Dryland conditions no challenge for PAC 606IT

A return to dryland corn crops after 12 years has delivered outstanding results in local conditions for Spring Ridge growers.



Jamie Crossing and his wife Jackie farm ‘Colly Blue’ near Spring Ridge. They decided to try PAC 606IT from Pacific Seeds and were thoroughly impressed with the excellent yield it had delivered, noting the variety offered reliability and performance under their local conditions.

“Grown for grain production – it [PAC 606IT] was recommended for use in our local conditions by Tony McCumstie from Pacific Seeds.

“Previous farm trials had indicated PAC 606IT was suited to the Liverpool Plains environment,” Jamie said.

Suited to both irrigated and dryland situations, PAC 606IT corn hybrid has been utilised across the market for grain and silage production, with a reputation for performing particularly well under dryland conditions.

Being his first dryland corn crop since 2008, Jamie planted in early October 2020.

“The planting population was at 35,000 plants/hectare planted into wheat stubble. Nitrogen had been applied in August and starter fertilizer applied at planting,” Jamie said.

With a good disease resistance package, and the Imidazolinone-tolerant (IT) trait, PAC 606IT provides an option for growers that is reliable, with the added benefit of grass weed control options.

Jamie said the season was perfect for planting PAC 606IT.

“The cooler summer temperatures and high rainfall provided excellent growing conditions for high yields,” he said.

Under the guidance of Agronomist James Urquhart at NURURAL Quirindi, Jamie has been thrilled with the performance of PAC 606IT.

“PAC 606IT was outstanding. In our biggest field, it performed particularly well. If the circumstances that caused me to plant it this year came around again, I would definitely plant it again.”