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Sunday, November 25, 2012

Hybrid Selection Number 1 Yield Factor?

Researchers at Minnesota have been looking at factors that determine corn yield.  In this article they suggest that hybrid selection is the biggest determining factor in determining corn yield.  I agree that it is very high ranking.  Many customers this year said that hybrid made a huge difference in some cases.
Dr. Fred Below of the University of Illinois has been widely quoted on the production of  300 bushel corn.  His opinion is that water and Nitrogen are number one and 2.  I tend to agree with Dr. Below.  He ranks hybrid third.  I have seen yields fall short in the recent past because of denitrification caused by too much rain, and this year because of too little rain causing drought stress.
That said, I encourage a look at both links because the both contain good advice on producing top corn yields.  It is interesting that both assume fertility is high.  I agree that high fertility is needed to produce high yields.  I don't find high fertility to be a given among new customers.  Producers cannot make the assumption that because they use fertilizer that they have the proper nutrient levels for all nutrients.

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