The 1939 State Hybrid Corn Yield Test

Abstract

During the past few years, hybrid corn has become a subject of primary interest among farmers in the corn belt as a means of increasing the yield and quality of the corn crop. Results obtained from tests in the major and some of the minor corn-producing states have shown that the best hybrids have very markedly out yielded the best open pollinated varieties. On the other hand, these tests also have demonstrated that many hybrids are inferior or at least not superior to the best open-pollinated varieties. Finally, the results from these tests have shown that the adaption of varieties of hybrid corn, like the adaptation of varieties of open-pollinated corn, is a regional or local problem which can be determined only by actual field tests. Plant breeders employed by experiment stations and commercial seed corn companies have developed a large number of hybrids which are now offered on the seed corn market. The large number of varieties is confusing to the farmer who must decide not only whether or not it will be profitable for him to grow hybrid corn but also which variety he should choose. The South Dakota State Hybrid Corn Yield Tests were therefore begun in 1938 for the purpose of determining whether or not there were varieties of hybrid corn adapted to the corn-growing areas of the state and if so, which varieties were best adapted to the different sections. Corn growers, county agents, teachers of vocational agriculture, and hybrid seed corn dealers will no doubt find that the results from these tests will be of considerable value in formulating recommendations for their localities, especially after two or three years\u27 results have been obtained