Stewart Seeds Corn Home Page

CORN RESEARCH

The Purpose
Our corn research program has one goal. To genetically breed top yielding Hybrids with the best performance characteristics for conditions existing in Indiana and Ohio.

The Starting Point
The pre-commercial Hybrids listed in this year’s Seed Guide began their Dr. Dave Nanda

life cycle nearly eight years ago. Initially, parent lines from two separate genetic pools were bred through a process of self-pollination. These initial plants were grown in a high population, disease infected environment, harvested and replanted so their performance under stress could be evaluated.

By planting 40,000 seeds per acre, each potential new parent line begins life with a high level of stress. Plants are injected with a variety of leaf diseases and stalk rot fungi. The plants that successfully perform under these stresses are advanced to the next generation of testing.

These plants are hand pollinated to assure proper parenting within the genetic family particular to the Hybrid. All of this is accomplished in the first few years of genetic development of the Hybrid to be tested.

A Quantity Of The Quality
Quality Hybrids

Only a few of the thousands of Hybrids tested make it to the next stage in our research program. Plants which have withstood the rigorous preliminary stress testing are harvested and sent to Puerto Rico for winter planting. The next generation seed is returned in time for spring planting in the farm fields of Indiana and Ohio, allowing for two generations per year.

Each parent line has completed three generations of growth before they are crossed to make new experimental Hybrids. During each stage, fewer parent lines make the grade. As fewer are left to test, each remaining Hybrid is tested in an ever increasing number of locations and a wider variety of conditions.

The Long Wait
Only after five or six generations can detailed Hybrid performance Harvest

characteristics be identified. Again, many fail to exhibit the genetic performance traits necessary to survive the selection process. Successful candidates reach the advance testing program where large quantities of seed are planted in close to forty Indiana and Ohio locations that best reflect a variety of soil, tillage and weather conditions.

The Finish Line
Each year approximately 1200 Hybrids with excellent potential begin life in our research program. Odds are that only one new Hybrid out of this group will ever cross the final line from research to your field. There is no doubt "It Will Be The Best".