Contact: James Holden, 0408 669 026
March 9, 2009
Pioneer Technology Show demonstrates new focus on breeding
“It’s all about consistency of harvestable yield,” said Craig Choice at Pioneer Hi-Bred Australia’s technology show, which ran from February 24 to 26 at the company’s Toowoomba research site.
Craig, who is the sorghum and northern corn product manager for Pioneer’s Australian operation, said the company’s corn research program has focused on harvestable yield for many years.
“You’ve only got to compare corn hybrids from 20 years ago with those of today. With advances in breeding modern corn hybrids yield around 20 percent higher but just as importantly, they stand far better and have better resistance to disease and moisture stress so that the high yield ends up in the bin not on the ground,” Craig said.
“However Pioneer’s sorghum breeding program was more focused on yield and less on defensive traits, such as staygreen and disease resistance,” he said.
“But since we reinvigorated our sorghum research program in 2005, the main emphasis has been to produce hybrids with high levels of these important traits.”
Craig said with increasing levels of disease and a higher prevalence for drought years, sorghum hybrids with strong defensive traits are able to give growers consistent, harvestable yield.
“We have released three new generation sorghum hybrids since we refocused the breeding program,” Craig said. “These include G08, G56 and G99, which is new for 2009.”
He said each hybrid has a different fit and gives farmers options depending on their situation.
“G08 is ideal for dryland fallow and irrigated country, G99 is suited to tougher dryland country such as parts of Central Queensland, the western Downs and west of the Newell Highway in northern New South Wales. And G56 is an excellent all-rounder suitable for all conditions.”
Craig said there were around 350 attendees, mostly growers and advisors, to the Pioneer Technology Show.
He said people were impressed with the new grain sorghum and corn hybrids, and commented they were pleased with the direction of both research programs.
The show also included demonstrations on planting techniques to ensure optimum plant populations as well as standability (disease) and spray-out trials.
The sponsors of the 2009 Pioneer Technology Show were DuPont, Bayer CropScience, Vanderfield, Yara Nipro, Pursehouse Rural, Penford Australia and Lachlan Commodities (Smith’s Snackfoods).
Pioneer's corn reseach manager, Steve Wilson (left), and sorghum research manager, Ivan Calvert (right), talking to growers and advisors about defensive traits and harvestable yield at the Pioneer Technology Show in late February.