By DAVE BLOWER JR.
Farm World Editor

TREMONT, Ill. — Late planting did not significantly damage a Northern Illinois soybean hybrid test location, according to a Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.) report.

F.I.R.S.T. manager Eric Beyers said he planted the test plot in Tremont on June 11 at a rate of 150,000 seeds per acre. He harvested approximately 122,000 plants per acre on Oct. 22. The average yield per acre for all 54 varieties that participated in this test was 54.7 bushels per acre.

“This plot’s yields were good considering the June 11 planting date,” Beyers reported. “Emergence was good, and plant populations were uniform. The harvested plant heights were near 30 inches.”

The top-producing hybrid was FS Seeds HS3766 at 60.6 bu./acre. This hybrid had an estimated gross income per acre of $757.30, and its moisture level was at 11.6 percent.

The test was conducted on the Tazewell County, Ill. farm of Ken Sauder. The field had an Ipava silty clay loam soil with a 2 percent slope. Beyers reported that the field was moderately well drained, which helped considering the wet weather during the planting season.

“The plot was located on the side of a gently rolling hill which helped buffer it from the numerous rains,” Beyers explained.
The previous crop on this field was corn. This is a no-till field standing in corn stubble.

Finishing second at this test location was Stine hybrid 3423-4 at 59.3 bushels per acre. This hybrid had an estimated gross income of $740.80 per acre and a moisture level of 11.3 percent.

Among the other top-yielding hybrids were: Diener 3484CR, 58.8 bu./acre with a moisture level of 11.8 percent; Stone 2346NRR 57.7 bu./acre with a moisture level of 11.1 percent; FS Seeds HS29R72, 57.5 bu./acre with a moisture level of 11.6 percent; and Stone 3A368NRR, 57.4 bu./acre with a moisture level of 12.5 percent.
A list of all the varieties in this test is available at www.firstseedtests.com