Boreal Plant Breeding

and Raisioagro

Maize breeding, production and

cultivation in Nordic conditions.

Ole Schmidt March 2014

Groupe Limagrain

3,500 co-op members

8,200 employees worldwide

(including 1,450 in Auvergne)

€1,939 M sales in 2013

(including €385 M in Auvergne)

1,750 employees in research

(including > 200 in Auvergne)

4th largest seed company

in the world

2nd largest in the world

for Vegetable Seeds

5th largest in the world and

No. 1 in Europe for Field Seeds

No. 1 in Europe

for seed packets (Consumer)

Seeds

Our sectors

5

Breeding Organisation Limagrain MAIN FIGURES EUROPE (all crops)

• 33 research centers

- 14 maize (including winter nurseries)

- 12 cereals/rapeseed

- 4 sunflower

- 3 labs (Molecular markers/Biotech)

• Budget: 13 % of turnover

• More than 1 million plots (all crops)

6

4

W

4W 4E 4W 4E 4E 4

W

7

1

3

2

4E

6 5

7

7

4W

Limagrain Majsbreeding in Europe

7

Single Cross Hybrid

flint-dent

Inbredline

flint

Inbredline

dent

Maize: hybrid-varieties Heterosis

Seed quality, Coldtest and Earliness Important Features for maize seed

• Earliness

• Seed quality

• Feed value

• Yield and stability

8

Hybrid choice

Earliness

• Earliness must suit the location

• Coldtolerance

• Spring development/early vigouer

Vælg sorter med rette tidlighed

10

FAO 210

FAO 160-200

FAO <180

FAO 160-210

Vigtigt at tage i betragtning

• Kystnärhet

• Höjde o. havet

• Vindforhold

• Frostrisiko forår og høst

Spring development

Under foot fertilizer at planting is important

Hybrid choice

Seed quality

• LG Coldtest – treated seeds

– 7 days at 9 degrees

– 3 days at 25 degrees

– Substrate is soil from maize field

– Only normal germs counts

• Also test of

– vitality

– physiologic ageing of the seeds

• For untreated seed the cold test is performed

on untreated seeds

- the only seed producer doing this

12

Plant component Plant share Digestibility Energy part

Starch 28-42% 98% 45-55%

Remaing cell content(sugars, proteins, fats, remainder)

14-20% 85% 20-30%

Cell wall 40-50% 56% 20-30%

Progress to make

We grow maize for the energy to the milk production! -But do not forget the importance of high fiber quality

14

Feeding of the rumen is first of all feeding of the rumen bacterias The bacterias should feel well – they are sensitive to alternating feed sources and fluctuations in pH. High amounts of starch fed

over a short period, will cause a drastic drop in pH.

stivelse cellevægge

6 7 5

pH

Maize => Starch and digestible fibers (cell walls)

Stimulates rumen funktion

Important energy source Minimizes the risk of acidosis Enhances the health of the cow

Provides yield stability and security

Energy ”engine” in maize

15

High FK NDF = more milk

Maize type low NDF-FK high NDF-FK low NDF-FK high NDF-FK

Harvest time early early late late

Feed intake kg pr. day

DM total 20,1 21,2 20,6 23,8

Maize sil. 11,7 12,3 12,0 13,8

FE pr. day 17,9 20,4 18,1 23,1

Milk kg pr.day 31,9 36,0 31,5 37,0

ECM kg pr.day 31,0 33,5 29,3 34,1

Source: DJF report ”Majsensilage til malkekøer”

Husdyrbrug nr. 65 august 2005, Martin Weisbjerg

16

LG maize hybrids

• Hybrids with fokus on:

– Top yield

– Maximum fiber quality ”FK NDF”

– Seed quality – the best on the market

• LG Animal Nutrition

– For highest possible milk yields!

www.lgseeds.dk

Choose maize hybrids with highest feed value

FEED VALUE = STARCH + digestible FIBERS

– Underlining the hybrids with the best feed quality !

