1962 PERFORMANCE TRIALS OF EXPERIMENTAL
DENT CORN HYBRIDS
Research Progress Report 45 February 1963
L. F. Bauman and P. L. Crane, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology
This is another of a series reporting the performance of single crosses, three-way crosses and experimental double crosses. The performance tests of all experimental hybrids away from Lafayette are the responsibility of Paul L. Crane.
The tests of single crosses and three-way crosses at Lafayette are conducted by L.
F. Bauman.
The performance of early and midseason single crosses reported in tables 1 and 2 was based on tests at Wanatah and Lafayette in 1962. The rather large discrepancies in yield between the two locations for some crosses were probably the result of severe mid-summer root lodging at the Wanatah location. Table 3 gives the results of early and mid-season inbreds crossed on to two single cross testers and tested at Lafayette. The data in table 4 involve mid-season and late inbreds crossed on to two single cross testers and tested at Lafayette and Princeton. The yields for the two testers are given separately, but data for the other characteristics are averaged for the two testers.
The respective planting and harvest dates were as follows: Wanatah, May 15 and October 24; Lafayette (double crosses),
May 24 and October 18; Lafayette (single and three-way crosses), May 16 and October 25; Carthage-Greensburg, May 10 and October 11; Princeton, May 4 and October 3; and Washington-Evansville, May 8 and October 4.
EXPERIMENTAL METHODS
Planting Method: Plot size was 1 x 16 hills for double crosses and 1 x 12 hills for single crosses. The plots away from Lafayette and double crosses at Lafayette were machine planted at the rate of about 16, 000 seeds per acre. The single cross tests at Lafayette were hand planted at 17,100 seeds per acre. The plots were not thinned.
Yield: Acre yields were calculated on the basis of shelled grain containing 15.5 percent moisture, the maximum allowable for No. 2 corn. All plots were harvested with a one-row picker sheller.
Lodging: Lodging was recorded in October just prior to harvest and includes both root lodging and stalk breakage.
Silking Date: The silking date gives the number of days from planting until one-half of the plants were in silk.
PURDUE UNIVERSITY • Agricultural Experiment Station • Lafayette, Indiana