How to Choose High-Efficiency Corn Seeds? A Must-Read Guide for Dealers and Farmers

In 2017, if you continue to plant corn, you need to pay attention to choosing high-yield corn seeds to increase production. To increase corn yield, the key is to choose good corn seeds. Recently, many media outlets have exposed news about peddling fake seeds. Below, let us analyze how to choose high-efficiency corn seeds.

Let us first look at a few questions:

1. What kind of corn seed should be chosen?

Choose “safe” seeds, not “new” seeds. The so-called “safe” seeds are seeds that have performed well locally for at least two years. The so-called “new” seeds are varieties that have not been planted locally, or have performed well for only one year. Climatic conditions differ greatly between different years and different ecological zones. A variety that performs well in the first year may not necessarily perform well in the second year; a variety that performs well in one ecological zone may not necessarily perform well in another ecological zone.

2. When choosing a variety, there is a factor called stress resistance. So what is stress resistance?

When choosing seeds, pay attention to the stress resistance of the variety. Stress resistance mainly refers to the variety's disease resistance, lodging resistance, drought resistance, insect resistance, cold tolerance, and so on. Simply put, under the same conditions, when other varieties suffer damage, a variety that suffers little or no damage generally has good yield stability.

3. What are the standards for qualified corn seeds?

The indicators used in China to measure seed quality mainly include four items: variety purity, seed cleanliness, germination rate, and moisture. The state has made clear provisions for the four indicators of corn seed purity, cleanliness, germination rate, and moisture. For grade-one seeds, purity shall not be less than 98%, cleanliness shall not be less than 98%, germination rate shall not be less than 85%, and moisture content shall not be higher than 13%; for grade-two seeds, purity shall not be less than 96%, cleanliness shall not be less than 98%, germination rate shall not be less than 85%, and moisture content shall not be higher than 13%.

After reading the three questions above, experts below will explain in detail from several points, including characteristics, sowing methods, purity, germination rate, dryness and moisture, climate, and documentation standards:

1. Choose a unit with the complete “three certificates” and “one license” to purchase seeds. Everyone is advised, when buying corn seeds, to first check whether the sales unit has the “three certificates and one license.” Generally speaking, seeds sold by units with the complete “three certificates and one license” are more reliable in quality. The so-called “three certificates and one license” refers to the “production license,” “seed quality certificate,” and “seed business license” issued by the seed department, as well as the “business license” issued by the industry and commerce administrative department. When specifically checking the “three certificates and one license,” you should also pay attention to the issuance date and whether the legal representative is consistent.

2. Use varieties that have already been approved by the seed management station. All approved varieties have undergone regional trials organized by the seed management department, with multi-point observation of the tested varieties' adaptability, yield, stress resistance, growth period, quality, and so on. Then, based on climatic characteristics, systematic analysis is carried out, opinions are put forward based on the analysis, peer experts are invited to review them one by one, and approval is formally passed by majority agreement, after which they are proposed for production extension and application. Therefore, when buying seeds, everyone should first check whether the seed business unit has the approval certificate or official document introduction for that variety; otherwise, do not buy easily.

3. The selected variety's characteristics must match the planting techniques. When choosing seeds, look at the variety's planting density. The suitable planting density is 4000-4500 plants per mu, so choose according to this planting density, not more or less. If this variety is not lodging-resistant and the planting location is in a wind gap, a lodging-resistant variety should be chosen. If this variety is not resistant to aphids and the planting location has aphids every year, find one that is resistant to aphids. In other words, the characteristics must match what is selected.

4. The selected variety and sowing method must be consistent. Seed varieties differ greatly in growth period, yield level, disease resistance, drought tolerance, lodging resistance, and suitable regions. Do not cause reduced yield or even total crop failure due to improper variety selection. For example, varieties selected for interplanting in wheat rows should have a longer growth period, while early- and medium-maturing varieties should be selected for mechanical sowing after wheat harvest. When choosing seeds, the crop variety's growth period must be selected according to planting habits.

5. Purity: If the differences in seed size, color, grain type, and grain shape are small and very similar, most of these seeds have relatively high purity. Randomly take 100 seeds. If their differences in size, color, grain type, and grain shape reach an 80-20 split, it indicates that the seed mixing rate of these seeds has reached more than 20%. Generally, do not buy such seeds. If most seeds differ from the color, grain type, and grain shape inherent to the variety you know, then these seeds are highly likely to be fake or inferior.

6. Germination rate: Mainly check whether the seeds have become moldy, rotten, insect-damaged, darkened in color, and so on during storage. If opening the seed package gives off a sour, moldy smell, it indicates that the seeds have deteriorated and the germination rate will not be too high, so do not buy them easily. In field production, if the seed germination rate does not reach 85%, most cannot be used, or the sowing rate must be increased.

7. Dryness and moisture: Any moist seeds may become moldy and deteriorate. When buying seeds, you can first thrust your hand into the seed bag and judge the dryness and moisture of the seeds by direct feel. If they are odorless and feel crisp, they are relatively dry; conversely, if they feel gloomy and moist and have an abnormal smell, it indicates that the seeds are relatively moist. In addition, you can grab some seeds and rub them a few times in your hand. If they make a crisp, swishing sound, they are relatively dry; otherwise, they are moist.

8. Choose seeds according to the previous crop. The yield and income increase of corn varieties are directly related to the previous crop. If the previous crop was soybean, the soil fertility is relatively good, and high-yield varieties should be chosen. If the previous crop was corn and it grew well and yielded abundantly, this variety can continue to be selected. If the previous corn crop was infected with a certain disease, varieties susceptible to that disease should be avoided when selecting seeds. In addition, the same variety cannot be continuously planted in the same plot for three or four years; otherwise, soil impoverishment and variety degradation will occur.

9. Choose seeds according to local precipitation and accumulated temperature. According to experience, if the previous winter had little snowfall and was not cold, the next summer will generally have more rainfall and accumulated temperature will not be high. Varieties with too long a growth period will not have enough accumulated temperature, which affects maturity. Conversely, if the previous winter had heavy snowfall and was very cold, the following summer will generally have less rainfall and higher accumulated temperature, making it easy to choose varieties with strong drought resistance. In low-lying land, some medium- and late-maturing varieties can be planted appropriately.

Finally, everyone is reminded that after purchasing seeds, you should promptly ask for an invoice and keep it properly. The invoice is the voucher for the seed transaction. If seed users suffer losses due to seed quality problems, the seed operator shall compensate. The compensation amount includes the seed purchase price, related expenses, and loss of obtainable benefits. Therefore, when buying seeds, be sure to ask for an invoice or other evidence, so that once quality problems arise with the purchased seeds, a claim can be made.