INTERNAL USE ONLY

Agronomy Trial Manager

Jacob Vossenkemper

Career Opportunities at Pioneer Hi-Bred

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“Investments in Science”• Pioneer and DuPont are making substantial investment in

research and development

• 400 new scientists will be added in the remainder of 2010 and 2011

Molecular biologist Plant physiologist Statisticians: phenotypic analysis Entomologist Plant Breeders Many more………..

• Agronomy Sciences and Product Advancement (Sales and Marketing)

IMPACT leads Field Trial Managers Research Associates Agronomist Technical Product Managers

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Product Advancement and Characterization

• IMPACT Lead

What is IMPACT?

(Intensively Managed Product Advancement , Characterization and Training Trials)

• Responsible for………

On farm Corn hybrid and soybean variety testing activities

Identify appropriate testing environments (not the best, the most appropriate for the region)

Collaborate with producers to insure timely in season field activities

Maintains, organizes and summarizes results of experiments

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Product Advancement and Characterization

Qualifications and experience:

Bachelor’s degree in an agriculture or scientific related field and minimum of 4 years of industry related experience

Master’s degree in an agriculture or scientific related field and 0 to 2 years of industry related experience

Experience in field testing, including planting and harvesting

Relevant experience with scientific methodologies and how they apply to field testing Experience with product advancement procedures Excellent personal interaction skills required for fostering and enhancing a team building

environment with a diverse group of individuals.

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Agronomy Sciences

Field Trial Manger

Strive to provide helpful management suggestions to our customers to assist them in making the greatest possible profit from our products

Expected to be the technical problem solver in your area of study or specialization (My area of specialization being soil fertility and nutrient management)

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Agronomy Sciences (Field Trial Manager)

How do we achieve this?

• Through on farm experimentation and demonstrations (small plot, field scale, strip trials)

• Highlight technology and techniques that improve agronomic practices as well as foster ideas of economic, trait and environmental sustainability

Variable rate seeding Nutrient management (timing, placement, form) Row spacing (population x hi-bred x environment) Water and or drought management

• Optimize placement of Pioneer products and technologies

Traits, and genetics Seed treatments New refuge concepts

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Technical Problem Solving: Example

Magnesium Deficiency

Low CEC soil High Potassium pH 6.4 – 6.8

Deficiency persisted in different levels of severity across appox 1000 acres

The question: is this problem hi-bred specific

Or is the deficiency just being expressed more severely in some hi-brid’s

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Mg S04 Treatment

Check

Mg S04 Treatment

Check

Mg S04 Treatment

600 ft

800-

100

0 ft

?

Technical Problem Solving, New Canton, ILMg SO4 (Epsom Salt) Trial 2010

Legend

Mg SO4 Harvest Strips(1 header width)

Check Harvest Strips(1 header width)

Mg SO4 Application Rates =

20 lbs product diluted in 100 gallons water

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Technical Problem Solving

Check

Mg Treatment

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Highlighting Technology: Sensor Based N Recommendation

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Treatments Explanation Total N Rate lbs

1 Typical Farmer Practice

80 pre + 85 midseason = 165

2 OSU N Rec(SBNRC) Uniform

Rate

80 pre + midseason req ???

= ???

3 N-Rich Strip 220 pre AA + 80 = 300

Pioneer Partners in Research:Sensor Based N Management Strategy Evaluation

OSU Greenseeker Req Fill 1 2 1 2

Total Trial size: approx 40 ac Plots: 1080’ x 40’ (16 rows) Harvest Middle 12 rows Pre-plant 80lbs UAN 28%Previous Crop approx 60/bu SoybeansPlanted April 14h 2010 , Pioneer 32B11 with 32B10 RefugeLat/Long: N 39 54’ 21.8 W 88 05’ 04.25 year average farm yield :190 bu/ac

N-R

ich

Str

ip

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Row Spacing x Population x Hi-bred

Heartland Business Unit 2010

• Working with a number of

equipment manufactures

Northern, IL

East Central, IL

South West, IN

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Equidistant Plant Spacing Evaluation

What we want! What we get!

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Equidistant plant spacing evaluation

What we want! What we get!

Planter # of Measurements Standard Deviation

Planter X n = 1184 2.22

Planter Y n = 6048 1.59

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Agronomy Sciences

Qualifications and experience:

Field-research based Bachelors or Masters degree in Agronomy, Weed Science, Soil Science, Plant Pathology, or Entomology

2-4 years field research management experience with an agricultural company or university in conceiving, coordinating, executing, analyzing, interpreting, and reporting results from field research trials in writing and oral presentations is required

Apply at: http://www.pioneer.com/employment/openings/search.asp