E22-ComTalk, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 18,2003 White Com Trials Help Boost Interest In Ohio COLUMBUS, Ohio Impressive white com hybrid performance in the face of envi ronmental stresses is helping to boost grow er interest in the specialty crop as an alter native to the more common yellow dent com. Ohio State University Extension white com performance trials, as part of a multi state testing program, found that white com hybrids tested in 2002 yielded well enough to rival yellow com, despite a wet spring and a hot, dry summer. “What impressed us with the results was that some of these hybrids were yielding very well despite the growing conditions,” said Peter Thomison, an extension agron omist. “It emphasizes that we do have white com varieties available that are ap propriate for growers to consider in Ohio.” Twenty-five com varieties were tested in northwest Ohio and evaluated for a variety of characteristics, including food quality and agronomic traits. Results of the trials can be found online at http://com.osu.edu/ library/articles/ 2002%20White%20Cora.pdf. Thomison said white com production in Ohio is showing some spark with the premi ums contracted growers receive for their crop and available end-user outlets. White com is mainly used in the food industry to make such items as com chips and taco shells. Unlike yellow com, white com lacks beta-carotene, a Vitamin A precursor. “Before 1920, about half the com acreage in the United States was white com. Then the benefits of Vitamin A was discovered and growers started growing yellow com, because they didn’t have to supplement ra tions of Vitamin A,” said Thomison. “Today, there’s probably less than a million acres of white com grown in the U.S.” Despite the limited white com acreage, Ohio State researchers are in their sixth year of white com performance trials to help growers in terested in white corn production make wise manage ment decisions. “We provide a data base for grow ers who are interest ed in growing white com to see what hy brids are likely to yield well,” said Thomison. For more inform ation on specialty corns, including white com, check out the Ohio State Website, “Specialty Corns for Value- Added Grain Pro duction” at http:// www.oardc.ohio state.edu/hocorn/. To receive a copy of “White Food Com - 2002 Performance Tests, Spec. Rep. 547,” contact Tho mison at (614) 292-2373 or thomison. l@osu.ed u, or Allen Geyer at (614) 292-1393 or geyer.9@osu.edu. » Bril lion » imm HP* - GOLD SS 2-42 FERTRELL GOLD SPECIAL STARTER Specially Formulated as a Starter or “Pop Up” Fertilizer for Variety of Crops Especially Corn and Small Grain Just Ask for Fertrell Representative to Develop a Personalized Fertilizer Plan For You. - PENNSYLVANIA - GROVES MILL CURT FALCK Lewisburg, PA (570) 524-2436 CHRIST B. MILLER Bird-In-Hand, PA' . DAVID LITCHARD Danville, PA (570) 437-6954 MEADVILLE FARM & GARDEN Meadville, PA (814) 333-8421 5M FEEDS Warren, PA (814) 723-9471 5M FEEDS Titusville, PA (814) 827-7387 HARES VALLEY GROWERS Mapletone Depot, PA (814) 448-2784 ZIMMERMAN LIME & FERTILIZER Lititz, PA (717) 733-7674 DON BRUBAKER Strasburg, PA (717) 367-1566 RICHARD TREGIDGO Pleasant Mount, PA (717) 448-2374 RALPH STAUFFER East Earl, PA (717) 367-1566 BASE ORGANICS West Lawn, PA (610) 927-1942 HUBERT DERSTINE Emlenton, PA (814) 358-2217 THOMPSON FARM Coudersport, PA (814) 274-7430 STAN CARPER Milroy, PA (717)250-4160 - MARYLAND - DONALD MERRITT. & SON Hydes, MD (410) 592-2467 GLENN MARTIN Hagerstown, MD (301) 733-0796 - NEW YORK - THE FEED BAG Cobleskill, NY (518) 234-2527 WEMPLE’S LANDSCAPE Old Chatham, NY (518) 794-9340 JIM MCLAUGHLIN Norwich, NY (607) 334-2833 ROBERT TRUMBULL Fort Plain, NY (518) 993-3452 LARRY LEWIS Penn Yan, NY (315) 531-1906 DON BEAVER Cuba, NY (716) 968-3161 Box 265, Bainbridge, Pa. 17502 717-367-1566 www.fertrell.com Contact your local dealer for details. [ M.iryL'iiid RISING SUN Ag Industrial Equip 410-658-5568 New Jersey ELMER Pole Tavern Equip. Sales Corp. 856-359-2880
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