SUBLETTE, Ill. — With full- and early-season and ultra-early tests on the Lee County farm of Randy Faber, yield averages ranged from 231.5 bushels per acre, to 232.2 and 224.3, respectively for those trials.

The tests were conducted by Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (FIRST). In the full-season test, with comparative relative mature (CRM) of 110-113 days, the top hybrid was Wyffels W7888RIB, yielding 262.6 bushels per acre with 31.6 percent moisture and an estimated gross income of $841 per acre.

Beck’s variety XL 5828AMX yielded 260.8 bushels and another Wyffels hybrid, W7108, came in yield-third with 259.9 bushels.

In the early test, with 106- to 109-day CRM, the top-yielding variety was Cornelius C574SS at 278.7 bushels, 25.6 percent moisture and an estimated gross income of $943 per acre.

The second-highest yielder – at nearly 30 fewer bushels per acre – was another Cornelius hybrid, C576SS, at 257.2. Third in line was Titan Pro 2M07-SS at 255.5 bushels.

In the ultra-early test, 101- to 105-day CRM, the top-yielding variety was Pfister 2399GT3000, with 251.3 bushels per acre, carrying 20.2 percent moisture and an estimated gross income of $891 per acre. No. 2 in that test was AgriGold A6300STX at 249.9 bushels per acre, followed by Stone 5428RIB at 243 bushels.

The full-season test included 60 varieties and had an average moisture content of 30.2 percent for the entire plot. The early-season test included 60 varieties and reported an average moisture content of 25.1 percent, as compared to the ultra-early test with 48 varieties and 21.2 percent moisture.

FIRST Site Manager Jason Beyers planted at a rate of 41,000 seeds per acre on May 4 and harvested on Oct. 6. The full-season test yielded 39,000 plants per acre; the early-season, 38,100 per acre; and the ultra-early, 39,600.

"The test received some wind damage prior to pollination, which caused ‘goosenecking,’" Beyers said. "All other lodging was due to stalk lodging."

He said several of the full-season hybrids still had some green leaves present at harvest. Beyers said he saw areas with anthracnose present, and some hybrids showed signs of stock rot, but noted that overall the site was a good, uniform location with high-end yield potential.

For a complete list of all brands tested and a searchable database of information, visit www.firstseedtests.com