FAYETTE, Ohio — Good moisture at planting time gave the corn test plots on Randy Carothers’ Fulton County farm an extra boost, only to be offset by hot, dry weather during the summer.

The result was short stalks, but the quality of grain was good and the kernel set made it easy to shell off the cob, according to Rick Schleuning, Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.) test site manager.

G2 Genetics variety 5Z-008 edged out Steyer Seeds for the top spot in the 2012 F.I.R.S.T. Better Varieties early-season test report for the Randy Carothers farm located in Fayette. It averaged 165.5 bushels per acre at 22.7 percent moisture and a gross profit of $1,209 per acre.

It came in just ahead of Steyer variety 10403VT3PRO, which averaged149.4 bushels per acre at 22.9 percent moisture and a gross income of $1,091 per acre.

G2 Genetics also grabbed the third-place slot, with variety 5H-0504, which averaged 141.9 bushels per acre at 22.4 percent moisture and a gross profit of $1,038. 

Rounding out the top 10 varieties in the test were Channel 207-13VT3P, Specialty 4383 GEBVT3P, Rupp xr8034, Ebberts 6587VT2P, Stewart 5A988RIB, Ebberts 7909VT3P and Ebberts 7358VT3P.

Yields for these varieties ranged from 139.7 bushels per acre down to 131.8, with moisture levels ranging from 22.2-23.2 percent. Gross income ranged from $1,022 to $964 per acre.

Carothers’ farm is sandy loam, moderately drained and non-irrigated. The plots were seeded in 30-inch rows on April 27, with conventional tillage and harvested on Oct. 23. The test plots followed soybeans treated with Roundup, Harness Xtra and Aztec for pest management.

Rupp Seeds edged out Steyer Seeds for the top spot in the 2012 F.I.R.S.T. full-season test, also conducted on the same farm. Rupp xr8217 averaged 158 bushels per acre at 23.3 percent moisture and a gross profit of $1,152 per acre, just ahead of Steyer variety 11203-3000GT, averaging 154.3 bushels at 23.4 percent moisture and a gross income of $1,125.

Stewart 7V747 grabbed the third-place slot, which averaged 153.2 bushels per acre at 23.7 percent moisture and a gross profit of $1,116. Rounding out the top 10 varieties tested were Specialty 4611 GENVT3P, Ebberts 6292VT2P, NuTech 5B-410, Channel 212-09STX, LG Seeds LG 2575VT3Pro, Dairyland DS 9111SSX and Stine 9728EVT3Pro.

Their yields ranged from 149.9 bushels per acre down to 141.9, with moisture levels ranging from 23.3-23.9 percent. Gross income per acre ranged from $1,093 to $1,036.

For a complete list of the brands tested visit www.firstseedtests.com