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Pennsylvania Commercial Hybrid Corn Tests Report

Late medium-season hybrids (Maturity Zone 3) 1997 results

Tests of commercially available corn hybrids are conducted annually at several locations in each of the four maturity zones in Pennsylvania to provide farmers, seed producers, county extension agents, and other interested persons with information about hybrid performance. This report includes both the grain and silage results from the 1997 season.

Tables 1 and 2 contain the combined results for all locations in this zone, except as noted. The short-season hybrids were grouped in an early and a late set to limit the range of maturities. The range has been quite wide even in years when the total heat units were adequate. We anticipate that this will permit a better comparison of performance within each group. Thus, those reported in Table 1 are the combined results for the early group and those in Table 2 for the late group. A two-year summary of results for hybrids tested in both 1996 and 1997 growing seasons is given in Table 3. The results for hybrids entered in the silage performance test are given in Table 4.

Procedures

This testing program was available to any producer of hybrid seed corn. For the grain tests, hybrids were planted in paired-row plots of 1/500 of an acre. Each row was overplanted—36 kernels per row—and thinned when the corn was 12-18 inches tall. The final population was either 24,000 or 26,000 plants per acre. Silage plots were 1/1,000 acre in size, consisting of one row overplanted to 38 kernels and thinned to a final population of 28,000 plants per acre. All entries were replicated three times in each test.

Test plots were planted with modified mechanical planters. Grain-test plots were harvested with a self-propelled combine equipped with electronic instrumentation for determining weight and moisture. Silage plots were harvested with a forage harvester. Grain yields are reported as bushels per acre while grain moisture and erect plants are reported as percentages. Shelled grain yields were standardized at 15.5 percent grain moisture. Percentage of checks for each hybrid was based on the mean of five check hybrids and calculated for moisture, yield, and erect plants. Silage results are reported as actual field yield in tons per acre, calculated on the basis of 65 percent moisture, tons of dry matter per acre, and moisture content. Disease ratings were based on a scale of 0.5 to 5.0 progressing from little or no disease to premature death.

Growing conditions

March and early April were cold and wet with colder than normal conditions continuing throughout most of the spring. Late April turned dry, and drier and cooler conditions persisted through much of the first half of the growing season. Conditions at most locations warmed up in late June but stayed unseasonably dry until late July. Sufficient rainfall did occur early enough at most locations for corn to recover and yield better than expected. Near normal yields were found at nearly all locations. Serious germination and emergence conditions occurred at the Dauphin County location and data from that plot are not included.

Diseases, insects, and other pests

Tests grown at the Clinton and Lancaster County locations were inoculated with the fungi causing northern leaf blight (NLB) and gray leaf spot (GLS). Due to the dry conditions at the Clinton County location, neither disease developed sufficiently to permit disease ratings to be made. At the Lancaster County location, dry weather delayed disease development but ratings for NLB were made in mid-September. GLS occurred only in trace amounts. In most years, sufficient amounts of GLS occurs from natural inoculum at the test site near Oley in Berks County. The extreme dry growing conditions early in the growing season prevented GLS from occurring in any more than trace amounts. Stalk rot was not a problem at any location in this zone. Birds and animals were not a problem at any of the locations. Corn insect pressures were light to not apparent at all locations.

Interpretation of results

Least significant differences (LSD) is the tool used to determine if two average values are actually different statistically. The difference between two hybrids must exceed the LSD value to be considered significantly different. Example for yield: LSD = 8.1 Bu/A; Hybrid X = 120.0 Bu/A; Hybrid Y = 105.0 Bu/A; 120.0 - 105 = 15.0 Bu/A difference. Since the difference between Hybrid X and Y (15.0 Bu/A) exceeded the LSD (8.1 Bu/A), Hybrid X was higher yielding due to hybrid superiority and not simply as a result of uncontrolled environmental factors.

