Bayer’s short stature hybrids are 'smart corn'

When it comes to corn - the second most widely-grown crop in the world - Bayer‘s Smart Corn System is designed to harnesses the benefits of Short Stature Corn in a way that fits every grower’s situation, delivering maximum benefits and paving the way for precise, sustainable farming.
According to Bayer Marketing Manager Erica Strittmatter, short stature corn hybrids grow 30% to 40% shorter than the conventional corn that is currently grown worldwide, providing a number of benefits with a maximum height of 7 feet.
Strittmatter said Bayer will be releasing six hybrids on a limited basis to “test and learn” on approximately 35,000 acres in 2024, working with “groundbreakers group” of 400 growers.
“We're starting with low volumes because what we're doing is something that's very unique. Bayer is taking a test and learn approach with the release of this technology and when we say test and learn we mean it,” Strittmatter said.
Bayer will be working with those 400 growers throughout 2024 to see how the short-stature hybrids perform in commercial production, asking for producers for feedback and how the technology is working.
“As we continue to scale this technology over the next decade and as the pipeline matures, we're really creating a system that was made by farmers for farmers,” Strittmatter added.
Short stature corn varieties provide several potential sustainable benefits for handling extreme weather, including better standability stability, and allowing more precise application of crop protection products.
Because short stature corn grows lower to the ground, it has exceptional stalks and roots with increased lodging resistance. This shorter corn hybrid allows ground equipment to operate in the fields throughout the season, giving farmers a chance to better scout and protect their crops more precisely and cost effectively.
Finally, by combining the hybrid with tailored placement prescriptions, the Smart Corn System creates the possibility of planting corn more densely, which allows growers to produce more on the same amount of land.
Watch the video above to learn more about Bayer’s short stature corn technology.