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Field trials for short stature corn showing promise

An agronomist with Bayer says field trials for its short-statures corn hybrids have been encouraging.

Shawn McDonald says Bayer’s Preceon variety is only about 7 feet tall with 24-to-28-inch ear heights.

“What we’ve seen with that in some field testing so far is significant reductions in green snap risk, he says. “When we look at a place like Nebraska where you get those July storms, that can be pretty destructive on a lot of acres we have out here.”

He tells Brownfield it also allows for more accessibility.

“Being able to run that ground rig through the field, getting on some of those in-season nitrogen (applications) being better stewards about, you know, getting on that proper fertility when you need it, but also at the best timing to achieve those higher yields,” he says.

Bayer and BASF are partnering on a biotech approach that will allow short corn to be combined with a wide array of germplasm for broader application in more environments. McDonald says they hope to finalize that by 2027 or 2028.

Brownfield interviewed McDonald during the 2024 Husker Harvest Days, near Grand Island, Nebraska.

AUDIO: Shawn McDonald, Bayer