On September, 15 German-Ukrainian Agricultural Demonstration and Training Center (ADFZ) held a Field Day in Doslidnytske, Vasylkivckyi Rayon, Kyivska Oblast ADFZ Field Day is a new ideology of the machinery and the latest technologies presentation directly in field together with the demonstration of
major agricultural crops hybrids.
More than 1,000 guests — farmers, university students and researchers from different parts of Ukraine and Europe got acquainted with the hybrids of various crops, with the latest technologies and the best samples of modern agricultural machinery and its work directly in field. Company MAIS has introduced a line of its corn hybrids.
Victor Borysov, the Chairman of Company “MAIS”, speaks about his impressions of the first ADFZ Field Day.
- Mr. Borysov, what is your impression?
This is a true European format, when the products of different brands are concentrated on one plot, there is a possibility to get acquainted with the machinery, equipment, to see the peculiarities of different technologies. The demonstration in practice cannot be compared with any other information carrier. You can write and show anything you want, but it is very important for a professional to have opportunity to estimate the product and to understand what you are dealing with. ADFZ Field Day is a showcase for agronomists, and it is very important for seed companies. Unlike the machinery demonstrations, which actually can be shown during 12 months of the year, you can watch corn only during a limited period of time. In our area, or in the zone of Forest-Steppe the period when you can estimate the moisture content of the corn, to calculate the potential yield lasts literally between one and a half and two months. And you can see these data on the field in a real time. This is a very important format which allows to avoid many mistakes in the selection of resources.
- Your experts have evaluated the yield at these plots… Were there any hybrids that surprised you?
There were no big surprises and the results are rather predictable. It’s nice that our new hybrid DMS 2911 became a leader in the Kyivska oblast. It demonstrated the yield of 140 hwt/ha with a humidity less than 17%. Another hybrid DMS Hrono, a mid-early, powerful hybrid, demonstrated similar results, although it has less value of FAO.
There are interesting hybrids of more late maturity groups, for example DMS 3411. During ripening the husk not only senesces, but actually opens from the top to the very bottom, like an umbrella. For such ripening period the ability of husk to open is very rear. I would say that this hybrid is unique: it has a long vegetation period. During the vegetation the husk protects kernels from pests and diseases, and tightly closes an ear. But when during ripening the husk opens, a very interesting process starts – grain releases moisture intensively. It is clear that this trait is peculiar to one of the components of parental forms, which, I think, will be actively used in other hybrids. This will be our basic line. We’ll continue to develop a series of hybrids with this trait. If to summarize we have allocated 5 hybrids that can be harvested in this zone without additional drying. These five hybrids have demonstrated a humidity of grain between 16 – 17%. In 7-10 days the moisture content will be 14%. That means that Company MAIS can offer 5 hybrids for the Corn Belt that formed yields more than 10 tons of dry grain.
On the other hand, we are perfectly aware that the second half of summer in Kyivska oblast was very hot and dry, and these climatic conditions have helped the plants greatly.
Kyivska oblast is a region where nobody has dreamed to obtain dry grain. Now we obtain dry hybrids in the center of the Forest Steppe zone, in the heart of the Corn Belt. And it is not only the climatic factor, it has been the breeders work that provided such an important result.
If to count prices on energy, we must say that hybrids with humidity close to standard will push the other hybrids out of the market. That’s why all efforts will be focused to expand these hybrids line in our breeding programs.
How often the ADFZ Field Days will be held?
Next year the ADFZ Field Day will be arranged by the DLG company. It has a great experience of organizing similar events in Europe. That’s why, I think, that following Field Days will be more interesting and DLG will add some positivity and innovation. It is planned to hold such events twice a year – on the beginning of summer and on the beginning of autumn and to combine it with some activities for students. They are our future, and it is a great opportunity for youth to see the most recent European samples, technical innovations and achievements in genetics and to compare with what is produced in Ukraine. This will be two-in-one: study and field researches. In addition, it is planned to give some lections about our products for students throughout the year.
To my mind, the plots demonstrate that the borders in genetics (I mean the sphere we work in) are very conventional. Many participants pointed out that if to remove the labels with the names of hybrids, anyone will hardly find where whose hybrids were planted. I’m sure that in terms of breeding and genetics we are on the same level together with European companies and I consider the potential of our hybrids and seed quality, to be absolutely competitive.
A FRIEND AMONG FRIENDS
Company MAIS, a leading corn hybrids originator and seed producer on the Ukrainian breeding segment, was honorably represented at the ADFZ Field Day.
ADFZ is a bilateral project between the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture of Germany (BMEL), Ministry
of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine (MAPP) and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MES).
At the Field Day the company introduced its corn hybrids.
The Company MAIS executives speak about their expressions of the German-Ukrainian cooperation.
THE FORMAT OF TOMORROW
Mykola Melnik, the Company MAIS Commercial Director, is sure that the Field Days, during which the representatives of agricultural enterprises can find the main resources for field work technology innovations, – are the future.
What was your first impression?
I think that these formats are very useful first of all for the agrarians. Here you can find the suppliers of the various resources: seed material, equipment, you can find IT-solutions for agriculture. On one site you can see new propositions for farmers in terms of technologies.
Do you consider the date to be successful?
The project has started in spring; this was the first Field Day of such format. Next year it is planned to hold two events: at the first Field Day there will be demonstrated winter and spring crops, cereals and legumes, on the second one will be presented more late crops.
How many visitors came?
The representatives of many holdings came. All the participants we communicated with remarked that the location of the activity was chosen very successfully – Bila Tserkva (Kyivska Oblast). It was very convenient to get from most regions of Ukraine.
For us this year Field Day will be remembered as a concentration of agrarians and resources in one place. And the next year event is going to be more interesting, because starting from 2017 the Field Day will be organized by German company DLG, whose format is worked out to details.
INFORMATIVE AND DEMONSTRATIVE
Yurii Paschenko, Company MAIS R&D Director believes that the ADFZ Field
Day can be named one of the most informative events of 2016.
First of all the difference is in its demonstrativeness. The corn is introduced naturally, directly in field. And this is not a showpiece, but a natural state of the plant. People were very much impressed by the real picture they have seen. For example, our
company not only demonstrated hybrids, they were planted and grown there, that gave the visitors opportunity to see the corn in the way it is. In addition, we calculated the humidity and the potential yield of grain during the event. These were not virtual data from the catalogue.
We collected randomly selected ears, shelled, threshed and weighted the cob and kernels, determined the humidity of grain and potential yield.
The visitors were greatly impressed by the hybrids potential. The hybrids demonstrated the yield of over 140 hwt/ha, humidity of grain varied between 15%-17% – almost ready graded grain.
To see photos from the event follow the link.