the quest for high yield cornextension.missouri.edu/scott/documents/ag/corn...eric winans the quest...

Eric Winans

The Quest for High Yield Corn

Crop Physiology Laboratory

Department of Crop Sciences

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Southeast Missouri Regional Corn Meeting

Miner Convention Center, Miner, MO, December 12th, 2018

Test Your Knowledge of

High Yield Corn

•What is the world record

corn yield and what is the

corn yield gap?

The Corn Yield Gap•World Record yield of 542.2740

bushels per acre in 2017

•US average yield of 177 bushels

per acre in 2017

•Yield Gap = Record Yield –

Average Yield = 365 bushels

The NCGA Corn Yield Contest

•6 categories that include: state

corn area (A & AA), irrigated,

non-irrigated, and conservation

tillage with 3 winners in each

category

•All 18 contest winners in 2017

exceeded 300, 5 exceeded 400,

and 3 exceeded 500 bushels

2017 National Corn Growers Contest Winners

Top Ten Yields and Locations

David Hula, Virginia @ 542.3

Craig Hula, Virginia @ 529.1

Johnny Hula, Virginia @ 504.7

Don Stall, Michigan @ 407.2

Randy Dowdy, Georgia @ 406.1

Bridget Dowdy, Georgia @ 389.0

Kevin Kalb, Indiana @ 386.2

Dan Gause, South Carolina @ 357.1

Shawn Kalb, Indiana @ 354.1

John Gause, South Carolina @ 353.6

Strategy for Winning the

NCGA Corn Yield Contest

•Feed (better plant nutrition)

and protect a much higher

density of the best

‘racehorse’ hybrids

•Make sure the crop is never

stressed

Quest for High Yield Corn

• Intelligent Intensification with

the Seven Wonders of the

Corn Yield World

•What management factors

have the biggest impact on

corn yield each year

The Seven Wonders of

Corn Yield•Given key prerequisites of drainage,

weed & pest control, and adequate

soil fertility

•Ranks the factors that each year can

have a positive (sometimes negative)

impact on yield and gives each an

average bushel per acre value

Seven Wonders of the Corn Yield World

Given key prerequisites

Rank Factor Valuebu/acre

1

2

3

4

5

6

7




1 Weather 70+

2

3

4

5

6

7

Champaign

Harrisburg

Crop Physiology Lab Research

Sites & Farm Cooperators 2018

Yorkville - Bob Stewart,

Stewart Farms

Champaign - UI Research

Farm

Harrisburg - Scott Berry, Berry

Farms

Yorkville

Average Soil Analysis, Preplant 2018

† Mehlich 3 extraction

All soils are silt loams or silty clay loams

Location

Yorkville Champaign Harrisburg

OM (%) 4.5 3.6 2.2

pH 6.3 6.3 6.6

CEC 21.9 19.6 13.2

P (ppm)† 45 38 26

K (ppm)† 197 166 133

Champaign

Harrisburg

Yorkville




1 Weather 70+

2

3

4

5

6

7




1 Weather 70+

2 Nitrogen 70

3

4

5

6

7

Weather Induced Nitrogen Loss

Test Your Knowledge of

High Yield Corn

• Does nitrogen predominately

move vertically (down) or

horizontally (to the side) in

the soil?

Nitrogen Deficiency to the Row

Due to Vertical Soil Movement

180 lbs N preplant (Left) vs 180 lbs preplant + 80 lbs sidedress (Right)

Human

Y-Drop

Research Y-Drop

Applicator Courtesy

of Yield 360

UAN Center of Row

UAN Y-Drop

Champaign, IL August 16th, 2018

Sidedress Center of Row Sidedress Y-Drop




1 Weather 70+

2 Nitrogen 70

3

4

5

6

7




1 Weather 70+

2 Nitrogen 70

3 Hybrid 50

4

5

6

7

Champaign

Harrisburg

Hybrid Variety Testing - 2018

Yorkville

At Each Site:

• 44 Commercial Hybrids

• Nine Seed Brands

• 105-120 Relative Maturity

• 32,000 plants acre with 280 lbs N

Rank Yield Rank Yield Rank Yield Rank Yield

bu/acre bu/acre bu/acre bu/acre

1 253 12 235 23 224 34 216

2 246 13 232 24 223 35 215

3 245 14 231 25 222 36 215

4 244 15 231 26 222 37 212

5 244 16 231 27 221 38 212

6 240 17 229 28 221 39 212

7 239 18 229 29 220 40 212

8 238 19 227 30 220 41 209

9 237 20 227 31 219 42 203

10 235 21 227 32 218 43 195

11 235 22 227 33 218 44 195

All Hybrids are Not Created Equal - 2018

32,000 plants/acre with 280 lbs N at Harrisburg (Southern IL)

