Syngenta offers an early look at its next wave of genetics, releasing a limited quantity of 10 additional new NK Corn hybrids for 2017 planting. According to the company, they represent its latest seed innovations and are the first to be identified by a new, more grower-friendly naming system.
The hybrids will be featured in 2017 trial plots and are available in limited commercial quantities this growing season, giving retailers and growers a sneak peek of what’s to come in 2018. The 10 hybrids join an existing portfolio including 22 other new NK Corn hybrids released for 2017 planting.
“Research and development drives innovation at Syngenta, and these new NK Corn hybrids are a direct result of those efforts — offering growers even more advanced seed choices,” says Joe Bollman, corn seed product manager at Syngenta.
Ranging from 89-day to 115-day relative maturities, the new hybrids are also equipped with Agrisure traits to help protect genetic yield potential amid unexpected, adverse conditions. The Agrisure Artesian trait enhances water optimization while Agrisure Duracade and Agrisure Viptera traits are two options for comprehensive corn insect control.
Additionally, the hybrids will be the first to feature a new naming structure designed to make NK Corn hybrids easier to identify. Using NK Corn hybrid NK0962-3220A brand as an example, this new structure is built as follows:
- “NK” is the brand marker.
- The first two numbers reflect the last two digits of the hybrid’s relative maturity (“09” for 109-day maturity).
- The final two numbers (in this case, “62”) are selected at random.
- A hyphen distinguishes genetics from traits.
- For hybrids that contain either the Agrisure Duracade or Agrisure Viptera traits, the name ends with four numbers (in this example, “3220”) aligned with the Agrisure traits nomenclature system to help classify stack technology.
- Hybrids that contain Artesian (like this one) end with the letter “A.”
“It should be very easy for a grower to identify the relative maturity of an NK Corn hybrid. This was the thinking that drove our approach for a revamped NK Corn hybrid numbering system,” Bollman adds.
The entire NK Corn portfolio will feature the new naming structure starting with 2018 seed sales.
