Why can synthetic varieties provide farmers with usable seed in later growing seasons?

Synthetic varieties are developed by intercrossing a number of genotypes that have been tested and selected for their superior combining ability—meaning they are known to produce high-performing hybrid results when crossed together.1

Unlike F1 hybrid varieties, which are specifically bred to capture hybrid vigour in a single generation and often require expensive, labor-intensive production processes, synthetic varieties are designed to maintain their performance over time. Because they are composed of a mixture of genotypes that have been proven to work well together, they retain the ability to produce usable seed for succeeding growing seasons. This makes them a particularly favored and economical choice for farmers growing crops such as forage, where the high costs associated with the repeated production of F1 hybrid seed would be prohibitive.12