READING, Mich. — Three different brands from three different companies took the top three spots in an early-season corn test in Hillsdale County. The test was conducted by Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (FIRST) at the farm of Tom Schroeder in Reading.
"It’s been wet. The whole season has been wet," said Rich Schleuning, site manager for FIRST. "It’s been tough to do anything, but the crop has still been good.
"Technology is helping a lot with yield. The companies are working real hard to make better hybrids, and they’re doing it."
Schleuning planted 34,000 seeds per acre with 30-inch spacing on May 25, and harvested 33,200 plants per acre Oct. 29. The top-yielding brand for the early-season test was AgriGold A6257STXRIB. It had a yield of 218.4 bushels per acre and ranked No. 1 for gross income as well, at $711 per acre.
The No. 2 brand was Renk RK633SSTX, with a yield of 212 bushels per acre. It ranked third in gross income, though, at $697 per acre. Third for yield was Great Lakes 4879STXRIB, with 211.7 bushels per acre. It ranked fourth in gross income at $697 an acre. (M&W Seeds 45A38 was second in gross income, at $698 per acre.)
There was also a full-season corn test at Schroeder’s farm. It too was planted May 25 at 34,000 seeds an acre with 30-inch spacing and harvested Oct. 29 at a stand of 33,000.
Rupp xrJ03-31 was the top-yielding variety at 223.3 bushels an acre. It also ranked No. 1 in gross income, at $720 an acre. Steyer 10502VIP3111 ranked second for yield, at 218.5 bushels, and for gross income, at $716.
Great Lakes 5566STX took the No. 3 spot for yield, at 214.5 bushels an acre. It ranked fourth in gross income, at $696 bushels an acre. M&W Seeds 45P88 ranked fifth in yield, but third in gross income, at $699 an acre.
The test average yield for the early-season test was 195.1 bushels an acre; average for the full-season test was 202.2.
