February Hybrid of the Month
Feb 10, 2025
Mike Tufte
Seed Specialist
Many of you, especially those who live in Story County, probably know Ben Hollingshead. Ben has been with the Key agronomy team since 2014 and is our agronomist at the Kelley location. He grew up a small-town Iowa farm boy near Ogden. After high school, he pinned his ears back and hopped all the way up to South Dakota State University (SDSU) where he got his degree in Agronomy and Animal Science. Ben is very proud to have been a SDSU Jackrabbit. In honor of it being championship football season, I am going to relate this article back to Ben’s roots in the FCS.
Ben’s agronomy geography is a little different than the rest of our northwest region, in that they have the ability to push maturity more in that area. When I asked him which hybrid he wanted to highlight, he decided on one of his mid-maturity corns, 112-day. That’s the 50-yard line for him. For farms in the Key’s northern region, this would typically be a full season hybrid; the endzone. For farms further south, this is relatively early. You are looking at your own 10-yard line. Regardless of where you are in our footprint, this hybrid could be the one for you!
As we look across our Dekalb portfolio, we have all our bases covered at that mid-maturity. DKC62-89 handles the marginal-to-better ground. If you manage fertility and add a fungicide, there is no telling what the ceiling can be. Unfortunately, it can sometimes struggle with tough ground. We will call it Montana State. They can put 40 points up on almost anybody, but their defense doesn’t always keep up. On the other hand, we have DKC62-70. It maybe doesn’t give us as high of a top-end, but it can handle the variability more. This represents South Dakota State. They aren’t always the showiest team, but their defense is crippling. They find a way to win and have been back-to-back champions recently. They’re both good corns (and teams) in their own right. They are both capable of being the national champion. We just need to place them correctly.
Last year, Dekalb introduced us to their newest and most versatile corn for that maturity: DKC112-12. This hybrid is part of their new Trecepta line, which gives you complete above-ground protection, making it a solid play for most rotated acres.
DKC112-12 offers a wide planting window range. It has a relatively fast emergence, even in some of our cooler April soil temps. It’s going to give you 8 yards on first down. This makes it an excellent option for those acres you want to get in early. Along with speedy emergence, you’ll notice above average seedling growth, with root development and strength to match. It does have a moderate-flex ear, so medium to higher planting populations are recommended for maximum potential.
In season, DKC112-12 offers some of the strongest stalks in the Dekalb lineup. These are your offensive lines. They are corn-fed farm boys who know their mission is to control the trenches. They also bring us upgraded agronomics for those poorly drained soils. Due to its excellent crown health, you’ll find that it has better than average tolerance to Crown Rot and Anthracnose. This crown health is your quarterback. He’s a dual threat. Just when you think he’s going to pass, he digs deep and takes off for a first down. He feeds that team.
If you’re looking for a hybrid that you can plant early and harvest late, this is a great option. Maybe you’re after a hybrid that can handle wet feet and drought. This fits the bill. Sometimes you just need a hybrid that you can place over your variable soils while still packing on the yield. This is one you should add to your lineup. You’ve had a champion in SDSU (DKC62-70). You’ve had a good run with Montana State (DKC62-89). Now it’s time for you take a look at the new champion, DKC112-12, also known as North Dakota State (my alma mater). It brings an offense that controls the clock and puts up points but also relies on its defense to keep the pressure at bay. DKC112-12 is the whole package that can lead to you hoisting that trophy at harvest time.
For more information, contact your local Key Cooperative agronomist. We take the guess work out of hybrid selection - we are your Essential Business Partner!
