NAPOLEON, Ohio — Rarely do corn seed field tests produce astonishing results, but a full-season test conducted by Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (FIRST) at the farm of Bill and Ken Glantz in Napoleon left FIRST Site Manager Rich Schleuning a bit amazed (see chart below).

"Excellent soil drainage was critical for delivering the yield results we had," he said. "Rainfall was above normal here, but not as extreme as in other locations."

Rainfall was key, Schleuning said, pointing out that 5.4 inches fell in the area in May, 8.5 inches in June and 5.1 inches in July. August and September rainfall for the area was 2.9 and 2 inches, respectively.

He planted the plot on May 8, at 32,500 seeds per acre using 30-inch spacing. This plot, located in Henry County in northwestern Ohio, used conventional tillage in well-drained, non-irrigated, Lenawee silty clay loam. The average lodging was just 2 percent and the average moisture content was at 16.2 percent.

The 54-variety plot was harvested on Oct. 22 and in the end, seven different seed companies appeared in the list of the top 10 by yield during this test.

Rupp XRD07-19 was atop the list with a yield of 264.7 bushels per acre and an estimated average gross income of $973 per acre. Moisture content was at 15.9 percent.

Second in line was Ebberts 2918QUAD with an average yield of 264.3 bushels and an income of $976. Moisture content was at 15.3 percent. Third was Dairyland DS9412RA with an average yield of 263.9 bushels and an income of $956.

Fourth in this test was TA Seeds TA636-22DPRIB at 256.4 bushels per acre, fifth was Steyer 10805VT2PRORIB at 255.3 bushels and sixth place went to Ebberts 9451SSXRIB, at 253.3 bushels.

Rounding out the top 10 were NuTech/G2Gen 5F-709, LG Seeds LG 5548STXRIB, Steyer 11210VT2PRORIB and Dairyland DS9911.

Information about the pest management and fertility used on this plot was unavailable.