INTA is evaluating corn hybrids that have greater adaptation to the cold

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In the southernmost region of Argentina, INTA (National Institute of Agricultural Technology) evaluated the feasibility of adapting early-maturing corn varieties for animal feed. The trials demonstrated that using cold-adapted hybrids, along with proper nutritional and water management, allows for promising production levels for forage, silage, and eventually grain production.

The trial represented a key step in determining the agricultural frontier for corn in the south of the country. INTA in Southern Patagonia evaluated corn hybrids in different locations in the provinces of Santa Cruz and Chubut, with the aim of generating local data to understand their adaptation, yield, and potential as a productive alternative.

Santiago Toledo, a specialist from INTA Santa Cruz, indicated that “this initiative seeks to strengthen agricultural systems and provide new options for livestock farming, advancing in the challenge of determining how far the agricultural frontier of corn can expand in Patagonia.”

The trials were conducted in conjunction with the seed company Laboulet Semences in Perito Moreno. This aims to understand the crop’s development and adaptation, its behavior in different environments, and its viability for production in the region.

In this sense, the particular characteristics of these hybrids are interesting for the prevailing climatic conditions of Santa Cruz (base temperatures below normal —6 degrees—, rapid drying, resistance to moderate frosts in some stages of cultivation) and above all a cultivation window that is short —from 100 to 120 days—.

Toledo stressed that it is essential to start working with the crop in the area, “although evaluations were carried out in the past, we are currently studying new developments of corn hybrids from different seed companies that made available materials that, due to their characteristics, for example, corn with shorter production cycles, are promising, especially in our cold areas, where the risk of frost conditions the growth of the crop".

It is important to note that extensive livestock farming—primarily sheep and, to a lesser extent, cattle—dominates a large part of the territory. However, the low forage availability in natural pastures is limiting the potential for increased productivity.

“In this context -Toledo added, corn appears as a strategic crop due to its potential contribution of energy, fiber and to a lesser extent protein, whether through the production of grains or whole plant for silage, thinking about reducing animal nutrition costs for livestock, covering a gap in forage supply in autumn and winter, improving supply and contributing to regional productive development.”

The results obtained in the experience demonstrate the agronomic and productive feasibility of cultivating early and ultra-early corn in the north of the province of Santa Cruz, particularly in the town of Perito Moreno, under intensive management conditions with supplemental irrigation.

“This experience constitutes a relevant technical precedent for the development of agricultural or agricultural-livestock systems in Patagonia, demonstrating that the use of hybrids adapted to the cold, together with adequate nutritional and water management, allows for promising production levels for the generation of forage, silage and eventually grain production,” Toledo highlighted.

“The results obtained -he added- reinforce the need to continue evaluating genetic materials, planting dates and management strategies that allow optimizing the stability and productivity of the corn crop with yields of 7,000 kilos (grains), 80 to 120 tons of green plant material and 15 to 26 tons of dry matter (whole plant) per hectare in southern environments of Santa Cruz.”

The experience in the Chubut mountain range  
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The forage base for livestock farming in the area is based on the use of natural grasslands and planted pastures. Therefore, specialists from INTA Esquel worked with the same company and carried out a phenological characterization and a yield evaluation of six hyper-early corn hybrids.

“The particular characteristics of these hybrids are interesting for the prevailing climatic conditions in northwestern Chubut, lower than normal base temperatures, rapid drying, and resistance to moderate frosts in early stages of the crop,” said Guillermo Lexow, from INTA Esquel.

The trial conducted at the INTA Trevelin Experimental Field yielded positive results. The highest whole-plant yield was achieved with Tirnavia (22,120 kg/ha), the longest-cycle hybrid, reaching 88% more dry matter yield than Zeta 125. Regarding grain yield, no significant differences were observed between the hybrids (values between 6,000 and 8,850 kg/ha). The model explained 49% of the observed yield variability, with a coefficient of variation of 24.9%, which explains why, despite the wide range of values, no statistically significant differences were found.

Lexow also noted that “in the trial carried out in the town of El Hoyo, the yields obtained by most of the hybrids were very outstanding, with LS Joalia and Zeta 125 standing out with more than 12,000 kilos per hectare, but it should be mentioned that the experience is only from one season, so it is recommended to repeat the trials for a longer time.”

Finally, the results obtained in this experience demonstrated that corn production is also feasible in the mountainous area of northwest Chubut.

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