AGRONOMIC AND TEST INFORMATION: GREGORY
TEST: 2008 Dryland Grain Sorghum Performance Test
LOCATION: Allan Hunt Farm, Gregory, Texas
COOPERATORS: Allan Hunt, Dennis Pietsch, and Steve Labar
SOIL TYPE: Victoria clay
ROW WIDTH: 38"
PREVIOUS CROP: Grain Sorghum
LAND PREPARATION: Full Conventional Till; shred stalks, deep plowed, disked, field cultivated, and planted flat
DATE PLANTED: 2-26-08, planted flat with cones mounted on an Almaco planter using JD Max-Emerge II units.
PLANT POPULATION: Seeds were packaged to obtain a final population of approximately 75,000-80,000 plants/A
PLOT LENGTH: 2 rows 26'
FERTILIZER: 300 lb/A of 27+5+0+2(S), applied late-January
HERBICIDE: 10 oz/A of Outlook + .5 lb/A Atrazine were broadcast with fertilizer
INSECTICIDE: None, seeds were requested to be treated with a seed insecticide
RAINFALL: Less than 5” after planting. It is estimated that the season started with a soil moisture profile of 75%
DATE HARVESTED: 6-30-08 with JD 3300 plot combine equipped with Grain Gauge
SIZE HARVESTED PLOT: 2 rows, 26' long
TEST DESIGN: Randomized complete block
NUMBER ENTRIES: 26
NUMBER REPLICATIONS: 4
NUMBER ROWS/PLOT: 2
TEST MEAN: 4,575 lb/A; yields corrected to 14% moisture
TEST C.V.: 9.8%
COMMENTS: Good yields were attained at this site despite below normal rainfall during the growing season. An early, but near optimum planting date was secured and good plant stands were obtained. According to Mr. Hunt, he estimated the soil profile was about 75% of capacity at planting due to lack of fall and winter rains. Although the test block received only 5” of rainfall during the growing season, rains were timely and contributed to continuous plant growth and development. Plant stress was not observed in the test block.
This is the first successful test we have had at this site over the past 3-year period. Prior to 2008, either weather conditions or agronomic practices hampered our attempt to have a successful test. It is interesting to note we have had a continuous grain sorghum test at this site for over 40 years. Only in 2006 and 2007 have we had two consecutive years of unsuccessful tests.
The test mean yield was 4,575 lb/A with two hybrids producing over 5,000 lb/A. There was no lodging, bird, or midge damage in the test.
Test weights were quite variable in the test block with the range being from 51.2 lb/bu to 57.2 lb/bu. The low-test weights can probably be attributed to genetic differences between hybrids.