To provide a selection of products to help growers be more productive and profitable, NC+ Hybrids, Inc. is offering a host of new products for the 2006 growing season, highlighted by 40 new corn hybrids, nine of which are triple-stack.  NC+ also announced 11 new soybean varieties and the release of the company’s first hybrid alfalfa.

“The single most important crop decision a grower makes is the seed choice, and our new 2006 corn hybrids and soybean varieties offer flexibility and value like never before seen in the industry,” NC+ General Manager Doug Gloystein said.  “We continue to be very aggressive in identifying the best seed genetics possible through our access to world-class research and breeding facilities.  Our goal is to provide growers the opportunity to evaluate all new technologies and then decide which options work best for their individual operations.”

TRIPLE-STACK

According to Gloystein, the nine new triple-stack NC+ corn hybrids incorporate Roundup Ready^®, YieldGard^® Corn Borer and YieldGard Rootworm protection for the 2006 growing season, offering growers added-value through herbicide tolerance and whole season in-plant protection against corn borers and corn rootworms.

“For growers, this means broad spectrum weed control, fewer trips across the field, flexible control of weeds in variable weather conditions, and added worker and environmental safety and convenience,” Gloystein said.  “It also means improved profitability through increased plant stands, uniformity and vigor and increased yield potential.”

NC+ Sales Manager Jeff Dilbeck said the company is particularly pleased to offer growers a full array of new triple-stack hybrids in 2006 that includes YieldGard Corn Rootworm control.

“This means reduced production costs, healthier plants during the growing season and increased yields at harvest.  Not every company is able to offer this to growers in the Corn Belt,” Dilbeck said.

The 2006 NC+ corn hybrids that incorporate Roundup Ready, YieldGard Corn Borer and YieldGard Rootworm protection are:  NC+ 2194RBD, NC+ 3432RBD, NC+ 3583RBD, NC+ 3943RBD, NC+ 4827RBD, NC+ 4948RBD, NC+ 5235RBD, NC+ 5434RBD, and NC+ 6125RBD.  All triple-stack hybrids will be treated with a seed treatment to offer broad spectrum control of secondary insects and disease protection.

COMPONENT APPROACH

Dilbeck said NC+ uses a component approach to developing hybrid seed, accessing both the best germplasm and traits from across the industry, and then rapidly evaluating and commercializing hybrids best suited for local growing conditions.

“Our research process supports growers by learning about their needs and management styles and assessing which germplasm and traits best meet those needs,” Dilbeck said.  “Then it is critical to communicate specific positioning and agronomic information so growers can capture the most yield potential from our hybrids.”

The company also announced the release of its first hybrid alfalfa, HYBRI+^® 421.  Gloystein said the new hybrid alfalfa is designed to provide higher yields and higher quality over traditional alfalfa.  Also included in the 2006 lineup is a new 70-day grain sorghum hybrid, NC+ 7B51.  Gloystein said eight of the eleven new NC+ soybean varieties are Roundup Ready.

With access to the best genetic and technology trait pools, NC+ Hybrids, Inc. independently markets the NC+ brand of seed corn, soybeans, grain sorghum, forage sorghum, sudangrass, and alfalfa as an operating subsidiary of Channel Bio Corp.