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Pennsylvania Commercial Hybrid Corn Tests Report

Late season hybrids (Maturity Zone 4) 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. Those in Table 1 are for the advanced hybrids tested previously for at least one year, and those in Table 2 are for new hybrid entries. New entries are tested for at least one year before being included in the advanced tests. 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 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 one Franklin County plot and data from that plot are not included.

Diseases, insects, and other pests

Hybrids grown at the Lancaster County location were inoculated with the fungi causing northern leaf blight (NLB) and gray leaf spot (GLS). Neither disease developed to levels sufficient for making disease ratings. Hybrids grown on a no-till, continuous corn site in Franklin County developed enough GLS that hybrids could be rated. The results are presented in Tables 1 and 2. Trace amounts of GLS were seen at other locations in this zone. Stalk rot was not a problem at any location. 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-season hybrids were evaluated on farms of the following: Kermet Schegel, Berks County; Joel Wenger and Robert Breckbill, Franklin County; Dan Hunsicker, Lehigh County; and Penn State Southeast Research Station, 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-season hybrid performances (Maturity Zone 4). Combined Penn State Commercial Advanced Entries (average of five locations). Data under Location Means indicate counties where values were obtained.

BRAND-HYBRID PERCENT-OF-CHECK %H2O
GRAIN		 BU/A
GRAIN		 %
ERECT		 GLS
RATING
H20 YIELD ERECT
AGRIPRO AP9616 91.0 99.4 100.6 24.7 187.4 98.2 2.0
DOEBLER'S 737XP 92.6 96.0 100.3 25.1 181.0 97.9 2.3
DOEBLER'S 746XY 93.4 95.6 100.3 25.3 180.3 97.9 1.8
AGWAY AG767 94.9 99.6 99.6 25.7 187.9 97.2 1.8
CHEMGRO 7343 96.6 96.9 99.2 26.2 182.7 96.8 2.2
CARGILL 7997 96.8 92.0 100.8 26.2 173.5 98.4 2.5
MID ATLANTIC 9141 96.9 87.8 99.9 26.3 165.6 97.5 2.0
PIONEER 3140 98.5 102.1 99.8 26.7 192.5 97.4 1.0
DOEBLER'S 82XP 98.8 105.5 101.5 26.8 198.9 99.1 1.8
AGRIPRO AP9707 100.4 106.0 98.5 27.2 199.9 96.2 2.0
TERRA TR1157 100.5 102.2 98.3 27.2 192.7 95.9 1.3
DOEBLER'S 75X2 100.9 101.0 100.8 27.4 190.5 98.4 1.0
TERRA TR1167 101.5 93.6 101.3 27.5 176.5 98.8 2.2
MID ATLANTIC 9171 103.5 102.3 98.8 28.1 192.9 96.5 1.2
CHEMGRO 7796 104.8 108.9 99.2 28.4 205.3 96.8 1.5
DYNAGRO UAPX15057 104.9 99.5 96.6 28.4 187.5 94.3 2.2
MYCOGEN 8460 106.5 101.3 99.9 28.9 191.1 97.5 1.0
DEKALB DK683 107.1 101.3 100.9 29.0 190.9 98.4 2.0
MEANS 98.5 98.9 99.9 26.7 186.5 97.5 1.9
LSD (.05) 1.0 11.7 1.8 1.2
LOCATION MEANS
Lancaster 24.3 180.1 94.4
Lehigh 30.1 183.1 98.1
Franklin 28.8 158.0 98.9 1.9
Berks 28.0 216.1 99.8
Lancaster 22.4 195.1 96.4

New Entries

Table 2. Late-season hybrid performances (Maturity Zone 4). Combined Penn State Commercial New Entries (average of five locations). Data under Location Means indicate counties where values were obtained.

