David L. Marrison*, Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent
Phil Rzewnicki, On-Farm Research Coordinator
Objective: To provide a source of objective information on the relative performance of short-season corn hybrids currently available to Ashtabula County farmers
Background |
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| Cooperator: Nearest Town: Major Soil Type: |
Keith Palmer Andover Platea silt loam |
Cooperator: Nearest Town: Major Soil Type: |
Brian Forman Geneva Sheffield silt loam |
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| Previous Crop: Planting Date: Harvest Date: Plot Yield (avg): Grain Moisture: |
Wheat April 28, 1999 October 18, 1999 139.2 bu/acre 15.2% |
Previous Crop: Planting Date: Harvest Date: Plot Yield (avg): Grain Moisture: |
Legume Hay April 30, 1999 October 20, 1999 161.8 bu/acre 17.1% |
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| Cooperator: Nearest Town: Major Soil Type: |
Rick Humphries Orwell Sheffield silt loam |
Cooperator: Nearest Town: Major Soil Type: |
Lester Marrison Jefferson Sheffield silt loam |
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| Previous Crop: Planting Date: Harvest Date: Plot Yield (avg): Grain Moisture: |
Soybeans May 3, 1999 September 27, 1999 142.8 bu/acre 18.44% |
Previous Crop: Planting Date: Harvest Date: Plot Yield (avg): Grain Moisture: |
Grass/Legume Hay May 11, 1999 Nov. 5, 1999 138.0 bu/acre 16.7% |
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| Cooperator: Nearest Town: Major Soil Type: |
Bill Hurst Dorset Sheffield silt loam |
Cooperator: Nearest Town: Major Soil Type: |
Stan Ruck Geneva Platea silt loam |
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| Previous Crop: Planting Date: Harvest Date: Plot Yield (avg): Grain Moisture: |
Soybeans May 18, 1999 Nov. 10, 1999 152.6 bu/acre 16.2% |
Previous Crop: Planting Date: Harvest Date: Plot Yield (avg): Grain Moisture: |
Grass/Legume Hay May 18, 1999 Nov. 11, 1999 145 bu/acre 17.1% |
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This research project was designed to study the performance of short-season corn hybrids using six farms within the county as replicates. Hybrids submitted for evaluation were 80- to 90-day hybrids with total growing degree days (gdds) required to reach physiological maturity to be less than 2,400 gdds. The specific characteristics that were analyzed were yield, grain moisture at harvest, test weight, and gross return per bushel after corrections were made for drying costs and low test weights.
Hybrids were randomly planted in field-length strips at each of the four farm locations.
| Hybrid Performance Across Farm Locations | ||||||||||
| Hybrid/(Maturity) | Yield (bu/ac) @15.5% moisture |
Population plants/ac |
Test Weight lb/bu |
Moisture % |
Gross Return $/ac |
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| Pioneer 37M34 (99) | 177.9 a | 27,300 | 58 | 17.9 | 383.91 | |||||
| Pioneer 38P05 (94) | 175.7 a | 28,000 | 58 | 17.1 | 381.01 | |||||
| Novartis 3030Bt (95) | 169.6 ab | 27,333 | 58 | 17.0 | 366.77 | |||||
| Novartis 21V6 (87) | 157.2 bc | 27,000 | 58 | 16.1 | 343.42 | |||||
| Croplan D5862 (87) | 148.8 cd | 25,583 | 58 | 17.8 | 320.20 | |||||
| Pioneer 3893 (89) | 147.1 cd | 26,250 | 58 | 16.8 | 319.70 | |||||
| Pioneer 38R21 (92) | 145.7 cd | 25,700 | 58 | 16.7 | 316.93 | |||||
| Novartis 2555Bt (90) | 141.2 de | 26,000 | 58 | 16.2 | 308.23 | |||||
| Novartis 24-B9 (90) | 131.7 ef | 26,000 | 59 | 16.6 | 286.55 | |||||
| Croplan 216 (85) | 122.3 f | 25,583 | 56 | 15.7 | 267.88 | |||||
| Croplan 154 (77) | 94.4 g | 24,000 | 60 | 16.2 | 206.04 | |||||
| Average | 146.0 | 26,242 | 58 | 16.7 | 317.23 | |||||
| Yields followed by same letter are not significantly different at P = 0.05
Analysis of variance F = 6.57 - yields very significantly different at P = 0.01 - lsd (0.05) = 12.4
CV (yields) = 7.15% Indicates good control of experimental error and relative performance of hybrids not affected by farm location.
Populations were not significantly different among hybrids at P = 0.01 CV (populations) = 5.9%. Indicates good control of experimental error and the population counts on each farm were consistent across hybrids. Gross Return equals: $2.20 per bushel less discounts of 2 cents per point of moisture over 15.5% and 1 (53lb), 3 (52lb) cents for test weight under 54 lbs. |
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Ten of the 11 corn hybrids in this year's trials yielded higher than the 10-year county average of 104.47 bushels per acre and the five-year average of 114.38 bushels per acre. The top three performing hybrids for 1999 were not significantly different from each other and performed significantly better than the lowest yielding seven hybrids.
Ashtabula County farms encounter fewer growing degree days than most of the remainder of Ohio. The use of 80- to 90-day corn hybrids potentially increases gross returns by reducing the cost of drying longer-season corns. Additionally, the shorter-season corn varieties usually can be harvested earlier in the fall when weather conditions are more favorable.
*For additional information, contact: Ohio State University Extension, Ashtabula County, 39 Wall Street, Jefferson, OH 44047, 440-576-9008, marrison.2@osu.edu