2022 corn, soybean varieties offer more options

Seed companies are continuously improving and adding to their seed lineups to improve the ability of growers to manage problems and achieve higher yields.

Below is an overview of what is new from seed companies for the 2022 growing season. .

Corteva

In corn, Corteva is focussing on new hybrids, many containing Qrome technology, their triple stack technology package, and AcreMax technology, with above ground pest protection.

New varieties include P8294AM, P8859AM and P9823Q, along with P0035AM and P0035Q.

“The latter is an example where we bring the AcreMax technology, which is above ground protection in one version of the hybrid and then the triple stack version, the Qrome version, or P0035Q. That’s a pretty important hybrid that we just added to the lineup,” says Dave Harwood, Corteva technical services manager. 

Within Pioneer soybeans varieties, Corteva is moving toward a more complete selection of Enlist soybeans, such as P12T94E, with a 1.2 relative maturity. 

“The direction we’re going with the Pioneer lineup is in five years time, we will be almost exclusively Enlist. Currently most of our product line is Xtend herbicide system,” said Harwood.

Brevant’s corn product line is focussed on bringing new performance levels to farmers. For grain corn, Harwood says he likes B96H83AM, a new product for growers within the north London area, and B04D72Q, a 104-day corn for growers in the Chatham area. 

De Dell Seeds

De Dell Seeds is offering three new hybrids for 2022. The first is DL 3190, a 2725 CHU which it says has spring vigour, deep colour, medium-tall height and consistent ears, quality standability and stalk and root strength. 

In silage hybrids, Decadent will be released for 2022. 

“We brought it on as our slightly earlier version of our very popular silage hybrid called Dynamite. In some areas that was a little too long for growers so it will be a slightly earlier version that still provides excellent yield, high tonnage per acre, as well as the same grain digestibility we find in Dynamite,” says Will Trudell, vice-president of De Dell Seeds. 

DL 3655, a new hybrid, is only being introduced as an organic option. 

“That is something we are excited about. We focus on serving those organic customers, that organic marketplace. We’ve been in the organic sector [a long time] and we are certainly proud to continue to take care of those organic growers.”

Dekalb

Dekalb is advancing its soybean lineup by adding more Xtend beans. 

“We are excited about the performance we are seeing as we are continuing to transition our lineup into the RoundUp Ready Xtend crop system. Ultimately what we are doing is combining excellent performance with the best management options,” says Kate Hyatt, crop and campaign manager of corn for Bayer Crop Science. 

For 2022, Dekalb will launch eight new soybean varieties, seven of which are RoundUp Ready Xtend beans and the other a new trait, the Dekalb Xtend Flex DKB21-30XF. 

This trait combines dicamba tolerance with tolerance to glyphosate and glufosinate.

“It’s offering three herbicide tolerance options, providing farmers more variety in terms of what they can do to manage weeds and weed resistance on their farm,” said Hyatt.

Dekalb is also introducing Trecepta technology into its 2022 corn lineup with three new hybrids, DKC38-15RIB, DKC48-70RIB and DKC56-15RIB.

“As part of our 10 new corn hybrids, we are ensuring that we’re expanding Trecepta hybrids to fit the needs of farmers.” 

DLF Pickseed

DLF Pickseed has 31 corn varieties available for the 2022 growing season ranging from 2100 to 2975 CHU.

It is releasing three new hybrids, two of which are VT Double Pros — PS 2570VT2P RIB and PS 2562VT2P RIB, a 2575 CHU, 85-day corn and a 2475 CHU, 82-day corn, along with PS ExPect LFF RR, its first full floury leafy corn silage. 

“On the dual-purpose side, grain side, the 2562 and 2570, we’re releasing two really strong Double Pros, in a maturity zone which we haven’t really had in our lineup for several years,” says Sylvia Megens, manager of product development with DLF Pickseed.

“Both of these hybrids have extensive yields, strong emergence and seedling vigour. They’re two really great hybrids that have filled a hole in our lineup.” A silage specific variety containing the floury gene gives it more digestible starch. 

“It’s ideal for livestock producers that look for lots of tonnage, high digestibility, and it has a white cob, providing a very high feed out and no cob disks. That floury leafy corn silage trait means more rumen available starch.

“We carry some other leafy flourys but not full leafy flourys. This is the first full leafy flourys in our lineup. We are pretty excited about that.”

Horizon Seeds

At the Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show’s Crop Stop this year, Horizon Seeds focused on new varieties to be offered in the 2022 growing season. 

It showcased the HX3172 silage corn variety with 2750 CHUs, along with its leafy genetics for improved palatability, feed values and tonnage. 

For 2022 it is offering two new soybean varieties, Atlas and Landmark, with 0.7 and 0.9 relative maturities, respectively. 

“This year, with the crazy weather we had, one of our focuses is going to be on plant health and disease. We are going to be drawing attention to better plant health that we can share in our product and the attention that we give to genetics that will create that,” says Rick Van Laecke, president of Horizon Seeds. 

Maizex

Maizex is offering numerous new corn and soybean varieties. Stephen Denys, director of market and product development with Maizex Seeds, says he is most excited about MZ 3930DBR, a 2950 CHU, 99-day corn and MZ 4608 SMX, a 3200 CHU, 106-day corn. 

“We really like the yield potential that we are seeing on [3930]. We really like [4608] because it has good plant health and has very consistent ear sizing throughout.”

In soybeans, “we’ve introduced a number of Xtend Flex and Enlist soybean varieties to give growers more options as far as [soybean] genetics. Those two platforms provide farmers with herbicide flexibility.” 

