Dekalb's Disease Shield traits to protect corn against diseases

Every year corn farmers face the risk of costly plant diseases that can significantly reduce their yields and profitability. To help combat this issue Dekalb brand is introducing an advanced new lineup - using predictive analytics and state of the art technology like genome wide selection - called Dekalb Disease Shield. These products will be available for the 2017 growing season and will be the latest solution on the market to help farmers maximize yield through industry-leading protection against major corn diseases.

Rebecca Waller, Dekalb brand manager, said Dekalb Disease Shield features an exclusive combination of genetics with enhanced disease protection developed by the brand's breeding program. These new products, she said, provide a broad spectrum of protection against the most common, yield-robbing corn diseases today, including anthracnose stalk rot, gray leaf spot, Goss's wilt, northern corn leaf blight and, in limited geographies, southern rust.

"Farmers typically experience these diseases every one or two seasons out of every five, but in any given season, they never know whether their fields will be at risk," Waller noted. "With Dekalb Disease Shield, farmers can grow more confidently, maximizing the potential of their top-yielding Dekalb products on every acre, from field to field."

Waller said these products also promote enhanced plant health, better standability and improved harvestability. "Dekalb Disease Shield products have shown strong performance in trials and demonstrated an advantage over competitor products," she said. "On-farm trials are planned for the 2016 season to give farmers the opportunity to experience the comprehensive disease protection firsthand and to provide feedback to help us make future commercialization decisions."

The Dekalb Disease Shield lineup will be available for purchase this fall for planting in 2017.

For additional information about protecting your yields from plant disease and maximizing performance on your farm, visit Dekalb.com/DiseaseShield.