TIFFIN, Ohio — Five different seed companies shared the top five spots in early- and full-season corn tests on a farm in Seneca County.

The test was conducted by Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (FIRST) at the farm of Chris Magers in Tiffin, in northern Ohio. FIRST Site Manager Rich Schleuning planted both plots on May 27 and harvested on Nov. 15 last year.

The average moisture content for the early-season test was 19 percent while the full-season test came in at 20.3 percent. In both tests 30-inch spacing was utilized, the previous crop was soybeans and Keystone and Aztec were used for pest management.

"We had cool, wet conditions after planting and reduced final stand, especially in select hybrids," Schleuning said. "Stalk lodging in a couple of plots were elevated due to wind exposure after harvest of surrounding corn. Stand loss and lodging increased yield variability."

In the early-season test Schleuning planted at 35,000 seeds per acre and harvested 28,000 plants per acre. The plot used minimum fall tillage in well-drained, non-irrigated, loamy sand soil with high concentration of phosphorus and potassium. The pH was 6.7 and the average yield for the top 30 varieties was 203.5 bushels per acre.

First in this test for yield was Select 4534SM RIB, with 229.1 bushels per acre and an estimated average gross income of $780 per acre. Second was Golden Harvest G07F23-3111, with a yield of 223.6 bushels and an income of $757.

Third was Dairyland variety DS6805, which yielded 221.9 bushels per acre and earned $768 per acre. Rounding out the top five in this trial were NuTech/G2 Gen 5F-008AM and LG Seeds LG5533VT3PRIB. The NuTech/G2 Gen variety produced 221.9 bushels and a gross income of $753, while LG Seeds came in at 219.8 bushels and an income of $750.

In the full-season test, Schleuning planted 35,000 seeds per acre and harvested 30,600 plants per acre. The plot used minimum fall tillage on non-irrigated, well-drained, loamy sand soil with high concentration of phosphorus and potassium. The pH was 6.7 and the average yield for the 30 top varieties was 222.6 bushels per acre.

Rupp xrJ10-91 took first in this test with a yield of 241.2 bushels per acre and an estimated average gross income of $816 per acre. Moisture content was at 19.6 percent.

Select 4995SM RIB was second on the list with a yield of 239.9 bushels and an income of $808. It had a moisture content of 20.3 percent. LG Seeds variety LG5618STXRIB was third with an average yield of 238.8 bushels and an income of $794.

Rounding out the top five in this full-season test were TA Seeds’ TA683-13VPRIB and NuTech/G2 Gen’s 5F-811AM. The two yielded 235.9 and 234.8 bushels, respectively. These varieties had gross incomes of $797 and $790 per acre, respectively.

"In both tests the stalks were in good condition but had an unnatural color," Schleuning said. "Grain quality looked okay, but was dull yellow in color. The area grain test weights were below normal."