Our corn trialing program is growing – we’re investing in more trials this season to support our exciting new lineup of silage and grazing corn.
BCTs #
BrettYoung Comparison Trials (BCTs) were first established years ago as a way for Regional Account Managers (RAMs) and growers to assess new and existing varieties against each other while assessing performance against industry checks. Trial locations are all across Western Canada, giving us a well-rounded view of how each variety does in the many conditions of the region.
“We’ve recently added silage and grazing corn back into our portfolio, so this marks our first year conducting corn BCTs,” said Justine Cornelsen, BrettYoung’s Agronomic & Regulatory Services Manager. “Silage and grazing corn are unique markets. Conducting these types of trials gives us a feel for hybrid performance in different geographies, along with a better look into feed quality parameters.”
This year, BrettYoung has six corn BCT sites across Western Canada to assess four hybrids – two of which are our Roundup Ready® commercial varieties (BY Brava RR2 and BY Belmont RR2), the other two being new VT Double PRO® hybrids.
Similar in design to the canola BCTs, each corn BCT location contains several hybrids that are replicated to help capture the variation in field trials, allowing for a more equal product comparison. The second reps, Cornelsen said, are randomized so we can compare the different products side by side and make a better assessment of maturity and agronomic characteristics.
All data collected from BCTs is utilized to help us make informed decisions on how to best position these hybrids. As this is the first time some of these products have been grown on a commercial-scale production, getting grower feedback is a crucial part of the process.
“Silage trials add another layer of complexity as samples are submitted to the lab to assess feed quality measures like dry matter, crude protein, fibre content, and energy value,” said Cornelsen. “Quality is dependent on the environment but we like to collect hybrid feed quality data so we can provide some recommendations on how each hybrid can be fed and mixed for complete rations.”
Additional Trials #
Along with our BCTs, BrettYoung submits corn entries to the Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA)/Manitoba Corn Committee’s (MCC) corn hybrid performance trials. These programs provide diverse trialing locations and give us the opportunity to compare our products to competitor hybrids for both silage and grain corn.
For the first time, this year we also submitted corn hybrids to the British Columbia CowChow trials to generate more nation-wide data.
“Silage trials are very limited,” said Cornelsen. “So, we appreciate the third-party groups that are willing to conduct these types of trials.”
At BrettYoung, we also conduct our own internal silage corn hybrid evaluation trial to screen hybrids from genetics suppliers. This helps us to find hybrids suitable to Western Canada’s growing conditions.
New Hybrids #
Added to our portfolio for 2024 is BY Guernsey VT2P RIB, of the VT Double PRO® RIB Complete® trait system. This product offers great performance with insect resistance, featuring a white cob with high grain quality and slow drydown for silage and grazing needs. BY Guernsey VT2P RIB is an early flowering 78-day relative maturity (2250 CHU for grain, 2150 CHU for silage) hybrid with very good root and stalk strength.
“We want our customers to have choice,” said Vikas Chand, BrettYoung Corn, Soybeans, & Biologicals Product Manager. “BY Guernsey VT2P RIB gives you that. With a lot of the same characteristics as BY Brava RR2, you can choose your hybrid based on the trait package your farm needs without sacrificing anything.”
We’re also trialing an experimental hybrid this year: BYM2234003BV. Also of the VT Double PRO RIB Complete trait package, this red cob hybrid has an 84-day relative maturity. It’s a big plant with good silage and grain potential, good root and stalk strength, and very good resistance to Goss’s Wilt.
To get a first look at these hybrids in action, contact your local BrettYoung Regional Account Manager (RAM). BrettYoung also has canola and soybean BCTS. To find up-to-date information on their progress, go to www.brettyoung.ca/product-performance.
