Research Progress Report 228 March, 1966
1965 Hybrid Popcorn Performance Trials
R. B. Ashman, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology
The purpose of these performance trials is to compare experimental popcorn hybrids with hybrids currently being used in commercial popcorn production. Criteria for comparisons are yield, popping expansion, standing ability, and maturity.

Popcorn hybrids were tested at five Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio locations. Northern trials were at Momence, Illinois, and Lagrange, Indiana; central trials were at Marion, Ohio, and Lafayette, Indiana; and a southern trial was at Princeton, Indiana. Hybrids were grouped into late yellow, early yellow, and white at Lafayette, but no such classification was made at the other locations.

Experimental hybrids tested were selected from those that appeared promising in previous replicated trials or in unreplicated observation plots . Hybrids from other institutions and companies were included in some trials. Hybrids are identified as to source by the following letter prefixes: "P"--Indiana (Purdue) Agricultural Experiment Station, Lafayette, Indiana; "Iopop" or "la"--Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa; "A"--Ames Seed Farms, Ames, Iowa; "RB" --Chester Hybrids, Valparaiso, Indiana; "AP" or "EP"--Agricultural Alumni Seed Improvement Association, West Lafayette, Indiana.
Hybrids without letter prefixes are Purdue experimentals.

Trials were conducted in cooperation with the following companies or individuals:

Lagrange trial--Ernest Young, Wolcottville, Indiana
Momence trial--American Maize Products, Roby, Indiana
Marion trial--Wyandot Popcorn Company, Marion, Ohio
Princeton trial--Princeton Farms, Princeton, Indiana

Grateful acknowledgment is made to these individuals and companies.

CONDITIONS OF TRIALS
Trials at all locations except Lafayette were drill planted with 46 kernels per plot. This is equivalent to 16,652 plants per acre for 38-inch rows and 15, 028 for 40-inch rows. At Lafayette, yellow hybrid trials were planted with 58 kernels per plot, which is equivalent to 20,996 plants per acre, and the white hybrid trial was planted with 46 kernels per plot. No correction was made for missing plants, and percent stand for each hybrid is given in the tables as an
PURDUE UNIVERSITY • Agricultural Experiment Station • Lafayette, Indiana