By DAVE BLOWER JR.
Farm World Editor

JEWETT, Ill. — Excellent results were the words used to describe the recent soybean seed test in Southern Illinois.

Stone hybrid 3A449NRR produced an average yield of 64.2 bushels per acre on the test conducted at the Jasper County, Ill. farm of George Holsapple. The winning Stone hybrid had a moisture level of 14.4 percent, and the estimated gross income per acre was $802.50.

The soil on the Holsapple farm is a Cisne clay loam with a .5 percent slope. The field is moderately poor drained and tiled. Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.) conducted the seed trial.

Corn was grown on the field last year, and Atrazine was applied at that time. F.I.R.S.T. test manager Eric W. Beyers planted 150,000 seeds per acre at the farm on May 24, and he harvested 139,200 plants per acre on Oct. 17.

Beyers was positive about the hybrid performance at this site.
“This site had excellent seedling emergence and growing season,” he reported. “Harvested seed had excellent seed coat quality. The harvested seed size varied dramatically from very small to large.”
He said good growing conditions produced healthy plants.
“Harvested plant heights were very robust at nearly 48-inches tall,” Beyers added.

Kruger K-439RR/SCN finished second at this trial with an average of 62.9 bu./acre. The hybrid’s moisture level was at 14.4 percent, and the estimated income per acre was $786.70.

Other top-producing hybrids at this location include: Trisler 4275RR(CN), 59.4 bu./acre; FS Seeds HS45T70, 58.1 bu./acre; Kruger K-410RR/SCN, 58.0 bu./acre; and Asgrow AG4005, 57.3 bu./acre.
A list of all the varieties in this test is available at www.firstseedtests.com