Fourth generation Walbundrie grower thrilled with the total package offered by Optimum GLY® hybrid canola

Walbundrie grower Chris Collins was pleased with his yield of 3.3 tonnes per hectare (t/ha) and 49% oil from PY422G Y series^® Optimum GLY glyphosate tolerance hybrid canola in the 2023 season.

Pioneer Seeds Territory Sales Manager, Luke Gooden, has been working with the 4th generation grower for more than four years, and he suggested the hybrid for Chris' unique requirements in a field that had both red soil and black soil with a lot of clay.

"I felt that the broader application versatility of the Optimum GLY hybrid would give him more flexibility in managing the differing maturity requirements for the varying soil types present in his paddock, making a great planting partner to the earlier generation hybrids," he said.

Above: Pioneer Seeds Territory Sales Manager Luke Gooden checking out PY422G Optimum GLY glyphosate tolerance trait hybrid canola at early emergence with assistant, his border collie Daisy.

After hearing about the superior weed control, greater application versatility and yield potential of the glyphosate tolerance hybrid from Luke, Chris was keen to try the new hybrid on his farm.

"I'd heard about good results with it - obviously it yields well and looks good, with clean paddocks at the end. The disease package is also great for our strategy without compromising the yield.

"Optimum GLY [herbicide tolerance trait] gives us the ability to spray from cotyledon through to first flower, so when we're really trying to get that last bit of rye grass, it definitely helps us at the back end.

"There's also nothing better than a trial in your own paddock, so it's good to follow through and see the results that way," he said.

Chris planted a trial plot of 24 hectares of PY422G on 3 May 2023 in fairly good weather conditions with good moisture into heavy clay soil, alongside a number of earlier generation Roundup Ready hybrids. The crop received 60kg of MAP and 80kg of Urea at sowing, followed by two top dressings of 100Kg of Urea later in the growing period.

Chris was impressed not only by the immediately apparent yield potential, but also by the wide spray window of the Optimum GLY glyphosate tolerance trait and the plant vigour that the crop displayed throughout the growing season.

"We went with the Optimum GLY [canola] through [the heavy clay area] because with the clay ground, there's a bit more opportunity for the ability to spray later.

"It's brilliant, it's done a really good job. Typically, the red ground will come up well but the heavy clay is always a bit marginal, but this year it all came up very evenly, which was good.

"The standability has also been really good, it probably grew over six feet tall, but it still stood up, so it was easy to windrow and easy to harvest," he said.

Above: Chris Collins and father, Alwyn Collins, in PY422G Optimum GLY glyphosate tolerance trait hybrid canola at the end of flowering - they were impressed by the standability of the crop.

Chris followed a "three-pronged attack" for his spray schedule, including a robust pre-emergent spray of Overwatch, followed by two applications of glyphosate, one earlier in the growing period and another just before bolting. The Optimum GLY hybrid tolerated the herbicide favourably, resulting in a higher yield and greater oil content.

Chris harvested the crop on 13 November and achieved 3.3t/ha, 0.8t more than some of the earlier generation glyphosate tolerance hybrids it grew alongside, and with a higher oil content at 49%, compared to the 45.5-47% oil yield from the earlier generation hybrids.

Chris was so confident in the results and opportunities of the Optimum GLY herbicide tolerance trait that he's planning to grow 120 hectares of Y Series Optimum GLY glyphosate tolerance hybrid PY525G in 2024.

"Where it's going in this time is more of a problem paddock that typically gets very wet, so the PY525G should give us the opportunity to plant a bit earlier and hit it a bit later if we need to spray it an extra time.

"We've typically always grown a lot of the earlier generation Roundup Ready hybrids because they always perform, so it's a pretty big thing for us to change over, but I think we've gotten enough confidence from the PY422G last year that it'll do the job for us," he said.

Chris would happily recommend the Optimum GLY glyphosate tolerance trait hybrid canola to his neighbours.

"I've actually got a neighbour next door to that trial last year who's growing it himself this year," he said.

Chris also found the Corteva Agriscience Technology Use Agreement process that all growers intending to grow Optimum GLY hybrids in 2024 and beyond must digitally sign to be quick and simple.

"It was fine - 20 minutes on the internet, watch the tutorial and then fill out a bit of paperwork [online] - the process was easy, it wasn't a problem."

Growers wishing to grow Pioneer Y Series Optimum GLY hybrid canola in 2024 can access the Corteva Agriscience licensing portal here.

Above: The PY422G Optimum GLY glyphosate tolerance trait hybrid yielded 3.3t/ha, and the Walbundrie grower intends to grow more Optimum GLY hybrid canola in the 2024 season.