January 2021
Welcome to the January edition of our information exchange platform. This month we discuss the effects of Covid-19 on production, yield test results, seed availability, and more.


Missed last month's E-Newsletter? Catch up in the News section of our website
COVID-19 Disruptions
Did we get anything done in 2020?
The 2020 year finally came to an end; a new year arrived, and we are ready for a new planting season. Our seed production projects did well; we have a good amount of seed of all the conventional and specialty corns in our product line up. Our wide area trials also had good results in spite of weather disturbances in the testing regions. We are happy to see a rebound on the grain prices and the improved perspectives for the new year.
Yield Test Results
Conventional Hybrids GEI 1050 and GEI 1060

We tested two conventional GEI hybrids in 2020, GEI 1050 and GEI 1060 in the RM 112 maturity zone in central Illinois. The two hybrids were part of a set of hybrids of similar maturities from other seed companies. Hybrids were planted in 5 locations with two replications, in 4 rows plots. The two middle rows of the plot were harvested to avoid the plot competition from the neighboring plot in each replication. The results were statistically analyzed and reported by the USTN testing organization under PFI in Iowa. The results for the two hybrids and a conventional check are shown in this report.

Results are shown for each hybrid at each location and across locations. GEI 1060 showed a similar yield compared to the hybrid check PB 8233 (221 bushels/acre for GEI 1060 vs 225 bushels/acre for check, PB 8233).
GEI 1050 had 205 bushels/acre vs 225 bushels/acre for check PB 8233 across the 5 locations.

Looking at the location to location means, GEI 1050, and GEI 1060 were above the mean of the test at all the locations. These two hybrids are high performing hybrids for this maturity zone.
Organic Hybrids GEI 9010 Organic and GEI 9700 Organic

We tested two GEI organic hybrids in 2020, GEI 9010 organic and GEI 9700 organic in the RM 105 maturity zone in the states of Iowa and Ohio in Organic trials.

The results indicate that GEI 9010 Org and GEI 9700 Org were similar in yield compared to the hybrid check 49K70 in these test locations. The two hybrids had slightly better yields compared to the average yields of all the hybrids across locations.
Seed Availability
Here is the hybrid seed available for planting in 2021:
Conventional Hybrids
GEI 9700, GEI 9010, GEI 1050 
GEI 9010 Organic
Specialty Hybrids
Blue corn, high provitamin A, and high lysine hybrids
High Lysine
High Provitamin A
Specialty Corn Utilization
Vegetable Protein
The food industry is following up with the customers interested in knowing about the food they consume. Customers are interested in knowing where the food is coming from. Of current interest is to increase the protein content of food using vegetable protein sources having a good protein quality content. Whole grains and ancient grains are being introduced in the formulation of new food products as a way to bust the protein content and the quality of the proteins. 

Most of the food formulators with grains are looking at the alternative of using whole grains to keep the nutritional value of the grain and at the use of ancient grains with better protein quality and content to increase the nutritional value of a food product. One example of these efforts is coming from a wheat grain miller, Ardent Mills. This company has acquired a milling operation in Bolivia that produces and mills quinoa, an ancient grain in South America that has high protein content and a complete panel of essential amino acids. They are also looking at other wheat variants with high anthocyanins found in blue and red grains to use in their specialty blends.

We have been following up on these trends with an eye on our corn specialties. We are looking at ancient grains such as quinoa, amaranth, oats, field peas and other pulses to increase the protein quality and content for baking products.
Can We Grow Quinoa in Iowa?
In 2013 we conducted a grow out experiment of two quinoa varieties in Johnston, Iowa. We obtained pure seed of two quinoa varieties from a government research station in South America. We planted seed of two varieties in pots in early June and we documented the growth stages of the two varieties during the season and kept records of the plant growth from germination in early June to harvest time in September. We made a poster of the experiment and posted it at the PFI conference in January of 2014. 

We concluded that quinoa can be grown in Iowa from seed to seed, but earlier varieties with good economic traits are needed to be developed for commercial sales.
Quinoa grown in Iowa, 2013
Recipe: High Protein Blue Corn Muffins with Quinoa
1 cup all purpose flour 
½ cup GEI 5121C blue corn flour
¼ cup quinoa flour
¼ cup sugar
3 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
¼ cup oil

Heat oven to 400℉. Mix together all ingredients. Spray muffin tin with oil. Makes 12 small or 6 large muffins. Bake for 25 minutes.
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