Seed selection goes beyond yield and disease resistance
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EmailNew resources from MSU Extension can help you choose the right seed for your farm.
My grandfather used to say that there are two things about crop farming you have to get right: planting and harvesting. He’d say you can rescue just about anything in between. But you have to plant right to maximize yield potential and harvest right to maximize profits. There are a lot of things that go into both planting and harvesting. Planting right starts with choosing the right seed options for your farm.
Selecting the right seed for your farm starts and stops with profitability. You want to select two or three varieties that are adaptable and will maximize yields on your farm. When selecting varieties, the top two criteria should be yield potential, followed by disease resistance. You also need to consider the economic returns related to seed and harvest costs. Those costs include seed purchases, test weight, falling number, moisture shrink loss and drying charges.
New resources from Michigan State University Extension can help evaluate the costs of seed selection. A series of fact sheets titled “Seed Selection: Beyond Yield and Disease Resistance,” provides a framework for measuring seed and harvest costs.
There are three versions of the fact sheet available for download:
These fact sheets are companion resources on seed selection through MSU’s DEMaND Series that focus on “How to Read a Seed Guide,” also available in corn, soybean and wheat editions.
Wheat harvest has started across much of the state. Farmers are reviewing yields and starting to think about next year’s crop. A few weeks after that, test plots will be ready to tour for corn and soybean growers to begin thinking about their next crop season. Putting the focus on both planting and harvesting once again. Looking beyond yield and disease resistance can help weigh how seed choices impact profitability, a driver of long-term sustainability on your operation. Start your reviews today by considering what the right seed options are for your farm by looking beyond yield and disease resistance.
