Parker is a proper name that can be associated with a character in a series of superhero movies or with a brand of high-quality and rather expensive ballpoint pens. In this article, we will talk about a Ukrainian winter rapeseed hybrid. Most rapeseed hybrids are named by Myroslav Pariy, one of the founders of the Ukrainian Scientific Institute of Breeding (VNIS). We won't tell you what inspired him to name it in this article, but most Ukrainian farmers have the opportunity to talk to Mr. Pariy personally and ask him questions.
The rapeseed market in Ukraine is represented mainly by hybrids, the vast majority of which are products of multinational companies. Ukrainian varieties occupy a very small niche in this market, and hybrids are probably even smaller. Usually, producers have no problem choosing a hybrid, because there are dozens of them. All of them are either high-intensity or high-yielding, or highly stable, and so on and so forth. If you follow the cultivation technology and have favorable weather conditions, you can get a good harvest no matter which hybrid you sow. But this was the case until 2022, when the war broke out and destroyed all the life plans of millions of Ukrainians, including farmers. Today, the economic efficiency of growing the crops we are used to has changed dramatically, and mostly for the worse. Rapeseed cultivation has also lost its previous profitability, but at least it has not become unprofitable, as it was with cereals. Many farms have already started or even finished sowing winter crops, as not all farmers will plant wheat this year due to its unprofitability.
Next year is likely to be somewhat more difficult than the current year, especially in financial terms. The technology of rapeseed cultivation is being revised, and the cost of mineral fertilizers is prompting us to use less of them. And when it comes to calculating every penny spent per hectare, we should not forget about the seed. Most seed companies have kept their price tags at the same level as last year, but the cost of imported seeds is still many times higher than that of Ukrainian hybrids. In addition, it's worth remembering that a decrease in the intensity of cultivation technology will necessarily lead to a decrease in the yield of top hybrids. That is why now is the best time to try something new. For example, we suggest you consider the domestic rapeseed hybrid Parker, created by the Ukrainian Scientific Institute of Breeding. Buying Ukrainian seeds offers a number of advantages. First, the price, and this is one of the main arguments compared to buying imported seeds. Secondly, logistics: the seeds are grown in Ukraine and are processed in Ukraine. These factors allow us to deliver seeds in the shortest possible time, ensuring timely sowing in optimal weather conditions, and no need to wait for them to arrive from Europe. Third, VNIS offers a winter rape insurance program called Phoenix. The program provides an opportunity to receive corn or sunflower seeds under special conditions for reseeding in case of problems with rapeseed overwintering. And let's not forget that by buying Ukrainian, you are supporting the country's economy in such a difficult time.
Why do we use Parker as an example? There are several reasons for this as well. Parker is a medium-early and highly adaptive hybrid. The main feature of the hybrid is its resistance to imidazolinone-based herbicides, which means that it can reliably control weeds without any risks associated with the effectiveness of soil herbicides or the phytotoxicity of insurance herbicides. Even though a new generation of selective herbicides for rapeseed has emerged, it will be difficult to find generics that would save money on crop protection. The yield potential of the hybrid is more than 5 t/ha with intensive cultivation technology. Detailed information on the hybrid's yield is available on VNIS' official social media pages. Another important advantage of the hybrid is its increased resistance to pod cracking, which gives it a certain advantage during the harvesting period. This hybrid shows excellent results in all regions of Ukraine. Parker is a reasonable and patriotic choice for Ukrainian farmers.
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