving stands by one ear per 1/1000 of an acre will increase yield by seven bushels per acre. First, let’s think about early planting dates. Growers often ask agronomists, “How early can I plant?”  We recommend planting into soil that is 50 degrees at two inches deep.  The most … Continue reading →

Posted in Corn, Pennsylvania, Planting | View Comments

Spring Alfalfa Stand Assessment

Posted on March 25, 2011 by Dervin Druist (Pennsylvania)

I haven’t heard anyone complaining about the snow melting and the warmer temperatures. With the warm weather comes the opportunity to walk a few fields and see how the alfalfa has handled the harsh winter conditions. Some areas have had open ground with significant freezing and thawing this spring, and it would be good to check in on those stands. Spring scouting is always beneficial to determine actual stand counts per square foot and evaluate individual crown and root health. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alfalfa, East, Insects, Pennsylvania, Profitability, Scouting | View Comments

Agriculture is Full of Opportunity

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Dervin Druist (Pennsylvania)

What a wonderful opportunity it is to work in American agriculture today.  If I pause a moment and ask myself why I work in agriculture, the first thing that comes to mind is the people. What a pleasure to work with so many great folks. There are three things that stand out to me about the American farmer that I admire: optimism, innovation and determination. Optimism – What other job can you think of where someone is willing to invest … Continue reading →

Posted in Agrisure Corn Traits, Agrisure Viptera, East, National Ag Week, Pennsylvania, State, Uncategorized, Water Optimization | View Comments

Eastern Harvest Yield Results: Swinging for the Fences

Posted on October 7, 2010 by Dervin Druist (Pennsylvania)

As my favorite baseball team, the Atlanta Braves, faded down the stretch, the bright leaves of autumn started to show. Another growing season has fast come to an end. As I travel around the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions, harvest is in full swing. The Delmarva and Virginia areas were hit hard with heat and moisture stress, resulting in lower yields this fall. Irrigated acres lost some of the top-end yield due to the heat stress, and the dryland acres in … Continue reading →

Posted in Disease, East, Harvest, Insects, Multi-Pest Complex, Mycotoxin, New York, Pests, Region, Soybeans, State, Yield | View Comments

Harvesting Drought-Stressed Corn for Silage

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Dervin Druist (Pennsylvania)

Throughout the region there are many areas that have experienced moderate to severe drought stress on the corn crop this season. For many growers, that will result in more acres being harvested as silage this fall. A few growers have recently asked about nitrate levels in the silage. The crop conditions have been such that we need to consider a few things as we prepare for harvest. If we have a heavy rainfall event following an extended dry period, the … Continue reading →

Posted in East, Harvest, Silage | View Comments