Stine is building better corn, faster with the industry's most prolific, highest-yielding corn breeding program. Simply put, we are a research and development company offering genetics that cannot be found in any other company’s seed bag. Our core focus is on creating high-yielding inbreds that churn high-performing hybrids. In 2020 alone, we yield tested 50,000 new inbreds and 15,000 new hybrids. In 2021, we plan to yield test 50,000 new inbreds and test 58,000 hybrids. This is an increase of 43,000 new hybrids per year. And to overcome the obstacles of weather patterns in the U.S. Corn Belt, we rely on off-season research through our fast-generation breeding program to ensure that we're improving and accelerating the development of new corn lines year-round.
The Foundation
Genetics provide the foundation for a plant to succeed in the toughest situations. Stine’s genetics generate seed corn products that thrive by producing plants that allow optimum interception of the best of Earth’s elements — sunlight, water and nutrients. Here’s how.
- Improved sunlight interception. Stine’s corn is developed to harvest as much sunlight as possible. Our genetics produce corn plants with upright, narrower leaf structures, which allow the plants to thrive in narrow-row spacing for more plants per acre, resulting in higher yield.
- Shorter stature plants. Stine’s hybrids that are bred to withstand higher populations are developed with less height to decrease plant biomass and with lower ear height, both of which decrease the breaking point of the stalk and improve standability.
- Improved water uptake. The water corn imbibes is used for two reasons: growth and transpiration (vapor perspired by a plant to stay cool). Transpiration uses 99 percent of a plant’s water, while one percent is left for the growth process. A smaller plant structure requires less water for transpiration to keep it cool. And increased populations and narrow rows allow less sunlight (heat) to glare down into the canopy, equating to lower temperatures. The lower temperatures mean less transpiration, which results in water going more toward the plant to convert energy from photosynthesis to grain. This also improves pollination.
- Improved nutrient uptake. Plants use nutrients to grow. Nitrogen and sulfur are used in chlorophyll production for photosynthesis. Chlorophyll also uses carbon dioxide, water and sunlight to produce simple sugars that are sent to the ear. Sulfur also improves stress tolerance and protein synthesis of the plant. Phosphorus is used in the developmental process of new tissues, which leads to better stalk strength and root growth. This is vital to plant growth as most nutrients are taken up through the roots. Smaller plants require fewer nutrients to grow.
- Improved root mass efficiency. Soil types can dictate root mass, but our corn products are designed to withstand higher populations, which allows for more plants per acre. More plants per acre ultimately leads to increased root mass per cubic inch of soil.
- Better pollination. Most HP Corn® products have leaves that stick up higher than tassels. The higher the tassel, the more likely it is to shade the plant. Also, more than 99 percent of pollen is not used by the plant, and it takes more nitrogen to produce pollen in the tassel than anywhere else in the plant aside from kernel production. HP plants are bred to have reduced water stress because of their architecture, which makes silks more viable to receive pollen, which in turn increases pollination potential.
Stine corn genetics provide improved light interception, improved water use, improved nutrient use and more for increased yield potential. Talk to your local Stine sales agronomist for more information on our corn lineup.