First 2017 Seed Trial Results

FIRST 2017 Seed Trial Results Wisconsin Central and Southern Regions

Corn

and

Soybeans farmers’ independent research of seed technologies

Thursday, December 7, 2017

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FIRST Wisconsin Corn-Seed Trial Results

Corn-seed trials offer genetic comparisons FIRST provides comparisons of innovative seed genetics to improve yield and profitability for American corn and soybean farmers. The mission began in 1997 when 64 corngrain hybrids from 14 seed-company sponsors were tested at 12 sites in Illinois. The program now tests corngrain, corn-silage and soybean seed products in 15 states – North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. The company in 2017 used 12 field managers and their independent businesses to identify, plant and harvest 532 tests at 328 locations.

Farmer members assist in test-site selection, conduct all production operations and provide all inputs except seed, its planting and crop harvest. Companies willing to sponsor the research decide which products to test, where to test them and provide seed. Only a select group of products are tested. Tested in 2017 were 1,053 corn products from 79 companies.

Hybrid and variety yield and agronomic results are reported for each individual test site and as a regional

FIRST corn-seed-tria test areas are based in central and southern Wisconsin as well as numerous other states.

farmers’ independent research of seed technologies

average of all sites in the region. On average, test results are reported on the company’s website within four days of harvest. All information provided, including this page, is provided

by FIRST. FIRST has grown into an association of farmers and businesses organized to measure and report the yield and agronomic performance of cornand soybean-seed products. The company encourages the use of the information by farmers, consultants, agronomists and seed-industry representatives for improving yield and profitability of American farm operations.

Visit www.firstseedtests.com for more information.

Wisconsin Central Corn-Grain Entries — 2017

Wisconsin South Corn-Grain Entries — 2017

from ALBERT LEA SEED • ALBERT LEA, MN • 800.352.5247 • WWW.ALSEED.COM

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Central Wisconsin Corn-Seed Trial Results

Fox Lake Corn-Seed Trial Results Kirk Warmka of Fox Lake

Visit www.firstseedtests.com for more detailed information, including abbreviation meanings, etc.

5 Fox Lake Corn-Seed Trial Results

Visit www.firstseedtests.com for more detailed information, including abbreviation meanings, etc.

6 Plover Corn-Seed Trial Results Matt Hintz of Plover

Visit www.firstseedtests.com for more detailed information, including abbreviation meanings, etc.

7 Plover Corn-Seed Trial Results

Visit www.firstseedtests.com for more detailed information, including abbreviation meanings, etc.

8 Tomah Corn-Seed Trial Results Nathan Bell of Tomah

Visit www.firstseedtests.com for more detailed information, including abbreviation meanings, etc.

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Brad Walter of Dodgeville

Dodgeville Soybean-Seed Trial Results

Visit www.firstseedtests.com for more detailed information, including abbreviation meanings, etc.

26 Janesville Soybean-Seed Trial Results Josh Tracy of Janesville

Visit www.firstseedtests.com for more detailed information, including abbreviation meanings, etc.

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Darrel Crapp of Lancaster

Lancaster Soybean-Seed Trial Results

Visit www.firstseedtests.com for more detailed information, including abbreviation meanings, etc.

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Watertown Soybean-Seed Trial Results

Randy Schultz of Watertown

29 FIRST Southern-Wisconsin Soybean-Seed Trials summary

30 How Seeds, Yields are Tested

FIRST testing program detailed The FIRST soybean-testing program compares variety yield performance in grower fields across 14 states – Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Wisconsin — and corn-hybrid yield and agronomic performance in grower fields across 16 states – Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, M issouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Testing regions have been established to provide similarity by geography and crop maturity. Soybean products within a predefined maturity range are pooled into a single all-season test or split into early- and full-season tests depending on entry volume. All soybean products entered in a region are planted at each of four test locations within the region.

Test locations are selected to represent the geographic diversity within a region. Ideal sites have uniform well-drained soils where farmer hosts use standard production practices for the area. Typically all tests at a location are conducted adjacent to each other to minimize yield variance between tests.

Seed companies and/or seed distributors are invited to submit their best soybean products within specified test-maturity limits to desired test regions.

They provide high-quality seed from commercial lots and fees to enter FIRST tests. The only exceptions are check products chosen by FIRST managers to bridge results between earlyand full-season tests, and Grower Comparison products, often provided by host farmers for their knowledge as test space permits.

Products are replicated three times minimum per test and grouped in sub-blocks arranged in replication blocks from front to back and side to side. That provides more precision in yield measurement and flexibility should a disruptive event require elimination of non-uniform test areas.

FIRST managers package, randomize and plant seeds into host-grower fields using modified commercial planting equipment to facilitate ministrip research. Individual plots contain either four 30-inch rows or seven 15-inch rows, 45 feet in length. Seeding rate is based on standard area practices.

FIRST managers harvest all soybean rows to measure yield using customized commercial self-propelled combines. Grain from each plot is electronically weighed and moisture content measured.

Soybean-performance measurements include: • Yield – harvest grain weight and grain moisture is used to convert soybean grain yield results to bushels per acre at 13 percent moisture. Grain shrinkage is additionally applied to product yields exceeding 13 percent moisture.

• Grain Moisture – A calibrated electronic sensor measures moisture content of harvested grain.

• Lodging – Estimated percentage of the degree of leaning of harvested soybean plants is used, where 0 percent = all plants vertical and 100 percent = all plants flat on the ground.

• Stand – x 1,000: final plant population in thousands per acre is determined by counting plants from harvest row portions pre-harvest.

• Gross Income – harvested crop value, in dollars per acre, is derived by multiplying corn yield and price per bushel minus drying costs, if any, to reach 13 percent moisture. Each harvest report and performance summary details specific crop price and drying costs.

• Oil – soybean oil content at 13 percent grain moisture is determined by near infrared reflectance spectroscopy.

• Protein – soybean protein content at 13 percent grain moisture is determined by near infrared reflectance spectroscopy.

With corn, field managers package, randomize and plant seeds into host-grower fields using modified commercial planting equipment to facilitate mini-strip research. Individual plots contain four 30-inch rows, 45 feet in length. Soil insecticide is typically applied at planting. Seeding rate is based on standard area practices.

FIRST managers measure yield from the center two corn rows using customized commercial self-propelled combines. Grain from each plot is electronically weighed and moisture content measured.

Corn Grain Performance Measurements include: • Yield – Harvested grain weight and grain moisture is used to convert corn-yield results to bushels per acre at 15 percent moisture.

• Grain Moisture – A calibrated electronic sensor measures moisture content of harvested grain.

• Lodging – Percentage is estimated of corn plants leaning more than 45 degrees from vertical or stalks broken below the ear at harvest – encompasses both stalk and root lodging.

• Stand – x 1,000 – final plant population in thousands per acre is determined by counting plants from harvest row portions pre-harvest.

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