“AgriGold genetics are very competitive and have proven to be the best for us. My AgriGold Team places the right hybrids in the right place and we appreciate that.” – Jonathan Borges, NCGA Corn Yield Contest Winner
Jonathan Borges operates Borges Farms in Marshall, Missouri and he’s no stranger to yields that win. He’s a three-time National NCGA Corn Yield Contest place winner, and three-time Missouri first place winner in the contest. Let’s talk about his winning strategy.
About Borges Farms
Borges Farms is centered on 100% no-till dryland ground with predominately silt loam soil types and a combination of upland ground and Missouri river bottom. They’ve been no-till since 2004 and use cover crops – wheat ahead of corn and cereal rye ahead of soybeans. A John Deere 7200 planter puts the winning seed in the ground and they’ve been nationally ranked in the NCGA Corn Yield Contest for the last three years – winning with A646-12VT2RIB, A6572VT2RIB and A645-16VT2RIB respectively.
A Winning Management Plan
Borges earned third place nationally in the 2021 NCGA Corn Yield Contest with a winning yield of 339.57 bu/acre. This corn was planted at 34,500 population on April 25, 2021. Borges isn’t easily influenced by what his neighbors are doing, stating that he’s never the first one in the neighborhood running the planter. He’s relentlessly patient and waits for prime planting conditions to ensure a successful crop.
The importance of crop fertility is not lost on Borges, who focuses heavily on the nutrient and fertility management. Here’s an exclusive look at his winning fertility program:
- 280lb per acre applied nitrogen
- pre-applied and side-dressed
- NH3, Urea, AMS
- 80lb Phosphorus, 100lb Potassium, 36lb Sulfur
- Phosphorus and Potassium applied pre-planting
- Sulfur pre-applied and side-dressed
- In-furrow
- Three gallons: 8N-0-0-9(Ca)
- 10oz Launch Biological from Frieling Ag Solutions
In addition, Borges and his AgriGold Agronomist developed this leading in-season management plan:
- Start Clean & Stay Clean Program
- Two passes with Veltyma fungicide at V10 and R3
- Foliar feed
- Genesis Ag EXP – Mn, Zn, Fe, B, Co, Mo, S
- Genesis Ag Carbouse – Biologicals + Sugar
- Six in-season tissue samples to assess nutrient levels in the crop
A Winning Partnership
In 2022, the AgriGold team is excited to continue the relentless pursuit of winning yields with Borges. A new planter with downforce and precision row cleaners, as well as an arable weather station and sentera drone imagery to supplement tissue sampling data will enhance the winning strategy on Borges farms this year.
Borges and his fellow Yield Masters are an example of obsession at its best: yields that win. With leading genetics and a time-tested agronomic partnership, AgriGold continues to deliver exceptional product performance, and the Yield Masters share our relentless commitment to winning. It’s no surprise our obsession for higher yields wins again.
At AgriGold, we’ve built the genetic portfolio, invested in the research, and cultivated a team of experts – because we believe high performance seed comes from a relentless pursuit of greatness.