By DAVE BLOWER JR.
Farm World Editor

MASON, Mich. — The average yield for the 72 corn hybrids tested in Mason this harvest was 184.8 bushels per acre. These results pleased many of the hybrid trial managers because of the difficult growing season.

Dairyland Seed hybrid 9500Q took the top position with an average of 211 bu. per acre. That was nearly eight bu. per acre higher than the second-place finisher. This Dairyland variety had a moisture content of 25.5 percent, and the estimated gross income per acre was $725.30.

The test was conducted by Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.) on the Ingham County, Mich. farm of Tony Igl. The soil at this site was a Capac loam.

The field was well drained, non-irrigated with minimum tillage. The pest management plan included Lumax and Force.

F.I.R.S.T. manager Rich Schleuning planted the test field on May 20, 2009 at a rate of 34,500 seeds per acre. He harvested approximately 34,300 plants per acre on Nov. 15.

“This site had a nice yield despite the late planting date,” Schleuning reported. “The late planting and lack of heat units made for high grain moisture at harvest. Along with the high moisture, some hybrids had a soft cob with deep kernel set – which made it hard to shell.”

The average moisture content for all of the varieties at this location was 25.7 percent.

Other top-producing hybrids in Mason, Mich. were: Trelay 5VT323, 203.3 bu. per acre; Trelay 4VT741, 202.3 bu. per acre; NuTech Seed 3T-706, 200 bu. per acre; and Great Lakes 4840G3VT3 and Brownseed 3A-804 tied at 199 bu. per acre.

Marshall, Mich. corn test

The yields at the Marshall, Mich. corn site were nearly as good. The average for the 72 hybrids tested at this location was 179.3 bu. per acre.

Stine hybrid 9419CBLL was the only variety to exceed the 200 bu. plateau in this test. This variety produced 202.2 bu. per acre with a moisture content of 17.9 percent. Its estimated gross income per acre was $733.50.

The trial plot was on the Calhoun County, Mich. farm of Jeff and Greg Fountain. The soil was a Kalamazoo loam. The non-irrigated field was well drained. The pest management included Lexar and Force.

Schleuning planted the field at a rate of 34,500 seeds per acre on May 21, 2009. He harvested approximately 34,000 plants per acre on Nov. 17.

“The yields were better than expected, especially after the dry July and August,” Schleuning said. “Plant height was short from the dry conditions.”

He said there was some disease pressure at this site.

“There was some charcoal rot, Diplodia stalk rot, Diplodia ear rot and light Gibberella ear rot,” Schleuning explained. “The test weight was light as the kernel color was pale yellow. The area test weight is from 48-53 pounds.”

Other high-yielding varieties in this test include: NuTech Seed 3T-706, 197.5 bu. per acre; AgriGold A6323CL, 194.7 bu. per acre; Dairyland 9500Q, 194 bu. per acre; Trelay 4VT741, 193.5 bu. per acre; and Renk RK698VT3, 193.1 bu. per acre.

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