Choosing the right corn hybrid when planting is delayed

Phil Kaatz<kaatz@msu.edu>, and Bob Battel, Michigan State University Extension - May 16, 2014

Mid-season corn hybrids can provide similar yield punch of full-season hybrids.

The extended cool, wet weather that characterizes this spring doesn’t necessarily mean that producers have to sacrifice yield when switching from full-season hybrids to earlier maturing hybrids. With the delay in planting projected for most of Michigan, producers should begin evaluating switching corn hybrids to match them more closely to the remaining growing degree days (GDD).

When planting is delayed past the ideal planting date, yields will be reduced for all hybrid maturities. However, research by Michigan State University Extension educators shows that mid-season hybrids can have similar yields and maybe reach physiological maturity (black layer) when GDDs are reduced with a shorter growing season when compared to full-season hybrids.

Field trials from MSU’s Thumb Ag Research and Education (TARE) have been done the last four years comparing three maturity ranges planted at the same locations (see tables). Often, there is far more variation in yield between hybrids of like maturity than there is between maturity ranges. To view the full version of the 2013 trials, go to: 2013 TARE Field Trials.

Four-year averages for early, mid- and full-season corn hybrids, MSU TARE Field Trials 2010-2013. (Sites that did not include all maturity ranges were omitted.)

Year - # locations	85-94 RM				Average harvest date
Year - # locations	Number of hybrids	Average	Max	Min	Average harvest date
2013 - 5	19	181.9	197.2	165.8	10/31/2013
2012 - 4	33	175.0	192.4	162.0	11/11/2012
2011 - 2	30	165.1	182.6	140.7	11/13/2011
2010 - 3	22	171.0	192.4	148.0	10/24/2010
4-Year Average		173.2	191.1	154.1

Year - # locations	95-99 RM				Average harvest date
Year - # locations	Number of hybrids	Average	Max	Min	Average harvest date
2013 - 5	41	194.9	214.4	174.2	10/31/2013
2012 - 4	45	193.7	210.7	175.3	11/11/2012
2011 - 2	36	157.4	184.4	125.0	11/13/2011
2010 - 3	32	174.3	192.6	159.2	10/24/2010
4-Year Average		180.1	200.5	158.4

Year - # locations	100-105 RM				Average harvest date
Year - # locations	Number of hybrids	Average	Max	Min	Average harvest date
2013 - 5	44	198.9	217.5	175.9	10/31/2013
2012 - 4	42	189.2	204.2	174.2	11/11/2012
2011 - 2	39	165.1	197.1	135.2	11/13/2011
2010 - 3	32	173.7	195.9	150.3	10/24/2010
4-Year Average		181.7	203.7	158.9

A new decision tool for evaluating corn hybrid GDD is available for producers. To view, go to U2U Decision Support Tool for Corn Growing Degree Days. This tool is a USDA-funded research and Extension project and puts current conditions into a 30-year historical perspective and offers trend projections, based on climatology, through the end of the calendar year. GDD projections, combined with analysis of historical analog data, can help producers make decisions about:

Climate risks –identify the likelihood of early and late frosts or freezes.
Activity planning – consider corn hybrid estimated physiological maturity requirements, along with GDD projections when making seed purchasing and other growing season decisions.
Marketing – look at historical and projected GDD when considering forward pricing and crop insurance purchases.

For more information, contact Phil Kaatz at kaatz@msu.edu or 810-667-0341, or Bob Battel at battelro@msu.edu or 989-269-9949.

Additional information

MSU Extension’s Cool, Wet Spring and Delayed Planting

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).