Whether it’s a brand new crop type or just a new-to-your-farm variety, setting up a basic head to head comparison or small-scale trial can help minimize the risk of going all-in. On-farm trials or variety comparisons are especially helpful when trying to choose a corn variety, as hybrid production can vary so widely between growing areas and regions.
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For farmers interested in growing corn in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta have to be particularly choosey in the grain corn varieties they chose. While corn grown for grain use isn’t exactly brand new in the prairies, our short growing season is still a major limiting factor for this crop. Choosing a short-season, well suited variety is key to successfully and profitable growing the crop here.
In this video, Dieter Schwarz, market agronomist for Western Canada with PRIDE Seeds, explains the best set up for on-farm trials, what support you can expect if you choose to work with a retailer or seed supplier and provides details on the number of hybrids you should include to make the most of the extra effort on-farm trials require.
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