1949 South Dakota Corn Performance Tests

Each year several hundred different corn hybrids are offered for sale to South Dakota farmers. It is a real problem for the purchaser to know which hybrid corn to buy because the various hybrids sold differ in yielding ability, maturity, lodging resistance and other agronomic characteristics. Therefore, the Agronomy department of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station conducts yield trials each year on commercial hybrids and open-pollinated varieties in order to provide impartial, comparable performance records. Entries in each test are those hybrids which, according to surveys, are being sold to the greatest extent to farmers in that area of the state represented by the test. The information presented should be of value to both the purchaser and the producer of hybrid see

1948 Corn Performance Tests, South Dakota

In 1948, as in previous years, the Agronomy Department of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station conducted corn yield trials on commercial hybrid s and varieties. The purpose of these trials was to make available impartial information on the relative performance of the entries when they were grown at selected places in the state. Eleven tests were conducted, with at least one trial being located in each of the eight agricultural areas into which the state has been divided. In all, I06 hybrid s and 13 open-pollinated varieties were tested. An attempt was mad e to include only the more popular hybrids and varieties in each are

1954 South Dakota Corn Performance Tests

As in previous years corn yield trial were conducted by the Agronomy Department of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. Results of these trials supply farmers and ranchers with current information on popular hybrids being grown extensively in the various agricultural areas of the state. The trials were replicated plots planted and harvested in an accepted procedure with an unbiased analysis of the data. Methods used in selection of entries, planting, harvesting, and analyzing will be presented under separate headings

South Dakota Corn Performance Tests, 1953

Com yield trials were conducted in 1953 by the Agronomy Department of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station to supply farmers with up-to-date information on popular hybrids which are being grown extensively in the various agricultural areas of the state. These trials were not contests or demonstrations, but were the basis for unbiased analvsis of replicated plots. Methods used in selection of entries, planting, harvesting and analyzing will be presented under separate headings. The information obtained from the 1953 yield trials reflects relative performing ability of the various hybrids in a season which had above-average precipitation and nearly normal temperatures in most areas of the state. May temperatures were below normal, resulting in slow growth during germination and the early seedling stages in many areas. However, killing frost did not come until most of the com in the state had reached maturity, resulting in a high quality crop. The com trials were harvested during the month of October; at that time, most varieties were low enough in moisture content to be normally cribbed. Results of these trials are presented in the tables which follow

South Dakota Corn Performance Tests, 1955

As in previous years corn yield trials were conducted by the Agronomy Department of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. Results of these trials supply farmers and ranchers with current information on popular hybrids being grown extensively in the various agricultural areas of the state. The trials were replicated plots planted and harvested in an accepted procedure with an unbiased analysis made of the data. Methods used in selection of entries, planting, harvesting, and analyzing will be presented under separate headings. Yields of hybrids within the trials of 1955 reflect the relative performing ability of the entries during a season which had below normal rainfall for all areas except Highmore and Watertown. Cottonwood had a total growing season precipitation slightly above normal, however all months except September were below normal. The heavy rains in September were too late to affect the already drought damaged com. Temperatures were all above normal, with a range of 1.2 degrees above normal for the growing season at Newell to a maximum of 3.8 degrees above normal at Tyndall. The extreme above normal temperatures occurred during July and August in most areas-a time when there was a deficiency in rainfall. Yields from all trials except those at the Highmore substation and on the Korth farm north of Watertown were below average. Frost occurred on September 11 at all areas except Newell, Cottonwood, Watertown, Sioux Falls, and Vermillion. This early frost date may have contributed, along with the drought and high temperatures, to the low yields and poor quality of most varieties in the tests. Harvesting of the plots in all areas was completed during October. Results of these trials are presented in the tables that follow

