Corn Derby

Perhaps the most effective way of choosing varieties for any planting material is to test-breed it. Some people may think that it is costly and laborious, but in the long run, the efforts are well worth it because the farmer gets more value for his money.

In Negros Occidental, the provincial government of Gov. Joseph Marañon under the Office of Provincial Agriculturist Igmedio Tabianan, has sponsored the first-ever corn derby here in the province. The derby was held at a private test farm in Manapla, a municipality in northern Negros, and involved four varieties of corn from different suppliers.

The different kinds of corn were planted in August last year, which is this crops off-season, and were harvested in late November, following the 105-day harvest cycle. The breeds, which included Hanyu from China, the hybrid single-cross Bioseed, Asian Seed, and the Mon Santo Decalb 818, were subjected to a stress test, considering the climate, rainfall, and the quality of the soil on location, which was sloping. The Mon Santo was the control breed. Proponents of the corn derby wanted to find out how the different varieties will fare in an extreme field test.

It was found out that the seeds from China are very productive varieties under stress-free conditions. However they are susceptible to disease. Bioseed and Mon Santo, on the other hand, seem to be the better choices.

The corn derby is part of Negros Occidental's corn program that aims to achieve self-sufficiency for this major crop. Corn is the component of about 65 to 70% of commercial feeds for livestock and in order to supply this demand, the province imports corn from Mindanao and even outside the country. A corn grower who has his own livestock laments that he has to buy dried corn at P10.25 per kilo in the market, whereas, the cost can be brought down to about P3 per kilo if he produces his own crop. The government is also encouraging the planting of corn for they intend to set up the Provincial Grains Processing Center, which is to become the center of post-harvest facilities, such as shelling, drying, and siloing, in Negros.

Although self-sufficiency is the main goal of the government's program, they would also like to see corn farmers producing corn that can pass world-class standards.