Denys says he is most excited for Kites E3, a 1.0 relative maturity and Grizzly R2X, with a 0.1 relative maturity. 

Both varieties offer excellent yield potential with high white mould tolerance, he said. 

“On the soybean front, herbicide flexibility [is most important] with our product lineup having both the Xtend and Enlist varieties. On the corn side, we have some products that match up well for the various conditions we are seeing out there, including tar spot.”

Master’s Choice

Although there is not much new from Master’s Choice Seed Corn for the 2022 growing season due to the sale of the business, the company does offer top genetics. 

“[We will have] improved efficiency, logistics and sales. We were having a lot of difficulty with getting seed and getting the hybrids we need. Now it is owned by a much larger company and we’re anticipating seeing a much better availability for seed,” says Dwayne Weber, owner of Choice Seeds. 

The company will continue to offer MC6070, MC5660 and MC4050, a 110, 106 and a 90-day corn, respectively. 

MC4050 is a short season corn that offers quality digestibility, while MC6070 and MC5660 also offer high digestibility as longer-day hybrids. 

Kingfisher and Red Tail corn hybrids are new dual purpose corn varieties to be offered.

“They are very similar to Masters Choice corn. They offer high digestibility of starch and fiber. They have excellent tonnage. We will be getting a greater coverage of corn heat units, from the short season to the long season.”

As well, the company will offer two new sorghum sudan grass mixtures, Yield Max with five different species, and Sugar Pro. 

NK Seeds

NK Seeds, now segregated from the crop protection side of Syngenta, is offering seven new hybrids across its 2022 lineup: four corn hybrids and three soybean varieties. 

Within its Agrisure Duracade 5122 trait package is NK9991 a 99-day, 3000 CHU hybrid.

“It’s a hybrid with amazing top end yield potential. It’s a hybrid that performs across all soil types. It is consistently found with lengthy ears, strong stalks and roots, as well as high test weight,” says Matt Rundle, agronomist with NK Seeds. 

Within its Agrisure Duracade 5222 trait package, it has NK9653, NK9175 and NK9023, a 96-, 91- and 90-day corn, respectively. 

Rundle says trait packages differentiate the company from others. 

“No other trait available on the market, except for Agrisure Duracade 5222, combines both the VIP3A protein from Syngenta, that Viptera trait, with below ground protection.” 

Within soybeans, NK is offering three new Enlist E3 soybeans; NK07-A7E3, NK14-W6E3 and NK19-Y5E3, a 0.7, 1.4 and 1.9 relative maturity, respectively. 

As well, it has one new conventional variety for 2022, S03-P4, which has a 0.3 relative maturity. 

“It’s the next generation of S03-W4, which has been a world class bean on the market for over 20 years and this S03-P4 has improvements to its genetic package. We have added SCN resistance, as well as an additional phytophthora root rot gene for broader protection in the early season.”

Pride Seeds

Pride Seeds continues to showcase its strong varieties and hybrids with grain, silage and conventional corn varieties ranging from 2625 to 3400 heat units, as well as corn with G2, G8, G4 and G7 options. 

At the outdoor farm show site, Pride Seeds featured soybean varieties ranging from 0.06 to 2.8 relative maturity and will release two E3 varieties within its lineup for the 2022 growing season with 2.1 and 2.7 relative maturities.

“These products would not be in our lineup if they did not have rock solid agronomics and top end yield potential,” says Amanda Craven, market development agronomist with Pride Seeds. 

Sevita

Sevita has new food grade soybeans to offer for the 2022 growing season. 

“We’re excited to hit the market with growers in Eastern Canada because we know we have strong demand overseas that will support good premiums for them,” says Sandy Hart, business manager with Sevita. 

The new product Dunham is one of the highest protein varieties on the market in Ontario, according to the 2020 provincial trial.

“It has very strong yield [potential], good disease package, including SCN and protein supports, [along with] very high premium for the producer.” 

Sevita will also release a new Natto variety, Lindber.

“[Natto] is the fastest growing soy food segment in Japan and throughout Asia. It’s fermented soybeans that are eaten typically as a breakfast food, so we have a great product to access that. It is a 2750 heat unit, which is pretty solid for Eastern Canada IP maturities,” said Hart.

On the food grade lineup, three other varieties include Finch, Odessa and Barton. 

“These are the products that over the next couple of years will replace some of what has been mainstream varieties in our lineup for Ontario.”

In GMO, Sevita will offer five varieties with the Enlist trait package. 

“The one we are rather excited about is the SI 1520 E3N, good yield, good disease package and a solid maturity for Eastern Canada.” 

WinField United

WinField United is offering a new Trecepta variety for growers in 2022, a 97-day, 2900 CHU corn, along with a 94 day, 3490VT2P. It is a hybrid that is “shining” across many soil types. 

In the last two years, WinField has launched its WinPak traits. Two varieties are blended at a 50/50 ratio within one bag. 

“We try to match them up as a disease package first. We might have a variety that has great yield, with a lower white mould tolerance. We try to find a component that’s strong on white mould,” said Darren McColm, market development manager with WinField United. “We are taking that variability [within the field] out. We are seeing a little more consistency throughout.” 

WinPak has increased its offer list to seven varieties, including two with Enlist packages. 

McColm said rising input costs are becoming a concern for growers so hybrid choices must be made carefully. 

“If crop inputs are more expensive, we can understand what hybrids will grow for your fit. [When looking at nitrogen], we have some products that are great, high yield, you don’t need to throw the kitchen sink at it for fertility to get that ROI and we have that measure [in our ratings].