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Volume 38, Number 18 | DECEMBER 2012

$4.25

PRACTICAL PRODUCTION TIPS FOR THE PRAIRIE FARMER

www.grainews.ca

22 new corn varieties for 2013 The 22 new corn varieties on the market for 2013 offer improved vigor, higher yield, more insect control options, and more BY LEE HART

C

anadian seed companies are packing many more good features inside bags of seed corn these days. That includes varieties that do well under lower heat unit growing conditions, have improved vigour and higher yield. But there is more. Growers are also starting to see more varieties with dual herbicide resistance — for example varieties that can be used with both Roundup Ready or Liberty Link herbicide products. But, again there is more. For insect control you can also find varieties with VT Double Pro or VT Triple Pro technology. The Double Pro has a doublestacked trait with dual modes of action against corn earworm and above-ground protection against fall armyworm and European and southwestern corn borer. The VT Triple Pro offers dualmode-of-action insect protection above ground, as well as belowground insect protection and Roundup Ready Technology. But there is more. More companies now are also offering leading varieties with what’s generally referred to as “Refuge in a Bag” (RIB). This concept for reducing the risk of devel-

PHOTOS: LEE HART

This corn crop grew near Strathmore last summer. oping insecticide resistance in pests has been used in the grain industry for several years. In today’s world of hybrid, genetically modified corn varieties, corn borers are controlled by Bt technology. Bt, which stands for Bacillus thuringiensis is a gene introduced into corn varieties that produces a protein that kills

lepidoptera larvae, in particular, the European corn borer. While Bt technology is effective, plant breeders are concerned if it is used exclusively, the corn borer will develop resistance. To combat this in both the U.S. and in Canada, producers have been required to also plant what is

known as a refuge corn variety along with the Bt variety. While 95 per cent of the crop can be a variety with the Bt trait, five per cent has to be a non-Bt variety. This practice insures at least a portion of the insect populations feeds on a non-Bt variety, maintaining its Bt susceptibility. Those insects can

breed with any borers that might be developing resistance and help maintain the Bt susceptibility. While farmers have had to sow the refuge crop separate from the Bt variety, the RIB concept now puts the two types of corn in the

» CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

In This Issue

Publications Mail Agreement Number 40069240

Wheat & Chaff ..................

2

Features ............................

5

Crop Advisor’s Casebook

16

Columns ........................... 20 Machinery & Shop ............ 27 Cattleman’s Corner .......... 34

Machinery test centres SCOTT GARVEY PAGE 27

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FarmLife ............................ 43

Carinata Agronomics

LINDSAY GRIFFITH PAGE 8

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