Genetic improvement, production environment and management

Brazilian agribusiness occupies a strategic position in guaranteeing global food security. This position, built over decades, is maintained and expanded through the continuous pursuit of innovation and efficiency, where science and technology are directly applied in the field to overcome challenges and raise production standards.

The 2024/25 summer corn harvest will be remembered as a milestone for Brazilian agriculture. Although exceptionally favorable weather created the ideal scenario, the record yields were no accident. They resulted from decades of scientific innovation, in which advanced genetic improvement has become an indisputable pillar, enhanced by precise management and transformative digital tools.

Evolution of hybrids

The history of corn is, in essence, the history of genetic improvement. This practice dates back to the Neolithic Revolution and took on a new character in the twentieth century with the research of George Harrison Shull, which propelled the era of hybrids. In Brazil, this leading role materialized with the founding of Agroceres in 1945, dedicated to developing materials adapted to the country's different production environments.

The result of the evolution of hybrids and the incorporation of biotechnologies, including those aimed at managing pests such as the fall armyworm, can be seen in the productivity gains and the agronomic safety perceived in crops. Globally, the improvement and adoption of hybrids more than doubled productivity between 1961 and 2002, and this progress has been maintained as an ongoing process.

Building a robust breeding program is strategic and cumulative. Bayer's germplasm base, for example, has been consolidated over decades, integrating different legacies and expanding the available genetic diversity. This diversity allows the development of hybrids tailored to each production environment, responding precisely to the challenges of a country with great edaphoclimatic complexity.

It is important to emphasize that the evolution of modern hybrids goes beyond the exclusive pursuit of yield. Characteristics such as performance stability, adjusted cycle, and agronomic safety are equally prioritized. The 2023/24 crop season, marked by high pressure from foliar diseases and the stunting complex, served as a testing ground, favoring the selection of materials with greater defensiveness and resilience. This advancement provides security for the farmer and preserves the progress achieved in productivity.

Productivity increase

The exceptional performance of the 2024/25 harvest was a result of the combination of climate and technology. On one hand, the ideal conditions of rainfall and solar radiation, analyzed by Professor Dr. Luis Sangoi, created the right environment for the expression of genetic potential. On the other hand, advances in breeding sustained field performance and increased yield potential.

This combination translates into numbers. CONAB data indicates an average productivity of 10.886 kg/ha in Paraná. In parallel, experiments by the ABC Foundation recorded peaks exceeding 19.800 kg/ha in locations in the Campos Gerais region, highlighting the responsiveness of the hybrids when positioned correctly.

The favorable climate was key to allowing the genetics to express themselves. Three factors stood out. The absence of late frosts ensured good initial establishment. Adequate rainfall distribution promoted synchrony between male and female flowering, favoring pollination and the number of grains per ear. The high availability of solar radiation during grain filling prolonged photosynthetic activity and resulted in heavier ears.

This increase in productivity was also influenced by management decisions that aligned agricultural practices with the year's potential. Data from the ABC Foundation shows that adjusting the planting time from the end of August to mid-September resulted in an increase of 15 sacks of corn per hectare, demonstrating the importance of correctly positioning hybrids within the ideal window for each region.

Impact of genetic improvement

The impact of breeding is direct and measurable. An internal Bayer study of hybrids released in the last 25 years indicated an average gain of 151,4 kg per hectare per year. In practice, producers who invested in genetics such as AS1955PRO4, DKB242PRO4, and AG8707PR4 surpassed the 300 sacks per hectare mark in the 2024/25 harvest, consolidating a previously infrequent production level.

More than just yield, the improvement delivers efficiency. The same study showed a 23,6 percent reduction in land use to produce one ton of corn during the evaluated period. This progress contributes to sustainability, food security, and the producer's financial security, while also maximizing the return on investment from management practices.

The interaction between genetics and nutrition highlights this potential. In another experiment conducted by Copercampos, the DKB242PRO4 hybrid responded to precision nitrogen fertilization with yields exceeding 340 sacks per hectare. The trial also indicated a limit to the response at high doses, reinforcing that success lies in the appropriate dosage and timing, aligned with the crop's potential and local conditions.

The impact is also reflected in crop health. Biotechnologies present in hybrids play an essential role in integrated pest management, such as against the fall armyworm. The combination of materials with greater tolerance and preventive management helped to keep pathogen and pest pressure at lower levels in the 2024/25 crop season, protecting the active leaf area and yield potential.

Path to high productivity

Digital agriculture has established itself as a link that connects and enhances the other pillars. Tools that transform the variability of plots into practical recommendations provide precision to execution and support decisions that have a high influence on results.

In practice, farmers who used solutions like Bayer VAlora achieved increases of up to 8 sacks per hectare with plant population adjustments and gains of 3 to 5 sacks per hectare with intelligent nitrogen allocation. These results were possible through prescription maps that adjust seeding density and fertilization to the real potential of each environment within the same crop.

This advancement represents the convergence of data science and farmer experience. With a robust database, fed by over 1,5 million hectares of applied research, recommendations become increasingly accurate. The future of productivity depends on the ability to generate and interpret data, ensuring competitiveness and sustainability for those who combine technology with good agronomic practices.

The 2024/25 harvest unequivocally demonstrated that genetic improvement is the central pillar of the corn production system. It raises the yield ceiling in favorable years and provides resilience in adverse cycles, while amplifying the return on every investment in management and technology.

To ensure that this genetic potential is fully exploited, the role of regionalized research and technical assistance is fundamental. Institutions such as the Agrarian Foundation for Agricultural Research play this strategic role by conducting rigorous trials at different times and in different environments, validating the performance of the materials. This generation of knowledge, transferred to the field through technical assistance, guarantees the assertive positioning and correct management of hybrids, allowing the best of each genetic makeup to be extracted under the specific conditions of each crop.

The integration of genetics, hybrid positioning, precision nutrition, preventive phytosanitary management, and digital agriculture builds a more efficient and stable production system. This set of decisions, anchored in research and regional validations, transforms potential into consistent results.

Continued investment in genetic research and development is the guarantee that Brazilian agribusiness will remain competitive, sustainable, and prepared to continue playing its strategic role in global food supply, consolidating the productivity and stability of corn cultivation in the summer season.

* By Claitson Gustavo Zanin (Bayer), Evandro Henrique Gonçalves Maschietto (ABC Foundation) Fabiano Pacentchuk (Agrarian Foundation) Fernando Sartori (Copercampos), Henrique Uliana Trentin (Bayer), Luis Sangoi (UDESC), Marlon Denez (Bayer) and William Luis Antonio Zancan (Bayer)