Agriculture Business Week

There are a number of good reasons why more of us should eat white corn as a rice substitute. For one, it will help minimize the importation of millions of tons of rice every year from countries like Thailand and Vietnam. It could help save precious dollars for the country.

For another, it could mean better health for the white corn eaters. UP Los Baños researchers like Dr. Artemio Salazar, Dr. Wilma Hurtada and Felicito Rodriguez say that the so-called Quality Protein Maize (QPM) makes for better nutrition and health. They say that white corn of the QPM type contains more protein, more lysine and tryptophan than rice. It also contains more antioxidants, more dietary fiber and minerals. (They hasten to add, however, that the ordinary white corn lacks the essential amino acids, lysine and tryptophan. Fortunately, though, there are QPM white corn varieties that are now available to farmers for planting.)

The Los Baños experts also point out that white corn is one food that has low glycemic index (GI). That’s because white corn is harder to gelatinize and slower to digest. Being so, white corn can lessen the risk of diabetes. That’s because the carbohydrates in corn break down slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the blood stream, according to the researchers.

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Posted on September 5th, 2009 under Corn/Maize. Tags: Corn/Maize, Rice, White Corn. Comments: 7

This article was co-authored by Nelson Paraguison, one of Pioneer Hi-Bred’s district agronomists based in Northern Luzon. In this issue, we discuss the right way of harvesting and storing grains. This will help farmers in reducing postharvest losses to maximize their returns, from corn production.

By the time this article comes out, farmers may have already harvested their corn particularly in Luzon. But in some areas in Mindanao, harvesting may start in a few weeks from now. It has been observed that planting is staggered in this region due to the weather and the farmers’ access to better farming technologies. Production technologies have steadily improved in the past 10 years, thanks to the benefits of modern biotechnologies and the breeding and agronomy efforts of seed companies. With increased yields, farmers are happy and happier when they are able to sell their harvest at a good price.

Good storage helps
The problem on the fluctuating grain prices has been around for as long as I can remember in my several years in the corn seed industry. Certainly, there were years that farmers were able to sell at a very satisfactory price but these were mostly confined in the “off-harvest” months-a good reason for some to plant also in the off-season.

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Posted on July 3rd, 2009 under Corn/Maize. Tags: Corn, Corn/Maize, Grains, Harvesting, Storing. Comments: 1

Some months back, we wrote about another set of insects that is currently becoming a scourge to corn growers in Luzon: the corn plant hoppers and their cousins such as aphids and grass derbids. These sucking insects are somewhat of lesser importance before but for some reasons, they have become very important. The problem is that farmers and even agronomists are not familiar with these pests and the appropriate control strategies.

For the benefit of our corn growers in Luzon, a control strategy devised by Pioneer to control the planthoppers is included in this article. We hope this guide can be of help to both farmers and agricultural technicians.

This month we will talk about another set of corn pests with a different way of inflicting damage on corn: defoliation. As we all know, any reduction in the leaf area results in lower photosynthetic output (food for the plant) since there are lesser tissues to capture the sun’s energy. Defoliation can starve the plant and hence, it results in lower yields and predisposes the plant to diseases.

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Posted on April 26th, 2009 under Corn/Maize. Tags: Black Cutworms, Corn Armyworm, Corn/Maize, Defoliation, Defoliators, Grasshopper, Insect, Pest. Comments: None

This article cites the importance of activities needed for good hybrid corn seed germination during the planting period and the first few days afterwards.

Whenever the planting season starts, it is expected that a good number of customer calls to seed companies are related to germination issues. It is surprising if a season passes without the usual field visits to check on the requests. So for this month, we thought of writing an article on germination and some practical approaches on ensuring a good start for your corn. For those who have followed this column, you might probably recall that we have already wrote a similar article years back, but we hope you’ll find this as a good addition to your knowledge bank.

Every good farmer knows that besides using the right hybrid and an effective maintenance program for his farm to ensure high yield, he also needs to recognize that a good germination is one of the success factors for better yield and income. Consider applying 12 to 16 bags of fertilizer in a 1-hectare corn farm with 75,000 plants vis-a-vis the same amount of fertilizer and the same area size with only 50,000 plants. The low population count is due to poor germination or due to other factors. But obviously, this is a waste of fertilizer – an input with skyrocketing prizes due to its direct relationship with crude petroleum products – and time. Bear in mind that to maximize farm inputs and the cost associated with it, all means should be exhausted to ensure a good population of productive plants.

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Posted on April 9th, 2009 under Corn/Maize. Tags: Corn, Corn/Maize, Germination, Hybrid. Comments: None

Farmers in South Cotabato have a new apple of the eye and it is the new corn variety called Bioseed 9909, which has a potential yield of 11 tons per hectare (t/ha).

The variety, which Bioseed Research Philippines, Inc., bred has earned praises from the farmers who have tried it. In fact, corn farmers from as far as Libungan, North Cotabato attended a harvest festival in Brgy. 5, Banga, South Cotabato just to see the good yield of Bioseed 9909.

