DEKALB® hybrids sweep regional derby in Bicol, takes home championship in multiple categories

DEKALB® 8282S and DEKALB® 9118S, DEKALB®’s hybrids for Luzon and Visayas, land championship in all three categories at the Regional Corn Derby for Dry Season in Huyon-Huyon, Tigaon, Camarines Sur headed by Department of Agriculture (DA) – Regional Field Office V and DA Tigaon. The competition showcased 14 corn hybrids from seven participating seed companies, including Bayer, each having two varieties as official entries. 

DEKALB® 8282S, known for its blockbuster yield among farmers, clinched 1st in Shelling Recovery (83.69%), 1st in Return on Investments (122.29%), and 2nd in Yield Category (9.08 tons/Ha). Meanwhile, DEKALB® 9118S ranked 1st in Yield Category (9.17 tons/Ha), 2nd in Return on Investments (117.73%), and 3rd in Shelling Recovery (81.34%).

The participating hybrids were planted last December 6, 2023 and were harvested on April 3, 2023. Some of the challenges faced during the entirety of the derby were the presence of pests such as corn plant hoppers and aphids. The fertilizer application was also limited to four bags per hectare based on the recommendation of the local soil laboratory. However, DK 8282S and DK 9118S withstood these challenges and limitations and displayed excellent performance.

“Farmers in the region tend to look for high-yielding varieties with resistance to pests like Fall Armyworm, and diseases such as stalk rot, rust, bacterial leaf and sheath blight, and ear rot. 8282S and 9118S happen to be just that. Both hybrids have characteristics that meet the farmers’ needs; high yielding, have better resistance against pests and diseases compared to our competitors’ hybrids, and most of all, they prove to be consistent in their performance both in wet and dry season,” says Senior Territory Manager Jake Baldoza. Furthermore, Baldoza explains why farmers should plant hybrids that matches their farming needs—they’re able to ensure higher yields that may compensate the loss from price mark downs. 

What makes these hybrids well-suited to the area—Arize® and DEKALB® Brand Portfolio Manager John Vince Cruz refers to the company’s best-in-class cross functional teams, commercial, breeding and R&D, and processes – that ensures DEKALB® has the right hybrids positioned to address the market and farmer needs. 

“Like DEKALB® 9118S and 8282S, our certified wins in the different categories of this corn derby are testaments to our goal of providing farmers the best options in their corn farms - in different locations and seasons. Aside from the quality of germplasms or hybrid seeds we produce, our traits offer superior weed control brought by Roundup® Ready Corn Technology, and excellent pest control for Asiatic Corn Borer (ACB) and Fall Armyworm (FAW),” explains Cruz.

These traits or corn technologies give farmer protection from 15% to 80% loss because of weeds and pests.  Given the combined seeds and traits, farmers can always count on DEKALB® to deliver its promise of excellent yield.

Roland Bilon, Bayer’s Campaign Activation Manager for DEKALB® says that this derby win is a confirmation of DEKALB products’ superiority among others, and that DEKALB® is a trusted brand that farmers can really rely on.  “It’s a testament of dedication and also proves that as a company we have something great that we can be proud of and that we are in the right direction in providing the right product that is truly of value and beneficial to all stakeholders more importantly the farmers.”

During last year’s Provincial Hybrid Yellow Corn Derby Production held in Camarines Norte (February 9 - June 6, 2023), DK 8282S took home 1st in Yield Category and ROI, and 2nd in Shelling Recovery, while DK 9118S bagged 3rd in Shelling Recovery. With DEKALB’s consistent performance in derbies in the Bicolandia, local farmers become more confident in planting DEKALB hybrids.

Apart from this, Bilon emphasizes the on-going programs that DEKALB® implements nationwide to support the local corn farmers, such as the Tandem ng Taniman, a nationwide offering that is a co-branding program together with Roundup Herbicide wherein a farmer can have a free liter of Roundup for every 2 bags purchased of any DEKALB® hybrids. He also assures farmers that DEKALB® will continue to run more campaigns in the future as the need arises, whether it be a nationwide approach or an area-specific type of program.

“I see Bayer’s DEKALB® positioned as a [seeds, trait technology, and service provider] in the next five to 10 years. True to Bayer’s vision, health for all, hunger for none, DEKALB® will continue to launch new hybrids to address farmer needs, and develop new trait technologies to improve income, ultimately increasing production to supply the local and global requirement for corn,” says Cruz.

Moreover, Bayer’s DEKALB will be proactive in sharing its germplasms, technologies and offering services to other companies and partner with the government in order to reach more farmers in the shortest possible time. 

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