b'SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTUREBringing Less Use of Resources and Stable Yields TogetherFOTIS GEKASInternational Product & Project Manager - CornKWSThe Future Only Works TogetherBIOSTIMULANT The European Green Deal and the Farmto also cultivate grain corn in cooler regionsers, and greenhouse gas emissions can be to Fork Strategy set clear objectives forin order to extend crop rotations.reduced. Internal trials at KWS show that To Nurture Soil Health, we Must go Beyond Short-Term Fixes sustainable agriculture in Europe. AgainstThe European agricultural policyreducing crop moisture by around 10 per this backdrop, the EU Commission recentlyfocuses on extending crop rotations, withcent can lower necessary drying costs by up HOLLY LITTLEDirector, Research and DevelopmentAcadian Plant Health adopted new decisions on the Commonfarmers being encouraged to adopt newto 35 per cent. The wide harvest window Agricultural Policy (CAP). One of theapproaches. Grain corn loosens up cropalso contributes to greater flexibility in the central issues is that diverse crop rotationsrotations. Nevertheless, especially in north- farms work planning. should help reduce the use of pesticides.ern regions and at high altitudes, the heatGeneral breeding goals are varieties These political requirements lead to theavailable sum (accumulated temperature)with a healthy and rapid maturing behav-fact that growing grain corn is an increas- during the vegetation phase is often theiour, early flowering, a high and reliable ingly attractive option for many farmers inlimiting factor for cultivation. However,grain yield, and standing power. However, Europe. Under the DryDown+ label, KWSthe specific traits of the DryDown+ varie- the special focus of the KWS breeders is is launching specific grain corn varietiesties now also allow the cultivation of grainon accelerating the dry-down, in other that support extended crop rotations, evencorn in these regions. In addition to its highwords, the drying behavior of the grain corn in untypical grain corn regions. They alsoprofitability, grain corn contributes to thevarieties. In the medium term, the aim is offer the option of sustainable cultivationbuild-up of humus through the residualto achieve stable grain moisture levels of of grain corn, by reducing drying costs andplant remaining on the field, improves theapproximately 20 per cent, while the theme hence lowering CO 2emissions. soil structure, stores nutrients and assists toof the vision remains achieving a stable Due to the climate conditions in coolerbetter management of pests and diseases. commodity moisture level of 15 per cent.regions of Europe, grain corn needs to beThe varieties that KWS has developedMinimizing the use of resources and dried after harvesting so that it can beas part of a breeding program specificallyenhancing the diversity of crops and varie-stored. The rapid maturing DryDown+ vari- designed for this purpose can either beties are part of the KWS 2030 Sustainability eties are characterized by very early flower- harvested very early with the usual grainAmbition initiative, in which the company ing and an extremely fast release of grainmoisture or at the conventional harvestingsets measurable goals to deliver solutions moisture. On the one hand, this offers thetime with a very low moisture content (~ 20for sustainable agriculture. Extended crop option of reducing drying costs in typicalper cent). The low grain moisture can reducerotations and potential reductions in CO 2grain corn regions and thus making culti- the drying effort required after harvesting.emissions from DryDown+ varieties con-vation more sustainable. On the other, theseAs a result, drying costs will be lower, thetribute specifically to these goals. variety traits make it possible and attractivedrying process requires less labor for farm-CONTENT MARKETING CORN, SORGHUM AND OILSEEDSObjective Input Makes for GREAT Decision-making! Yield is Mainly Determined at the Sowing StageSHAWN BROOKPresidentSeed World Group VINCENT LUXILate Corn Market ManagerLideaBeing a farmer means facing challengesdrill factor: At Monosem, we providesisted: poorly placed seeds, skips or doubles every day. Certain stages in cultivation aresolutions to control the machine factor(two seeds too close to each other in a seed crucial and cause a great deal of stress. Into the greatest extent possible. We offer arow), and finally, considerable irregularity spring crops such as corn, one of these stageswide range of seed drills according to thein the distance between seeds in a row. We is particularly important: the sowing stage.crop sown and the farming practices of thethought it was caused by a poorly set seed Yield is mainly determined at this stagefarmer. Some of our models, for example,drill, but it turned out that the machine because, with corn, you cannot rely on till- are best suited to direct drilling, whilecould not solve everything. The problem ering. Each seed must produce a viable plantothers are more suited to conventionalwas most common among those who are that will develop a highly productive ear.preparation. On the other hand, one of thelooking for maximum precision and those Until now, successful sowing has dependedstrengths of our single grain seeders is thewho sow at higher speeds. on three factors: the right terroir, i.e. theease with which they can be switched fromA seed company must be able to help right combination of weather conditions andone crop to another and from one variety tofarmers unleash those extra quintals. So, soil type at the time of sowing; an experi- another. Using the same seed drill, you justits for farmers and to meet their needs that enced farmer; and finally, a seed drill that ishave to change the selection disc in order towere working on a new quality criterion: used to its full potential. To these three keyswitch variety. sowability. Sowability is the capacity of a factors we can add a fourth: the seed! What about the seed factor? Our com- seed to be sown well, without doubles or Some factors are inherently easier topany pays particular attention to the qual- skips, maintaining as regular a distance control than others. ity of seeds supplied to farmers. As Cornbetween seeds as possible. This new crite-Emelyne BOUTONNET, MarketingMarket Manager, during my visits to farm- rion will enable farmers to be more efficient Projects Manager for France and Export aters, I observed that despite the excellentat sowing time and to raise the upper limits Monosem, tells us more about the seedquality of the seed batches, problems per- on yield.SEEDWORLD.COM/EUROPEISEED WORLD EUROPE I 23'