In 2020, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program evaluated yield and quality of six non-GMO corn silage varieties at Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, VT. To successfully transition to growing non-GMO corn, farmers are looking for more information on non-GMO varieties that are available and perform well in our region. While the information presented can begin to describe the yield and quality performance of these non-GMO corn silage varieties in this region, it is important to note that the data represent results from only one season and one location

Darby, Heather

Luke, Ivy

Malone, Rory

Ziegler, Sara

English

UVM ScholarWorks

University of Vermont UVM ScholarWorks Northwest Crops & Soils Program UVM Extension 2020 Vermont Non-GMO Corn Silage Performance Trial Heather Darby Ivy Luke Rory Malone Sara Ziegler Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/nwcsp  Part of the Agricultural Economics Commons  © December 2020, University of Vermont Extension   2020 Vermont Non-GMO Corn Silage Performance Trial    Dr. Heather Darby, UVM Extension Agronomist Ivy Luke, Rory Malone, and Sara Ziegler UVM Extension Crops and Soils Technicians  (802) 524-6501  Visit us on the web at http://www.uvm.edu/nwcrops      2020 VERMONT NON-GMO CORN SILAGE PERFORMANCE TRIAL Dr. Heather Darby, University of Vermont Extension heather.darby[at]uvm.edu  In 2020, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program evaluated yield and quality of six non-GMO corn silage varieties at Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, VT. To successfully transition to growing non-GMO corn, farmers are looking for more information on non-GMO varieties that are available and perform well in our region. While the information presented can begin to describe the yield and quality performance of these non-GMO corn silage varieties in this region, it is important to note that the data represent results from only one season and one location.  MATERIALS AND METHODS  In 2020, 6 non-GMO corn silage varieties from two seed companies (Table 1) were evaluated at Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, VT. The trial design was a randomized complete block with three replications. Plots were 10’ x 20’. Treatments were 6 non-GMO corn silage varieties. These varieties were evaluated for silage yield and quality. Relative maturity (RM) and varietal characteristics are provided in Table 2.  Table 1. Participating companies contact information. Dyna-Gro (Crop Protection Services) Seedway, LLC Tom Barber East Aurora, NY (716) 912-5494 171 Ledgemere Point Bomoseen, VT 05732 (802) 338-6930  Table 2. 6 non-GMO silage corn varieties evaluated in the 2020 trial. Company/Brand Variety Traits RM Seedway, LLC SW 2360 none 84 Seedway, LLC SW 3750 none 93 Dyna-Gro D39CC43 none 95 Seedway, LLC SW 3980 none 99 Dyna-Gro D47CC29 none 103 Seedway, LLC SW 5410 none 104  The soil type at the Alburgh location is a Benson rocky silt loam (Table 3). The seedbed was prepared with two passes with the Pottinger TerraDisc (Valparaiso, IN). The previous crop was corn silage with a winter rye cover crop. On 29-Apr, solid manure was applied at a rate of 10 tons ac-1. Plots were planted on 13-May with a 4-row cone planter with John Deere row units fitted with Almaco seed distribution units (Nevada, IA) at a rate of 40,000 seeds ac-1. Plots were thinned to a population of 34,000 seeds ac-1 on 20-Jun. Plots received liquid starter fertilizer (9-18-9) at a rate of 5 gal ac-1 at planting. On 19-May, plots were sprayed with AcuronTM from Syngenta at a rate of 3 quarts ac-1.  On 23-Jun, corn was top-dressed with 200 lbs. ac-1 of urea (46-0-0). The corn was harvested with a John Deere 2-row chopper and a wagon fitted with scales. Short season varieties were harvested on 10-Sep and later season varieties were harvested on 18-Sep. An approximate 1 lb subsample was taken from each plot and dried to calculate dry matter content. The dried subsamples were first ground with a Wiley sample mill to a 2mm particle size followed by a cyclone sample mill to 1mm particle size (UDY Corporation). The samples were then analyzed for quality at the University of Vermont Cereal Testing Lab (Burlington, VT) with a FOSS NIRS (near infrared reflectance spectroscopy) DS2500 Feed and Forage analyzer. The NIR procedures and corn silage calibration from Dairy One Forage Laboratories (Geneva, NY) were used to determine crude protein (CP), starch, lignin, ash, total fatty acids (TFA), ash corrected neutral detergent fiber (aNDFom), and neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD; 30, 240 h).   