By DAVE BLOWER JR.
Farm World Editor

TUSCOLA, Ill. — The average yields for a corn hybrid test in eastern Illinois were in the 210 bushels per acre range this season.

The yield for the early-season trial in Tuscola, Ill. was 208.5 bu. per acre with a moisture content of 17.3 percent. The estimated gross income per acre was $814.60 for the hybrids in this test.

In the full-season test, the average yield was a little better at 215.1 bu. per acre.

The moisture content was 17.6 percent, and the estimated gross income was $837.70.

Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.) conducted the corn hybrid seed test.

Winning the full-season test was Horizon variety 71PV08R with an average yield of 235.9 bu. per acre. This hybrid had a moisture content of 17.6 percent, and its estimated gross income was $919.10 per acre.

AgriGold A6458VT3 narrowly won the early-season trial with an average yield of 232.7 bu. per acre.

Campbell hybrid 682-76VT3 was a close second at 232 bu. per acre. Both varieties had a moisture content of 16.9 percent.
The AgriGold product had an estimated gross income of $913.10 per acre, and the Campbell hybrid had a $910.40 estimated gross income per acre.

F.I.R.S.T. manager Eric Beyers planted the field at a rate of 36,600 seeds per acre on May 21.

He harvested an estimated 33,900 plants per acre on Nov. 22.
The trial was on the Douglas County, Ill. farm of John Carmack. The soil type is a Drummer-Flanagan silty clay loam. The no-till field was moderately well drained and non-irrigated.

The pest management plan included Callisto, stratego and Perm-UP.

The previous crop on the field was soybeans treated with Roundup.
Among the top finishers in the early-season test included Wyffels W6871, 228.5 bu. per acre; and two varieties from Fielders Choice. Coming in at 226 bu. per acre was Fielders Choice NG6759, and Fielders Choice NG6723 was close behind at 225 bu. per acre.

In the full-season test, there were many hybrids that exceeded 230 bu. per acre. The top-finishing products were: Channel 214-25VT3, 233.9 bu. per acre; FS Seeds FS61BV3, 232.9 bu. per acre; Campbell 692-86VT3, 231.6 bu. per acre; Stine 9726VT3, 230.7 bu. per acre; and Stine 9806VT3, 230 bu. per acre.

For a complete listing of the 81 hybrids tested at this location, visit www.firstseedtests.com