By DAVE BLOWER JR.
Farm World Editor

MACOMB, Ill. — With an average yield of 57.4 bushels per acre, a Northern Illinois soybean hybrid test site produced strong results.

Managed by Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.), the hybrid test was on the McDonough County, Ill. farm of Jerry Lewis. The field had a Tama silty loam soil with a 1.5 percent slope. The site was moderately well drained. The previous crop was corn treated with Steadfast and Callisto.

F.I.R.S.T. manager Eric Beyers planted the field on May 21 at a rate of 140,000 seeds per acre, and he harvested approximately 132,500 plants per acre at this site on Oct. 22. He said there were some concerns about pressure from soybean cyst nematodes (SCN) at this location.

“The 2006 SCN egg counts per 100cc of soil for this farm were 1,000 in June and 3,000 in October,” Beyers reported. “The 2007 SCN egg counts per 100cc of soil for this farm were 750 in June and 2,500 in October.”

The winning hybrid for the Macomb test plot was MWS 3169CRR with an average yield of 62.1 bu./acre. This hybrid had an estimated gross income per acre of $776, and its moisture level was at 13.6 percent. Beyers said there were 54 varieties that participated in this hybrid soybean test with 27 producing more than 58 bu./acre.

“This site had medium plant heights, between 30-36 inches on average,” Beyers explained. “Some varieties displayed slight to moderate lodging.”

Rounding out the top-five hybrids at this location are: Kruger K-3229RR/SCN, 61.7 bu./acre with a moisture level of 13.7 percent; Great Lakes GL3139RR, 61.6 bu./acre with a moisture level of 13.9 percent; Becks 307NRR, 61.2 bu./acre with a moisture level of 13.9 percent; and Kruger K-297RR/SCN, 61.0 bu./acre with a moisture level of 14 percent.

A list of all the varieties in this test is available at www.firstseedtests.com