Are you thinking of starting to grow corn, or adding corn to your rotation in the future? Below are tips to help you figure out how to make it work.
1. Evaluate Your Needs
Different features of corn hybrids will provide different advantages and results. Think about the following for each field:
Maturity
- Look at maturity ratings to determine what works best within your geographical region.
Risk tolerance for disease and pests
- Consider VT Double PRO® RIB Complete® hybrids if targeting reduced refuge and excellent above-ground insect control such as ear worm, armyworm and corn borer.
End usage
- Grain corn: Choose hybrids with the best fit for your maturity. Consider a mix of maturities; late maturity to plant first, ideal maturity for your area and early maturity hybrids, to spread your risk and optimize your yield potential and drying costs. Be cognizant of what trait combinations you plant if for export.
- Silage or high moisture: Use field-tested high energy, EDF, EDP and high moisture hybrids from PRIDE Seeds’ corn silage portfolio.
2. Choose a Corn Type
Consider how you’ll use the corn and then weigh the pros and cons of using each corn type.
| Grain Corn | Dual-Purpose Grain/Feed | Grazing | Silage Corn | |
| Pros |
Rapid kernel drydown makes it ideal for grain. Less plant material (stover) trash to manage after harvest. |
Provides the option to harvest a portion of the crop as feed and leave remaining crop to dry down for grain harvest. |
Strong standability, highly digestible stalk, ear and kernels. Ear set near mid-point of plant. |
Slow kernel dry down (stay green) allows for wide optimum harvest window. Ideal for silage. Ears produce soft, highly digestible starchy kernels. Large more digestible plant material. |
| Cons |
Rapid kernel dry down makes it a poor choice for silage (narrow optimum silage harvest window). Smaller and less digestible plant material. |
Does not provide the best feed value option or the best features for grain harvesting. | Small plant prone to breakdown once dry. |
Slow kernel dry down makes it a poor choice for grain production. Large, leafy plants would leave excess trash in field. |
3. Investigate the Kernel
Find out what kernel type each hybrid you’re contemplating on purchasing has. Many companies use dent or semi-dent kernels for silage. This is not ideal for silage corn, as there is rapid drydown and you want the kernel to stay green. See below to determine characteristics for each kernel type.
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Flint Slower drydown Hard, smooth seed coat Rounded cap/crown at maturity Harder starch outer layer Round kernel shape Dries uniformly |
Semi-Dent High test weight |
Dent Rapid drydown Dented cap at maturity Upon drying, depression Softer starch outer layer Long and narrow to wide and shallow kernel shape |
4. Choose Your PRIDE Seeds corn seed
Given the information above, here are some recommendations on PRIDE Seed corn hybrids to try on your farm this year:
| Usage | Hybrid | CHU | Trait | Days to Maturity | Kernel Type |
| Grain | A3993G2 RIB | 2025 | VT2P* | 72 | Dent |
| A4199G2 RIB | 2150 | VT2P | 75 | Dent | |
| A4646G2 RIB | 2300 | VT2P | 79 | Dent | |
| Silage | AS1017RR EDF | 2050-2250 | RR** | 71-75 | Flint |
| Dual-Purpose | A4414RR | 2050-2175 | RR | 76 | Semi-Dent |
| A4415G2 RIB | 2100-2275 | VT2P | 77 | Semi-Dent |
*VT Double PRO® RIB Complete®
**Roundup Ready® Corn 2
Want to see more? Visit our Corn Product Page.