Early-maturing corn and sorghum gain prominence at Cotrisul's Field Day.

The focus on early and super-early varieties of corn and sorghum was the common denominator among the exhibiting companies at the second special Corn and Sorghum Field Day, held by Cotrisul last Tuesday, December 16th, in Cachoeira do Sul.

The selection of hybrids, planted in the pivot irrigation area of ​​Agropecuária Barufaldi, provided an important overview for the rural producers associated with the cooperative. With a deeper understanding of the characteristics of each hybrid and the specific needs of the crop, they will have more information to plan for the summer of 2026-2027.

As the exhibitors highlighted, with shorter-cycle varieties of both corn and sorghum, it's possible to plan a second harvest in the same summer. "If the winter is milder and planting can take place at the end of August, it's possible to harvest in December, in time for a second soybean crop," argued one of the invited technicians.

According to data from the cooperative, the preference for corn and sorghum is growing in the region where it operates (which includes municipalities in the Central, Southern, and Campanha regions), so much so that the number of producers present at the Field Day tripled in this edition, compared to the first meeting, held in 2024. The increased interest is mainly due to the recent difficulties faced with soybeans.

“Corn and sorghum represent important alternatives, which have already seen significant growth this year. Sorghum stands out as a lower-cost crop and, due to the plant's hardiness, has greater resistance to water stress. This results in a more stable yield for the producer. And both crops are interesting when considering crop rotation,” explained Fábio Rosso, manager of the Technical Department at Cotrisul.

The cooperative's initial survey showed that the sorghum area had grown by 70% in 2025, compared to the previous year. The estimate was to reach 1,5 hectares. However, already at the end of the planting window, Cotrisul estimates that sorghum crops will cover 2 hectares. In corn, the area increased by 10% this year, reaching 6 hectares.

According to data from Emater/RS, corn cultivation in Rio Grande do Sul is expected to cover 785.030 hectares in the 2025/2026 cycle, reaching a productivity of 7.370 kg/ha. As for soybeans, producers in the state are expected to dedicate 6.742.236 hectares and have an average expected productivity of 3.180 kg/ha. The entity's Conjunctural Report does not include state data on sorghum cultivation.