Increased seeding rates have ignited corn yield increases over the years. If seeding rates are the spark, hybrid genetics fuel the increase. It takes both high seeding rates and high-yielding hybrids that can tolerate increased plant-to-plant competition to maximize yields. If hybrids were not bred to tolerate increased seeding rates, we would have fields of flat corn at harvest. Older hybrids simply cannot tolerate today’s seeding rates without severe lodging and/or barrenness.