Wisconsin Corn Agronomy |
In 2005, the UW Corn Agronomy program conducted an organic hybrid/variety trial for corn to give producers information on performance and characteristics of corn in a certified organic production system. The trials were conducted using approved organic production practices at two sites certified for organic production. Seed used for the trials was either produced organically or was untreated.
Organic production is defined as “a production system that is managed, in accordance with the Organic Food Production Act and Regulations (October 2002), to respond to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance and conserve biodiversity.”
The organic system is “a plan of management of an organic production operation that has been agreed to by the producer and the certifying agent and includes written plans concerning all aspects of agricultural production or handling described in the act and the regulations.”
Materials and Methods
Site: Arlington Research Station Cooperator: Dwight Mueller Experimental design: RCB, 4 reps Plot size: 10’ x 22’ Soil: Plano silt loam, pH:6.8, OM:3.9, P:55 ppm, K:107 ppm Previous Crop: Alfalfa Tillage: Fall Chisel Plow, Field Cultivator (3x) Planting Date: 5/17/05 Row spacing: 30 inches Seeding depth: 1.5 inches Rotary Hoe: (5/24/05), Tine Weed (2x): (6/2/05, 6/5/05) Cultivation (3x): 6/9/05, 6/20/05, 6/27/05 Harvest date: 10/20/05 Harvested plot size: 5’ x 22’ Harvest Population: 28017 plants/Acre | Site: Michael Fields Institute Cooperator: John Hall Experimental design: RCB, 4 reps Plot size: 10’ x 22’ Soil: Warsaw silt loam, pH:5.7, OM:2.5, P:94 ppm, K:114 ppm Previous Crop: Wheat Manure: 18 ton dairy (5.4-9.0-14.9) Tillage: Spring Chisel Plow, Field Cultivator (2x) Planting Date: 5/17/05 Row spacing: 30 inches Seeding depth: 1.5 inches Rotary Hoe, Tine Weed, Cultivation (2x) Harvest date: 10/20/05 Harvested plot size: 5’ x 22’ Harvest Population: 25027 plants/Acre |
Table 1. Seed Companies with hybrids in the 2005 UW Organic Corn Hybrid/Variety Trials. | ||||||
Brand | Company | Address | City | State | Zip | Phone |
Brown | Brown Seed, Inc. | N1279 530th Street, P.O. Box 7 | Bay City | WI | 54723 | 888-712-7696 |
Brunner | Brunner Seed Farm | W3850 U.S. Hwy 10 | Durand | WI | 54736 | 800-298-5373 |
Cornelius | Cornelius | 14760 317th Avenue | Bellevue | IL | 52031 | 800-218-1862 |
Foundation Seeds | Foundation Direct Seed | 634 13th Avenue | Onalaska | WI | 54650 | 608-781-4076 |
NC+ | NC+ Organics | 207 18th Street North | Grand Junction | IA | 50107 | 800-370-7979 |
Prairie Hybrids | Prairie Hybrid Seeds | 27445 Hurd Road | Deer Grove | IL | 61243 | 800-368-0124 |
Viking | Albert Lea Seed House | 1414 W. Main, P.O.Box 127 | Albert Lea | MN | 56007 | 800-352-5247 |
Table 2. Performance of corn hybrids grown in organically certified production fields - 2005. | |||||||||||||||
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| Test |
| **Grower Return | Location | ||||
Brand | Hybrid | RM | Yield |
| P.I. |
| Moisture | Weight | Lodging | 1.87/bu | 4.00/bu | ARL |
| MFS |
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| bu/A |
| # |
| % | lbs/bu | % | $/A | $/A | bu/A |
| bu/A |
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Brunner | OR8702 | 87 | 163 |
| 98 |
| 16.1 | 58 | 3 | 265 | 613 | 174 |
| 153 |
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Prairie Hybrids | 0371 | 92 | 177 |
| 101 |
| 16.5 | 60 | 4 | 286 | 663 | 183 |
| 171 | * |
NC+ | 26K21 | 88 | 150 |
| 94 |
| 16.6 | 60 | 1 | 243 | 563 | 154 |
| 147 |
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NC+ | 42A32 | 98 | 179 |
| 102 | * | 16.6 | 58 | 2 | 288 | 669 | 188 |
| 170 | * |
Brunner | OR9004 | 90 | 168 |
| 99 |
| 17.0 | 60 | 2 | 269 | 626 | 182 |
| 154 |
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Viking | O.7292 | 96 | 166 |
| 98 |
| 17.8 | 58 | 5 | 264 | 617 | 173 |
| 159 |
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Foundation Seeds | 8800-O | 95 | 185 | * | 103 | * | 18.2 | 58 | 3 | 292 | 685 | 200 | * | 169 | * |
Prairie Hybrids | 1673 | 102 | 201 | * | 107 | * | 19.3 | 56 | 4 | 313 | 741 | 218 | * | 184 | * |
Cornelius | ORG494 | 108 | 189 | * | 103 | * | 19.8 | 55 | 3 | 292 | 694 | 219 | * | 159 |
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Check | Weeded | 103 | 194 | * | 104 | * | 20.0 | 58 | 2 | 299 | 711 | 222 | * | 165 |
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Brunner | OR1053 | 105 | 194 | * | 104 | * | 20.1 | 55 | 5 | 300 | 713 | 208 | * | 180 | * |
Cornelius | ORG35 | 102 | 203 | * | 107 | * | 20.4 | 56 | 4 | 313 | 745 | 219 | * | 187 | * |
Check | UTC | 103 | 200 | * | 106 | * | 20.4 | 58 | 2 | 308 | 734 | 217 | * | 183 | * |
Brunner | OR1004 | 100 | 198 | * | 106 | * | 20.5 | 56 | 3 | 305 | 728 | 209 | * | 187 | * |
Viking | O.5305 | 103 | 196 | * | 105 | * | 20.9 | 57 | 3 | 301 | 719 | 210 | * | 183 | * |
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Cornelius | ORG65 | 112 | 162 |
| 94 |
| 23.5 | 56 | 3 | 240 | 584 | 166 |
| 157 |
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Brown | EX16905 | 108 | 100 |
| 69 |
| 26.9 | 51 | 41 | 140 | 352 | 114 |
| 86 |
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Mean |
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| 178 |
| 100 |
| 19.4 | 57 | 5 | 277 | 656 | 192 |
| 164 |
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LSD(0.10)* |
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| 18 |
| 5 |
| 2.5 | 1 | 7 | 27 | 65 | 26 |
| 18 |
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# P.I. = Performance Index, evaluates hybrids by combining yield, moisture, and lodged % at a 50(yield) : 35(moisture) : 15(lodged) ratio. | |||||||||||||||
* Hybrids that performed statistically similar to the highest hybrid in the trial. | |||||||||||||||
Shaded results provide the best estimate of relative hybrid performance. | |||||||||||||||
** Grower return = (Yield x Price) – Costs Costs include:
Marketing plan: 50% sold at harvest, 25% at 4 months, and 25% at 8 months.
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Price = $4.00 = Minimum-Maximum prices reported by elevators was $3.75-$6.50 per bushel (personal communication, John Hall, Michael Fields Institute)
Price = $1.87 = Weighted Price per bushel =
Mid-November Average Cash price derived from WI Ag Statistics; CBOT Futures prices derived from closing price on first business day in December. | ||||||||||||||
For more information on organic corn production see:
UW Corn Agronomy Program: http://corn.agronomy.wisc.edu
National Organic Program, USDA: http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop
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© 1994-2008 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, Division of Cooperative Extension of the UWEX.