Cooperators and locations

Late medium-season hybrids were evaluated with the cooperation of the following persons: Kermet Schegel, Berks County; Lloyd Zook, Berks County; Charles Dotterer, Clinton County; Hershey Farms, Dauphin County; Melvin Martin, Juniata County; Dick Snyder, Lycoming County; Penn State Agronomy Farm, Lancaster County.

Results of the tests for short-season, early medium-season, late medium-season, and late-season hybrids are available as separate reports from county offices of Penn State Cooperative Extension.

Members of the county-based extension staff assisted in conducting these tests. Their efforts were essential to the successful completion of the trials and were greatly appreciated.

Prepared by L. D. Hoffman, J. E. Ayers, W. R. Haas and J. Shaffer.

The tables in this report may be reproduced only in their entirety.

Advanced Entries

Table 1. Late medium-season hybrid performances (Maturity Zone 3). Combined Penn State Commercial Advanced Entries (average of seven locations). Data under Location Means indicate counties where values were obtained.
BRAND-HYBRID PERCENT-OF-CHECK %H2O
GRAIN		 BU/A
GRAIN		 %
ERECT		 NLB
RATING
H20 YIELD ERECT
CHEMGRO 7036 95.1 98.1 99.9 24.3 181.6 97.3 1.0
AGRIPRO AP9560 95.5 97.9 99.1 24.4 181.3 96.5 1.7
EASTLAND E624 95.9 98.2 100.0 24.5 181.8 97.4 1.3
FUNK'S 4496 95.9 95.4 101.2 24.5 176.6 98.6 1.0
AGWAY AG657 96.2 92.7 99.4 24.6 171.6 96.8 1.0
HUBNER H3507 96.6 95.6 100.6 24.7 176.9 98.0 1.0
DYNAGRO 5456 97.0 96.7 100.5 24.8 179.0 97.9 1.0
DOEBLER'S 737XP 97.4 100.5 100.9 24.9 186.1 98.3 1.0
DEKALB DK618 97.4 96.7 100.4 24.9 178.9 97.8 1.0
SCHLESSMAN SX708 98.2 94.3 101.2 25.1 174.5 98.6 1.0
DOEBLER'S 679XP 98.2 93.8 101.2 25.1 173.7 98.6 1.0
CARGILL 7770 98.6 101.5 99.7 25.2 187.8 97.1 1.3
MID ATLANTIC 9121 98.6 93.7 99.9 25.2 173.5 97.3 1.0
TERRA TR1106 99.0 98.2 100.3 25.3 181.7 97.7 1.0
AGRIPRO AP9616 99.0 98.2 100.9 25.3 181.8 98.3 1.0
MID ATLANTIC 9141 99.8 94.7 100.6 25.5 175.3 98.0 1.0
AGWAY AG767 100.2 99.8 101.4 25.6 184.8 98.8 1.0
NC+ 5445 100.9 96.1 101.8 25.8 177.9 99.2 1.0
DOEBLER'S 746XY 100.9 99.2 101.5 25.8 183.6 98.9 1.0
PIONEER 3335 101.3 100.8 99.8 25.9 186.5 97.2 1.0
ASGROW RX770 101.3 92.8 99.9 25.9 171.7 97.3 1.0
CARGILL 7997 101.7 98.1 99.8 26.0 181.5 97.2 1.0
TERRA TR1136 102.1 100.8 100.7 26.1 186.6 98.1 1.0
DEKALB DK642 103.3 107.9 100.2 26.4 199.8 97.6 1.3
DOEBLER'S 75X2 106.8 100.2 99.6 27.3 185.5 97.0 1.0
MEANS 99.1 97.7 100.4 25.3 180.8 97.8 1.1
LSD (.05) 0.5 N.S. 1.3 N.S.
LOCATION MEANS
Juniata 26.7 206.8 98.8
Lycoming 28.1 188.6 99.3
Clinton 30.8 155.2 98.3
Berks 24.8 155.6 98.2
Berks 24.2 202.2 98.7
Lancaster 21.1 165.7 95.7
Lancaster 21.6 191.5 95.8 1.1

