TUSCOLA, Ill. — Despite a severe weather conditions near harvest, a corn hybrid test plot in Douglas County, Ill. still produced good yields.

The test site, managed by Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.), was on the farm owned by John Carmack in rural Tuscola. On Sept. 21, 2008, this location suffered from 3.5 inches of rain and more than four inches of hail, according to F.I.R.S.T. manager Eric Beyers.

“The leaves were riddled or completely gone,” Beyers reported. “But the stalks stood straight making harvest easy. Harvested plant heights were moderately short with low ear placement. Ear development and kernel depth were very good.”

He also said that the site had kernel black layer.

Brown Enterprises hybrid 507VT3 had the highest yield at 207.5 bushels per acre. This hybrid had an estimated gross income per acre of $1,018.60.

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