In the latest Purdue Crop Chat Podcast with Purdue Extension Corn Specialist Bob Nielsen and Soybean Specialist Shaun Casteel, they say this is a great time of year to start looking at variety test results.
Nielsen says there are two key things about choosing hybrids or varieties.
“One is looking, obviously, for genetics that have good yield potential itself. Just as important is the ability to yield well regardless of the growing conditions. That’s really important…we don’t know what this coming season’s going to be. It could be the coldest summer on record, it could be the hottest summer on record, wettest, driest, we don’t know, and so now’s the time to really be focusing in on variety test results.”
Whether the data is from universities or from your seed company, Nielsen says, “Try to identify those hybrids that always sort of yield near the top of any variety trial you find them in. If they’re doing that, that probably means they’re pretty tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions.”
Nielsen adds that it’s always worth looking at a range of maturities in corn hybrids.
“Let’s say that you typically plant 111-day corn. If you can find 108-day or 106-day with the same genetic yield potential, well then it makes sense just to plant more of those earlier season hybrids simply because you can save on drying costs in the fall.”
The Purdue Crop Chat Podcast will be available soon at hoosieragtoday.com and Apple Podcasts. You can watch the podcast now at facebook.com/hoosieragtoday.