Table 3. Non-GMO silage corn variety trial information, Alburgh, VT, 2020. Location Borderview Research Farm Alburgh, VT  Soil type Benson rocky silt loam Previous crop corn silage Row width (in) 30 Plot size (ft) 10 x 30 Seeding rate (seeds ac-1) 40,000 thinned to 34,000 Planting date 13-May Tillage operations   Pottinger TerraDisc Starter fertilizer (gal ac-1) 5 (9-18-9) Top-dress fertilizer (lbs. ac-1) 200 (46-0-0) Harvest date 10-Sep & 18-Sep  Mixtures of true proteins, composed of amino acids, and non-protein nitrogen make up the crude protein (CP) content of forages. The CP content is determined by measuring the amount of nitrogen and multiplying by 6.25. The bulky characteristics of forage come from fiber. Forage feeding values are negatively associated with fiber since the less digestible portions of plants are contained in the fiber fraction. The detergent fiber analysis system separates forages into two parts: cell contents, which include sugars, starches, proteins, non-protein nitrogen, fats and other highly digestible compounds; and the less digestible components found in the fiber fraction. The total fiber content of forage is contained in the neutral detergent fiber (NDF). Chemically, this fraction includes cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Because of these chemical components and their association with the bulkiness of feeds, NDF is closely related to feed intake and rumen fill in cows.  Recently, forage testing laboratories have begun to evaluate forages for NDF digestibility (NDFD). This analysis can be conducted over a wide range of incubation periods from 30 to 240 hours. 30-hr NDFD is typically used when evaluating forage for ruminants as it is most like the actual passage time through the rumen. Research has demonstrated that lactating dairy cows will eat more dry matter and produce more milk when fed forages with optimum NDFD.  Forages with increased NDFD will result in higher energy values and, perhaps more importantly, increased forage intakes. Forage NDFD can range from 20 – 80% NDF. Total digestible nutrients (TDN) is a measure of the energy value in a feedstuff. Neutral detergent fiber expressed on an organic matter basis (aNDFom) is used when high ash content leads to ash remaining in the fiber residue. 240-hr uNDFom is the undigestible NDF on an organic matter basis after 240 hours in rumen fluid. This can cause an overvaluation of the NDF and can cause nutritionists to underfeed fiber. Net energy lactation (NEL) is estimated energy value of feed used for maintenance plus milk production during dairy cow lactation or last two months of gestation for dry, pregnant cows.   Yield data and stand characteristics were analyzed using mixed model analysis using the mixed procedure of SAS (SAS Institute, 1999).  Replications within trials were treated as random effects, and varieties were treated as fixed. Variety mean comparisons were made using the Least Significant Difference (LSD) procedure when the F-test was considered significant (p<0.10).  Variations in yield and quality can occur due to variations in genetics, soil, weather, and other growing conditions.  Statistical analysis makes it possible to determine whether a difference among varieties is real or whether it might have occurred due to other variations in the field.  At the bottom of each table a LSD value is presented for each variable (i.e. yield).  