– To the dairy farmer

– Maize hybrids with the best agronomics

– Maize hybrids with the best feed quality and economy

Easier to choose hybrids

LG ANIMAL NUTRITION - a European succes

Ungarn :

+0,6-0,9 kg per

cowday.

Institutexperiment.

Polen:

+ 1,5 kg per

cow/day.

Institutf experiment.

Danmark:

Trials at KFC Foulum:

0,25 kg milk/cow

extra a day for every

1% higher FK-NDF –

better fiber quality.

Frankrig :

+ 0,6-2,5 kg per

cow/day.

Many practical

experiences

Holland :

+0,5 kg per cow/day.

Institut experiement.

The LG Animal Nutrition Maize Hybrids in Denmark

19

Landsforsøgene 2012-13

20

Destiny

Beethoven

Artist

Activate Ambition

Arcade

Glory

NK Jasmic

Severus

Ramirez

Keen Sergio

Augustus

SY Milkytop

SY Comandor

Exxtens

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

105

25,0 26,0 27,0 28,0 29,0 30,0 31,0 32,0 33,0 34,0 35,0

Dry

ma

tte

r yie

ld,

re

l.

Dry matter %

2013 - Middle Sweden - Dry matter yield

21

Destiny

Beethoven

Artist Activate

Ambition

Arcade

Glory

NK Jasmic

Severus

Ramirez

Keen

Sergio

Augustus

SY Milkytop

SY Comandor

Exxtens

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

105

110

115

25,0 26,0 27,0 28,0 29,0 30,0 31,0 32,0 33,0 34,0 35,0

Sta

rch

yie

ld,

re

l.

Dry matter, %

2013 - Middle Sweden - Starch yield

22

Destiny

Beethoven

Artist Activate

Ambition

Arcade

Glory

NK Jasmic

Severus

Ramirez

Keen

Sergio

Augustus

SY Milkytop

SY Comandor

Exxtens

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

105

110

115

70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105

Sta

rch

yie

ld,

re

l.

Dry matter yield, rel.

2013 - Middle Sweden - Starch yield - Dry matter yield

23

Destiny

Beethoven

Artist

Activate

Ambition

Arcade Glory

NK Jasmic

Severus

Ramirez

Keen

Sergio

Augustus

SY Milkytop

SY Comandor

Exxtens

17

17,5

18

18,5

19

19,5

20

20,5

21

21,5

22

65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 115

iND

F, %

of

ND

F

Starch yield, rel.

2013 - Middle Sweden - iNDF % - Starch yield

24

Destiny

Beethoven

Artist

Activate

Ambition Arcade

Glory

NK Jasmic

Severus

Ramirez

85

90

95

100

105

110

115

22 24 26 28 30 32

Sta

rch

yie

ld,

rel

Starch content, % of dry matter

2012-2013 Middle Sweden - Starch yield/starch content

25

Destiny

Beethoven

Artist

Activate

Ambition

Arcade

Glory

NK Jasmic

Severus

Ramirez

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

105

22 24 26 28 30 32

Dry

ma

tte

r yie

ld,

rel

Starch content, % of dry matter

2012-2013 Middle Sweden - Dry matter yield/starch content

27

28

Maize in Denmark

• 198.000 ha – 160.000 ha silage maize

– 25.000 ha cob-silage

– 13.000 ha grain maize

• 90 % of the acreage is fertilized with manure/slurry

• Slurry must be incorporated in the soil in the same

drive (before sowing)

• 80-90% of the acreage is plowed

• Sowing is often a contractor-job

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Sowing time and technique

• Sowing when soil temp is 8 0C or more

– And a forecast of steady warm weather for a week

– The maize needs 8-10 days to emerge at this time of the year

and the seedling has to emerge above soil, before rain or cold

weather sets in

• Sowing depth

– 3-6 cm but 4 cm er optimum – always in moist soil.

