By Monsanto staff writer

The extraordinary amount of research and development that go into modern crops is breathtaking. This includes laboratory work, breeding, seed multiplication, seed treatment and the right packing for the right farmer. On top of that, the process of registering one cultivar in a country can take up to several years. One company which comes to mind when thinking about seed is Monsanto.

Through years of research, testing and collaboration with farmers, Monsanto developed products and tools to help farmers in Africa, and around the world, to grow crops while using energy, water and land more efficiently. They firmly believe that agricultural innovation, continuous improvement in farming practices, and collaboration across the public and private sectors can make a difference for farmers, the consumers they serve, the rural community and the planet. Monsanto is committed to bring a broad range of solutions to assist all farmers, from subsistence to commercial, in Zambia and the rest of Africa.

Monsanto works hard to find sustainable agricultural solutions that help farmers conserve natural resources, use data to improve farming practices, use water and other important resources more efficiently, and protect their crops from pests and diseases.

At Monsanto, they believe that their DEKALB hybrids can play a major role in assisting farmers and addressing food security in particular.

They have a range of products available for farmers in Zambia which are:

DKC80-33

Early maturity

Good standing ability

Good tolerance to stress and diseases

Reliable yield even in less favourable growing conditions

Hard semi-dent grain

Potential double ears

DKC90-89

Medium maturity

Good standing ability

Good tolerance to stress

Semi flint grain – good poundability

Potential for double ears

Suitable for medium to high rainfall areas

DKC90-89 should not be planted in areas that are prone to grey leaf spot (GLS)

Also an excellent choice for commercial farmers

DKC80-53

Medium maturity

Good standing ability

Good tolerance to maize diseases (GLS, blight, rust and cob rot)

Suitable for medium and high rainfall areas

Flint type and hard grain

DKC777

Medium maturity

Excellent yield stability

Potential double ears

Good tolerance to maize diseases (GLS, blight, rust and cob rot as well as maize lethal necrosis (MLN)

Exceptionally good grain quality

Good poundability

Excellent standing ability

Uniform cob placement

Also an excellent choice for commercial farmers

On Friday, 13 April the second day of the Agritech show, this new block buster hybrid will be launched at the DEKALB stand.

DKC80-73

Late maturing

High yielding

Recommended for commercial farmers

Good standing ability

Monsanto supports farmers in all areas of the world and therefore, in addition to good quality hybrid seed, Monsanto has also introduced a crop insurance programme in Zambia. This will protect farmers in case their seed fails to geminate after three weeks of planting due to poor rainfall. Farmers need to register when buying seed and can redeem replacement seed from their nearest distributor upon confirmation.

Monsanto invested in Africa for a reason. Contact them on +27 (0)11-790-8200 or send an e-mail to customercare.sa@monsanto.com. Visit their helpful website at www.dekalb.co.za