Page 24—Com Tak, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 8,1994
mm ipmjk mm
Selection
(Continiwd from Pag* 22}
bu./acre in order to make up for
the added drying costs. Many
fanners don’t know what it
costs to dry a bushel of com on
their own farm but they do
know what it costs when they
take it to the elevator. For
years, growers have looked 100
strongly at yield and not
enough at the energy costs
involved in drying down those
high yielding wet varieties.
Crosses
There are many types of
crosses that are available. The
most common is the single
cross where one inbred is bred
to another inbred and the
resulting hybrid takes on the
characteristics of the whichev
er parent the seed company
determines. The single cross is
used the most because with
good isolation in the seed field
the offspring should be totally
uniform and since it is uniform,
should have the greatest high
end yield potential.
The problem seed compa
nies have is getting isolation in
the seed field. You see, if a
seed producer has a seed field
next to regular field com some
pollen may drift into the seed
field and contaminate the seed
CORN GROWERS SPECIAL [f
y
V
field. Thus, it is imperative that
you keep your eye open and
question sales representatives
about their isolation. Also,
check in your field if it is a
single cross and see if the
hybrids show the same charac
teristics, is the ear height the
same, kernels the same, plant
height the same etc. They
should be identical. If not you
might have gotten contami
nated seed.
Pennsylvania Corn
Hybrid Test
The test of commercially
available hybrids are con
ducted each year at several
locations in each of the maturi
ty zones in Pa. The tests
include both the grain and sil
age results. If you need a copy
3f the test, please stop by the
extension office and pick one
jp. Again, they are free and
add an unbiased source of
information to further research
a variety you may be looking at
to plant.
The Pennsylvania Hybrid
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Total GDD
Don’t Lei This
Happen To Vou
Again! Valuable
Harvest
Tune is Lost
waiting
On Others
Test includes moisture percent,
bushels/acre, percent erect
'this means percent of stand
that did not lodge or fall down),
ear and plant height and its rat
ing of resistance to gray and
northern leaf spot. Although
this is not a complete listing of
the traits of different varieties,
it does give what is needed to
make a decision on varieties.
One should review infoimation
in the seed guides various com
panies publish. They give good
information on the specific
traits of hybrids, growing
degree days/maturity days, nit
rogen requirement etc.
Other Considerations
1. Is the variety adapted to
your area? Check maturity
zones in Pa. Lebanon county is
in zone 3 and 4. Zone 3 would
probably break at the line of
highway 422. You can deter
mine your own zone by look
ing at the Yield Test.
2. What are you using the
crop for- silage, grain or both?
If for grain, you must be con
cerned with fall frost to max
imize yield and test weight. If
silage, then you are concerned
with tonnage through green
leaf and stalk growth. For both
(Turn to P«fl« 2«)
AVG
57.5
67.5
70
67.5
73.5
70
60
- _ a*
Your com should be at spike or out of the ground at 110 CDD.
You would use this system to track your com throughout the
season. But, also use it to select varieties to fit into your specif
ic area by heat units (GDD). Researchers have established that
com will not grow under 50 degrees and will not grow any fas
ter at temperatures above 86. So if its 90 degrees for the high in
the day put 86 degrees for the high and if its below 46 degrees
during the day insert SO for the low.
4. Spread your risk of serious stress damage to your com by
selecting hybrids that flower at different times. Most seed com
panies can supply you with the flowering times. I would split
my acres into early, mid, and late, flowering type hybrids. The
reason to avoid planting the exact same variety is that if stress
such as drought hits at the pollen silking time (flowering) then
you could lose some serious yield whereas if you spread the
pollen silking times over more weeks you can prolong the risk
of stress.
5. Look at dry down, is it going to be wet when you want to
harvest? Never select a variety without at least three year data
meaning three years of testing for yield, moisture, test weight
etc. Most companies can obtain that varieties test results before
it hits the market so ask for it. Basically, drydown is effected by
the hybrids husk whether its open or closed. The more open
husk should dry more rapidly.
6. Going no-till? Then don’t plant the same variety you used
last year. Think about it, the same stover is there harboring dis
ease organisms and if you put the same hybrid in the field those
disease organisms are right there ready to jump on the new
plant. So, switch to a different hybrid.
7. What size kernel should I plant? Probably plateless plant
er(pp) type. Normally, you get an extra 10,000 kernels in a bag
with (pp) and most planters will take them as long as you don’t
need plates in them. Check with your sales representative to see
if they have plateless type seed available or give me a call and
I’ll find out.
These are only some thoughts on what questions to raise
when selecting a variety. Please call me if you need additional
information, if the information is unclear, or would like to dis
cuss your particular situation.
We looked at some areas to be considered when buying
hybrids and found that the cost of the bag is not as important as
whats in the bag. Do some research - check Penn State Yields,
seed company technical sheets, and three-year performance
data.
r
1248 South Mountain Rd.
■ m, Dlllsburg, PA 17019
■ 717-432-9738 • FAX 717-432-83
Inc -
Conclusion
Improve your options
for both harvesting
and marketing. Order
a BROCK bin
today—outstanding
discounts are
now in effect.
OCK
THnrsoNnroMr