Columbus, Ohio
November 13, 2007
Transgenic corn hybrids may differ
in performance from non-genetically modified varieties in
response to various insect pests, but the same recommendations
apply when selecting hybrids for planting.
Peter Thomison, an Ohio State
University Extension agronomist, said that growers who
intend to plant transgenic hybrids should eye such performance
characteristics as yield potential, stalk quality, and grain
moisture.
“The same recommendations we make for planting non-transgenic
hybrids apply equally to planting hybrids that carry genetically
modified traits,” said Thomison, who also holds a research
appointment with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development
Center. “The traits that the hybrid has shouldn’t dictate what
growers will plant. It all depends on how well-adapted these
base genetics are to Ohio’s environmental conditions.”
Transgenics is the science of introducing a gene from one
organism or plant into the genome of another organism or plant.
In crop production, Bt corn to control European corn borer and
rootworm, and Round-Up Ready corn and soybeans for enhanced weed
control would be examples of transgenics.
Transgenic hybrids are becoming more popular in Ohio. According
to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, over 40 percent of Ohio’s
2007 corn crop consisted of biotech varieties, 15 percent more
than last year. Of the three main biotechnology types -- insect
resistant, herbicide resistant, and stacked genes -- farmers
grew more stacked gene varieties, increasing their acreage by 15
percent over last year.
Thomison and his colleagues will report a significant increase
in transgenic corn hybrids in this year’s OSU Extension Corn
Performance Trials. The trials evaluate corn hybrids in several
Ohio locations on a variety of performance characteristics. The
results are intended to aid growers in making planting decisions
for their given production situation.
“Five years ago, less than 15 percent of the hybrids we
evaluated in our performance trials were transgenic. This year,
that number is 85 percent or more,” said Thomison. “Of that 85
percent, the majority are stacked-trait hybrids.
Thomison said that the decision to plant transgenics should be
driven by economics.
“Growers who have or expect significant cost problems with
European corn borer or Western corn rootworm, or see an
effective use of herbicide resistance in their cropping systems,
should consider transgenics,” said Thomison. “But if these are
not major considerations or issues, then seed cost may favor
using non-transgenics.”
Thomison said that the challenge for growers in the future won’t
be picking the best transgenic hybrid, but finding field
performance information on non-transgenic varieties as
transgenics become more popular.
“It may become increasingly difficult for growers to get good
information on the performance of non-transgenic hybrids simply
because there won’t be as much information out there,” said
Thomison. “Growers are concerned that their options will be
limited. From a cost standpoint, they don’t want to pay for
features they may not need, but from a production standpoint,
fewer transgenics will be available in the future.”
Look for the results of OSU Extension’s 2007 Corn Performance
Trials this winter by logging on to
http://agcrops.osu.edu/corn. |
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