By DEBORAH BEHRENDS
Illinois Correspondent

MARSHALL, Ill. — FS Seeds and Beck were among the top five in a soybean seed test in southeastern Illinois. The test was conducted by Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.) on the Clark County farm of Norman “Butch” and John Yeley.

The top hybrid was FS Seeds HS45A02 with an average yield of 57.4 bushels per acre. The moisture content for this variety was 9.6 percent, with no lodging. The estimated gross income per acre was $635.30.

A close second was a Beck variety, XL 432NR, at 57.3 bushels with a 9.4 percent moisture content and an estimated gross income of $634.40 per acre.
The next three varieties – Hoffman HL41L10, FS Seeds HS45T70 and Beck 445NR – boasted yields of 56.6, 56.1 and 55.9, respectively. Estimated gross income per acre were $625.20, $621.10 and $619.30 (see above table).
The test average for the entire plot was 51 bushels per acre, with 20 of the 36 varieties tested producing higher yields. Average moisture content for the plot was 9.6 percent, with an average estimated income of $564.90 per acre.
The Yeley farm has Weir silty clay loam soil, is not irrigated and is well-drained. They employed conventional tillage practices with fall till. Pest management applied was Treflan, Scepter and FirstRate. The beans planted in this test plot followed corn.

F.I.R.S.T. Site Manager Eric Beyers planted at a rate of 140,000 seeds per acre on May 29, 2010, and harvested 139,400 plants per acre on Oct. 11.
“Good yields for a late May planting date. Butch said that some his July-planted beans were yielding 46 bushels per acre,” Beyers said. “The site had uniform plant stands and singulation. Harvested seeds were near 3,400 to 4,200 seeds per pound, and seed coat quality was excellent, with minimal lodging at this site.”
For a complete list of all brands tested and a searchable database of information, go online to www.firstseedtests.com