ST. LOUIS (October 6, 2011) –With more than 50 percent of the corn crop harvested in the southern United States, corn farmers are realizing the yield benefits from DEKALB® brand corn products. Late planting, record heat and persistent drought across much of the South has resulted in variable corn yields in much of that region, yet farmers who planted DEKALB® Genuity® VT Triple PRO™ corn are reporting early harvest results where DEKALB is delivering more than an 8 bushel per acre advantage versus leading competitors’ products.
“This harvest, our DEKALB Genuity VT Triple PRO hybrids consistently yielded 15 bushels per acre or more over any of the older technologies that we planted,” said Mike Moore, a farmer from Tooney, Ala. “Aside from the added yield, the biggest difference that I noted with DEKALB Genuity VT Triple PRO was its standability. It was among the last corn that we harvested this season and was standing better than any of our other hybrids that we planted.”
In addition to the higher performance from exclusive genetics found in DEKALB corn hybrids, farmers in the cotton growing area of the South who plant Genuity VT Triple PRO corn are able to reduce their structured insect refuge from 50 percent to 20 percent for greater whole farm yield opportunity. In more than 1,800 head-to-head comparisons from five leading DEKALB hybrids in the cotton growing area of the South, DEKALB Genuity VT Triple PRO hybrids out yielded competitor hybrids by 8.4 bushels per acre. The benefits of the reduced refuge have the potential to provide an additional 3 to 6 bushels per acre for a total yield advantage of 11 to 14 bushels per acre.
Kernel feeding is an important indication of grain quality. The technology provides dual modes of action to help protect against damaging above-ground insects such as corn earworm, corn borer and fall armyworm.
“We started planting DEKALB Genuity VT Triple PRO last year for the first time and grew more this year,” Tooney added. “We have been experiencing a lot of earworm problems and damage and we thought this would help, and it has. It has been working great for us so I see us increasing more acres of it every year. It’s been increasing our yields and for us, maximum yield is what we’re after so that’s why we are going with more DEKALB Genuity VT Triple PRO.”
Across the South DEKALB Genuity VT Triple PRO hybrids have shown a 70 percent reduction in ear damage versus competitor traits, according to preliminary harvest results.
“Improved grain quality delivered through dual modes of action for above ground insect pests combined with the reduced refuge of DEKALB Genuity VT Triple PRO corn and the strength of our industry leading genetics, really are delivering in a growing year that was marked by many challenges,” said Jason Hoag, DEKALB Marketing Lead.
As harvest progresses northward, DEKALB Genuity VT Triple PRO continues to show strong performance versus competitors, Hoag said.