A NEW corn hybrid with superior performance that can yield an additional 1.7 metric tons (MT) per hectare has been released by Bayer CropScience Philippines Inc.

Called Dekalb 8282S, it has shown reliable performance in both wet and dry seasons with strong resistance to a wide variety of pests, protecting potential yield that can bring Filipino farmers an estimated net income of as much as P70,000 per hectare.

Given recent challenges in local corn production and high demand from the feeds industry, the new hybrid can help farmers increase their production and match those demand.

“We’ve called it a ‘blockbuster’ hybrid because we have that much faith in this new hybrid. It will be a big help to our farmers in the corn business and they can be assured of the high quality that has always been associated with the Dekalb brand” says Iiinas Ivan Lao, Country Commercial Lead of Bayer CropScience (BCS) Philippines during the online launch at the BCS Philippines Facebook page.

“The corn market in the Philippines is continuously evolving. Year on year, farmer demands change, price fluctuations, drought or heavy rains contribute to farmers’ unstable production. This is why Bayer is launching Dekalb 8282S in the Philippines,” Erwin Vibal, Grower Marketing Head at BCS.

“We want farmers to have a stable, reliable product that they can count on to perform despite difficult market and weather conditions and infestations – and Dekalb has a hybrid that provides that protection from risks and losses in corn production.”

Potential to earn higher than average yield

Achieving full maturity at 110 days, Dekalb 8282S has a relatively high shelling recovery at 84% which is higher than the 72% of other hybrids.

It is also capable of yielding up to of 6.2 to 8 MT per hectare, which is an increase of 1.7 MT per hectare compared to the Philippines’ national corn average yield of 4.5 to 5 MT per hectare.

Given a conservative price of P15 per kilo at farm gate, farmers can earn a gross revenue of P120,000. This is equivalent to P50,000 to P70,000 net income given cost of P50,000 and yield of 8 MT per hectare.

This is true to farmers who follow experts’ recommendations including their adaption to recommended agronomic practices such as the ideal planting population of 80,000 to 90,000 plants per hectare.

Strong resistance to FAW, variety of pests Dekalb 8282S also has strong resistance to the highly destructive Fall Army Worm (FAW) which has infested corn farms across the Philippines.

It is the only corn seed in the market that has full approval for FAW-resistance from the Fertilizer and Pest Authority (FPA).

“Fall Army Worm is very destructive because it is not selective. It does not only attack for one cycle. But it can attack two or three times over seasons,” said Vibal.

The hybrid can also resist other highly destructive pests such as the Asiatic Corn Borer, Common Cutworm, and Earworm.

Field trials showed that the corn variety has 46% less damaged kernels versus other varieties due to its VT DoublePro which has two modes of action in killing pests.

Ready for rain or drought

Another notable trait of Dekalb 8282S is its durability in either rainy or drought periods as evidenced by its stable high yield whether in drought-prone Isabela or the rain-rich farms in Pangasinan.

“Whether it’s dry season or wet season, farmers have 88% winning chance in using Dekalb 8282S—whether it’s corn after rice planting or corn after corn,” said Vibal.

“Not all hybrids have that trait. We strive to bring new technologies to farmers. Our vision is ‘Health for All, Hunger for None,’” said Vibal.

“It’s not only for business, but we want to address hunger and the food security crisis by offering technologies. It’s not enough for farmers to earn. We want them to prosper. We want to take them to a different dimension, to the next level.”

New interactive, digital experience for farmers Aside from the new hybrid, Bayer CropScience Philippines also introduced the DEKALB 360 Virtual Bayer Learning Center featuring Dekalb 8282S. This interactive virtual experience brings the Bayer Learning Center to life online which farmers can explore and learn from while in the safety of their homes. They can watch yield and grain quality tests and listen to experts and farmer feedback about the new Dekalb hybrid. It can be accessed via any Internet browser on any device or via their smartphone which can also be complemented with a clip-on VR device. For more information, follow the Bayer CropScience Philippines and Dekalb Philippines