2023 Channel® Brand Corn Product Comparisons Following Cover Crop Mix

TRIAL OBJECTIVE

• Testing various corn products is crucial for better understanding how to position products in the right field and under the right management conditions to meet the farmer’s needs.
• The objective of this trial was to test a broad spectrum of Channel^® brand corn products that are currently recommended for the western Central Plains in a high-residue environment.

RESEARCH SITE DETAILS

• The trial was arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The only treatment factor was the corn product.

• Early stand counts and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were measured on 6/26/2023.
• Final stand counts, intactness ratings, lodged plants, and ear height were measured at harvest time.
• The total rainfall accumulated during the 2023 corn growing season was 13.5 inches. This trial was irrigated with a linear overhead irrigation system and the total irrigation applied was 2 inches. The trial had a wind storm a few days prior to harvest that impacted intactness ratings and stalk lodging percentages.

UNDERSTANDING THE RESULTS

• During the spring of 2023, the predominant species in the cover crop mix were cereal rye and winter barley. Cover crop biomass averaged 1,062 lb/acre at the time of termination on 05/20/2023.
• Due to late-season water stress, the grain yields reached were not as high as expected. As a reference, from August 8^th to September 9^th the trial received no rain or irrigation and temperatures were higher than normal.
• The highest yield was produced by 214-22STXRIB at 245.7 bu/acre while the lowest yield was produced by 211-57STXRIB at 189.1 bu/acre, 23% less than 214-22STXRIB (Table 3).
• Early stand counts for 214-78DGVT2PRIB were 33,977 plants/acre, which was 5.6% lower than the seeding rate of 36,000 seeds/acre (Table 3). 212-70TRERIB and 213-70TRERIB had the lowest early stand counts at 32,314 plants/acre, or 10.2% less than the seeding rate. Despite the numerical differences, there was no statistical difference in early stand counts across Channel^® brand products.
• Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) at corn V6 growth stage was higher in 212-70TRERIB with 0.61, whereas 214-22STXRIB had 0.44 (Table 3). Those differences could be justified by their distinct relative maturities, Growing Degree Units (GDUs), vigor, and plant architecture. A late-maturity product would be a growth stage behind and consequently have lower biomass, a key indicator of NDVI.
• Late season stand counts were the highest for 214-78DGVT2PRIB with 34,690 plants/acre, or 3.6% below the seeding rate of 36,000 seeds/acre. 211-11VT2PRIB produced the lowest stand count at 30,202 plants/acre, or 16.1% less than the seeding rate (Table 3).
• Stalk lodging was significantly different between Channel^® brand products, with the highest lodging rate occurring in 211-11VT2PRIB (36.6% of total final stand) and the lowest in 213-13SSPRIB (4.9% of total final stand) (Table 3 and Figures 2 and 3).
• 209-25SSPRIB had the best intactness rating (3.8) among all Channel^® brand products tested (Table 3 and Figures 2 and 3).
• There was a significant difference in ear height between the Channel^® brand products in this trial (Table 3 and Figures 2 and 3). 214-78DGVT2PRIB had the highest measured ear height at 60.5 inches. Corn products 203-83SSPRIB and 207-42STXRIB had ear height measurements of 41.5 inches (31.4% lower compared to 214-78DGVT2PRIB).

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