Eric Winans and Fred BelowCrop Physiology Laboratory

Department of Crop SciencesUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

What is the yield potential of todays corn hybrids?

Top National Yields in 2017Grower Yield

(bu/acre) Hybrid Population(plants/acre)

David Hula, Virginia 542 P1197AM 51,900Craig Hula, Virginia 529 DKC67-44 50,700

Johnny Hula, Virginia 505 PGY5115VT2P 50,800Kevin Dowdy, Georgia 414 A6499 STX 40,000

Don Stall, Michigan 407 P0574AM 45,000Randy Dowdy, Georgia 406 A6499 STX 40,000Bridget Dowdy, Gerogia 389 A6499 STX 38,000

Kevin Kalb, Indiana 386 DKC66-74 39,000Jared Dowdy, Gerogia 375 A6499 STX 38,000

Dan Gause, South Carolina 357 P2089YHR 33,000Source: NCGA, 2017

10Growth Regulators 15Tillage20Plant Population25Previous Crop50Hybrid70Nitrogen70+Weather

7654321

bu/acreValueFactorRank

Seven Wonders of the Corn Yield World

Given key prerequisites

Types of Commercial Hybrids‘Racehorse’ hybrid

– Large Response to N Fertilization– Responsive to Population and Row

Spacing– High Response to Crop Management– Deliver Top-end Yield

‘Workhorse’ hybrid– Tolerant of Low N Conditions– Acceptable Performance in Low Yield

Environments – High Stability across Environments

Evaluating Corn Hybrids for their Yield Responses to Management

Champaign

TreatmentDescription

Row Spacing(inches)

Population(plants/acre)

Nitrogen(lbs N/acre)

Check 30 32,000 0Low N 30 32,000 60High N 30 32,000 280

Intermediate Pop. 30 38,000 280High Pop. 30 44,000 280

Narrow Rows 20 44,000 280

48 Commercial Hybrids• 9 seed brands• 104-120 relative maturity

Nitrogen Rate (lbs/acre)

Location 0 60 280

bushels acre-1

Yorkville 225 263 286

Champaign 211 255 266

Harrisburg 232 278 286

Average 222 265 279

Effect of Nitrogen Rate on Grain Yield

Average of 44 Commercial Hybrids in Illinois in 2017

At 32,000 plants/acre

Nitrogen Rate (lbs/acre)

Location 0 60 280

bushels acre-1

Yorkville 191-263 198-327 212-333

Champaign 170-250 207-286 219-314

Harrisburg 211-266 251-310 259-319

Hybrid Range in Response to N Rate

Range in response of 44 Commercial Hybrids in Illinois in 2017At 32,000 plants/acre

Hybrid Tolerance to N Loss

Hybrid A Hybrid B

30 Inch 20 InchPlant Population (plants/acre)

Location 32,000 38,000 44,000 44,000bushels acre-1

Yorkville 286 295 295 311Champaign 266 273 276 282Harrisburg 286 301 306 314

Average 279 290 292 302

Plant Population and Row Space on Grain Yield

Average of 44 Commercial Hybrids in Illinois in 2017at 280 lbs N/acre

Range in Hybrid Tolerance to High Population

Change in grain yield from 38,000 to 44,000 plants/acre in 30 inch rows and 280 lbsN/acre Yorkville, IL 2017

Range in Hybrid Response to Row Spacing

Change in grain yield from 30 to 20 inch rows at 44,000 plants/acre and 280 lbs N/acre Yorkville, IL 2017

Top Yielding Entries in 2017Location Hybrid Brand Spacing Density Yield

inches plants/acre bu/acre

YV 7927VT3P/RIB Croplan 20 44,000 379

HB EXP Golden Harvest 20 44,000 370

HB G18D87-3111 Golden Harvest 20 44,000 362

HB DKC65-94 DEKALB 20 44,000 360

YV 7927VT3P/RIB Croplan 30 38,000 356

YV 215-75STXRIB Channel 20 44,000 356

YV P1311AMXT Pioneer 20 44,000 356

HB P1197AMXT Pioneer 20 44,000 353

YV D55VC46 Dyna-Gro 20 44,000 352

YV G10T63-3122 Golden Harvest 30 38,000 348

Hybrids received 280 lbs N/acre

How do We Characterize Hybrids?

‘Workhorse’ Index• Check Plot Yield• Response to Low Nitrogen

‘Racehorse’ Index

• Response to Nitrogen• Response to Intermediate

Population• Response to High

Population• Response to Row Spacing

Hybrids are ranked for each parameter within each location.

Hybrid Brand Yield(bu/acre)

WorkhorseIndex

RacehorseIndex

G18D87-3111 Golden Harvest 297 9.6 5.6G10T63-31222 Golden Harvest 297 4.9 8.1P1311AMXT Pioneer 296 4.9 7.7P1197AMXT Pioneer 296 4.0 7.1

D56VC46 Dyna-Gro 293 5.2 6.2DKC65-94RIB DEKALB 291 7.2 4.8

EXP Golden Harvest 287 7.3 6.0D55VC45 Dyna-Gro 287 3.7 7.1D58VC65 Dyna-Gro 287 7.6 4.95678VT2P Croplan 287 7.5 5.5

All Hybrids are not Created Equal

Yields averaged across three locations at 32,000 plants/acre and 280 lbsN/acre

Key Takeaways • Today’s commercial hybrids exhibit a wide

range in yield responses to N loss and increased management.• ‘Workhorse’ hybrids tolerate N loss and

show yield stability across environments• ‘Racehorse’ hybrids exhibit greatest

response to N fertilization and reach their greatest yield potential in high densities or narrow rows

Key Takeaways •Highest yields in 2017 were

achieved with ‘Racehorse’ typehybrids at high densities in narrowrows•Narrow rows are a better

arrangement of high densities formost hybrids

Crop Physiology LaboratoryUniversity of Illinois

http://cropphysiology.cropsci.illinois.edu

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