Tim Kenyon
Consistent management and sturdy support systems mixed with extraordinarily strong seed hybrids led to generally good corn yield results throughout Iowa, Illinois and Missouri in the Farmer's Independent Research of Seed Technologies (FIRST) 2024 trials.
Overall, corn results were quite comparable to 2023 numbers and impressed FIRST field managers. In its 28th year, FIRST provides objective comparisons of seed genetics for U.S. corn and soybean farmers.
"I wouldn't have thought some yields would beat last year. We had pretty ideal growing conditions," said Nathan Roux, who manages several Illinois FIRST plots. "I got a lot of farms planted before it got wet then later dry, which helped against disease."
Some areas have naturally good fortune with just the right soil type or moisture content.
The FIRST site in Walnut, Illinois, took top honors with an average yield of 309 bu./acre.
Thomson, Illinois, came in second with a 297.5 bu./acre average, down 7.5 bu./acre from last year's top Illinois ranking. Close behind at 297.4 bu./acre was Grand Ridge, Illinois, with an average of 297.4 bu./acre.
The highest in Iowa came in Postville with 290.1 bu./acre. Last year, Postville set a new FIRST record for corn of 314.4 bu./acre.
"We finally found a dry spell in mid-May to get this (Postville) plot in. I don't think this area missed a rain until the end of July," said Jason Beyers, a FIRST manager who oversaw the plot.
"Plants had a lot of vegetative growth but stalk quality was still good, making harvest easy. Ears were all filled out nicely to produce the yield levels that you see. There was very little disease to be noted. This would be two years in a row that the yields were great at this location."
Canby in southwest Iowa followed with 286.5 bu./acre.
The Canby plot impressed Randy Meinsma, who manages several southern Iowa plots.
"The weather cooperated throughout the growing season once the corn spiked," Meinsma said. "There was no lodging and stalk quality was excellent. Hybrids with four replicates yielded from 254-322 (bu./acre.)."
FIRST reports showed much of northwest Iowa reporting averages from 248.2 bu./acre to 290.8. A Lineville, Iowa, plot bordering northern Missouri reported the three-state area's low average yield at 205.7 bu./acre. FIRST reports show the plot averaged 212.42 over nine years.
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Unfortunately, too much rain early and excessive dryness a few months later were big challenges for it, Meinsma said.
While ups and downs are a part of everyday agriculture work, Beyers noted a plot in Manchester, Iowa, weighed on his mind and heart more this year.
Farm hand Austin Helle stepped up to care for the plot owned by the late John Cronk near Highways 187 and 20, Beyers said. Cronk hosted the plot 24 years for FIRST, he said.
Helle guided the field to a 242.7 bu./acre of corn yield. That yield followed its consistent past, said Beyers, who manages FIRST plots in northeast Iowa, southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.
"This plot was planted on May 15 in great soil conditions. By June, this location had already received over 6 inches of rain. The plot looked very good and didn't seem phased by all the rain received," Beyers reported. "Some tar spot was present at harvest time, not seeming to affect yield. The corn was nice and tall with excellent root structure, most ears facing upwards.
"I would like to thank Austin for all the help that he provided this season. John passed away just before planting. Many of us lost a very good friend, and he will be missed."
Missouri plots were led by a site at Cairo with 288.6 bu./acre of corn and finished harvest Sept. 13. A Portage Des Sioux, Missouri, farm finished second highest at 266.7 bu./acre.
Missouri plots impressed FIRST manager Bill Schelp.
"Corn was the fastest start across the board that I've witnessed in central and north Missouri," he said. "Soil conditions and temperature allowed a very early and quick planting overall. Corn yields are mostly excellent across the board. Overall trends held with the higher-yielding sites doing the same this year. No challenges on corn."
A farm near Greentop, Missouri, came in with the state's lowest yield, 215.3 bu./acre when it was harvested Sept 19.
St. Joseph fell only 0.5 bu./acre short from last year's state high of 257.7 when it was harvested
Sept. 18.
Eight of the 10 Missouri FIRST plots were above 250 bu./acre and one of the other two reached 247.9 in central Missouri.
Full results can be found online at firstseedtests.com/archive/corn-grain/ for this year's FIRST tests.
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