What management decision can make a 40 to 50 bushel per acre difference in grain yield without increasing input costs? If you've read the title to this article, you can probably guess the answer: hybrid selection! Hybrid selection is a critical component for achieving high yields and yet is not often given enough attention. Seed prices in Iowa are increasing about $1.30 per acre per year (Figure 1). This increase will continue as more genetic traits and stacks become available.