The harvest festival was held in the farm of Justo Damasco, 60, a migrant from Mabini, Pangasinan. He utilized 36 ha for Bioseed 9909 crop production of which 14 ha are in Brgy 5. At the time of the festival, 9 ha were ready for harvest.

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Posted on February 17th, 2009 under Corn/Maize. Tags: Bioseed, Bioseed 9909, Corn/Maize, Farmers, South Cotabato. Comments: 12

Different kinds of ear rots are very prevalent in this region, and corn farmers would find this topic both insightful and useful for their crop management

Last month, we discussed a number of important corn diseases in the Philippines and how they affect crop yield. When foliar diseases attack our crops, their effect is mainly the reduced photosynthetic capability of the plant. Once those green leaves turned brown and die, the plant is essentially powerless in supporting the developing ears. Stalk and root rots, on the other hand, is another problem that can lead to low stand at harvest, low ear counts, and significant yield losses. Fungi and bacteria that infect the stalks and roots can lead to lodging, poor ear filling and development, arid premature death. Foliar diseases can sometimes lead to stalk and root diseases. This time, we will move our topic to another set of diseases that attack the most valuable part of our corn plants, the ears.

There are several fungi that can attack the ears and the kernels. Usually, infection starts in the field before harvest. These fungi can affect the quality of kernels and can give a very bad appearance on the harvested ears. Ear rots can be observed in many parts of the country but it is more prominent in the cooler parts of Mindanao and Visayas. There could be minor occurrences in Luzon but yield losses are not as high as those reported in the south. Impact of ear rots on yield per hectare ranged from 30 percent to 80 percent reduction and can lead to inferior grain quality. It can also reduce the nutritional value of affected grain. Growers and processors will also need to spend more for postharvest handling and processing.

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Posted on January 3rd, 2009 under Agri Tips, Corn/Maize. Tags: Corn/Maize, Disease, Mycotoxins. Comments: 1

Proper management in the first 40 days of the young corn plant is very important in ensuring high yield potential. With healthy young plants, stress conditions in the later stages can be better dealt with.

This time around, I will discuss the late whorl to flowering stages. Al. though the period covering these stages is not as long as the early vegetative phase, it is a very critical stage that could make or break your hybrid’s performance. The recent drought in Northern Luzon this, year is a testament of how the gains of proper care in the early stages can go to waste when severe stress (lack of moisture) coincides with the pollination period. Healthy looking crops in drought-stricken areas of Isabela and Cagayan had resulted in barren plants or poorly filled ears. Farmers were devastated by the very low grain yield at a time when grain prices are attractive.

LATE WHORL STAGE
Corn plants at this stage undergo rapid nutrient and dry matter accumulation. The leaves develop much faster while ear size, number of kernel rows, total number of kernels per ear are also being determined. In addition, brace roots start to develop from the lower nodes to provide additional anchorage. Any stress at this time could only mean a permanent and irreversible damage to the plant leading to poor grain-filling or barren plants.

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Posted on December 1st, 2008 under Corn/Maize. Tags: Corn/Maize. Comments: None

In Alamada Valley, North Cotabato, two corn farmer financiers also claim that the performance munce of the hybrid Bioseed 9909 is a lot better than other varieties they have used and, hence, they are pushing its use among farmers whom they are financing.

They are Bernadette “Badette” Ayco, a widow in Brgy. Bao, and Eduardo “Eddie” Octaviano in Brgy. Camansi. Badette started using Bioseed corn seeds in 2004, while Eddie is only in his third crop of Bioseed 9909.

Badette and her late husband started to plant corn in 2 hectares (ha) in 1985. With a capital of P10,000, they were planting seeds of another hybrid seed producer which yielded an average of 120 bags of ears in cobs.. From their harvest they got 40-45 bags of dry shelled corn weighing 95-97 kilograms (kg) each.

From 1985 to 1990, they were bringing their corn grains to traders in Midsayap using hired cargo trucks. The trucking cost then was only P0.20 a kilo, while the price of corn was only P4 plus per kilo. Today, trucking cost has increased tremendously to P0.60 a kilo.

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Posted on November 27th, 2008 under Corn/Maize. Tags: Bioseed, Corn/Maize. Comments: None

A friend of mine once said, “It’s always refreshing to see a lush corn field out here just when everything is turning brown”. He was referring to one of the best corn-growing environments of the Philippines in Pangasinan, during the dry season from November to March. Here, you get the right amount of sunlight for your corn and a manageable irrigation system. One that gives each cornfield here a promise: better yields than in any other parts of the country.

Many can tell when you will have a bumper crop from your hybrid corn; just look at how green and clean it is until maturity. A verdant corn field can be likened to a food factory in full operating capacity. The energy from the sun is tapped by the green leaves and converted to food in the most efficient manner. Every cell in the plant’s leaves performs this world’s most important biological process: photosynthesis.

To keep it going, the corn plant will need to have a steady supply of light, moisture, and nutrients. And of course, pests should be kept at bay. Any leaf-feeding insect will definitely reduce photosynthetic activity. Leaf diseases, on the other hand, should be managed since they will reduce effective leaf area and impair the leaf tissues involved in photosynthesis.