BRAND-HYBRID PERCENT-OF-CHECK %H2O
GRAIN		 BU/A
GRAIN		 %
ERECT		 GLS
RATING
H20 YIELD ERECT
DOEBLER'S 746XY 94.4 95.9 99.9 25.7 181.7 97.1 1.6
EASTLAND E748 96.2 100.9 100.4 26.2 191.2 97.6 0.9
CARGILL 7997 96.4 92.2 99.2 26.3 174.7 96.5 1.8
NC+ 6387 97.5 103.4 98.2 26.6 195.9 95.5 0.7
AGWAY AG795 98.6 99.5 98.8 26.9 188.6 96.1 1.0
NORTHRUP KING 6216X 99.4 101.6 100.0 27.1 192.4 97.2 0.9
CHEMGRO 7596 99.8 104.8 101.2 27.2 198.5 98.4 1.3
PIONEER 32K61 100.0 105.5 99.1 27.2 199.8 96.4 0.7
PIONEER 3140 101.0 102.5 99.8 27.5 194.1 97.0 2.0
DYNAGRO 5570 101.8 104.1 100.4 27.8 197.1 97.6 1.7
CARGILL 8311 102.0 104.1 100.3 27.8 197.2 97.5 1.5
EASTLAND E774 102.4 103.0 100.9 27.9 195.1 98.1 1.2
MYCOGEN 8460 102.7 103.2 101.3 28.0 195.4 98.5 1.0
NC+ 7237 103.5 104.9 99.6 28.2 198.7 96.8 1.0
CHEMGRO 7757 104.1 107.2 100.6 28.4 203.1 97.8 1.2
DOEBLER'S 859XY 105.3 109.8 100.7 278.7 208.0 97.9 0.8
HUBNER H3615X 105.6 97.6 98.5 28.8 184.9 95.8 1.0
CHEMGRO 7796 105.6 106.2 99.7 28.8 201.2 97.0 2.0
DYNAGRO 5562 106.1 97.6 100.3 28.9 184.8 97.5 0.7
GARST 8220 107.0 110.8 99.9 29.2 210.0 97.1 0.7
MEANS 101.5 102.7 99.9 27.6 194.6 97.2 1.2
LSD (.05) 0.9 10.2 1.6 1.0
LOCATION MEANS
Lancaster 25.8 189.9 95.6
Lehigh 29.9 184.7 97.5
Franklin 29.7 176.8 98.8 1.2
Berks 28.9 221.4 99.8
Lancaster 24.0 200.4 94.2

Two-Year Average Performance

Table 3. Long-season hybrids mean performance, 1996-97 (Maturity Zone 4).

BRAND-HYBRID PERCENT-OF-CHECK %H2O
GRAIN		 BU/A
GRAIN		 %
ERECT
H20 YIELD ERECT
CARGILL 7997 96.2 96.8 100.1 25.2 177.3 97.5
DOEBLERS 737XP 96.2 102.1 99.7 25.2 187.1 97.1
CHEMGRO 7343 96.9 103.9 99.5 25.4 190.4 96.9
AGRIPRO AP9616 97.3 105.5 99.7 25.5 193.2 97.1
DOEBLERS 746XY 97.3 98.8 100.1 25.5 181.0 97.5
PIONEER 3140 98.1 102.3 100.1 25.7 187.4 97.5
AGRIPRO AP9707 99.2 104.4 98.3 26.0 191.3 95.7
DOEBLERS 75X2 100.4 99.2 98.5 26.3 181.8 95.9
TERRA TR1167 100.8 102.5 100.4 26.4 187.8 97.8
DOEBLERS 82XP 101.5 107.8 100.4 26.6 197.4 97.8
DYNAGRO UAPX15057 101.9 106.3 97.2 26.7 194.8 94.7
CHEMGRO 7796 103.8 107.3 98.6 27.2 196.5 96.0
MYCOGEN 8460 104.6 103.7 97.0 27.4 189.9 94.5
DEKALB DK683 105.7 105.0 100.6 27.7 192.4 98.0
MID ATLANTIC 9171 106.9 105.9 99.9 28.0 194.0 97.3
TERRA TR1157 107.3 103.1 99.3 28.1 188.8 96.7
MEANS 100.9 103.4 99.3 26.4 189.4 96.8

Silage Entries

Table 4. Silage performances of long-season hybrids (Maturity Zone 4).

BRAND-HYBRID YIELD
(T/A)		 % H2O
PLANT		 DRY MAT
PLANT (T/A)
DOEBLER'S 737XP 20.3 63.1 7.4
AGRIPRO AP9572 17.4 65.5 6.0
DEKALB DK642 20.1 66.7 6.6
CARGILL 8311 25.1 67.1 8.3
EASTLAND E774 23.3 67.3 7.6
EASTLAND E868 24.3 67.5 7.9
PIONEER 3173 24.3 67.7 7.8
PIONEER 3335 24.6 68.1 7.9
CARGILL 8511FQ 24.3 68.5 7.6
DOEBLER'S 858XMOD 22.8 68.8 7.1
MID ATLANTIC 9200 21.2 69.1 6.6
MID ATLANTIC 9171 20.9 69.1 6.6
MID ATLANTIC 9181 19.9 69.7 6.1
DEKALB DK687 24.6 70.0 7.4
DOEBLER'S 82XP 23.3 71.2 6.8
CARGILL X8504 16.9 71.5 4.9
MEANS 22.1 68.2 7.0
LSD (.05) 3.8 3.6 1.7


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Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences research, extension, and resident education programs are funded in part by Pennsylvania counties, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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