New Entries

Table 2. Late medium-season hybrid performances (Maturity Zone 3). Combined Penn State Commercial New Entries (average of seven locations). Data under Location Means indicate counties where values were obtained.
BRAND-HYBRID PERCENT-OF-CHECK %H2O
GRAIN		 BU/A
GRAIN		 %
ERECT		 NLB
RATING
H20 YIELD ERECT
MID ATLANTIC 9051 90.7 93.0 99.9 23.2 175.1 96.7 1.0
DEKALB DK607 92.3 90.7 99.9 23.6 170.8 96.7 1.0
DEKALB DK595 92.7 93.4 102.3 23.7 175.8 99.0 2.0
ASGROW RX730 93.0 92.1 100.9 23.8 175.3 97.7 1.3
NC+ 4880 95.4 90.9 100.7 24.4 171.2 97.5 2.3
ASGROW RX670 95.8 93.0 101.8 24.5 175.0 98.6 1.6
AGWAY AG657 96.6 90.9 98.6 24.7 171.1 95.5 1.7
GOLDEN HARVEST H2515 96.6 98.3 100.5 24.7 185.0 97.3 1.3
DOEBLER'S 737XP 97.3 99.6 100.2 24.9 187.6 97.0 1.0
PIONEER 33Y18 97.3 108.9 101.5 24.9 205.0 98.3 1.0
NC+ 5007 97.3 92.6 101.2 24.9 174.3 98.0 1.0
CHEMGRO 7199 97.3 89.5 101.5 24.9 168.5 98.3 1.0
MID ATLANTIC 9010 97.3 90.4 99.8 24.9 170.1 96.6 1.0
DOEBLER'S 642XP 97.7 94.7 101.2 25.0 178.5 98.0 1.0
GARST 8464 98.1 90.9 101.3 25.1 171.2 98.1 1.6
GARST 8342 98.1 90.6 98.5 25.1 170.6 95.4 1.3
DEKALB DK634 98.5 98.1 101.9 25.2 184.7 98.7 1.0
NORTHRUP KING N70-D5 98.5 102.1 101.1 25.2 192.3 97.9 1.0
PIONEER 3335 99.3 106.7 99.0 25.4 200.8 95.9 1.0
GRIES GSF6212 99.3 97.0 100.9 25.4 182.7 97.7 1.3
MYCOGEN 2828 99.3 96.6 100.6 25.4 181.9 97.4 1.0
CHEMGRO 7114 99.3 92.0 100.6 25.4 173.2 97.4 1.0
HUBNER H3809 100.1 95.3 101.4 25.6 179.4 98.2 1.0
BEACHLEY HARDY BH4622 100.5 98.3 101.3 25.7 185.1 98.1 1.0
DYNAGRO 5508 101.3 94.7 101.4 25.9 178.2 98.2 1.0
PIONEER 33Y09 101.6 98.3 102.3 26.0 185.1 99.0 1.0
NC+ 5697 101.6 98.1 101.4 26.0 184.6 98.2 1.0
MYCOGEN 2801 102.0 96.5 101.8 26.1 181.6 98.6 1.0
CARGILL 7997 102.4 94.3 100.4 26.2 177.5 97.2 1.0
CARGILL 7512 104.0 102.3 101.2 26.6 192.6 98.0 1.0
HUBNER H3411 104.0 94.0 101.3 26.6 177.0 98.1 1.0
DEKALB DK642 104.4 108.5 101.7 26.7 204.3 98.5 1.0
EASTLAND E774 104.4 103.2 101.4 26.7 194.2 98.2 1.0
BEACHLEY HARDY BH4748 106.3 99.2 100.8 27.2 186.7 97.6 1.0
MYCOGEN 2840 110.6 94.1 99.4 28.3 177.1 96.2 1.3
MEANS 99.6 96.2 100.9 25.4 181.2 97.7 1.2
LSD (.05) 1.1 12.6 1.8 0.6
LOCATION MEANS
Juniata 26.0 194.1 98.6
Lycoming 28.0 193.0 99.4
Clinton 29.1 144.3 97.5
Berks 24.6 163.0 98.0
Berks 25.5 214.9 99.8
Lancaster 22.6 182.5 95.5
Lancaster 21.7 176.5 95.0 1.2

Two-Year Average Performance

Table 3. Late-medium season hybrids mean performance, 1996-97 (Maturity Zone 3).

