Pioneer 3394--1990s hybrid

[gil.gullickson]

All,

I have an upcoming story where I talk about hybrid selection and the importance of looking at all aspects of a hybrid, not just yield potential.

The subject of Pioneer 3394 came up. Evidently, it was one of the best-selling hybrids of all time. In 1994--had Pioneer 3394 been a single seed company-it would have been the second largest seed company in the world.

Its weakness, though, was gray leaf spot. When GLS came along in the mid 1990s, it evidently just hammered this hybrid and you didn't hear much about it afterward. This was in the the day, too, before fungicides were applied to corn. The point of mentioning it in the article isn't to bash Pioneer, but instead to point out that every hybird--no matter how good it is or what company markets it--has a weak spot. 

Anyone have any experience with this hybrid? Would be interested in hearing your perspective on it.

Thanks,

Gil Gullickson

Crops Technology Editor

[ihmarty543282]

We had a few farmers around here (WCIN) that planted 100% of that number for a couple of yrs.

[ECIN]

We palnted it back in the day - The reason we quit was it would drop ears - just shelling down threw it and the ears would fall off - you had to be perfect getting into the rows - if you just was off a little and bumped them then there they go - on the ground

[Wind]

Had a 40 A field of 3394 in 92 or 94 that made over 200bu. my first 200+ yield.  I remember trying to get the seed later and could not. It was a short lived "super star." 

[Blacksandfarmer]

ECIN it's funny you mention a Pioneer number and ear drop. I planted a Pioneer number a few years ago, I believe it was 35k04? Nice full ears of corn all over the ground that never made it into the combine. Two years later I rented a new piece of ground where the previous farmer had a big P number, same thing different field. I quit planting big P all together not long after that. Sorry for straying off  the subject Gil. Every hybrid seems to have a weak spot somewhere. It's the seed dealer's job to pair the right hybrid with the right farm. As a seed dealer, I do my best at matching the right hybrid with the right soil type or management system. My most successful customer is a guy that called me up a couple times this past spring as he was moving field to field wanting to know what hybrid belonged on what field. It didn't bother me to take a couple minutes and give him my suggestion. Fast forward to harvest and riding in the combine, the couple short conversations we had over the phone made that farmer money. It's not the farmer's job to know all the ins and outs of every hybrid, it's the farmer's job to manage about a hundred other variables throughout the growing season. So in my opinion a farmer should look beyond the brand and more at the dealer and determine if that individual is a good advisor or just another traveling salesmen.

[Jim Meade / Iowa City]

Yes, I planted this junk and yes, it had grey leaf spot to beat the band.  One of my lasting memories of hybrid selection.

[sw363535]

Speaking of crop advisers............

Jim did you jump and call in the airplane for a $40/acre shot of miracle cure as the crop scout advised???

Did it work??

Gray leaf....... natural resistance (variety choice) is about the only way to help that problem

Did the variety yield well in spite of the problem??

[gil.gullickson]

All,

Thx for all your input on this. I had never heard of this, but then again, I was living in SE South Dakota at the time where I'm guessing this hybrid wasn't planted. Blacksandfarmer, that's what the folks were saying in the article, that every hybrid has a weakness and unfortunately, in 3394's case, it was Gray Leaf Spot. 

Gil