Corn Hybrid Trials Online

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky

The 2014 University of Kentucky Hybrid Corn Performance Test is available online. Hybrids are submitted by seed companies and grouped into one of four classes: Early (less than 112 days); Medium (112 to 115 days); Late (greater than 115 days); or White Corn tests. Tests were established at six locations and the summary of hybrid performance across all locations is still the best indicator of hybrid performance for next year. Until we can accurately predict weather for 12 months (including how much it will rain each day and maximum daily temperature) grouping hybrid performance across several environments is our best method to predict future performance.We know everyone enjoys looking at data from each site, so tables are included for that as well.

Visit the Corn Hybrid Testing Website for more information about the tests. Printed copies should be in your county extension offices.

2011 Corn Hybrid Trials

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky

The 2011 Kentucky Corn Hybrid Performance Test is now available online. The test is also linked at the Corn Testing Website. The multiple location average is the best overall indicator for hybrid performance for next season. Look at hybrids that performed near the top (with one least significant difference of the top-yielding hybrid). Hybrids from several companies and hybrids containing several genetic packages did well. Compare the university data to other hybrid tests from independent sources.

The 2011 Corn for Silage Performance Test is also available. This test reports hybrid performance (forage yield and forage quality) for two locations. Again, the multiple location average is the best indicator for hybrid performance for next season.

2011 Corn Hybrid Trials, Preliminary Report

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky

The 2011 Preliminary Results for the Corn Hybrid Trials are available here. The trials include tables for Early, Medium, Late and White hybrids. There are annual, 2-year and three-year summaries for most tests. Be sure to only compare one hybrid to another in a single test.

The final report will be coming soon and will be posted to the Corn Hybrid Testing website.

Kentucky Corn Hybrid Trials now Online

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky

The 2010 Kentucky Corn Hybrid trial is now available online at: http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/pr/pr606/pr606.pdf Print copies will be out in about two weeks.

The 2010 season began with heavy rains in the spring followed by little to no rain during pollination and seed fill. The corn hybrid test normally has six locations across the states. Yields were so low and so variable at one location that only five locations are reported in this test.

The goal of the test is to identify hybrids with very good performance relative to other hybrids and to predict which hybrids will perform well next year. The best predictor of hybrid performance for next year is the cross-location average, where all environments examined are evaluated together.

Hybrids that ranked very well on the cross-location average have the best chance of performing well next season. Hybrids that have performance very well for two years have an even better chance of performing well next season.

Only hybrids in the same maturity test (Early, Medium or Late) should be compared with other hybrids in the same maturity test. Hybrids should not be compared with each other across tests.

For more on the hybrid corn test, contact you local county extension agent.

Corn Hybrid Performance Report

The 2009 Kentucky Corn Hybrid Performance Report is now available online. You can access the publication at the Variety Testing Website or at the Grain Crops Extension home page site.

There were six locations for the tests this year with early (112 days or less), medium (113 to 117 days) and late (118 days or more) maturity tests. In addition to those tests, white corn hybrids and hybrids for ethanol production were evaluated in separate tests.

 A hybrid that performs well across multiple envrionments has the best chance of performing well next year on your farm. Use the data from the tables with yields averaged across locations. Compare the data from this test with data from local tests and select hybrids that have done well in both.

If you have questions about hybrids in the test, please contact your county extension agent.