By MICHELE F. MIHALJEVICH
Indiana Correspondent

BETHANY, Ill. — Varieties from three different companies led a recent early season corn seed test in Moultrie County, Ill. The test, conducted by Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T), was on the farm of Dave Shelton, of Bethany.

Dyna-Gro’s 57V40 ranked first, with an average yield of 225.8 bushels an acre, and an estimated gross income of $953.40 an acre. The variety had a moisture content of 16.1 percent.

Second was LG Seeds LG2555VT3, with an average yield of 223.3 bushels an acre, a moisture content of 15.8 percent and an estimated gross income of $944.60 an acre. Ranking third was Channel’s 209-77VT3, which had an average yield of 220.1 bushels an acre. It had an estimated gross income of $932.70 an acre and a moisture content of 15.5 percent.

The high heat in August reduced ear development in some of the hybrids, reported Eric Beyers, F.I.R.S.T. manager.

“The plot exhibited good medium height plant growth,” he reported. “Harvest standability was excellent.”

Overall, the test had an average of 188.6 bushels an acre. The average estimated gross income an acre was $799.70 and the average moisture content was 15.4 percent. The seeds were planted April 30 at a rate of 36,300 per acre, and harvested Sept. 16 at a rate of 34,800.

The farm, which uses strip-till, has Drummer/Flanagan silt loam, is moderately well-drained and isn’t irrigated. The previous crop had also been corn. The plot had been treated with Harness Xtra, Roundup PowerMax, Atrazine and Lexar.

In a full-season corn seed test on the same plot, AgriGold A6553VT3 ranked first, with an average yield of 228.6 bushels an acre and an estimated gross income of $956.10 an acre. The moisture content with this variety was 17.7 percent.

Channel’s 214-14VT3P came in second, with an average of 224.8 bushels an acre. The moisture content was 16.8 percent, and the estimated gross income was $945.30 an acre. Ranking third was Stone 8T468VT3, which had an average of 222.9 bushels an acre. The estimated gross income was $937.90 an acre and the moisture content was 16.7.

The full-season test had an average of 202 bushels an acre, an average estimated gross income of $849.60 and an average moisture content of 16.8 percent. For a complete list of brands tested, go online to www.firstseedtests.com