Beck's Hybrids Breaks 300 Bushel Corn Attempt

October 1, 2008

For the past 28 years Beck's has included in their Practical Farm Research studies the 300 bushel per acre attempt on corn. In 1994 Beck's broke the 300 bushel per acre attempt with their leading hybrid, Beck 5405 at 308.1 bushels/acre. Since 1994 Beck's attempt at breaking the 300 bushel mark went unsuccessful until last year when Beck 6733, (a non-traited version) broke the 300 bushel goal at 302.9 bushels per acre. In 2008, a new harvest record has been set with Beck's 6733HXR^™* weighing in at 332.4 bushels per acre.

Scott Beck, Vice President and Practical Farm Research Manager recalls, "In our attempt to reach 300 bushels per acre, we have tried several different approaches in the past 28 years. In the early years, we increased our populations and applied extremely high rates of fertilizer as well as some micronutrients. In the mid to late 80's, we tried using different tillage methods like v-rip, chisel, and moldboard plow. From 1991 to 2002, we tested zone-till vs. conventional-till. In 2003, we tested ultra-high populations and twin rows using conventional-till practices. Since 2004, we have compared the following crop rotations: continuous corn,
two-year corn/one year soybean, and corn/soybean rotations."

This year's plot, planted on April 18^th and harvested September 23^rd, consisted of three (3) replications. The first replication was on continuous corn (8^th year) with Headline fungicide.  The second and third replications were corn after beans with Headline and corn after beans with no fungicide. In each of the three replications, BECK 6733HXR^™*broke the 300 bushel goal. "Some of the key factors to the success of this year's plot were, early planting at 36,000 seeds per acre, good stand establishment, adequate but not flooding rains and minimal disease pressure", said Beck.

All of these factors contributed to not only the stellar performance of BECK 6733HX^™*, but all eight hybrids averaged over 30 bushels per acre more than the previous year with a record setting average of 292.7 bushels per acre in the continuous corn environment. In addition, the value of fungicide was also seen in the two corn after soybean comparisons, where the replication with Headline fungicide averaged 13.5 bushels per acre more than the plot without Headline.

In celebration of this record setting event, Scott Beck adds, "Beck's is offering a "Record Breaker Special" program for farmers who place an order for BECK 6733HX^™* by December 10, 2008.  Farmers placing an order of any size will receive an additional $30 per unit off their seed price of BECK 6733HXR^™*".

More information about Beck's Practical Farm Research studies can be found this fall on Beck's web site at www.beckshybrids.com or farmers can call in and ask for their copy of Beck's Practical Farm Research results book which is mailed each November.

Beck's Hybrids is a family-owned and operated seed company that serves farmers throughout Indiana, Illinois, and select counties in Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky. According to a recent media survey, Beck's ranks as the sixth largest seed company in the United States and the only one in the top six that is family-owned, making Beck's the largest retail family-owned seed company in the U.S.