HYBRID MAIZE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22320, 3 May 1947, Page 6

HYBRID MAIZE

RESEARCHIST ATION POSITION EXPLAINED GISBORNE SITE LIKELY "It looks as though we must get right down to the hybrid seed and grow it.” said Mr. C. Tietjen at the annual meeting of the Gisborne MaizeGrowers' Association. "I am pleased to see the department is moving in the matter.” "During the past two years the agronomy division of this department has carried out on an exploratory scale a number of trials with hybrid maize, pending the establishment of a special station in a suitable locality in the Gisborne district." stat'ed a letter from the Plant Research Bureau of Ihe Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, the letter lo which Mr. Tieijen referred. "Inquiries have been made for a suitable site for such a station, which it is hoped will be such as will serve the needs of the department for a number of crop investigations other than those relating to hybrid maize,” continued the letter. “Unfortunately, the department is still severely handicapped on account ol the shortage »f staff qualified to deal satisfactorily with hybrid maize ani other problems, and as soon as any easements can be secured in this direction then it is the intention to establish a station in the Gisborne district ” "If they start a station here and ultimately produce hybrid seed we would be obliged to lake it if we wanted it or not" said Mr. H. I-f. Dods. when asked foi his opinion. "It might be good and yet might not be so good." In America, Mr Docks added, hundreds of hybrids were produced and tilt seed soli on its merits and production value. If production was to be started in tile Dominion the importation of the known and valuable American seed would be ceased. He said that appeared to him to be a weak link. “I would like to see a little elasticity ” concluded- Mr. Dods The president, Mr. Stuart McGuinness. said the station, if established. couid not produce seed for a number o’’ years and there would be cessation of the importations for some time Tiie station would deal also with pests and diseases prevalent in maize apart from the hybrid seed and the setting up of a station to investigate tUo.se diseases and pests alone would, be desirable.