Corn production in 2023: promising initial results with Best-a

Once the corn was harvested in 2023, our data team set about compiling and analyzing the data collected with our partners. We are pleased to share the initial results with you in full transparency.

2023: a year of seemingly mild weather

Compared with 2022, a year marked by historic drought, the weather in 2023 seems to have been more clement, with mild temperatures and rainfall favoring corn growth. Nevertheless, corn growers who used Best-a fared better, proving that even in the absence of prolonged drought, crops were exposed to short episodes of stress that impacted yields.

Different years, consistent results

Best-a’s performance remained consistent despite years with very different weather conditions. For corn kernels, the average annual and overall results recorded in the 97 trials conducted in Brazil, the United States, Ukraine and France between 2019 and 2022 showed an average of 570 kg per hectare. The first 49 results from the 2023 trials confirm these findings, with initial yield gains estimated to be an average of 590 kg per hectare, representing significant economic gains for farmers. Results from one year to the next are consistent despite the different weather and soil conditions, and varying geographical areas. Whether in the Ukraine, Poland, Brazil or France, the results obtained remain constant and coherent with the product’s mode of action and expected performance levels.

Some growers even achieved exceptional gains, such as Volodymy Yakovenko in Ukraine and Patrick Mounier in the Charente region of France, who attained yield increases of 900 kg and 1,000 kg per hectare respectively.

Check out their testimonials here.

Excellent results were also reported in France in the regions of Bas-Rhin, Gers and Tarn-et-Garonne, with yield increases of 2830 kg, 2800 kg and 2960 kg per hectare. Here again, Best-a has proven its performance in diverse weather conditions and soil contexts.

The same is true for corn silage production. The 14 trials analyzed show an average dry matter increase of 1.3 metric tons per hectare, with a profitability threshold of 0.6 metric tons per hectare. This significant gain, complemented by a sustained and – in some cases – even an increase in quality criteria (starch content, energy value of feeds for lactation, fiber digestibility) sought by producers/breeders.

We will be back in a few weeks with more Best-a results!

Phytosterols take direct action on crop water requirements

Like a plant protection product, phytosterols have a protective effect on crops. However, their distinguishing feature is that they are molecules naturally present in all plants, which work to activate plant defense mechanisms. They have the unique ability to trigger a direct reaction in the plant, a physiological response specifically adapted to a particular stress factor. Phytosterols act as signaling molecules at a metabolic level in response to various environmental stresses such as cold, heat and drought. This action leads to the overexpression of stress management-related genes, helping the plant to adapt by producing specific proteins. This allows the plant to reallocate its resources to cope with the stress faced.