VAN WERT, Ohio — A late start in planting translated to a late start at harvest on cornfields at Seth Kohnen’s west-central Ohio farm. The fields were part of the Top 30 Harvest Report of Farmers’ Independent Research of Seed Technologies (FIRST) early- and full-season tests.

"Persistent May rainfall delayed planting," said Rich Schleuning, FIRST site manager. "Cool summer temperatures slowed plant development, maturation and delayed harvest. This crop had a nice stand, little lodging with some green plants at harvest."

Some light gray leaf spot, cladosporium ear rot and light fusarium ear rot were observed. There were good yields in the area. "With the conditions we saw this year, we lacked a lot of heat units," Schleuning explained.

Specialty product 43A834 topped out the full-season test for yield, with 255.9 bushels to the acre. Gross income was $878 an acre. Ebberts product 6292VT2P was second, yielding 254 bushels to the acre and a gross income of $849 per acre. Great Lakes 6462STXRIB was third, with 249.1 bushels to the acre and a gross income of $827 an acre.

The test average was 224 bushels to the acre and a gross income of $745. Average moisture was 22 percent. The top 30 of 36 were rated for gross income (sorted by yield).

In the early-season test Buckeye product RR9074SSRIB was ranked first with a yield of 259.6 bushels to the acre and a gross income of $881 an acre. Steyer variety 10904GENSSRIB came in second with a yield of 238.6 bushels and a gross income of $815.

Buckeye product RR8891SSRIB yielded third, with 237.4 bushels to the acre and $811 an acre in gross income.

The test average yield for all varieties was 219.9 bushels to the acre and a gross income of $751 an acre. The top 30 of 42 were rated for gross income (sorted by yield).

The corn was planted after soybeans in sandy clay loam, well-drained. Kohnen used minimum fall tillage, and the field was non-irrigated. The planting date was May 24 at a rate of 36,000 seeds to the acre, with 30-inch spacing. The crop was harvested Nov. 16 with a stand of 34,300 plants to the acre.