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NEWS

Test plots conducted by third parties are helpful in selecting new hybrids, varieties
Eagan, Minnesota
November 24, 1999

Farmers looking for unbiased information on the newest hybrids and varieties may want to check with their local bank.

Ag businesses, farm managers, independent researchers and even banks will often set up local test plots to appraise the newest hybrids and varieties available. These "third-party" plots serve as a valuable tool to growers who are looking for unbiased and accurate information says Mike Mueller, agronomist for Mycogen Seeds

Seed companies and dealerships sponsor their own plots each year to demonstrate and test their
newest hybrids and varieties. However, Mueller says farmers tend not to give as much credibility to these results as they would a non-biased third-party plot. Although, the company cooperator plots do play a key role in determining product performance and product placement for the companies they represent.

Independent researchers and agribusinesses, on the other hand, plant test plots as a service to their customers and have no bias to a particular company or product. To put it simply, all products are on an "equal playing field."

"It’s important for farmers to collect all of the third-party plot data they can get their hands on," says Mueller. "They not only should note the performance of the new hybrids and varieties, but the soil conditions, time of planting, and any inputs used on the plot, as well. If they truly want to know how a hybrid or variety will perform in their field, they’ll need to see it in similar conditions."

Mueller says it’s imperative growers update their arsenal faster than ever to remain competitive. 

"Growers need to look at the new hybrids and varieties available every year in their area," he explains. "Where companies once replaced their corn hybrids every five to seven years, they now update them as often as every two or three. And where soybean varieties weren’t replaced until they had been on the market for five years, now they are replaced after just one or two years of availability."

Mueller offers these points to farmers who are shopping around for next year’s hybrids and varieties:

  • Take soil type into account. Look for hybrids and varieties that do well in soils similar to their own.
  • Consider drydown time. Some growers may need grains that dry faster for quicker harvest.
  • Look at late-season plant health and intactness. A hardy hybrid may be important for farmers with larger acreage and longer harvest times.
  • Compare your results with other plots. Some third-party plots will include popular hybrids and varieties that have been on the market for a year or so. If you planted one of these products last year, compare your results with test plots in your area. If there is a difference, determine why. Don’t forget to compare inputs, rotation and tillage.
  • Don’t disregard company-sponsored plots. When comparing hybrids and varieties, more data is always better. Most seed companies know it is bad business practice to alter plot results, so most results are reliable. Data from company-sponsored plots paired with third-party results can help provide an accurate picture of seed performance.

A local business unit of Dow AgroSciences, Mycogen Seeds markets grain corn, silage corn and
nutritionally enhanced corn seed, as well as sunflower, canola, soybean, alfalfa and sorghum seed through the Corn Belt, the eastern United States and in major dairy areas throughout the nation. 

Company news release
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