January 2005: A new corn hybrid developed by Pacific Seeds is assisting Burnett farmers to increase production according to results achieved from farmer trials and commercial paddocks last season.

Pacific Seeds territory manager Maree Crawford said that Hycorn 675 has taken the industry to another level due to its ability to produce high yields in adverse conditions and this was reflected in the huge demand for the variety by experienced corn growers right across corn growing regions of Australia in late 2004

“There were yield differences of up to 1t/ha from Hycorn 675 over other varieties in the Burnett last season, but it is not just about yield this variety has other unique attributes that assist it to perform in tough environments where others just don’t handle it ” she said.

The exciting thing about this variety is that it will also be available in the IT form (Imidazalone tolerant) from next season, giving peanut growers who have used certain group B herbicides the advantage of growing corn in a paddock that they would normally have to fallow due to plant back restrictions.

For many years Pacific Seeds has strived to produce hybrids that would match yield potential of competitor varieties with limited success, and it wasn’t until we actually started focusing on breeding and adapting hybrids for our own particular environment through a specialized breeding team that we started to make good progress., especially in the Burnett which is quite unique in its farming practices and environment” she said.

Hycorn 675 is suited to both silage and grain situations and has also met the processing market for chips which gives farmers more options when it comes to marketing the product.