For Southeastern sweet corn growers, the fight against lepidopteran pests can be a nearly nonstop battle during critical parts of the season. To control these worms, it is not uncommon for sprays to be made daily during ear fill and the harvest window.
Syngenta has a portfolio of sweet corn varieties that will help growers ease their lepidopteran management programs. The company offers several varieties which carry Attribute II technology, including Revision, Patron and Matriarch. The dual-protein technology in Attribute II varieties offers robust, season-long defense against major lepidopteran pests. And to ease weed management, the varieties are tolerant to glufosinate and glyphosate herbicides.
“One of the key benefits of the Attribute II technology is it gives growers more flexibility to manage pests,” says Johnny Parker, Syngenta Product Specialist. “The suppression of worms is very important, but equally important is the weed management aspect and ability to apply both glufosinate and glyphosate over-the-top of these varieties.”
“As we roll out this technology to Southeastern growers, the pest management enhancements it offers we believe will be well received by growers,” says Pat Williams, Syngenta Technical Sales Representative. “In North Carolina, growers are reporting less spraying for worm management because of the Vip3A trait protection. We’ve also heard that Attribute II can possibly provide superior protection compared to other alternatives on the market. And the overall yield potential and quality attributes of these varieties are excellent.”
Williams emphasizes to growers that are new to the varieties that the Vip3A protection is a big advancement in lepidoptera management but is not a silver bullet in worm control. Growers will still need to scout and make timely insecticide applications when necessary. Syngenta representatives are available to provide educational tips and consultation on the production and management of Attribute II varieties.
Advantages of Attribute II Varieties
There are three key Attribute II varieties that will fit well for fresh sweet corn growers in the Southeast — Revision, Matriarch and Patron. These varieties have the Vip3A trait that helps manage key lepidopteran pests, including western bean cutworm, corn earworm and European corn borer. Herbicide resistance to glufosinate (Liberty) and glyphosate (RoundUp) adds flexibility to weed management programs. Following are some features of the Attribute II varieties.
REVISION
Segment: Temperate Fresh
Maturity: 80 days
Type: Bicolor TripleSweet
- Strong tip fill, excellent husk coverage and plentiful flags
- Super sweet flavor and tender bit, provides high-quality eating experience
- High-yield potential
- Intermediate disease resistance to common rust
- Average ear diameter is 1.9 inches and length is 8.2 inches
MATRIARCH
Segment: Temperate Fresh
Maturity: 78 days
Type: Bicolor sh2 Sweet Corn
- Robust plant health with strong tip fill, excellent husks, plentiful flags and uniform ear size
- Exceptional eating quality with tender texture as well as creamy and robust sweet flavor
- High-yield potential
- Intermediate disease resistance to northern leaf blight
- Average ear diameter is 1.8 inches and length is 8 inches
PATRON
Segment: Temperate Fresh
Maturity: 81 days
Type: Bicolor Shipper
- Widely adapted to the Eastern United States
- Solid performance under less favorable conditions
- Maintains quality during shipping from field to market
- Attractive ear appearance that catches the consumer eye
- Intermediate resistance to common rust, southern corn leaf blight and northern leaf blight
- Average ear diameter is 1.8 inches and length is 7.5 inches