By DAVE BLOWER JR.
Farm World Editor

LA CROSSE, Ind. — A challenging growing season did little to impact yields of a soybean hybrid test in northern Indiana earlier this fall.
Especially for products from Beck’s Hybrids and Ebberts Field Seeds. The two companies combined to take eight of the top 9 positions in the soybean test in La Crosse, Ind.

The test was conducted by F.I.R.S.T. (Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies).

F.I.R.S.T. manager Rich Schleuning said the site was wet at planting.

“The wet spring delayed planting until the end of May. A dry July shortened the plant height,” reported Schleuning.”

“Considering the growing conditions this year, this site had very good yields.”

The average yield for all 36 varieties in this trial was 66.3 bushels per acre. The average moisture content was 15.4 percent, and the estimated gross income was $630.30 per acre.

Winning the test was Beck’s XL-322NR with a 73.1 bu. per acre average yield. The 15 percent moisture content was among the lowest in this test, and the estimated gross income per acre was $694.50.

Beck’s hybrids also finished in sixth, seventh and ninth. Here are the results and varieties: Beck’s 296NR, 70.1 bu.; Beck’s XL-355R, 69.9 bu.; and Beck’s XL-325NR, 69.1 bu.

Ebberts hybrids finished second and third. Ebberts RR2340 produced 72.5 bu. per acre with a moisture content of 16.2 percent. Its estimated gross income was $688.80 per acre. Ebberts 1330RR was third generating 71.4 bu. per acre. Its moisture content was 15.7 percent, and its estimated gross income per acre was $678.30.

Ebberts hybrid RR2350 was fifth at 70.8 bu. per acre, and Ebberts 1314RR was eighth at 69.1 bu. per acre.

The only other product among the top nine was Stewart Seeds 3277R2 in fourth place. This variety produced 71.1 bu. per acre with a moisture content of 14.8 percent.

The test was on the LaPorte County, Ind. farm of Myron Schafer. The soil was a Gilford sandy loam, and the field was non-irrigated and well drained.

The pest management plan consisted of Roundup. The previous crop on this location was corn treated with Bicep II Magnum, Banvel and atrazine. The field was conventional with fall tillage.
A list of all the hybrids in this test is available at www.firstseedtests.com

Rejected corn test results

Due to severe weather conditions or mistakes made during the growing season, there were a handful of corn seed test sites that F.I.R.S.T. managers had to reject this year.

In Watseka, Ill., the test was aborted due to the impact of soil compaction on plant development.

“Excessive spring moisture and tillage created soil compaction that reduced corn emergence and plant vigor all season,” said F.I.R.S.T. manager Eric Beyers. “Due to variable plant health at this site, the test was abandoned prior to harvest.”

The Vandalia, Ill. corn hybrid trial was lost due to flooding. “The trial was planted in wet conditions but continued spring rains led to water ponding that dramatically reduced corn populations,” Beyers explained.

He said the site at Williamsburg, Ill. was abandoned due to severe stalk lodging.

Severe herbicide damage affected the corn hybrid test in Walnut, Ill.

“The test was severely damaged by unauthorized herbicide application,” said F.I.R.S.T. manager Jason Beyers.