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Better Farming
December 2016
Story Idea?
43
CROPS:
YIELD
MATTER$
the next year.
Seed corn company plots often
have multiple locations with various
maturity ranges. These plots will
feature comparable competing
hybrids against the company’s own
top-of-the-line hybrids. 2016 trials
most likely featured different seed
treatments of fungicide only, com-
pared to both Class 12 and non-Class
12 insecticides. Most of these perfor-
mance plots will also showcase new
hybrids available for the 2017 grow-
ing season.
Corn companies do a tremendous
amount of screening in their selection
trials and will always bring their very
best to the marketplace. In their own
plot work, seed companies are
looking for consistency and the same
things farmers want. The stakes are
too high for companies not to bring
their best to market.
When reviewing company plot
results, look to see how they are
presenting their data – especially
against competing companies. Are
the companies only showing the
winning plots, mismatching matur-
ities to gain an upper hand? (Lon-
ger-day maturities tend to have
higher yields.) Or do they publish all
results – win, lose or draw? The main
advantage to company plots is that
the results are available almost
immediately after harvest. The results
are also made available on respective
company websites and in various
social media forums.
Local, full-service ag retailer and
seed dealer plots are another source
of information. These plots are
located on customers’ farms.
These plots are often placed on a
representative cross section of soil
types and growing conditions. They
are very local and farmers readily
identify with the performance of such
plots because they may well represent
how the hybrids might perform on
their own farms. Many of these
plots will showcase nearly all locally-
available hybrids. It is not unusual for
these plots to showcase 15 to 30 or
more different, competing hybrids.
Ag retailer and seed dealer plots