Rain makes grain. That was particularly true of the 2008 growing season, although the late, wet spring posed a challenge. Abundant summertime moisture produced some eye-opening yields in the Missouri 2008 Corn Performance Tests.

The north region experienced a number of challenges. Planting was delayed at several of the north region sites until late May because of heavy spring rains. "The LaGrange test was lost to flooding when the levee there was breached in mid-June and floodwater covered the experiment for several weeks," says Howard Mason, MU crop variety testing research specialist. There were several summer storms in 2008 accompanied by high winds that caused significant lodging at Craig and Novelty. The cooperating farmer at Craig applied Headline to combat corn fungal diseases. European corn borer pressure was moderate to heavy at all north region sites. "In spite of all of these challenges, yields at the four locations that were harvested were good, averaging 185 bushels per acre," Mason points out.

Yields at the three southeast region sites were about normal this year, even though rainfall and growing degree-days were both low when compared to long-term averages. "European corn borer infestation was moderate, averaging 22% of the non-Bt plants sampled, which along with some high winds late in the season, contributed to fairly high lodging [45% average] at all three sites," Mason says. The cooperating farmer at the Oran site applied Asana, an insecticide.

Abundant to excessive rainfall throughout the growing season in southwest Missouri helped most of the corn tests perform well. The Urich Non-Irrigated Test was never planted because of continued spring rainfall; the farmer there changed cropping plans for that field. The remaining tests survived the wet year and produced mostly average yields.

Rainfall was plentiful for all of central Missouri this year, averaging 64% above normal for the region and yields were good at all sites. The Annada site was planted very late and had not matured sufficiently at press time to harvest. "Information from that site will be made available on our Web site after it is harvested," Mason says. European corn borer pressure was moderate to heavy across the central region this year, which probably increased plant lodging. Warrior was applied to both Columbia experiments in June because of corn earworm feeding.

Trials are grown on farms of the MU Agricultural Experiment Station and cooperating farmers across the state. The report is a contribution of the Division of Plant Science, University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. Fees provided by companies submitting hybrids for evaluation supported the work. The University of Missouri's corn hybrid performance testing program began in the mid-1930s, with results first published in 1937. The number of entries in the program has grown from fewer than 50 in the early years to 243 today.

FYI
For further location data and a description of the MU corn performance test program, visit the Web site: varietytesting.missouri.edu. The report is published in the January issue of Missouri Ruralist. You can also get a CD version from the MU agronomy plant sciences unit office at (573) 882-2307, or visit your local Extension office for a free hard copy of the report.