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HYBRID POPCORN PERFORMANCE TESTS - 19491/
Oliver E, Nelson, Jr.

Dept, of Botany and Piant Pathology Mim. No, 42.
Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station	February 1950

In 1949 the testing of popcorn hybrids by the Department of Botany and Plant
Pathology was greatly expanded. The trials consisted of three tests (Commercial, Early, and Observation) at Lafayette, Indiana, and a late test at Princeton, Indiana,
We wish to express our gratitude to the Popcorn Processors Association whose grant
made much of this testing program possible and to Princeton Farms, Princeton, Indiana,
for their assistance with our test of late hybrids.
In addition, seed of experimental hybrids was supplied to Dr. L, M, Josephson
of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station, for a test at Lexington, Kentucky.
He has kindly allowed me to summarize his data in this report so that much of the
available information on these hybrids may be collected in one publication.
At Lafayette the tests were grown at the new Soils and Crops Farm. The land
which had been in sod was plowed in the fall of 1948. Early in the spring 175 lbs,
of Uramon per acre was applied at plow sole depth by a deep placement drill. At
planting time 220 lbs, per acre of 3-12-12 was applied in the row. Yields were cal-
culated on the basis of a perfect stand of three plants per hill 40" x 40". The
plots were 1 x 12 hills. All tests were planted on April 30.
At Princeton, Indiana, the trial was planted on May 8 on land made available
by Princeton Farms, Clover sod was plowed under with 400 lbs, per acre of 10-10-10.
At planting 200 lbs. per acre of 3-12-12 was applied in the row. The hills were
36" x 36" and the plots were 1 x 12 hills.
At Lexington the test was on ground that had been in red clover, alfalfa, and
lespedeza the year previous. Fertilization consisted of 400 lbs, of 6-3-6 per acre.
The corn was planted on May 6 and treated with 2-4D (2 lbs. of acid per acre as
amine in 15 gallons of water) on May 11,
As in the past the hybrids in each test are ranked in descending order according
to a rating which is indicative of overall performance in relation to other hybrids
in the test. This score takes into account three critical factors — yield, expansion,
and standing ability — and gives them all equal weight. Then the total score for
each hybrid is the sum of Yield Rank + Expansion Rank + Standability Rank.
A high plus score indicates the superiority of an entry over most of the other
entries with regard to two or even three of the critical factors being evaluated.
A high minus score denotes the competitive disadvantage of a variety when compared
to the majority of the test hybrids. The rating for each hybrid is an attempt on our
part to aid the reader in evaluating a hybrid for all the important elements.
The growing season was generally good at both Lafayette and Princeton, and this
fact is reflected in good yields and high expansions for most tests,  Stalk breakage
and root lodging was moderate in the Indiana tests. Dent contamination is reported
as the percentage of ears showing contamination. A dash in this particular column
means that the seed was hand-pollinated, and there was no chance for contamination.

1/ Conducted cooperatively with the U. S. Department of Agriculture.