HENDERSON, Mich. — Varying growing conditions contributed to mixed yields during all-season corn seed tests by Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.) on two farms in Michigan’s Thumb region.

An average of 200.3 bushels per acre was the result of the test on Charlie Guziak’s farm in Shiawassee County, in Henderson. The top finisher was G2 Genetics variety 5H-399, with a per-acre yield of 226.5 bushels per acre and a gross per-acre income of $1,645.

Rupp variety xr8264, using Agrisure Viptera 3111 technology, came in second with a yield of 224.3 bushels and a gross income of $1,646 per acre. Dairyland DS9399 took the third-highest slot, at 223.4 bushels and a gross income of $1,628.

NuTech 5N-001 and Channel 197-67VT3P came in fourth and fifth, yielding 222.7 and 219.1 bushels and grossing $1,617 and $1,591 per acre, respectively.

According to F.I.R.S.T. Site Manager Rich Schleuning, cold early spring weather conditions delayed planting until May 17. The field was planted at 33,000 seeds per acre and was harvested on Oct. 25 at 31,300 plants per acre.

“This was an all-around nice plot,” Schleuning reported. “Plants were well over 10 feet tall with ears at leave five feet off the ground. With the high summer heat, plants had reached full maturity before the first frost.”

At harvest, the average moisture was 19.3 percent on the Guziak farm. The estimated gross income per acre was an average of $1,460. The crop was planted on non-irrigated, well-drained loamy sand soil using conventional methods with fall tillage. The previous crop were soybeans treated with glyphosate.

Another test plot one county east of Guziak’s farm battled deer pressure and some drought conditions throughout the growing season. An average yield of 141.8 bushels per acre was the result of the test on Bill Hunt’s farm near Davison, in Genesee County.

“One thing you can count on in Michigan is deer,” Schleuning said. “Deer kept corn at the back end of the test plot knee-high all season, and then started to roam the rest of the plot.”

Despite the deer pressure, he reported that stalk and grain quality “was good, with no ear rot. “The drought affected the area early season, but not as severe as areas to the south,” he added. “Grain moistures were nice for this time of year.”

The top producer was NuTech variety 5N-001, using Agrisure 3000GT technology, with 181.6 bushels per acre. Great Lakes 4879VT3PRO produced 170 bushels and NuTech 5N-197 yielded 164.4 bushels.

Dairyland DS9399 came in fourth, yielding 160.2 bushels, and Steyer 9202-3000GT rounded out the top five varieties, with 157.4 bushels per acre.

The estimated gross income was an average of $1,117 per acre for all varieties. The top finisher, NuTech 5N-001, averaged $1,427, followed by the following four top-yielding varieties at $1,339, $1,289, $1,258 and $1,241 respectively.

The test stand was planted May 18 at a rate of 33,000 seeds per acre and was harvested Oct. 27 at 30,400 plants per acre. The field was non-irrigated, well-drained sandy clay loam soil using conventional fall-tillage. The previous crop were soybeans treated with Extreme.

The average moisture at harvest was 19.9 percent.

For more results and to learn about registering your farm as a F.I.R.S.T. test site, visit www.first seedtests.com