AGRONOMIC AND TEST INFORMATION: BARDWELL
TEST: 2009 Dryland Corn Performance Test
LOCATION: Beakley Farms, Bardwell, Texas
COOPERATORS: Bob Beakley and Steven Beakley
SOIL TYPE: Houston black clay
ROW WIDTH: 30"
PREVIOUS CROP: Soybeans
LAND PREPARATION: Plowed two times with field cultivator
DATE PLANTED: 4-6-09: Planted flat with cones mounted on an ALMACO planter using JD Max-Emerge II units
PLOT LENGTH: 24'
FERTILIZER: Applied in furrow at planting 5 gal/A of 10-34-0 + 1 gal/A of Black label Zn + 1 gal/A Tracite (0-0-15)
Applied 10 gal/A of 32-0-0 pre-emerge with herbicide
Side-dressed 32 lb/A of actual N applied as 32-0-0
HERBICIDE: Applied 1 qt/A of Dual +Atrazine, pre-emerge
INSECTICIDE: None, seeds were requested to be treated with a seed insecticide
RAINFALL: March = 3.0"; April = 6.0"; May = 7.5"; June = 1.0"; July = 2.0”; Total = 19.5"
DATE HARVESTED: 8-20-09, with a JD3300 plot combine equipped with Grain Gauge
SIZE HARVESTED PLOT: 2 rows, 24' long
TEST DESIGN: Randomized complete block
NUMBER ENTRIES: 40
NUMBER REPLICATIONS: 4
NUMBER ROWS/PLOT: 2
MEAN PLANT POP: 22,635 plants/A
TEST MEAN: 54.2 bu/A; yields corrected to 15.5% moisture
TEST C.V.: 16.86%
COMMENTS: For the second consecutive year, weather conditions were not favorable for maximum corn production in this area. Due to wet soil conditions, the planting date was delayed until April 6, which is approximately one month later than the optimum planting date in this area. A freeze occurred right after planting which lowered the soil temperature, but did not hamper seedling emergence. Favorable growing conditions followed from timely rainfall in April and May. However, hot and dry conditions rapidly depleted available soil moisture, resulting in plant stress. Only 1.0” of rainfall was recorded in June during the tassel-silk stage. Potential yields were drastically reduced due to lack of rainfall during this critical stage of plant development. Due to the lack of moisture, rapid dry-down occurred thus accelerating the harvest date.
The test mean yield was only 54.2 bu/A. This was the third year out of the past four years where below normal yields have been recorded at this site. From 2003-2005, the test mean yield was 148.8 bu/A. The test mean yield from 2006-2008 was 103.9 bu/A however, in 2007, the test mean yield was 171.6 bu/A. Due to the hot and dry conditions, bushel weights were very low also. The mean bushel weight was only 53.2 lb/bu.
It is interesting to note this was the 25th consecutive year a corn performance test has been conducted with the Beakley’s. During this period of time, only one year was lost to weather related incidents. The 1996 test was lost due to an extended period of drought conditions.
Appreciation is expressed to the following: Helena Chemical Company, Bardwell, Texas for providing the fertilizer used when the test block was fertilized at lay-by; Dr. Dennis Coker and Mr. Russell Sutton for providing the equipment to fertilize the test block; Mr. Mark Arnold and Mr. Glenn Moore, Ellis County Texas AgriLife Extension Agent and Integrated Pest Management respectively for helping plant the test.