Making corn work in ’10 and beyond starts with hybrid

Originally published in the January 22, 2010, print edition.

By Dick Hagen The Land Staff Writer

The Land — Despite harvesting challenges of record proportion, the 2009 corn crop produced some amazing yields, even in Minnesota. But with record high drying and storage costs, coupled with record low test weights for some producers, some fields also rapidly shrunk anticipated profits.

So what to do to make corn profitable in 2010?

Not surprisingly, selecting the right varieties to maximize yields still sits at the top as the single most important input for that 2010 crop. Check results of the 2009 National Corn Growers Association corn yield contest: The 24 winners in eight production categories averaged more than 300 bushels per acre, compared to the projected national yields of 162.9 bushels per acre. Note also the value of water: nine of the 11 top yields were from irrigated fields.

Bill Wright with Wright Farms in Walsh County, Colo., led the nation with a 346.01 bushel yield. Close behind was Steve Albracht of Hart, Texas, with 341.19 bushels. Both growers used Pioneer 32N73.

Veteran crop consultant Tom McGraw simply said, “Whatever you do, the first consideration has to be yield.” He cautioned, “Yes, I know when you start writing checks for the inputs to grow this crop, the tendency is to put expenses as first priority. Yes, that can’t be ignored. But the bottom line at the end of any crop year tells you yield, yield, yield is what pays the bills.”

McGraw said basic costs of rent, fuel and machinery don’t vary much whether you raise 150-bushel corn or 250-bushel corn. “But as my Dad always said, ‘the last day of harvest is for me. Before that the crop is going to my banker, my seed dealer, my local co-op for fuel and fertilizer. And if I get two last days, I double my net profit.’ So that’s why I say yield, yield, yield is what gets you more of those last days. Extra yield is where those ‘free bushels’ are found.”

Jim Boersma, long-time Pioneer agronomist in Minnesota, said about 70 percent of the company’s Minnesota sales are now triple-stack hybrids. Plus much of their seed is treated (Dynasty or Apron for example) for additional protection against seedling diseases.

Emergence should also be considered when selecting hybrids. “Early planting is key for high corn yields but soils in late April are often cool and wet causing many stresses on young seedlings,” said Jeff Coulter, University of Minnesota Extension corn agronomist. Strong emergence is especially important for fields with heavy soils and abundant surface residue.

With seed costs ramping up virtually every year, how critical are planting rates to achieve the most “profitable” yields? Boersma suggested an average population for the Minnesota corn producer would now be about 33,500 harvest population. However, Minnesota’s top yield in the NCGA Corn Yield Contest was Daniel Steffl Sleepy Eye producer planting Pioneer 35F44 at 37,500 plants per acre and getting 268 bu./acre. Hog manure and high fertility background was the extra frosting producing this outstanding yield. It was also early planted, on April 20.

Sharing three years of corn population trials (2005-08) at University of Minnesota research and outreach centers at Lamberton and Waseca, Coulter summarized:

• Optimum plant population does not change with planting date or row width, but early maturing hybrids may require a higher plant population than full-season hybrids. Yield increases from high populations result from increased light interception during grain fill by the crop canopy.
• Optimum population economically varies based on seed cost and price of corn. However under current economics ($250 seed and $4 corn), most “profitable” population ranges from about 32,000 to 34,000.

In a 2008 trial, optimum population for 94- to 96-day relative maturity corn was 34,800 but that dropped to 31,400 plants per acre for the 102-day RM hybrids. Coulter theorizes that because earlier-maturing hybrids tend to be shorter with less leaf area than full-season hybrids, they may require higher populations to optimize light interception.

Reflecting on the high input costs of the 2008 crop Boersma wondered if producers got into a “cut, cut, cut” mentality to trim costs for the 2009 crop. “They likely cut corners on P, K and N, banking on reserves in the soil. The differences were really apparent in fields last fall. Farmers that went with recommended levels of P and K didn’t complain much about the dry-down of their corn this fall. Phosphorous is important for maturity; potash for standability and drought, and of course nitrogen for protein production (yield).”

How about micro-nutrients in this push for higher yields? “Yes, (it’s) getting to be a bigger factor,” Boersma said. “You should always be testing for zinc. If you’re down to less than one part per million, add zinc either with the starter or broadcast fertilizer. If fields have a manure history, they probably are OK on sulfur. But on sandy, lighter soils add some sulfur. I say sulfur is now No. 4 after N, P and K in terms of value to your crop.”

How many different hybrids should you plant?

The average is three to five hybrids for most Minnesota farmers according to Boersma. Plant multiple hybrids of varying maturity to spread risk and widen the harvest interval, Coulter said.

Both men suggested selecting hybrids that reach maturity at least 10 days before the first average frost to allow time for grain dry-down and provide a buffer against a cool year or late planting.

Coulter also pointed out that full-season hybrids do not consistently out-yield mid-season hybrids in Minnesota. “There is more variability in yield among hybrids in a given relative maturity rating than there is between maturity groups.”

Boersma cautioned against letting this fall’s delayed harvest move you into early maturing hybrids. “I’m not recommending that because 2009 was the fourth coldest season on record and yet we still had huge yields. So stay the course with the majority of your hybrids.”

He urges early planting, assuming your soils work up properly.

“Typically the 10th of May is not too late in terms of yield loss. But this past season, plantings beyond the fifth of May is where producers really struggled with dry-down of their corn. So because of the season last year, planting date really made some differences. We ended up with only about 2,300 heat units last year.”

Non-biotech corn paid the price with severe lodging from corn rootworm last year, especially if they didn’t use any insecticide on their Roundup Ready corn.

“Guys that went naked (no insecticide) had a lot of flat corn,” Boersma said. He has no problem with continuous corn provided the grower does enough of the “right things” starting with well-drained soils, high fertility, probably doing moldboard plowing or some other form of more complete tillage to bury the residue, starter fertilizer, a good drought tolerance score and a hybrid with high disease-tolerance scores.

Will farmers have access to buying their “refuge seed” in the bag?

There was lots of clamor about this possibility at winter meetings. Boersma said, “Pioneer hasn’t officially announced but they’re telling us by spring we will have some seed available.”