By DAVE BLOWER JR.
Farm World Editor

FINDLAY, Ill. — Corn rootworm pressure had some affect on what otherwise was a strong test plot in Eastern Illinois.

Midwest Seed hybrid 76996VT3 earned the best yield for the early-season test at the Shelby County, Ill. farm of Dave Shelton with an average of 248 bushels of corn per acre. The hybrid had an estimated $1,135.10 gross income per acre. The moisture level was 23.5 percent.

The test was conducted by Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.) earlier this harvest season. The test plot had Drummer/Flanagan silty clay loam soil with a 1.5 percent slope. The field is moderately drained. The previous crop on this field was corn treated with Harness Xtra and Roundup. No soil insecticide was used this year.

F.I.R.S.T. test manager Eric Beyers said the lodging percentages were inconsistent at this site.

“The lodging scores mainly reflect root lodging,” Beyers said. “Corn rootworm pressure at this site was extremely high. Ear development and kernel depth were good. Grain damage from insect feeding was slight to moderate.”

This seed trial field was planted on May 1 at 33,200 seeds per acre. On Oct. 2, 31,400 plants per acre were harvested. There were 81 different hybrids tested at this location. Beyers said weather conditions did not negatively impact the yields.

“The site was planted in very wet and cold conditions,” he explained. “However, emergence and early seedling vigor were very uniform.”

LG Seeds hybrids took second and third place. LG Seeds LG2545VT3 produced 238.1 bu./acre with a moisture level of 21.8 percent and an estimated gross income per acre at $1,109.40. LG Seeds LG2555VT3 netted 235.7 bu./acre, but it exceeded the grain moisture level for the test. It’s moisture level was 27.2 percent. Next in line was Pfister hybrid 2663VT3 at 233.7 bu./acre, and it had a moisture level of 22.8 percent.

Late-season test

Vigoro narrowly out-produced LG Seeds for the top hybrid in the late-season test at the Findlay, Ill. site.

Vigoro hybrid V5383VT3 generated 254.9 bu./acre. The product had a moisture level of 26 percent, and its estimated gross income was $1,133.80 per acre. LG Seeds hybrid LG2620VT3 came in at 254 bu./acre. It’s moisture level was higher at 28.9 percent. Finishing third in the late-season trial was AgriGold with 251.1 bu./acre, a moisture level of 30.6 percent, and an estimated per acre gross income of $1,059.40.

The top finishers in the late-season test are in the chart to the right.

A list of all the hybrids in this test is available at www.firstseedtests.com