Seed Specialist
DKC112-12
Many of you, especially those who live in Story County, probably know Ben Hollingshead. Ben has been with the Key agronomy team since 2014 and is our agronomist at the Kelley location. He grew up a small-town Iowa farm boy near Ogden. After high school, he pinned his ears back and hopped all the way up to South Dakota State University (SDSU) where he got his degree in Agronomy and Animal Science. Ben is very proud to have been a SDSU Jackrabbit. In honor of it being championship football season, I am going to relate this article back to Ben’s roots in the FCS.Ben’s agronomy geography is a little different than the rest of our northwest region, in that they have the ability to push maturity more in that area. When I asked him which hybrid he wanted to highlight, he decided on one of his mid-maturity corns, 112-day. That’s the 50-yard line for him. For farms in the Key’s northern region, this would typically be a full season hybrid; the endzone. For farms further south, this is relatively early. You are looking at your own 10-yard line. Regardless of where you are in our footprint, this hybrid could be the one for you!
As we look across our Dekalb portfolio, we have all our bases covered at that mid-maturity. DKC62-89 handles the marginal-to-better ground. If you manage fertility and add a fungicide, there is no telling what the ceiling can be. Unfortunately, it can sometimes struggle with tough ground. We will call it Montana State. They can put 40 points up on almost anybody, but their defense doesn’t always keep up. On the other hand, we have DKC62-70. It maybe doesn’t give us as high of a top-end, but it can handle the variability more. This represents South Dakota State. They aren’t always the showiest team, but their defense is crippling. They find a way to win and have been back-to-back champions recently. They’re both good corns (and teams) in their own right. They are both capable of being the national champion. We just need to place them correctly.
Last year, Dekalb introduced us to their newest and most versatile corn for that maturity: DKC112-12. This hybrid is part of their new Trecepta line, which gives you complete above-ground protection, making it a solid play for most rotated acres.
DKC112-12 offers a wide planting window range. It has a relatively fast emergence, even in some of our cooler April soil temps. It’s going to give you 8 yards on first down. This makes it an excellent option for those acres you want to get in early. Along with speedy emergence, you’ll notice above average seedling growth, with root development and strength to match. It does have a moderate-flex ear, so medium to higher planting populations are recommended for maximum potential.
In season, DKC112-12 offers some of the strongest stalks in the Dekalb lineup. These are your offensive lines. They are corn-fed farm boys who know their mission is to control the trenches. They also bring us upgraded agronomics for those poorly drained soils. Due to its excellent crown health, you’ll find that it has better than average tolerance to Crown Rot and Anthracnose. This crown health is your quarterback. He’s a dual threat. Just when you think he’s going to pass, he digs deep and takes off for a first down. He feeds that team.
"DKC112-12 is the whole package. This hybrid offers some of the strongest stalks in the Dekalb lineup. It’s a healthy, attractive plant with solid agronomics to back it up.”
Late in the season, DKC112-12 brings us great stay-green and late season health. It can be a showy corn with average dry down. Don’t worry about making sure this is the first hybrid you harvest. It’s late season intactness allows you more time for a later harvest. This is your fourth quarter team. They are persistent and don’t tire easily. They just keep getting better. The fourth quarter is where the points matter the most. “One thing that really caught my eye was its late season plant health,” said Ben. “DKC112-12 looked strong and healthy all season long. It just kept getting better.” As far as height goes, it’s typically a medium-tall structure. It keeps its cob height on the medium side. These cobs are typically 16-kernels around, meaning they find their yield in kernel depth. The late season stay-green helps pile starches into these kernels for additional test weight. Late season health, strength, and conditioning are especially important to make a run for the title!If you’re looking for a hybrid that you can plant early and harvest late, this is a great option. Maybe you’re after a hybrid that can handle wet feet and drought. This fits the bill. Sometimes you just need a hybrid that you can place over your variable soils while still packing on the yield. This is one you should add to your lineup. You’ve had a champion in SDSU (DKC62-70). You’ve had a good run with Montana State (DKC62-89). Now it’s time for you take a look at the new champion, DKC112-12, also known as North Dakota State (my alma mater). It brings an offense that controls the clock and puts up points but also relies on its defense to keep the pressure at bay. DKC112-12 is the whole package that can lead to you hoisting that trophy at harvest time.
For more information, contact your local Key Cooperative agronomist. We take the guess work out of hybrid selection - we are your Essential Business Partner!