As growers are making decisions on what corn hybrids to plant next year, Farm Journal Agronomist Ken Ferrie gets an assortment of questions that come through his office.
One he says has come through several times already is, “How many acres do you plant to a new hybrid, one you know little about?”
“This question gets asked a lot when you have new hybrids winning a wide swath of plots that they are in,” says Ferrie, in this week’s Boots In The Field podcast. “The fact that they’re winning plots does indicate that there are strong genetics. But when select hybrids win a lot of plots in a specific area, it may mean that growing conditions were perfect in that area for that hybrid.”
Real-World Example
Ferrie says if the growing conditions are not repeated the following year, that same hybrid could have mediocre results. He offers one example for your consideration.
“Here locally (central Illinois), we have a couple of 117-day hybrids that have been mopping up in a lot of plots, no matter whether they were planted in April or May,” he notes.
As Ferrie evaluated the hybrids he took into consideration evapotranspiration rates (ET) late in the summer.
“We had considerably above average ET rates in August through the end of September,” he recalls. “These full-season corn hybrids picked up another two weeks of good fill days with the cool nights we had. This might have set this full-season corn up to win, especially if they are D hybrids, those that get their yield gain in depth.”
Ferrie says if central Illinois has a short or even a normal fill season in 2025, those same hybrids could be a disappointment.
Minimize Your Risk
“Personally, I would not plant more than a third of my acres in a new hybrid I don’t have any experience with,” he advises. “Every hybrid should earn its way onto your farm. When adding new hybrids, be sure to do due diligence in collecting good data from nearby plots.”
Ask the seed company representative and local farmers growing those hybrids that interest you about fertility practices, tillage, fungicide, insecticides -- what’s all been used and what’s needed for success.
“Data coming from plots managed like your farm and soil types like yours, they’re pretty valuable,” Ferrie says. “This is the reason why I suggest that you put in your own variety plot, so hybrids can earn their way on your acres.”
He adds that hybrid selection should be about mitigating risk by splitting up maturities (early, mid and late), and matching hybrids to your soil conditions and management practices.
“Don’t be quick to throw out a proven hybrid for a one-year wonder,” Ferrie advises. “Walk before you run on a lot of acres with new hybrids.”
Corn Production In Utah
This past week, Ferrie traveled to Logan, Utah, to do a grower meeting for Valley Implement, which has multiple stores in Utah and Idaho.
Corn is not a big crop out there, but due to livestock numbers increasing, the demand for corn is growing. They’re in a grain-deficit area, working with $1.30 to $1.50 positive basis, and those prices have generated more corn production.
While in Utah, Ferrie did an interview for the podcast to give listeners a taste of farming in that area.
