Rapid and even emergence of maize with Vigor Plus maize
The success of the sowing site is a crucial step in guaranteeing stand density. It alone defines 50% of the final yield.
Indeed, during its early stage, maize can be exposed to many limiting factors (birds, excess water, cold temperatures, soil pests, etc.). Farmers have access to a range of agronomic drivers (sowing date and depth, sowing conditions, seed treatment, etc.) to optimise this stand density.
In addition, to support these maize farmers, RAGT has been working for several years to identify and select the most vigorous maize varieties: Vigor Plus certified.
These varieties give flexible sowing, contribute to lower exposure to pests, provide faster inter-row coverage as well as more even development throughout the growing cycle.
40 trial sites each year
The specifications for Vigor Plus varieties require a minimum of three years of testing in different European countries: France, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine. These trials are carried out in micro-plots as well as on farms with large plots. The ambition of this system is to subject varieties to a multitude of environments and climates. In all, about forty sites host studies on Vigor Plus varieties each year.
More vigour, more stock
To accentuate the robustness of its protocol, different seed batches are tested, in order to erase the seed quality effect on labelling and thus ensure genetic regularity. “To be certified Vigor Plus, varieties must achieve a significantly above average vigour score. Vigour considers the size of the plant, the number of leaves and the colour of the foliage”, explains Camille Bos, an international forage maize expert. On average, we observe 2,000 extra plants per trial! “More plants, more vigour, regular growth… a significant asset for the success of the crop!
The use of biostimulants is a second driver to secure planting. As part of the Fortify program, RAGT selects the best stimulation chosen for its effectiveness and in particular to maximise the speed of planting.
