WOOSTER, Ohio – Fresh off the press and ready for a long winter’s night read is Ohio State’s 2000 Corn Performance Trials results.
Average yields ranged from a high of 229.8 bushels per acre at Washington Court House to 152.9 bushels per acre at the northwestern branch of the Ohio Agricultural Research & Development Center in Wood County.
Yields at most of the sites beat the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 149 bushels per acre yield estimate for the state.
OSU tested hybrids at 11 sites around the state, categorized by region: southwest and west central, northwest, north central and northeast, Coshocton and Piketon.
To judge the consistency of hybrid performance in varying locations, the report provides data for up to three years from each test site – an important point to consider when selecting seed, says OSU agronomist Peter Thomison.
“Because weather conditions are unpredictable, the most reliable way to select superior hybrids is to consider performance during the last year and the previous year over a wide range of locations and climactic conditions,” Thomison says.
“When using university performance trials results, two years of data from several locations is usually adequate.”
Growers in counties near other states can boost their seed selection success by also checking corn trials results from other universities.
Don’t base hybrid selection purely on yields, Thomison said.
Stalk quality and lodging potential are important characteristics to search for, especially for growers in western Ohio and in localized areas with persistent stalk lodging problems.
It’s also important for growers who field dry a great portion of their crop, because lodging potential increases the longer plants are in the field for natural drydown.
“Hybrids with poor stalk quality should be avoided, even if they show outstanding yield potential,” Thomison said.
The performance trials report does not provide disease ratings, so growers are encouraged to ask their seed dealer about specific hybrids.
In 2000, common rust was widely observed in Ohio, but did not turn out to be a major problem for most growers. Severe rust can predispose corn to stalk rots and lodging.
The 2000 Ohio Corn Performance Trials report is available at local extension offices in Ohio, or online at www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/corn2000/.
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