DSV’s new LiRoyal maize offers growers in both favourable and less favourable areas the ideal combination of yield, quality and agronomics.
Although a very early forage variety, LiRoyal has a relatively tall growth habit and a well-formed cob that leads to high starch content, great digestibility and strong yields, demonstrated across a wide range of UK trials, say Michael Farr of DSV.
“It’s a high performing all-rounder with top yield in its class, offering dairy and livestock producers both forage and grain opportunities as well as being exceptionally well-suited for use in AD applications.
“LiRoyal has a complete agronomic package giving it exceptional in-field reliability with strong scores for early vigour, standing power, leaf senescence and eyespot resistance.
“An FAO of 180 means it is early to mature in most UK maize growing regions.”
In feeding and AD situations, the variety’s high drymatter yields and good digestibility mean LiRoyal’s exceptional energy content is easily accessible to livestock and delivers high yields of gas, he adds.
“Dry matter contents recorded in the 2021 BSPB Forage Maize Descriptive are 33.1% in favourable areas and 32.9% in less favourable ones with dry matter yields of 18.1 and 17.6t/ha DM respectively.
“A starch content of 33.7% for both locations contribute to MEs of 11.79 (MJ/kg DM) for favourable sites and 11.74 (MJ/kg DM) for less favourable ones. ME yields at harvest are 213,000 and 206,000 MJ/ha respectively.
“LiRoyal’s cell wall digestibility is an impressive 59% which means it is easily digested by ruminants and AD plants alike.”
According to Nigel Walley, national seeds manager for Agrovista, LiRoyal is the ideal maize for modern growing conditions.
“With weather patterns becoming less predictable the requirement for robust and consistent maize varieties has never been greater.
“LiRoyal offers the perfect balance of yield, quality and maturity to suit a wide range of applications.
“Capable of producing over 18 tonnes of dry matter and in excess of 6 tonnes hectare of starch, LiRoyal is the perfect choice for high performing livestock systems or as the early variety in a balanced energy maize portfolio.
“Good standing ability and large uniform cobs also make LiRoyal ideal for the increasing maize grain or crimped maize grain markets.
“Good disease scores complete the package making LiRoyal the most versatile of maize varieties in what is an increasingly diverse marketplace for the maize plant.”
