India: Bayer launches high-yielding hybrid corn seed ‘DKC 9188’ for farmers

Bayer Crop Science, a leading player in Indian agriculture has launched ‘DKC 9188’, a high-yielding hybrid corn seed for progressive corn farmers in Bihar. With DKC 9188, farmers can look forward to higher yields of superior quality corn in the upcoming Rabi season. 

Corn is India’s third-largest cereal crop (after rice and wheat), with cultivation across 9 million hectares. Besides being a staple food crop, corn is used as animal feed & biofuel and finds use in a wide range of industrial food products. This makes corn an emerging cereal crop of significant importance for India’s national food security. Currently, corn production in India stands at 27 million tons, with an average productivity of 3 tons per hectare, compared to global averages of ~5.8 tons per hectare. USA is the world’s leading corn producer with a production average of 11 metric tons per hectare.

Bihar with its fertile soils and hardworking farmers is India’s leading corn-producing state, accounting for approximately more than two-thirds of Rabi corn production. Corn farmers in Bihar harvest more than 10 metric tons per hectare, far exceeding India’s average corn productivity and quite close to USA’s production levels. To increase India’s overall corn productivity and ensure sustainable farm incomes, farmers need high-yielding hybrid seeds and efficient crop management to prevent losses caused by diseases and insects. 

DKC 9188 is Bayer’s latest product offering from its DEKALB^® brand portfolio of high-yielding hybrid corn seeds that enjoys immense trust from Indian farmers. Speaking about the new corn hybrid, Simon Wiebusch, Chief Operating Officer, Bayer Crop Science, said, “DKC 9188 with its high yield potential, wider adaptability and strong plant type will empower Bihar’s progressive farmers to boost their corn yields and improve Bihar’s contribution to India’s national corn output. Farmers in the state are already leading the way in terms of corn production and adoption of new technologies. Bayer is committed to support corn farmers with innovative seed and crop protection products along with integrated crop solutions to help them achieve higher productivity and profitability per acre.”

Bayer markets 25 DEKALB^® hybrids in India, all of which have been bred and developed specifically to suit India’s diverse agronomic and climatic conditions. DKC 9188 in particular provides better plant strength compared to other hybrids and delivers uniform, long corn cobs and shiny grains with strong yield stability and higher yield potential. This new corn hybrid is suited to multiple soil types and a wider sowing window and provides farmers flexibility in their planting decisions. It is best suited for planting from October 15 onwards and will help corn farmers achieve high returns even in difficult weather conditions.