BRAND-HYBRID PERCENT-OF-CHECK %H2O
GRAIN		 BU/A
GRAIN		 %
ERECT
H20 YIELD ERECT
CHEMGRO 7036 95.0 100.7 100.7 24.5 188.6 98.0
HUBNER H3507 95.0 99.1 100.6 24.5 185.5 97.9
AGWAY AG657 95.7 91.6 98.9 24.7 171.4 96.2
DEKALB DK618 96.1 96.9 100.7 24.8 181.4 98.0
FUNK'S 4496 96.9 94.7 101.5 25.0 177.3 98.8
AGRIPRO AP9560 97.3 96.5 100.1 25.1 180.6 97.4
MID ATLANTIC 9121 97.3 95.1 100.5 25.1 178.0 97.8
DYNAGRO 5456 97.7 94.6 100.1 25.2 177.0 97.4
DOEBLER'S 679XP 98.1 91.9 99.4 25.3 172.1 96.7
CARGILL 7770 98.4 101.4 99.5 25.4 189.8 96.8
DOEBLER'S 737XP 98.8 98.4 100.3 25.5 184.2 97.6
AGRIPRO AP9616 99.2 98.5 101.0 25.6 184.3 98.3
TERRA 1106 99.2 101.5 99.2 25.6 190.1 96.5
MID ATLANTIC 9141 99.6 98.6 100.0 25.7 184.6 97.3
SCHLESSMAN SX708 99.6 97.4 101.0 25.7 182.4 98.3
NC+ 5445 100.4 95.0 101.0 25.9 177.8 98.3
PIONEER 3335 100.4 104.6 99.3 25.9 195.9 96.6
AGWAY AG767 101.2 98.3 101.2 26.1 184.1 98.5
DEKALB DK642 101.9 107.6 100.9 26.3 201.4 98.2
ASGROW RX770 102.7 95.1 100.4 26.5 178.0 97.7
TERRA 1136 103.1 100.1 100.8 26.6 187.3 98.1
CARGILL 7997 103.5 97.7 100.3 26.7 182.9 97.6
DOEBLER'S 75X2 104.7 95.5 99.2 27.0 178.8 96.5
MEANS 99.2 97.9 100.3 25.6 183.2 97.6

Silage Entries

Table 4. Silage performances of late medium-season hybrids (Maturity Zone 3).
BRAND-HYBRID YIELD
(T/A)		 % H2O
PLANT		 DRY MAT
PLANT (T/A)
DEKALB DK607 18.5 64.3 6.4
PIONEER 32K61 24.6 66.9 8.2
DOEBLER'S 737XP 20.4 68.2 6.7
DEKALB DK626 18.0 68.5 5.5
MYCOGEN TMF113 20.3 69.1 6.3
CARGILL 7777 24.7 70.0 7.5
DEKALB DK618 18.2 70.2 5.5
MID ATLANTIC 9142 19.4 70.8 5.8
DOEBLER'S 746XY 21.3 70.8 6.2
DOEBLER'S 75XMOD2 22.2 71.0 6.5
MID ATLANTIC 9171 19.3 71.7 5.4
CARGILL 7301FQ 19.7 71.8 5.4
DEKALB DK642 17.9 72.0 4.9
BEACHLEY HARDY BH4748 19.9 72.1 5.5
CARGILL X8610 20.3 72.6 5.6
EASTLAND E774 20.9 73.0 5.6
MID ATLANTIC 9181 22.7 73.6 6.1
MEANS 20.2 70.5 5.8
LSD (.05) 3.2 3.2 1.3

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This document was last modified on June 23, 2004.