Hot Corn Hybrids Help Fight Drought
(DTN) Last summer turned out to be a good test for drought tolerance because of wide variations in severity, especially in the High Plains, which is target market No. 1 because of higher drought frequency.
Seed companies are taking a variety of conventional and transgenic breeding approaches to make hybrids more tolerant to drought and heat-related stress.
"In the chronic stress areas of the High Plains, where yields are normally less than 150 bushels per acre, Aquamax delivered an average 7% yield advantage over the competition in on-farm, side-by-side trials against their product of choice," said Monica Patterson, marketing manager for Aquamax hybrids.
The company is working closely with growers to test higher seeding rates to make sure they optimize performance of these genetics. "Based on 158 locations that we've analyzed so far, 82% of the fields where growers increased plant populations by 3,000 to 5,000 achieved significantly higher yields -- by 12 bushels per acre on average (over competitive products at the same seeding rate," Patterson added. "This is taking our right-product-on-the-right-acre approach to the next level by adding right management."
In the harshest drought areas of Texas and southern Kansas, not even drought-tolerant hybrids survived. "But even in those areas, we had customers tell us they were impressed that Aquamax corn held on three weeks longer than anything else, so they felt that was a win for the product," she said.
GROWER EXPECTATIONS
Farmers can expect to see visual differences in the field with hybrids that better tolerate drought. "Growers (who closely analyzed the corn) talked to us about seeing such differences with Aquamax as better kernel fill to the tip, less leaf rolling, greater silking and more root mass compared to competitive products under the same stress," Patterson said.
Pioneer is also doing irrigation research, some in tandem with key universities, to look at Aquamax under different irrigation regimes. "We want to help customers best allocate an allotted amount of water to optimize performance over a growing season. We're not there yet but hope to have recommendations in 2013," she said.
Monsanto has conducted small-plot tests with drought-tolerant hybrids at several hundred locations during the past three years, with plans for large-scale testing in 2012.
"We found a gene in common soil bacteria that helps survive stress conditions, and we're proving it offers good drought tolerance in corn," said Mark Edge, corn product development lead for Monsanto. "By applying our best biotech and breeding techniques, we're able to incorporate the drought trait into the best hybrids in our breeding program."
Edge said these coming products will help reduce yield loss during flowering, when drought has the greatest impact. "We also approach water utilization by combining with traits that deliver added help. Our rootworm resistant traits help protect roots so they can access more water, as well as our Roundup Ready gene that has helped increase no-till and conservation tillage, which helps conserve water, as well."
Monsanto plans to focus first on the dryland corn area of the western Plains, where corn yields range from 70 to 130 bushels per acre. "The large-scale field trials in 2012 will give growers a chance to see how these hybrids will help maintain photosynthesis better during stress to deliver more kernels per ear and fewer barren ears."
Syngenta claims to be taking a different, candidate gene approach with its Agrisure Artesian hybrids that contain a water-optimization trait. "Our approach is a different way to tackle drought tolerance by selecting for yield stability across any geography and any drought environment," said Wayne Fithian, product lead for technical traits at Syngenta.
"We believe the native trait tolerance in Agrisure Artesian hybrids is the first true water-optimization trait in the industry," added Duane Martin, Syngenta's product lead for commercial traits. "Under moderate-to-severe water stress, these hybrids will preserve up to 15% of yield normally lost to drought."
Syngenta scientists selected candidate genes that correlate best for increased yields no matter when drought conditions occur. "We still use marker-assisted selection approaches like our competitors. But we differ in how we optimize and match the best gene combinations with different genetic background, because they express themselves differently," Fithian said.
In 2011, Syngenta had a limited supply of three Agrisure Artesian hybrids in farmer strip trials primarily in the western and southern Corn Belt. "In over 190 locations, our trial results confirmed, for example, how our 15% yield preservation turned 70-bushel corn under drought stress into 82-bushel corn," he said. "Another way to think of it is if drought steals 40 bushels, these hybrids will give you 6 bushels per acre back."
Martin said the key benefit with Agrisure Artesian is that growers across the Corn Belt, even those who may suffer only partial drought one or two years out of 10, will still benefit from yield and profit stabilization. "We always make sure we are combining a number of specific alleles in each different genetic background so we get broad mode of action for season-long drought stress tolerance," Fithian adds.
ADDING SUPPLY
For 2012, Syngenta will offer six additional hybrids representing a broader maturity range than in 2011. "This year, we're focused on the western Plains and primarily strip testing elsewhere, and then we plan to significantly expand our geography and product offering in 2013," he said. "We're looking at further research to verify that we can offer irrigated growers a significant reduction in water use without losing any yield."
Dow AgroSciences is actively engaged in pursuing hybrids with improved use of water. "We have major programs looking at a lot of different bundled agronomic traits, including overall stress tolerance, nitrogen utilization with our stabilizer products, sunlight use and more -- and it's all very complex," said Tom Wiltrout, corn business leader for Dow AgroSciences.
The company is doing work around evaluating their entire genetic portfolio to see how it reacts to these various stresses. "We're characterizing everything, using marker and genomic selection to look at sources of response," he said. The company hasn't determined yet how it will brand the category of drought-tolerant hybrids. Regardless, the goal is to bring better, well-adapted hybrids to the market that are more stable under stress to deliver more consistent yields, said Wiltrout.
Dow AgroSciences will bring these types of products forward in the next few years. "We have a lot of candidate genes in our developmental pipeline, but it will take some time to work it through into products that will prove value on a grower's farm," he said.
http://www.dtnprogressivefarmer.com
Seed companies are taking a variety of conventional and transgenic breeding approaches to make hybrids more tolerant to drought and heat-related stress.
