Higher yields, better resilience and superior crop performance are the cornerstones of modern agriculture. At the heart of this pursuit lies genetic gain — a powerful tool to continuously improve the qualities that matter most to farmers.

But what exactly does this term mean, especially in the context of a leading seed company like LG Seeds?

Let's dive into genetic gain — and how we leverage it to develop superior seed products.

Key Takeaways:

• Genetic gain is essential to enhance key crop characteristics like yield and resilience, and ensure crops meet farmers’ evolving demands.
• LG Seeds utilizes global genetic diversity to develop superior hybrids that are resilient and adaptable across various environments.
• Innovative breeding techniques and faster development timelines allow LG Seeds to rapidly deliver cutting-edge hybrids to farmers.

What is Genetic Gain?

Genetic gain is the process of enhancing key crop attributes — like yield, disease resistance and drought tolerance — through selective breeding over time.

In simpler terms, it’s the measure of how much a specific characteristic can be enhanced in each breeding cycle. The goal is to consistently improve these characteristics to meet farmers’ evolving needs.

Genetic gain is influenced by several key factors, including:

Genetic variability: The diversity within the genetic pool from which selections are made.

Selection intensity: The rigor with which superior attributes are selected and propagated.

Accuracy of selection: The precision in identifying and selecting attributes that will result in better performance.

Breeding cycle time: The duration of each breeding cycle, which impacts how quickly improvements can be realized.

The Breeding Process at LG Seeds

The process of achieving genetic gain begins with breeding inbred lines. These inbred lines are the foundation for hybrids, which are the commercial products farmers plant in their fields. 

Our inbred line breeding group is dedicated to developing new lines that surpass previous generations. By crossing the best performing inbred lines, we can combine the most desirable qualities into a new hybrid that outperforms its predecessors.

Yield is often considered the king of attributes, but this isn’t the only goal. This breeding process also aims to enhance other critical factors such as standability (resistance to lodging), plant height, ear height, grain quality and resistance to pests and diseases. 

By focusing on a broad range of qualities, we ensure hybrids are adaptable and can perform well across various environments and conditions.

Leveraging Global Genetic Diversity

Beyond the breeding process, access to global genetic diversity is a gamechanger for achieving sustained genetic gain. Through AgReliant Genetics’ founding companies (Limagrain and KWS), we can draw from diverse genetic pools. 

This diversity is crucial for long-term genetic gain because it prevents the breeding program from hitting a plateau. By relentlessly advancing genetic gain, our team is dedicated to delivering seed products that lead the industry in yield, resilience and adaptability.

Innovation in Breeding Techniques

Over the years, our breeding process has evolved significantly thanks to advances in genomic selection. By combining genomic data with traditional field data, our breeders can make more informed decisions about which characteristics to select. This not only improves selection accuracy but also accelerates the breeding process.

Moreover, the time it takes to develop and commercialize a new hybrid has been significantly reduced. What once took over a decade can now be achieved in as little as six years, with efforts underway to shorten this timeline even further. This accelerated process ensures that farmers can quickly access the latest high-performance hybrids and gain a competitive edge in the field.

Regional Adaptation and Testing

LG Seeds understands farming conditions vary greatly across different regions. To address this, we conduct extensive testing across various environments. While some hybrids are bred with specific regions in mind, they are tested across the entire Corn Belt to ensure stability and performance in diverse conditions. 

This rigorous testing process allows us to identify hybrids that not only perform well in specific regions but also could be broadly adapted.

Positioning LG Seeds for the Future

The combination of a robust breeding program, access to global genetic diversity and cutting-edge technology positions LG Seeds as a leader in the seed industry. 

By continuously pushing the boundaries of what’s possible through genetic gain, we’re committed to providing farmers with the best possible seed products. This commitment ensures that as environmental challenges and market demands evolve, farmers will continue to access hybrids that meet their needs.

The Bottom Line

Genetic gain is more than just a technical term in the breeding world — it's the driving force behind the continuous improvement of crop performance. 

Genetic gain is at the heart of our mission to empower farmers with seeds that yield more, resist better and adapt more effectively to changing conditions. 

Looking ahead, LG Seeds remains committed to pushing the boundaries of ag innovation. Explore our latest hybrids and see how genetic gain can transform your harvest.