Iowa’s race for short, weather-sturdy corn

Corn genetics is trending to far shorter stalks with some restricted new varieties hitting fields subsequent spring, Myron Stine, president of the Adel-based Stine Seed Co., tells Axios.

Why it issues: The stocky stalks produce greater yields and are extra proof against wind.

• Quick corn is planted nearer collectively and may produce as a lot as 15% greater yield, Stine mentioned.
• They’ll additionally make it simpler to use herbicides, probably decreasing manufacturing prices.

Driving the information: Bayer — the nation’s largest seed vendor — plans to market short-corn varieties in 2024, the Wall Road Journal reported this month.

Sure, however: Stine — an organization greatest identified for soybean seeds — launched some shorter corn varieties greater than a decade in the past.

• CEO Harry Stine developed them after figuring out how a “shading impact” from tall crops blocked gentle and hid the potential of shorter varieties in take a look at plots.
• It got here after a long time of testing and was not an intentional trait sought by Stine.
• The corporate’s scientists theorize that their varieties is not going to get a lot smaller.

By the numbers: A few of Stine Co.’s crops develop to only over seven ft, roughly two ft shorter than different frequent varieties. Some can develop greater than 12 ft.

Bonus: The Stine Co. not too long ago launched a podcast about their analysis.