"In the chronic stress areas of the High Plains, where yields are normally less than 150 bushels per acre, Aquamax delivered an average 7% yield advantage over the competition in on-farm, side-by-side trials against their product of choice," said Monica Patterson, marketing manager for Aquamax hybrids.
The company is working closely with growers to test higher seeding rates to make sure they optimize performance of these genetics. "Based on 158 locations that we've analyzed so far, 82% of the fields where growers increased plant populations by 3,000 to 5,000 achieved significantly higher yields -- by 12 bushels per acre on average (over competitive products at the same seeding rate," Patterson added. "This is taking our right-product-on-the-right-acre approach to the next level by adding right management."
In the harshest drought areas of Texas and southern Kansas, not even drought-tolerant hybrids survived. "But even in those areas, we had customers tell us they were impressed that Aquamax corn held on three weeks longer than anything else, so they felt that was a win for the product," she said.
GROWER EXPECTATIONS
Farmers can expect to see visual differences in the field with hybrids that better tolerate drought. "Growers (who closely analyzed the corn) talked to us about seeing such differences with Aquamax as better kernel fill to the tip, less leaf rolling, greater silking and more root mass compared to competitive products under the same stress," Patterson said.
Pioneer is also doing irrigation research, some in tandem with key universities, to look at Aquamax under different irrigation regimes. "We want to help customers best allocate an allotted amount of water to optimize performance over a growing season. We're not there yet but hope to have recommendations in 2013," she said.
Monsanto has conducted small-plot tests with drought-tolerant hybrids at several hundred locations during the past three years, with plans for large-scale testing in 2012.
"We found a gene in common soil bacteria that helps survive stress conditions, and we're proving it offers good drought tolerance in corn," said Mark Edge, corn product development lead for Monsanto. "By applying our best biotech and breeding techniques, we're able to incorporate the drought trait into the best hybrids in our breeding program."
Edge said these coming products will help reduce yield loss during flowering, when drought has the greatest impact. "We also approach water utilization by combining with traits that deliver added help. Our rootworm resistant traits help protect roots so they can access more water, as well as our Roundup Ready gene that has helped increase no-till and conservation tillage, which helps conserve water, as well."
Monsanto plans to focus first on the dryland corn area of the western Plains, where corn yields range from 70 to 130 bushels per acre. "The large-scale field trials in 2012 will give growers a chance to see how these hybrids will help maintain photosynthesis better during stress to deliver more kernels per ear and fewer barren ears."
Syngenta claims to be taking a different, candidate gene approach with its Agrisure Artesian hybrids that contain a water-optimization trait. "Our approach is a different way to tackle drought tolerance by selecting for yield stability across any geography and any drought environment," said Wayne Fithian, product lead for technical traits at Syngenta.
"We believe the native trait tolerance in Agrisure Artesian hybrids is the first true water-optimization trait in the industry," added Duane Martin, Syngenta's product lead for commercial traits. "Under moderate-to-severe water stress, these hybrids will preserve up to 15% of yield normally lost to drought."
Syngenta scientists selected candidate genes that correlate best for increased yields no matter when drought conditions occur. "We still use marker-assisted selection approaches like our competitors. But we differ in how we optimize and match the best gene combinations with different genetic background, because they express themselves differently," Fithian said.
In 2011, Syngenta had a limited supply of three Agrisure Artesian hybrids in farmer strip trials primarily in the western and southern Corn Belt. "In over 190 locations, our trial results confirmed, for example, how our 15% yield preservation turned 70-bushel corn under drought stress into 82-bushel corn," he said. "Another way to think of it is if drought steals 40 bushels, these hybrids will give you 6 bushels per acre back."
Martin said the key benefit with Agrisure Artesian is that growers across the Corn Belt, even those who may suffer only partial drought one or two years out of 10, will still benefit from yield and profit stabilization. "We always make sure we are combining a number of specific alleles in each different genetic background so we get broad mode of action for season-long drought stress tolerance," Fithian adds.
ADDING SUPPLY
For 2012, Syngenta will offer six additional hybrids representing a broader maturity range than in 2011. "This year, we're focused on the western Plains and primarily strip testing elsewhere, and then we plan to significantly expand our geography and product offering in 2013," he said. "We're looking at further research to verify that we can offer irrigated growers a significant reduction in water use without losing any yield."
Dow AgroSciences is actively engaged in pursuing hybrids with improved use of water. "We have major programs looking at a lot of different bundled agronomic traits, including overall stress tolerance, nitrogen utilization with our stabilizer products, sunlight use and more -- and it's all very complex," said Tom Wiltrout, corn business leader for Dow AgroSciences.
The company is doing work around evaluating their entire genetic portfolio to see how it reacts to these various stresses. "We're characterizing everything, using marker and genomic selection to look at sources of response," he said. The company hasn't determined yet how it will brand the category of drought-tolerant hybrids. Regardless, the goal is to bring better, well-adapted hybrids to the market that are more stable under stress to deliver more consistent yields, said Wiltrout.
Dow AgroSciences will bring these types of products forward in the next few years. "We have a lot of candidate genes in our developmental pipeline, but it will take some time to work it through into products that will prove value on a grower's farm," he said.
http://www.dtnprogressivefarmer.com
Posted by Colvin & Co. at 2/7/2012 5:30 AM 
Categories: Agriculture Companies
Tags: agriculture corn farming Harvest Planting seed
Categories: Agriculture Companies
Tags: agriculture corn farming Harvest Planting seed
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