Corn 2019 Performance Review
Nov 18, 2019
With the numbers for this year’s corn harvest in the books, WinField United’s Robert Cossar shares his review of this year’s crop and highlights three Croplan hybrids.
Now is a great time to review 2019 hybrid performance and begin to answer key questions around weather, fertility, and pest pressure and their impact on overall yield. However, we should use the information from our review cautiously as we know that each years’ weather patterns are different and yield performance in one year does not guarantee performance in any subsequent years.
Instead of making decisions on one-year performance, we should look at multiple year data if possible but also determine what management strategies we deployed that gave us the highest return on our investment. In simple terms, yield is a result of the genetics interaction with the environment for the time period being measured, or as the equation states GxE=Yield. However, we also know that while environment includes weather we have no control over, we also realize that part of environment includes management. Another way to visualize it would be Gx(ExM)= Yield. Taking this into account, we start to determine how a hybrid responded to population (RTP) densities, nitrogen rates and timing (RTN), and the benefit of a fungicide (RTF) on overall yield. This information is available only through WinField United’s Characterization Charts (CHT Tool) which helps us to focus on those attributes that are most important on a field-by-field basis.
Below are highlights of three commercial CROPLAN hybrids. Additional information and hybrid selections are available from your local TFC agronomist.
CROPLAN 5678 VT2P and SS is a 116 RM hybrid that has very good ear flex. The female of this hybrid brings very good overall stress tolerance for both heat and drought, allowing it to yield on our tough dryland soils. Typically, these types of hybrids do not have the top end potential; however, CROPLAN 5678 is unique in that it can handle the higher densities for the high-yield irrigated acres as well. With a high RTN score, this hybrid will perform up to its potential when the nitrogen is managed throughout the season. This versatility, along with very good plant health, allows these base genetics to be stable and consistent across the farm. The breakdown: 5678VT2P — RTN High; RTP Moderate; RTF Moderate.
CROPLAN 5340 VT2P is a 113 RM hybrid that has a similar base genetic package to the CROPLAN 6640 VT3P, with similar heat tolerance. What makes CROPLAN 5340 VT2P different from most hybrids is that the yield comes mostly from its ability to flex in girth. By taking advantage of early season moisture, this hybrid adds extra kernel rows consistently producing 18-22 round ears. By utilizing the CHT tool, we can determine that the best planting population will be on the moderate to even lower side of what a grower is typically planting. Nitrogen management as always is key, but a moderate RTN score allows us to place this hybrid on soil types that struggle to maintain high levels of soil nitrogen on late season. While our response to fungicide score is low on this hybrid, meaning that a typical plant health fungicide application does not have a high ROI, I do recommend preparing to spray this hybrid for disease protection, especially if we have an outbreak of southern rust. The breakdown: 5340VT2P — RTN Moderate; RTP Moderate; RTF Low.
CROPLAN 5073SS is a brand new 110 RM hybrid that was released in 2018 on a limited basis and on a much larger scale in 2019. CROPLAN 5073SS features a new set of genetics that brings diversity to the farm in terms of the parents used in the hybrid. This hybrid has excellent seedling vigor and emergence allowing it to excel in conventional tillage as well as reduce and no-till situations. The 5073SS brings top-end yield potential, especially when the nitrogen is managed for the entire season coupled with moderate to high populations. The SS trait provides additional below-ground protection that we miss when utilizing products with the VT2P trait. Answer Plot data has shown that the fungicide application has a positive ROI for this hybrid as well. The breakdown: 5073SS — RTN High; RTP Moderate; RTF High.
As the largest farmer-owned brand in the industry, the CROPLAN brand is committed to providing top tier genetics for all growing environments and situations throughout the area. Utilizing the CHT and R7 tool along with their local knowledge allows your local Co-op agronomist to select the best genetics and production practices including crop protection products for each individual field on the farm.
Now is a great time to review 2019 hybrid performance and begin to answer key questions around weather, fertility, and pest pressure and their impact on overall yield. However, we should use the information from our review cautiously as we know that each years’ weather patterns are different and yield performance in one year does not guarantee performance in any subsequent years.
Instead of making decisions on one-year performance, we should look at multiple year data if possible but also determine what management strategies we deployed that gave us the highest return on our investment. In simple terms, yield is a result of the genetics interaction with the environment for the time period being measured, or as the equation states GxE=Yield. However, we also know that while environment includes weather we have no control over, we also realize that part of environment includes management. Another way to visualize it would be Gx(ExM)= Yield. Taking this into account, we start to determine how a hybrid responded to population (RTP) densities, nitrogen rates and timing (RTN), and the benefit of a fungicide (RTF) on overall yield. This information is available only through WinField United’s Characterization Charts (CHT Tool) which helps us to focus on those attributes that are most important on a field-by-field basis.
Below are highlights of three commercial CROPLAN hybrids. Additional information and hybrid selections are available from your local TFC agronomist.
CROPLAN 5678 VT2P and SS is a 116 RM hybrid that has very good ear flex. The female of this hybrid brings very good overall stress tolerance for both heat and drought, allowing it to yield on our tough dryland soils. Typically, these types of hybrids do not have the top end potential; however, CROPLAN 5678 is unique in that it can handle the higher densities for the high-yield irrigated acres as well. With a high RTN score, this hybrid will perform up to its potential when the nitrogen is managed throughout the season. This versatility, along with very good plant health, allows these base genetics to be stable and consistent across the farm. The breakdown: 5678VT2P — RTN High; RTP Moderate; RTF Moderate.
CROPLAN 5340 VT2P is a 113 RM hybrid that has a similar base genetic package to the CROPLAN 6640 VT3P, with similar heat tolerance. What makes CROPLAN 5340 VT2P different from most hybrids is that the yield comes mostly from its ability to flex in girth. By taking advantage of early season moisture, this hybrid adds extra kernel rows consistently producing 18-22 round ears. By utilizing the CHT tool, we can determine that the best planting population will be on the moderate to even lower side of what a grower is typically planting. Nitrogen management as always is key, but a moderate RTN score allows us to place this hybrid on soil types that struggle to maintain high levels of soil nitrogen on late season. While our response to fungicide score is low on this hybrid, meaning that a typical plant health fungicide application does not have a high ROI, I do recommend preparing to spray this hybrid for disease protection, especially if we have an outbreak of southern rust. The breakdown: 5340VT2P — RTN Moderate; RTP Moderate; RTF Low.
CROPLAN 5073SS is a brand new 110 RM hybrid that was released in 2018 on a limited basis and on a much larger scale in 2019. CROPLAN 5073SS features a new set of genetics that brings diversity to the farm in terms of the parents used in the hybrid. This hybrid has excellent seedling vigor and emergence allowing it to excel in conventional tillage as well as reduce and no-till situations. The 5073SS brings top-end yield potential, especially when the nitrogen is managed for the entire season coupled with moderate to high populations. The SS trait provides additional below-ground protection that we miss when utilizing products with the VT2P trait. Answer Plot data has shown that the fungicide application has a positive ROI for this hybrid as well. The breakdown: 5073SS — RTN High; RTP Moderate; RTF High.
As the largest farmer-owned brand in the industry, the CROPLAN brand is committed to providing top tier genetics for all growing environments and situations throughout the area. Utilizing the CHT and R7 tool along with their local knowledge allows your local Co-op agronomist to select the best genetics and production practices including crop protection products for each individual field on the farm.