Least Significant Differences (LSDs) at the 0.10 level of significance are shown. Where the difference between two varieties within a column is equal to or greater than the LSD value at the bottom of the column, you can be sure that for 9 out of 10 times, there is a real difference between the two varieties. Varieties that were not significantly lower in performance than the highest variety in a column are indicated with the same letter. In this example, variety C is significantly different from variety A but not from variety B. The difference between C and B is equal to 1.5, which is less than the LSD value of 2.0. This means that these varieties did not differ in yield. The difference between C and A is equal to 3.0, which is greater than the LSD value of 2.0. This means that the yields of these varieties were significantly different from one another. The top yielding variety C is indicated in bold.  RESULTS  Weather data was recorded with a Davis Instrument Vantage Pro2 weather station, equipped with a WeatherLink data logger at Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, VT (Table 4). The region experienced drought and warmer than average temperatures this season. While May was cooler than average, from June to August temperatures were higher than normal. In July, the average temperature in Alburgh, VT was 4.17° F higher than normal. Above average temperatures coincided with little rainfall from May to July. In both May and June, there were periods without rain that lasted nearly two weeks. July was particularly hot and dry. But in August there were a couple large rain events and the average monthly precipitation was 2.86 in. above normal. However, this season’s warm conditions did provide optimal Growing Degree Days (GDDs) through the season with a total of 2484 GDDs accumulated May-Sep, 139 above normal.  Table 4. Weather data for Alburgh, VT, 2020. Alburgh, VT May June July August Sept Average temperature (°F) 56.1 66.9 74.8 68.8 59.2 Departure from normal -0.44 1.08 4.17 0.01 -1.33             Precipitation (inches) 2.35 1.86 3.94 6.77 2.75 Departure from normal -1.04 -1.77 -0.28 2.86 -0.91             Growing Degree Days (50-86°F) 298 516 751 584 336 Departure from normal 6 35 121 2 -24 Based on weather data from a Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 with WeatherLink data logger. Historical averages are for 30 years of NOAA data (1981-2010) from Burlington, VT. Hybrid Yield A 6.0b B 7.5ab C 9.0a LSD 2.0 Corn silage varieties varied statistically in population, dry matter, and yield (Table 5). The variety with the highest population was D47CC29 (34,412 plants ac-1) and the lowest was SW 5410 with 28,967 plants ac-1. At the time of harvest, plant populations in most varieties were around the recommended 34,000 plants ac-1. Harvest dry matter ranged from 37.6% (SW 5410) to 40.8% (D39CC43). Yields also varied statistically. The top yielding variety was D47CC29 with 27.8 tons ac-1. Variety yields ranged from 19.1 to 27.8 tons ac-1.  Table 5. Harvest data for 6 non-GMO corn varieties, 2020. Variety RM Plant populations Harvest DM Yield, 35% DM     plants ac-1 % tons ac-1 SW 2360 84 34267a† 40.4a 19.1c SW 3750 93 31654b 38.6ab 20.5bc D39CC43 95 33323ab 40.8a 25.2ab SW 3980 99 33541a 40.6a 23.7abc D47CC29 103 34412a 37.8b 27.8a SW 5410 104 28967c 37.6b 23.2abc ‡LSD (p = 0.10)  1678 2.39 5.20 Trial mean 96 32694 40.5 23.2 †Within a column, treatments marked with the same letter were statistically similar (p=0.10).  ‡LSD –Least significant difference at p=0.10.   The silage quality characteristics, except for crude protein (CP), also varied statistically across varieties (Table 6). Crude protein averaged 8.35% across the trial. The ADF concentrations ranged from 18.3% to 22.2%; the variety SW 3980 was the top performer and was statistically similar to three other varieties. The NDF concentrations ranged from 35.6% to 40.6%; the top performer, SW 3980, was statistically similar to all but two varieties. The variety SW3980 was the top performer for lignin (2.46%), starch (38.8%), and total fatty acids (3.57%). The variety SW 3980 was the top performer in aNDFom and 240-hr uNDFom with 33.7% and 9.53% respectively. SW 3980 was statistically similar to three other varieties in both aNDFom and 240-hr uNDFom. The variety DC39CC43 was the top performer in 30-hr NDFD (56.9%) and the trial average was 55.2%. The trial average for NEL 0.691Mcal lb.