Over the past 20 years, advancements in corn genetics have helped produce an average yield gain of better than two bushels per acre, per year.
What does the future hold for further yield advancement and where might genetic improvement take the king of crops? On this episode of the The Sharp Edge, host Bernard Tobin and Maizex Seeds agronomist Adam Parker travel to Tilbury, Ont., to visit with Maizex corn breeder Shawn Winter to explore the potential for further yield growth as well acre expansion in northern growing areas such as Western Canada.
At the Maizex corn breeding nursery, Winter shares how he and his team work to develop early inbred lines that mature in 75 days or less, while maintaining yield and productivity. Parker notes that there’s lots of potential for corn acres to expand north as breeders develop genetics that better fit Western Canada. “For every kilometre north that you can move corn, that’s about another million acres of corn opportunity. So if we’re only at 6 million acres now, there’s a lot of room to move north,” he notes.
With stronger early genetics and the addition of improved disease resistance traits, Winter says that Manitoba growers are now seeing significant growth in yield potential, with some growers harvesting more than 200 bushels per acre.
Winter feels yield potential will continue to grow rapidly as new genetics help hybrids grow in stature and their ears produce more kernel rows and deeper kernels. “You’re also going to see those hybrids have reduced content of flint in their background, meaning softer kernel textures that are more digestible for animals — and you’re going to see higher yields when you get those put into combination.” Watch the video below.
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