By SUSAN BLOWER
Indiana Correspondent

RIGA, Mich. — NuTech produced two corn hybrids that performed well in Michigan loam, well-drained and no-till, in the 2010 Better Hybrids test by Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.).

In what was called a “great crop,” NuTech G2 5X-905 yielded 221.6 bushels per acre, followed closely by Fielders Choice NG6583 with 220.5 bushels and AgriGold A6276VT3 with 220 bushels, on Bill Bierman’s Lenawee County farm in southern Michigan.

“Bill is a pioneer for no-till farming in Michigan. He has been 100 percent no-till for years … Everything stood nicely with only some of the plant tops gone. In many ways, this was a great crop and test,” said Rich Schleuning, F.I.R.S.T. manager.

NuTech was ranked first in gross income with $965.10 per acre. Fielders Choice brought in $961.60, while AgriGold polled $958.10.
The all-season test average of all 60 brands was 201.5 bushels and $878.80 in gross income per acre. The average moisture was 16.3 percent and lodging was at an average of 1.1.

“Corn emergence was good considering the weather we had this year. The dry fall conditions made this crop very easy to harvest,” Schleuning said.
The former crop was hay. The soil was non-irrigated, with moderately high P and K content. Gramoxone Inteon, Lumax and Force were used for pest management.

In a second southern Michigan all-season test, Nu Tech once again produced the top yield and gross income rank. The same soil type, well-drained loam, was present on Jeff and Greg Fountain’s Calhoun County farm near Marshall. The previous crop was soybeans, treated with Glyphosate.

Compared to the test average of 207.9 bushels, yields were significantly high for NuTech 5N-804, with 230.8 bushels and Great Lakes 5211GS, with 227.9 bushels per acre. Running in third for yield was AgriGold A6325VT3 with 225.7 bushels; however, this variety ranked sixth in gross income, with $949.70 per acre.

That compares with $990.60 for NuTech, $973.40 for Great Lakes and $960.80 for NuTech 5N-803 (fourth in yield) in gross income per acre.

“Early planting, good soil moisture and high temperatures this season helped make a nice crop. Stalk quality was good with just a few signs of stalk rot. Little to no foliar disease was observed at this site. Good ear quality with good kernel depth and grain quality,” noted Schleuning.

The crop was seeded on April 22 and harvested Oct. 4. The test average was 19.2 percent moisture, with 1 percent lodging and 33.4 stand.
In a third all-season test in southern Michigan, AgriGold had the top yield on Mike Stamp’s Van Buren County farm near Decatur. Soil type was sandy loam, well-drained and conventional with fall till.

AgriGold A6325VT3 yielded 262.6 bushels per acre and was ranked first in gross income, with $1,126.30 per acre.

Dairyland ST9703Q produced 253.9 bushels and was ranked second in gross income, with $1,095.10. This was followed by Stine 9523VT3 with 250.9 bushels and $1,073.10 in gross income per acre.

Rupp XR8039 was the fourth brand to give a yield significantly above the test average, with 246.1 bushels per acre and  gross income of $1,060.

“Ideal weather for this area, as Mike never had to turn on the irrigation all year. Crop was nice at harvest with light anthracnose and very little foliar disease present. There was some raccoon damage to select varieties at the sweet corn stage. These products have been removed from the summary,” wrote Schleuning.