Sustainable use

Corn4FUTURE – A champion in resource use efficiency

The European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork strategy have set clear targets for sustainable farming in Europe, including a 50% reduction in the use of chemical plant protection. The seed sector continues to act as a key solution provider, contributing greatly to sustainable agriculture. Corn, requiring minimal plant protection, lowers production costs and reduces environmental impact, making it an excellent choice for sustainable farming practices.

Corn is very efficient in its water and nitrogen use

Heat and drought are major stresses impacting crop growth, development, biomass productivity, and grain yield. Corn exhibits high water use efficiency and drought tolerance, ensuring stable yields even under water stress. It requires only 100-300 liters of water to produce 1 kg of dry matter, demonstrating more efficient water use compared to other crops (Source: Deutsches Maiskomitee e.V. (DMK), 2024).

Nitrogen is an essential component of all enzymes and is therefore necessary for plant growth and development. Corn is very efficient in its nitrogen use. It needs 20 kg nitrogen per 10,000 mega joule net lactation - about 25% less nitrogen use than other crops (Source: DMK, 2024). To further advance nitrogen use efficiency, KWS is developing "low input varieties" of corn. These varieties are optimized to use nitrogen more efficiently, ensuring robust performance under low input conditions and reducing the need for additional nitrogen inputs.

Both biomass production and grain yield production can only grow from available nitrogen. Nitrogen is, besides water, light and temperature, the main driver for plant growth. However, certain genotypes can produce more yield, from less nitrogen.

Dr. Andreas Groß, Head of International Corn Product Management

Closer look: What´s in for sustainability?

Versatile performance

Corn adapts to diverse and challenging environments, enabling its cultivation in various conditions across the globe.

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Important crop

Corn's performance as a crop is impressive, supporting its use in a broad variety of applications.

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Yield increase

Progress in plant breeding is the most relevant contributor to safeguard food production for a growing world population in the face of climate change and limited resources.

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A shared fight against drought – Farmer story.

Drought tolerance & ClimaCONTROL3

Under the ClimaCONTROL3 label, KWS offers innovative, drought-tolerant grain corn varieties that derive from a dedicated research and breeding program. The number three in the name stands for the fact that drought stress can have three different impacts on plants depending on the respective growth phase: Before, during or after flowering.

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Reduction of CO2 emissions & DryDown+

KWS' DryDown+ grain corn varieties are characterized by a superior dry-down capacity (drying capacity). Internal trials show that the reduction of the crop moisture from 30 to 20 percent at harvest can reduce the necessary drying costs by up to 50 percent. The long-term breeding goal is a grain moisture level of a maximum of 15% at harvest to eliminate the need of drying at all – and also enabling a significant reduction of energy use and CO2 emissions during the drying cycles.

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Sustainability starts with the seed

The future only works together

Bringing nutrition, nature and efficiency together: As one of the world’s leading seed specialists, we are convinced we can and must make a significant contribution toward finding solutions for sustainable farming that are also economically viable.

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