-1 and SW 3980 was the top performer (0.706 Mcal lb-1). SW 3750 had the highest predicted milk yield per ton of dry matter (DM), 3179 lbs. ton-1; the trial average was 3094 lbs. ton-1. When differences in yield are considered, varieties differed statistically in milk yield per acre. The top milk yield per acre was produced by variety D47CC29 with 30,336 lbs. ac-1; the trial average was 25,160 lbs. ac-1. Table 6. Corn silage quality characteristics of 6 non-GMO corn varieties, 2020. Variety RM CP ADF NDF Lignin Starch Total fatty acids TDN aNDFom 240-hr uNDFom 30-hr NDFD NEL Milk     -------------------------------------------------------% of DM--------------------------------------------------- % of NDF Mcal lb-1 lbs. ton-1 lbs. ac-1 SW 2360 84 8.72 21.3bc 40.3b 2.52a 34.2bc 3.12bc 65.7a 38.5bc 10.5b 55.8ab 0.686ab 2990b 19941c SW 3750 93 8.63 20.7bc 38.9ab 2.56a 34.7ab 3.26abc 66.0a 37.9bc 10.6b 54.6b 0.696a 3179a 22677bc D39CC43 95 8.22 19.9ab 38.2ab 2.65a 35.4ab 2.94c 65.7a 36.7ab 9.68a 56.9a 0.691a 3118ab 27512ab SW 3980 99 8.12 18.3a† 35.6a 2.46a 38.8a 3.57a 66.0a 33.7a 9.53a 56.6a 0.706a 3069ab 25428ab D47CC29 103 8.39 18.5a 35.9a 2.60a 37.6ab 3.41ab 65.7a 33.8a 9.98ab 55.1ab 0.702a 3125ab 30336a SW 5410 104 8.02 22.2c 40.6b 3.27b 30.3c 3.18abc 63.7b 40.3c 12.2c 52.0c 0.665b 3082ab 25069bc ‡LSD (p = 0.10)  ¥ NS 2.07 3.48 0.404 4.14 0.439 1.24 3.45 0.858 1.81 0.0256 180 5136 Trial mean 96 8.35 20.2 38.2 2.68 35.2 3.25 65.4 36.8 10.4 55.2 0.691 3094 25160 †Within a column, treatments marked with the same letter were statistically similar (p=0.10).  ‡LSD –Least significant difference at p=0.10. ¥ NS – There was no statistical difference between treatments in a particular column (p=0.10).             DISCUSSION  Figure 1 below displays the projected milk production, in lbs. ton-1 and lbs. ac-1 of the 6 trialed corn silage varieties. The dotted lines indicate the trial averages for these parameters. This figure provides a visualization of yield and quality but does not, however, state that these differences are statistically significant (Tables 5 and 6). There were two varieties that produced both above average yield and quality: D39CC43 and D47CC29. These varieties had relative maturities of 95 and 103 respectively. D47CC29 had the highest yield at 35% dry matter. The varieties SW 3980 (99 day) and D39CC43 (95 day) had yields that were statistically similar. The average trial yield (23.2 tons ac-1) this year was higher than in the previous three years of this variety trial. The growing season overall was hot and dry, but all varieties produced high yields. These data highlight the importance of varietal selection but also only represent one year of data. More data and other factors should be considered when making management decisions.  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS  UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program would like to thank Roger Rainville and the staff at Borderview Research Farm for their generous help with this research trial as well as Henry Blair, John Bruce, Catherine Davidson, Hillary Emick, and Lindsey Ruhl for their assistance with data collection and entry. We would also like to thank the seed companies for their seed and cooperation in this study. The information is presented with the understanding that no product discrimination is intended, and no endorsement of any product mentioned, or criticism of unnamed products is implied.  UVM Extension helps individuals and communities put research-based knowledge to work.   Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. University of Vermont Extension, Burlington, Vermont. University of Vermont Extension, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status.  Figure 1. Milk production of 6 non-GMO corn varieties, 2020. Shows relationship between milk per ton and milk per acre. Dotted lines represent the mean milk per ton and milk per acre for the trial.SW 2360SW 3750D39CC43SW 3980D47CC29SW 54101990021900239002590027900299002975 3025 3075 3125 3175 3225Milk acre-1 (lbs. per acre of forage)Milk ton-1 (lbs. per ton of forage)High yield & quality High yield High quality 

Vermont Non-GMO Corn Silage Performance Trial

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Vermont Non-GMO Corn Silage Performance Trial

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