2024 Hybrid Guide
ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC
Southern Production & Marketing Strategies
A Supplement to Cotton Farming and The Peanut Grower Magazines
November 2023
Market Factors
Research Team Looking At Grain Bin Soundness Severe weather affects all parts of farm country, but it was the 2020 derecho that swept across the Corn Belt which prompted a team of researchers to look specifically at grain bins. Led by University of Nebraska-L incoln research engineer Christine Wittich, Amanda Huber the research team Editor includes Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economists Rebekka Dudensing, Dean McCorkle and Steven Klose, who is associate department head. Also included is Maria Watson, business and disaster recovery specialist, University of Florida. “Recovery after a windstorm, like the 2020 derecho, is a multiyear process for many farmers,” Wittich says. “Based on early responses to surveys, common concerns included the availability of building materials and labor to begin reconstruction for their farm structures. This seems to be a major barrier toward recovery.” In their preliminary findings, steel grain bins: • Are vulnerable to high wind loads when not full. Very tall bins or bins that are highly exposed are particularly vulnerable to wind, especially on hilltops. • May still fail even when full and sustain roof damage or tear off, and/or suffer from non-structural damage such as stair damage. • With vertical stiffeners tend to perform significantly better during windstorms than those without. Future plans include additional surveying of farm structure impacts. Researchers hope to eventually publish best practices for grain bin construction and for preparing grain bins for severe storms.
Weather, War and Input Costs Affect Market Prices
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eat and drought have taken a toll on Texas crop production, says Mark Welch, AgriLife Extension economist. Another issue has been the volatile and varying prices during the summer. Welch says the basis price, or the difference between the local cash price and the future market price, for feed grain markets has held firm throughout the summer. Additionally, drought in the Corn Belt allowed producers who were able to plant early and get good yields, to also get a significant price increase. Texas and other southern states have also experienced a spike in forage prices, such as hay and silage, because of the demand for forage from livestock owners and producers. Also causing prices to spike is the war between Russia and Ukraine. “We have come back down from last year’s pre-war prices, but there is still a big concern of grain prices and exports,” Welch says. “The grain trade initiative allowed Ukraine to export, but during the last few weeks, Russia has ended the grain trade initiative, and prices have spiked again.” Producers will have to wait until harvest is complete to know the extent of yield loss from heat and drought. Possible Record Yield In Mississippi The story is different for Mississippi producers where yield estimates have steadily increased throughout the summer. The late September U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast put yield at 182 bushels per acre. That estimate is up three bushels from August and is 17 bushels higher than the average harvested in 2022. “This is the highest yield we’ve had in at least five years and may set a new state record,” says Erick Larson, grain crops agronomist with Mississippi State Uni-
Market Factors: • Drought in the Corn Belt. • An end to Russia’s grain trade initiative with Ukraine. • An increase in corn acreage over 2022. • A leveling out of input costs. • A projected increase in ending stocks. versity Extension Service. Mississippi’s late summer drought did not affect the crop because most corn was nearly mature. “We had favorable conditions in all the critical stages of growth,” Larson says. Overall Price Outlook With U.S. corn production up an estimated 10% from 2022, prices are down. According to USDA projections, the average farm price will be $4.90 a bushel, which is down $1.65 a bushel from last year. “High input costs kept planted acres down last year,” says Will Maples, MSU Extension agricultural economist. “But as these costs eased some this year, producers responded by planting close to 6 million more acres. “Higher production means ending stocks are projected up 50% compared to last year, which will continue to dampen any major price rallies.” Maples says producers who ship their crops by Mississippi barges may see higher prices as the drought continues to reduce river levels to near-record lows. “There are not really any good options for producers who must deliver straight from the field,” he says. CS Portions of this article by Randi Williams, Texas A&M AgriLife, and Susan M. Collins-Smith, MSU Extension Service.
Corn South: Covering Southern Corn Production COVER PHOTO © GTIPTON/DREAMSTIME.COM
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CornSouth is a supplement to the Mid-South and Southeast versions of Cotton Farming magazine and to The Peanut Grower magazine for producers in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. To receive CornSouth, visit cornsouth.com/subscribe. CORNSOUTH.COM
2024 Corn Hybrids Corn South presents a partial listing of corn hybrids suited for the Southern growing region. For a more complete listing, contact your seed representative. DEKALB DKC62-05 Brand (112RM) DKC62-08 Brand (112RM) • Versatile product with top-end yield potential • Very good stalks, roots and drought tolerance • Nice drydown and test weight • Proven performer and adapted to most acres • DKC62-05 Brand is a great refuge option in proven genetics DKC63-56 Brand (113RM) DKC63-57 Brand (113RM) • Broadly adapted product that has shown strong yields across environments • Has shown excellent standability • Capability to flex at reduced planting populations • Solid agronomics and disease tolerance package for versatility in most geographies • DKC63-56 Brand is a great refuge option in proven genetics DKC65-93 Brand (115RM) DKC65-95 Brand (115RM) • Good stress tolerance and strong yield potential across environments • Attractive plant type with strong agronomics • Strong roots and stalks provide good standability • Excellent grain quality and test weight
• DKC65-93 Brand is a great refuge option in proven genetics DKC66-06 Brand (116RM) • Excellent yield potential • Solid agronomics with very good roots and stalks • Flex ear • Broadly adapted across most soil types DKC67-44 Brand (117RM) • Can perform in low- and high-yield environments • Nice ear flex and grain quality • Very good disease tolerance but may benefit from a fungicide application DKC67-94 Brand (117RM) • Exciting yield with broad east-towest movement across the Southern geography • Versatile across soil types and crop rotations • Strong disease package • Additional above-ground protection with Trecepta technology DKC117-78 Brand (117RM) New • Strong yield performance potential with versatility across growing environments • Excellent root and stalk strength with a relaxed canopy structure to shade row • Very strong stress tolerance profile • Consider fungicide to manage fungal diseases and to help maximize the grain-fill period and late-season appearance
DKC68-35 Brand (118RM) • Potential yield leader! • Solid emergence and early growth • Flex ear with very good drought tolerance • White cob • Manage late nitrogen and fungicide to maximize potential DKC68-94 Brand (118RM) DKC68-95 Brand (118RM) • Attractive shorter product with a dense, full canopy showing top-end yield potential • Solid agronomics, especially roots, for the Southeast market • Medium to medium-high planting populations recommended • Product designed and launched specifically with the Southeast and Carolinas in mind DKC69-99 Brand (119RM) • Top-end yield performance across the Cotton Belt • Excellent staygreen, test weight and stress tolerance • Semi-flex ear • Additional above-ground protection with Trecepta technology DKC70-45 Brand (120RM) • Late maturity with top-end yield potential • Robust, eye-catching plant stature with a girthy, semi-flex ear • Very good grain quality • Versatile across environments
NK Corn Southeast Options NK1082-DV • Broadly adapted hybrid for all yield environments • Moderate plant stature with great emergence for earlier planting window • Semi-flex ear type enables population flexibility NK1480-DV - New • High-performing genetics for the highly productive acre • Proven emergence with very good seedling vigor for early planting • Strong gray leaf spot and tar spot tolerance NK1677-3110 • Semi-flex ear type maximizes yield
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2024 Corn Hybrids potential across populations • Improved test weight and grain quality with desirable ear placement and husk cover • Excellent combination of strong stalks and roots NK1701-V • Very good stalk and root strength for late-season stability • Dependable emergence and vigor allow for early planting • Moderate plant stature with a very strong disease package E117Z7-D - New • Dependable staygreen with moderate drydown • Strong emergence with outstanding vigor for early planted acres • Broadly adapted genetics with excellent silage tonnage potential E118D8-3000GT • Strong choice for highly productive acres • Tall plant type with good stalks for improved standability • Great plant health and staygreen to promote late-season intactness Mid-South Options NK1082-DV • Broadly adapted hybrid for all yield environments • Moderate plant stature with great emergence for earlier planting window • Semi-flex ear type enables population flexibility NK1480-DV - New • High-performing genetics for the highly productive acre • Proven emergence with very good seedling vigor for early planting • Great corn-on-corn performance with strong GLS and tar spot tolerance NK1523-V • Consistent yield potential in a broadly adapted hybrid • Strong and robust root structure • Excellent yield potential with increased management NK1677-3110 • Semi-flex ear type maximizes yield potential across populations • Improved test weight and grain quality with desirable ear placement and
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husk cover • Excellent combination of strong stalks and roots NK1701-V • Very good stalk and root strength for late-season stability • Dependable emergence and vigor allow for early planting • Moderate plant stature with a very strong disease package E117Z7-D - New • Dependable staygreen with moderate drydown • Strong emergence with outstanding vigor for early planted acres • Broadly adapted genetics with excellent silage tonnage potential
Pioneer P1718VYHR • Optimum Leptra hybrid with maximum yield potential on highly productive soils, some stability on tougher soils • Solid stalk strength and average root strength with a taller plant height, fits heavier/stickier soil types • Respectable fusarium ear rot, southern leaf blight and gray leaf spot tolerance • Significant ear flex and above-average drought tolerance provide yield stability P1847VYHR • Late season Optimum Leptra product for dryland and irrigated grain or silage • Offers better-than-average ear flex ideally suited for lower plant populations • Competitive northern and southern leaf blight resistance • Suitable for later-planted situations for grain or silage P1511YHR • Above-average ear flex and drought tolerance offering yield stability on moderate-to-productive soils • Very competitive root strength with respectable stalk strength and brittle stalk scores, plus favorable plant stature for late-season standability • Respectable northern leaf blight, gray leaf spot and southern leaf blight resistance delivers some protection against leaf diseases P1289YHR • Offers yield stability in a wide range of environments, including stress prone to productive soils
• Acceptable fusarium ear rot and above-average diplodia ear rot, matched with consistent test weight, provide attractive grain quality • Very competitive northern leaf blight resistance and respectable gray leaf spot, southern leaf blight and anthracnose stalk rot are key for late-season intactness P1608YHR • Above-average ear flex and drought tolerance offering yield stability on moderate-to-productive soils • Strong staygreen with favorable northern leaf blight and average gray leaf spot, southern leaf blight and southern rust resistance • Above-average fusarium ear rot and consistent test weight lend to attractive grain quality in this hybrid P0953YHR • High yielding 109 CRM product offering maximum yield potential in an early maturity on moderate-to-productive soils, including irrigated environments • Respectable plant stature as well as above-average stalk strength, root strength and brittle snap ratings for standability in high-maintenance production • Favorable northern leaf blight and anthracnose stalk rot, plus acceptable gray leaf spot and southern leaf blight provide appealing disease resistance P17052YHR – New • Average stalks, above-average roots and very good ear flex • Average gray leaf spot and northern leaf blight resistance • Position in moderate- to high-yield environments similar to P1870 at 2834K seeding rate P17677YHR – New • New stable-yielding 117 CRM product with very good drought tolerance • Above-average stalks and roots with average disease package • Position in the same environments as P1464 and P1847 at 26-32K seeding rate
For additional information: • www.DEKALB.com/myseed • www.NKCorn.com • www.Pioneer.com CORNSOUTH.COM