AgriGold continues research, development of specialty products

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — AgriGold is continuing to develop specialty products for farmers who want to diversify their crops.

The four main specialty corn products are waxy, hard endosperm/yellow food grade, white hybrid and conventional yellow dent.

Chuck Hill, specialty products manager at AgReliant Genetics, shared an update in each category at the AgriGold Specialty Products Conference.

White

The A643-17W hybrid is new to the lineup.

“We’re very pleased to be back in this market,” Hill said. “It’s been 2015-2016 the last time we sold any white corn. But we’ve never stopped looking for white hybrids that will compete.

“This hybrid competes on yield, grain quality is very nice and plant health is very nice. We’re going to have a very limited amount available next year.”

Waxy Corn

Going into 2022, a new hybrid is in the lineup for the eastern Iowa market. The A638-63 Waxy Double Pro is a 108 day hybrid.

“With waxy corn, we have a diverse genetic background among the products,” Hill said. “The three key ones are A640-51, which is 110 day, A642-99, which is 112 days, and A644-15 at 114 days.

“You’ll notice all three of them come from different (genetic) backgrounds.”

Looking beyond 2022, AgriGold is testing a 112-day experimental hybrid that is promising, Hill said.

Research on the waxy version of a popular yellow dent, A641-54, is in the works.

Hard Endosperm Corn

“The yellow hard endosperm corn includes a good list of hybrids,” Hill said. “There are a few hybrids below 99 days.”

The A6499 is popular in export markets. There is also interest in A644-19.

“We always look to improve the lineup,” Hill said. “I will be looking at a lot of hybrids this fall. My No. 1 rule on these hard endosperm hybrids is — they have to be hybrids first. That market is so competitive. You want the best stuff on your list. And that’s what we go for.”

Conventional Yellow Dent

“I would put this (conventional yellow dent) lineup against anybody in the industry from the standpoint of number of hybrids and number of elite hybrids, or new hybrids and new germplasm,” Hill said.

“We feel we’re an industry leader in conventional seed. We take the conventional market very seriously. We look to grow in that market.”