South Dakota Corn Performance Tests, 1957

Yield trials on those corn hybrids currently most popular among farmers are conducted each year by the Agronomy Department of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. The purpose is to supply farmers and ranchers with information on the relative performing ability of the various hybrids when they are subjected to similar environmental conditions such as rainfall, soil moisture, and fertility level. Such information, when used as a guide in selecting hybrids for planting, can aid the farmer in obtaining maximum yields under his field conditions. In 1957, 14 tests were planted throughout South Dakota. Each contained from 20 to 40 entries planted in replicated plots. Yields, moisture percentages at harvest, and in some cases lodging, were obtained and are presented in the tables in this publication. Most areas of the state entered the 1957 season with extremely low reserves of subsoil moisture. Above normal rainfall over most of the state during the months of April, May, and June supplied adequate moisture for abundant growth of corn. There were only two stations, Brookings and Vermillion, which were below normal moisture for the entire growing season. Highmore and Cottonwood were considerably above normal with a plus 8.67 and 7.42 inches for the growing season, respectively. Although adequate moisture was available, corn was retarded in germination and early growth by low temperatures. All areas in which test plots were grown had below normal temperatures for April, May, and June. This below normal temperature was greatest at Vale during May when this station reported an average departure from normal of a minus 4.6 degrees, while Brookings rep01ted an average minus departure of 4.5 degrees for June. July temperatures were near normal, or slightly below, over most of the state; however, the temperatures dropped in August and September so that all stations rep01ted minus departures from normal for both months. The greatest departures were minus 7.5 and 5.2 degrees at Vermillion and Menno, respectively, during September. The low temperatures during August, September, and October resulted in slow maturing of the corn crop over the entire state. Frost held off until into October in many areas. This lack of a killing frost coupled with the low temperatures caused the corn crop to dry slowly. Many fields of corn were picked too wet for cribbing, and considerable corn was still in the field in December at which time kernels on some of the ears of varieties that were of a long season maturity for the area were turning brown while still on the stalk. The moisture content of all test plots harvested was considerably above long time averages. Late maturing hybrids, though producing more weight at harvest time in each test, were carrying so much moisture it would have required ultimate artificial drying to have cribbed such varieties. This year\u27s results would seem to indicate farmers should use extreme care in selecting a hybrid which is adapted to their length of growing season, and refrain from using those hybrids which require excessive length of season to produce cribbable corn

South Dakota Corn Performance Tests, 1950

Corn yield tests are conducted each year by the Agronomy department of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station to compare the performance of many hybrids being offered for sale to South Dakota farmers. Entries in these yield trials are the most widely sold commercial hybrids in the areas represented by each test. The information presented should be of value in helping farmers choose a hybrid for planting

South Dakota Corn Performance 1951 Tests

Corn yield traits were conducted again in 1951 by the Agronomy department of the South Dakota State College Experiment Station to supply farmers with information on popular hybrids what are planted extensively in the various agricultural areas of the state. The information obtained in the 1951 yield tests reflects the relative performing abilities of different hybrids in a col season. Throughout the season, temperatures averaged several degrees below normal, while moisture was generally excessive. This resulted in a corn crop that was soft and immature. The results are presented in the tables which follow

Corn Performance Tests, 1946

Corn performance tests are conducted each year by the Agronomy Department of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station to supply to those interested in corn impartial information on the yielding ability, maturity requirements and other characteristics of hybrids and open-pollinated varieties. It would be impractical to attempt to test all of the several hundred commercial hybrids sold in the state or try to locate tests in each of the various districts into which the state might be divided on the basis of soil type, elevation, rainfall and length of growing season. Therefore, hybrids which enjoyed the greatest popularity on the basis of sales volume in 1945 in each of the eight general areas in the state, were included in the 1946 tests along with several open-pollinated varieties which are still grown in each area. This makes available performance results on the most important of the hybrids being planted in South Dakota. To best determine the value of any one hybrid or variety, its average performance in any one area over a number of years is the criterion which should be used, because in any one year the hybrid may fluctuate in its relative value due to the specific environmental conditions under which the test was conducted. However, many hybrids sold in South Dakota are not too well adapted for the short growing season and the other environmental conditions which exist. This has caused a shifting in the particular hybrids offered for sale each year and not many of those included in the 1946 tests were also tested in 1945. For this reason only one year\u27s results are given below. As better adapted hybrids are developed, and are sold year after year, average performance scores will accumulate and these tests will become more valuable. If used with discretion, the 1946 data will provide readers with information valuable as an aid in selecting hybrids for various areas of the state

South Dakota Corn Performance Tests, 1956

Yield trials on those corn hybrids currently most popular among farmers are conducted each year by the Agronomy Department of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. The purpose is to supply farmers and ranchers with information on the relative performing ability of the various hybrids when they are subjected to similar environmental conditions such as rainfall, soil moisture, and fertility level. Such information, when used as a guide in selecting hybrids for planting, can aid the farmer in obtaining maximum yields under his field conditions. In 1956, fourteen tests were planted throughout South Dakota. Each contained from 20 to 40 entries planted in replicated plots. Yields, moisture percentages at harvest, and in some cases lodging and dropped ears, were obtained and are presented in the tables in this publication. Most areas of the state entered the 1956 season with low reserves of subsoil moisture. Temperatures approached long time averages in May but June was exceedingly warm at all locations, averaging several degrees above normal. Rapid and succulent early growth of corn resulted. This, coupled with severe drought conditions throughout the season caused an extremely poor corn crop in the usually productive southeastern part of the state, even though July and August were unusual in that their temperatures were below those of June. Elsewhere in the state, such as at Brookings and Watertown, above average rainfall in July and August, coupled with the relatively cool temperatures, resulted in excellent yields of corn in spite of the low springtime soil reserves. An early frost on September 6 killed the corn prematurely in some areas, such as the test at Claremont. This, coupled with high winds during much of September and October, caused a great deal of stalk lodging and dropped ears by the time the trials were harvested