– Start-up fertilizer is compulsory in cold regions

30

Fertilization of silage maize in DK • Start-up fertilizer (under foot) is compulsory

– N og P very important ! • Always 30 – 50 kg N/ha – improves spring development

• 5 – 20 kg P/ha – improve root growth + cold tolerance – P depending on the soil phosphorous status

• N-total application in Danmark

• Low N-need after clover grass lay

– (often only 50%)

– Remember potash K fertilization

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Yield

Tons ts/ha

Kg N/ha Soil type Optimal

N/ha (ca)

10,3 149 Sand 171

11,4 162 Sand irrigated 186

11,3 139 Med soil – JB 5-6 160

11,9 154 Clay 177

Potash

• Potash (K) fertilization

– Potash need is as a general rule the same as

nitrogen need in kg/ha

- appr. 9 g K pr. kg DM harvested

• Lack of potash:

– Reduces the water holding capacity in the

plant – important on sandy soils

– Causes hanging short cobs

– ”Empty” cob-tips

32

Plant densities silage maize

Plats 1 Silagemaize Atrium 105.000 Plats 2 Silagemaize Beethoven 105.000 Plats 3 Silagemaize Award 100.000

33

• Plant density must fit the hybrid maturity and the location • Warm fields/areas max. 100.000 pl/ha

• Medium fields/areas 90-100.000 pl/ha

• Cold areas light soils max. 80-90.000 pl/ha

”Lantmannens majstävling 2009” – plant density for top 3

Limagrain won :

Combination of strong hybrids, strategy and higher plant density

Plant density – danish trials

• Row planting / precission seeding – Less seed needed, higher feed quality, normally higher yields

34

Optimal plantetal

Maize, weeds and catch crops

• Weeds

– 1. treatment 15-25 days after planting on very small weed plants

– 2. treatment 10-14 days later

– 3. treatment can be nescessary – look carefully or late emerging

weeds

• 1. chemical treatment followed up by 1 mechanic

weeding

– At the same time a nitrogen catch crops (grass) is very common

and will even more required by government in the future

35

Best practices

• Choose hybrids with correct earliness

– Too early is much better than too late

• Heat up the seed beed in the spring by plowing and applying slurry

• Plant as soon as soil temp is +8O and weather forecast good Density 80.000 to 90.000 plants per hektar

• The maize seedling must emerge before cold weather sets in, 9-11 days is needed

• Always use NP start-up fertilizer: 30-50 kg N og 5-20 kg P – Most P at low P content in the soil and after cerials

• Weed control must be done in time – Use a clean sprayer with out chemical left-overs

– Avoid high sulfonylurea dosages on hot sunny days with cold nights

Climate Finland

Choose the best locations

37

Yield 2011-2013 - FINLAND

2011 2012 2013 2013 2013

kg DM/ha rel. kg DM/ha rel. kg DM/ha rel.

Dry matter,

%

Plant

hight, cm

Activate 14568 110 6992 87 8440 112 26,4 208

Ambition 13692 103 6583 82 7376 98 23,0 215

Arcade 13445 101 7282 91 7116 94 24,0 206

Artist 12412 94 9562 119 7151 95 23,5 206

Yukon 13492 102 6856 85 7459 99 22,5 228

Glory 7594 101 26,0 213

Sunlite 6573 87 21,0 210

Emperor 6931 92 19,4 222

Fieldstar 7421 98 25,2 214

Emblem 7485 99 22,6 215

Destiny 8913 118 24,4 221

Monty 8144 108 23,0 213

38

39

Activate

Yukon

Artist

Glory

Sunlite

Arcade 162/83

Fieldstar Emblem

Destiny

Ambition

Monty

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

18,0 19,0 20,0 21,0 22,0 23,0 24,0 25,0 26,0 27,0 28,0

Dry

ma

tte

r yie

ld,

rela

tive

Dry matter content at harvest, %

2013 Finland

Thank you for your attention