Fortunately, in Ilocos and Central Luzon leaf diseases are virtually absent. My friend can continue enjoying the green corn fields of Pangasinan. Farmers in Mindanao and Visayas will turn green in envy for their Luzon counter parts. Layab as they call leaf blights in vernacular is very rarely a concern. In the previous issue, we’ve directed our topic on lodging towards stalk rots. This time, we’ll tackle leaf diseases and its impact on yield.

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Posted on November 26th, 2008 under Corn/Maize. Tags: Corn, Corn/Maize, Disease. Comments: None

In areas where corn is being produced in a large-scale, the regional offices of the Department of Agriculture are promoting the dryer developed by agricultural engineers of the Leyte State University (LSU) in Baybay, Leyte.

According to Ferdinand Matro, regional corn coordinator for the Ilocos Region, the LSU dryer has the following features:
1. Saves more than 50 percent in drying cost using biomass fuel, specifically rice husk and corn cobs.
2. Has a simple design and is made of locally available materials.
3. Its knock-down design facilitates fast installation in one day.
4. Fits inside a standard 6-meter warehouse.
5. There’s no need for excavation or any other modification in the place where it would be installed.

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Posted on November 4th, 2008 under Corn/Maize. Tags: Corn/Maize, Dryer. Comments: 16

Corn farmers in Mindanao, especially those who have been planting stacked corn, know very well how costly this genetically modified corn is. Stacked corn is hybrid corn that already contains the genes for resistance to Asiatic corn borer and readiness for glyphosate herbicide application. This was made possible through genetic engineering.

The Asiatic corn borer is a dreaded insect pest that could render huge losses to farmers. On the other hand, readiness for glyphosate herbicide application enables farmers to apply the herbicide on their corn fields to kill weeds without worrying about burning their crop.

Two multinational companies sell seeds of stacked corn – Monsanto and Pioneer.

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Posted on October 18th, 2008 under Corn/Maize. Tags: Corn/Maize. Comments: None

One thing is sure to happen when farmers are highly satisfied with an innovation or practice – they cling to it and others follow. This is exactly what happened in North Cotabato. Early users continued to plant Bioseed 9909 because of its high yield and other commendable characteristics, and other farmers simply just had to plant to increase their income.

One of those farmers is Jaime Sillador of Brgy. Kibudtungan, Carmen, 39, who has already planted Bioseed 9909 for the third season after trying it in 2 hectares (ha) in the first season. “It was just to find out whether it is really good, but I got hooked to it,” Jaime said when we attended a harvest festival in his farm last season.

He was greatly surprised with his yield even as Bioseed 9909 is the first Bioseed variety introduced in his barangay. He harvested 140 bags of corn in cobs per hectare. When it was finally shelled and dried, he got 6,048 kilograms (kg) per hectare (ha) or a total of 12,096 kg of shelled corn. At P10.20 a kilo, his gross income was P123,379.

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Posted on October 17th, 2008 under Corn/Maize. Tags: Corn/Maize. Comments: 1

Back when I was based in Luzon as a corn agronomist, the first thing that comes to mind when I hear typhoons crossing the northern part is the potential destruction it can bring to many corn areas along with other crops- in the form of floods and crop lodging.

The latter is a very big problem in both low-lying and elevated areas, while the former can only happen along river banks and soils with poor drainage. Flooding is another story, by the way, since no corn can survive under water. Even in the absence of typhoons, strong rains and high winds in some parts of Mindanao can also topple corn plants and lead to serious yield losses. Whirlwinds oftentimes have been reported in the south. Although they’re not as strong as typhoons, the force they bring is enough to cause lodging among taller corn plants and with mature ears.

Scenarios like these happen each season and year, and it is easy to blame the weather. But is this always correct? Yes, high winds can cause stalks to break and roots to give in but more often than not, these problems can only be a confirmation of the stress conditions the corn plants have undergone. Pagdapa in Luzon and hapay in the south can tell us a lot of things other than the hybrid’s genetic defect for poor standability. This article will try to deal with stalk problems in corn and how to deal with it.

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Posted on October 16th, 2008 under Corn/Maize. Tags: Corn/Maize. Comments: 2

Let’s continue our discussion on micronutrients for corn. We have already mentioned the roles and importance of nutrients other than N, P and K. These are calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), zinc (Zn), and iron (Fe). This time, we will briefly focus on boron (B), chlorine (Cl), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), and nickel (Ni).

Boron. Crops such as corn takes up very little amounts of boron (B) but once deficient, damage can be severe. B is involved in plant cell division, pollination, and cell wall formation. It is an immobile nutrient and hence when absent, the plant’s growing points (younger tissues) stop developing and will eventually die if deficiency persists. The reservoir for B in the field is the soil’s organic matter (OM) and most often concentrated in the plow layer. It has been observed that B deficiency occurs more in soil with low OM than in soils rich in OM.

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Posted on October 2nd, 2008 under Corn/Maize. Tags: Corn/Maize. Comments: None