Great Lakes Hybrids, a leading agricultural seed brand serving farmers in Michigan and surrounding states, is introducing new and expanded corn and soybean technologies that can help boost their yields and profitability for the 2010 growing season. The new product lineup combines Great Lakes Hybrids high-performing seed genetics with the latest Genuity biotechnology traits from Monsanto Company.
"Planting season is still a few months away, but growers already are making very important decisions about their seed selection," explains Doug Little, general manager of Great Lakes Hybrids. "For 2010, area farmers will have the opportunity to plant new seed products from Great Lakes Hybrids that include the industry's most advanced trait technologies. These innovative products not only contribute to area farmers' success, but also support the regional economy while helping to meet increasing global demand for food and energy."
Genuity SmartStax corn
New for 2010 is Genuity SmartStax, an all-in-one corn trait that controls the absolute broadest spectrum of above and below ground insects versus any other corn technology on the market. It also enables broad-spectrum weed control.
Farmers who plant Great Lakes Hybrids with Genuity SmartStax next season will also be able to reduce the required refuge from 20% to 5% of their field. Research indicates that farmers, on average, have seen a 10- to 15-bushel per acre yield advantage from biotech corn versus corn hybrids without in-plant insect protection.
Great Lakes Hybrids will also continue to offer seed products with YieldGard VT Triple trait technology in 2010. This Monsanto technology, which combines insect and weed control traits, demonstrated very positive performance this year in Great Lakes Hybrids corn products. In nearly 5000 Michigan comparisons, Great Lakes' G3VT3 hybrids beat out all competition by an average of 6.6 bushels and more than $20 per acre.
Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield
Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans offer farmers the same flexible, dependable weed control as Roundup Ready soybeans that farmers across the U.S. have planted for years, but now with significantly higher yield potential. Little said Monsanto's Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybean technology, available in a limited number of Great Lakes Hybrids products this season, showed strong local performance in 2009 and will be significantly expanded for 2010.
"Our new product lineup for 2010 reflects the commitment of Great Lakes Hybrids to provide our farmer customers with the best seed and traits available," said Little. "These advanced products will provide growers in our area with the best opportunity to maximize their yield and profit potential. In 2009, our Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans out yielded all Roundup 1 lines by more than 2.5 bushels per acre across Michigan."
Little said Great Lakes Hybrids offers seven Genuity SmartStax corn products and 10 Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybean products for the 2010 season. Farmers can select specific products with the agronomic characteristics best suited for their geography and field conditions. Four of each of these products are recommended for the Michigan market.
Great Lakes Hybrids is the largest Michigan-based seed corn supplier and a brand of AgReliant Genetics, LLC. With the industry's largest seed-only corn research program, Great Lakes Hybrids and AgReliant Genetics have been able to produce top-performing unique genetics for incorporation of new transgenic traits. Great Lakes Hybrids has also produced more winners per entry of any other seed company in the National Corn Grower's annual Corn Yield Contest. For the latest information or to find your local dealer, visit www.GreatLakesHybrids.com or call 1-800-257-SEED (7333).