Helping You Make Hybrid Decisions Companion Hybrids Invariably, farmers ask for the highest yielding hybrids in a maturity. This provides a starting point for hybrid selection, but to achieve overall success, Maizex recommends planting companion hybrids that may have a better fit on different fields in your operation. This can include hybrids of higher or lower maturity to minimize your flowering and harvest risk, hybrids that perform well in tougher soil conditions, or hybrids that better match the pest situation in specific fields, such as where planting corn on corn. Companion hybrids can also be in the same maturity but from a different germplasm pool and can help spread production risk given the conditions in a growing season. Our charts identify companion hybrids as being either offensive or defensive: • An offensive hybrid is one that can achieve maximum yield potential under good-to-ideal conditions, including higher fertility, higher populations, and on ideal soil types. • A defensive hybrid may provide more consistent performance in less-than-ideal conditions, such as on very light or very heavy soil types or in low-fertility situations. Maizex positions both types of hybrids in our portfolio to better match the range of conditions that may exist on your farm. Ask your Maizex dealer about the benefits of planting more than one hybrid on your farm. North & South of Zone: Why Spread Maturity Ranges? There are a few reasons why you might choose to plant a hybrid outside your typical maturity range. One is to extend the growing season if you want to harvest corn later in the year. Another is to plant an early-day hybrid to allow for an earlier start to harvest. Or, like many farmers, you are looking to mitigate risk. For example, if you typically plant an 80-day hybrid, you may also choose to plant both a 75-day and 85-day hybrid to hedge against unpredictable weather or other factors that could affect crop yields. Sometimes, you may simply want to experiment with planting hybrids outside of your typical maturity range in order to take advantage of new genetics or traits that can improve yields or resilience. The old rule of thumb that still applies in many situations is to plant 20% shorter, 60% within the right range, and 20% longer. This can vary by location. However, it’s important to note that planting corn hybrids outside of your typical maturity range can carry some risk. For example, planting a hybrid with a longer maturity date may increase the risk of frost damage in cooler climates, while planting a hybrid with a shorter maturity date may decrease yield potential in warmer climates or areas with longer growing seasons. Take a look at your own operation and consider your climate, soil conditions, and other factors before establishing the maturity spectrum for your farm. Your Maizex dealer can provide support in developing a field-by-field strategy with you. 11
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDAxMjI=