The challenge of keeping pace with weeds, diseases and insects isn’t only an issue for growers. It affects seed dealers and plant breeders as well.
They search for hybrids and varieties that combine superior yield with in-field performance relating to standability, test weights, durability and quality.
Farmtario has invited seed companies across the province to share an overview of their line-ups for the coming growing season. An added feature this year is inclusion of winter wheat varieties.
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Bayer Canada
The newest arrival from Bayer Canada is the hybrid line-up featuring SmartStax PRO, including the use of RNAi technology. This innovation interferes with corn rootworm’s production of a specific protein necessary for its existence, meaning growers will have a third mode of action against this pest.
“The brand new RNAi technology is ‘next level’ protection as it’s an industry first in corn,” says David Kikkert, Bayer Canada’s corn and soybean portfolio lead.
“It’s unique in that it brings a new mode of action against corn rootworm that growers have not had before. Bringing innovation to corn growers will help them manage their fields and returns, and SmartStax PRO is the first with three modes of action, offering the strongest biotech defence against corn rootworm.”
Corteva Agriscience
In Eastern Canada, Corteva Agriscience is seeing rapid adoption of the Enlist weed control system, now available to soybean and corn farmers.
Enlist E3 is the top-selling soybean technology in the U.S., and soybean acres are growing quickly in Eastern Canada as growers embrace the latest genetics and weed control offered by Enlist Duo and Enlist 1 herbicides.
In 2024, corn growers will have access to two new traits with PowerCore Enlist corn and Vorceed Enlist corn with RNAi technology. The first hybrids available with these traits will be planted in Eastern Canada in 2024, with a broader set of backgrounds and maturities for 2025.
Corteva’s Viatude fungicide can also help soybean growers manage white mould. This product launched in 2023 and will have greater availability in 2024.
De Dell Seeds
There are no shortcuts in traditional corn breeding, and De Dell Seeds says it’s excited to see its own inbreds graduate into its commercial hybrid lineup.
For spring 2024, De Dell is introducing six new hybrids, four of which will be available in conventional and organic versions. These hybrids cover all maturities that De Dell sells in the 2300 CHU maturity, right into the 3200 CHU range.
De Dell has focused on breeding new corn hybrids in the traditional way, in the field. This gives the company the advantage of identifying inbreds with strong characteristics of yield, standability, stress tolerance, test weight and disease pressure throughout the breeding process.
“It is definitely satisfying to see the hard work paying off,” says Will Trudell, vice-president at De Dell Seeds, adding that he is impressed with the small but mighty research team.
“It is quite amazing to see what we have been able to accomplish with our modest breeding program, but I have tremendous confidence in the material these guys are creating.”
Harvest data on its website highlights the new hybrids but growers are encouraged to watch for this year’s data to see which of the new hybrids makes the honour roll.
De Dell offers more than 30 non-GMO seed corn hybrids, including dedicated silage and organic hybrids.
Horizon Seeds
Jessica Van Laecke, marketing lead for Horizon Seeds, told Farmtario the company has made a strategic move by shifting to a direct dealer model in Western Canada to solidify its presence in the market. The company is focusing on regional expansion, with the addition of seasoned experts Darren Nykoliation and Harold Huff as seed service and relationship managers in Western Canada and Eastern Ontario respectively.
She said the company this year has introduced two “exceptional” conventional hybrids and a high performing PowerCore Enlist hybrid, alongside a “cutting-edge” soybean variety.
Maizex
Maizex has one of the largest pre-commercial testing programs in Canada, putting it on the leading edge of new genetics and traits. It has one of the first commercially available SmartStax PRO corn hybrids for increased rootworm protection in 2024.
All corn hybrids and soybean varieties are now under the Maizex brand, including high-yielding Enlist, Xtend and XtendFlex varieties.
This provides farmers with flexible options for all herbicide platforms. In addition to the new offerings in trait and genetics, the Maizex research program led to an industry-best approach to seed treatments, including new options like Heads Up on soybeans.
Another new development at Maizex is availability of the high-performance Elite-brand forages line through the dealer network.
Pride Seeds
The Pride Agronomy Team focuses on a boots-in-the-field approach to working with growers.
“At Pride Seeds, we are constantly evolving with the demands of growers and their individual needs on- farm,” says Matt Chapple, product and agronomy manager.
“Powered by AgReliant Genetics and their North American breeding efforts,” he says the company performs localized testing across various environments in Ontario and the broader Canadian market.
Regional screening for ear mould and tar spot tolerance continues to be a high priority, while identifying hybrid genetic and trait performance and management with fertility and fungicides.
For soybeans, identifying key characteristics around sudden death syndrome, white mould and Phytophthora root rot tolerance continues to improve yield potential.
Pairing high-performing genetics across a variety of environments gives growers a choice in herbicide and pest traits for their operation, says Chapple.
SeCan
It’s been more than 10 years since SeCan and Grain Farmers of Ontario teamed up with the University of Guelph to create a world-class winter wheat breeding program.
SeCan says that investment is paying off in the form of new varieties bred specifically to meet growing conditions across the province.
Selected for high yield, strong straw and overall disease tolerance, OAC Constellation, OAC Moon and OAC Virgo are the leading new varieties for grower consideration.
Sevita International
Sevita International said it offers growers an excellent lineup of soybean varieties developed specifically for Canadian growing conditions.
It aims to help growers raise a high-yielding and high-value crop through its ongoing investment in breeding and variety development. Sevita varieties are in demand throughout high-value food markets around the world.
“Our food grade lineup has seen many high-yielding, highly profitable additions over the past two years,” says general manager Sandy Hart. “One such addition for 2024 is Haldi (pending registration), a high yielding 2900 CHU variety with built-in SCN resistance and strong premium potential.”
Sevita has more than 19 food-grade varieties with production premiums for growers ranging from RM 0.3 (2600 CHU) to RM 2.0 (3025 CHU). Its soybean varieties are used primarily for export and used in tofu, soy beverages, miso and natto.
On the GM side, Sevita introduces SI 1323XFN, a new variety featuring the XtendFlex trait package, plus two new varieties with the Enlist E3 trait package – SI 323E3N and SI 1823E3N.
Hart says Sevita’s new varieties for 2024 feature characteristics important to the company’s local growers, such as soybean cyst nematode resistance, white mould and Phytophthora tolerance, field adaptability, and overall grower profitability. He says the company will continue its focus on soybeans in Canada.
Syngenta Canada
NK Seeds has had several years of significant growth in Canada, in part due to its renewed focus on bringing the highest yielding corn hybrids and soybeans to the farm faster than before.
Since the investment of $400 million into the seed business, NK Seeds continues to innovate.
“Farmers are noticing more yield potential and more consistency in every stalk,” says Graham MacGregor, Syngenta seeds product and agronomy manager. “We’ve optimized seed testing and development to reduce product development time by three years.”
MacGregor notes that Enogen corn hybrids are a great example of innovation that Syngenta brings to the market. It’s “a new breed for feed” dual-purpose corn hybrid – silage and grain – with an alpha-amylase enzyme for high starch digestibility and increased feed efficiency of up to five per cent.
NK Seeds is the only soybean seed provider to offer sought-after herbicide traits such as Xtend, XtendFlex and Enlist, stacked on its own proprietary germplasm, MacGregor said.
Winfield United Canada
Croplan is launching four new corn hybrids from four different systems, reaffirming its commitment to provide solutions for every acre. The 2024 lineup includes Roundup Ready, VTDoublePro, Trecepta, and the company’s first SmartStax Pro offering.
The new CP3715SSPRO is a 97-day relative maturity corn hybrid at 2975 CHU.
“This versatile hybrid is a great fit for any yield environment where concern for corn rootworm is increasing,” says Darren McColm, Winfield United Canada’s Eastern agronomy lead.
“Acres that have had several years of corn on corn should look at SSPRO hybrids to minimize the risk of crop damage to help maximize control of high-pressure corn rootworm,”
Winfield is also launching three Croplan Soybean WinPak options; two from the Enlist system and one from Xtend.
“We’re pleased to offer a new 0.7 maturity Enlist WinPak to meet the demand for an early season Enlist offering. Our 1.8 Xtend WinPak and our 2.2 Enlist WinPak have been upgraded to meet localized demands in those maturities,” said McColm.
The new season also brings new technologies to Winfield’s adjuvant portfolio. In addition to field-proven products like MasterLock and InterLock, McColm says the company will bring another adjuvant to the market.