LSD (0.10) = 22



1 290 12 261 23 250 34 238

2 289 13 260 24 249 35 237

3 287 14 260 25 249 36 235

4 285 15 259 26 248 37 233

5 277 16 257 27 247 38 233

6 277 17 257 28 247 39 232

7 274 18 257 29 245 40 223

8 272 19 255 30 243 41 223

9 272 20 254 31 243 42 208

10 269 21 252 32 240 43 195

11 262 22 250 33 239 44 193


32,000 plants/acre with 280 lbs N at Champaign (Central IL)

LSD (0.10) = 25



1 268 12 241 23 227 34 214

2 258 13 241 24 226 35 212

3 258 14 238 25 225 36 209

4 255 15 237 26 224 37 207

5 252 16 236 27 222 38 204

6 251 17 235 28 222 39 204

7 247 18 235 29 220 40 202

8 243 19 235 30 219 41 200

9 243 20 234 31 217 42 196

10 242 21 231 32 216 43 190

11 241 22 229 33 216 44 173


32,000 plants/acre with 280 lbs N at Yorkville (Northern IL)

LSD (0.10) = 32



117 268 12 241 23 227 111 214

113 258 13 241 24 226 105 212

113 258 14 238 25 225 107 209

112 255 15 237 26 224 108 207

113 252 16 236 27 222 110 204

114 251 17 235 28 222 108 204

109 247 18 235 29 220 108 202

114 243 19 235 30 219 106 200

111 243 20 234 31 217 107 196

112 242 21 231 32 216 105 190

114 241 22 229 33 216 104 173


32,000 plants/acre with 280 lbs N at Yorkville (Northern IL)

LSD (0.10) = 32




1 Weather 70+

2 Nitrogen 70

3 Hybrid 50

4

5

6

7




1 Weather 70+

2 Nitrogen 70

3 Hybrid 50

4 Previous Crop 25

5

6

7

Continuous Corn Yield Penalty Gets Worse

with Years in Continuous Corn

Agron J. 105:295-303 (2013)

7th year Continuous Corn

Yield Penalty is Due to the Residue

Corn/Soybean Rotation

Standard Stalk

Rollersvs.

Calmer’s BT

Choppers




1 Weather 70+

2 Nitrogen 70

3 Hybrid 50

4 Previous Crop 25

5

6

7




1 Weather 70+

2 Nitrogen 70

3 Hybrid 50

4 Previous Crop 25

5 Plant Population 20

6

7

Year

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Gra

in y

ield

(b

u a

cre

-1)

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Pla

nt

de

ns

ity (

ac

re-1

)

16000

18000

20000

22000

24000

26000

28000

30000

32000U.S. plant density

U.S. average grain yield

Source USDA

How Have Corn Yields Increased?

Grain Yield is a Product Function

of Yield Components

Yield = (plants/acre) x

(kernels/plant) x

(weight/kernel)

Year

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Gra

in y

ield

(b

u a

cre

-1)

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Pla

nt

de

ns

ity (

ac

re-1

)

16000

18000

20000

22000

24000

26000

28000

30000

32000U.S. plant density

U.S. average grain yield

Source USDA

Density Increases 400 Plants per Acre per Year

Is the Future of Corn Higher Populations in

Narrow Rows?

Plant to Plant Spacing

30” 20”

38,000 5.5” 8.3”

44,000 4.8” 7.1”

50,000 4.2” 6.3”

56,000 3.7” 5.6”

30” Rows

56,000 plants/acre

3.7” Plant Spacing

20” Rows

56,000 plants/acre

5.6” Plant Spacing

30” Rows 20” Rows

Row

Spacing

Planting Density (plants/acre)

38,000 44,000 50,000 56,000

---------------------------------- bu/acre -------------------------------------

30” 299 302 298 290

20” 306 315 318 302

Averaged Across 6 DeKalb Hybrids and Two Locations in 2017

Row Spacing & Population Effect on

Grain Yield




1 Weather 70+

2 Nitrogen 70

3 Hybrid 50

4 Previous Crop 25


6

7




1 Weather 70+

2 Nitrogen 70

3 Hybrid 50

4 Previous Crop 25


6 Tillage 15

7




1 Weather 70+

2 Nitrogen 70

3 Hybrid 50

4 Previous Crop 25


6 Tillage 15

7 Growth Regulators 10




1 Weather 70+

2 Nitrogen 70

3 Hybrid 50

4 Previous Crop 25


6 Tillage 15


260 buTOTAL

How to Get High Corn Yields?

• Optimize each of the seven

wonders, and their positive

interactions

• Provide better prerequisites,

season long weed control &

balanced fertility/nutrition




1 Weather 70+

2 Nitrogen 70

3 Hybrid 50

4 Previous Crop 25


6 Tillage 15


260 buTOTAL

Top National Yields in 2017

GrowerYield

(bu/acre)Hybrid

Population

(plants/acre)

David Hula, Virginia 542 P1197AM 51,900

Craig Hula, Virginia 529 DKC67-44 50,700

Johnny Hula, Virginia 505 PGY5115VT2P 50,800

Kevin Dowdy, Georgia 414 A6499 STX 40,000

Don Stall, Michigan 407 P0574AM 45,000

Randy Dowdy, Georgia 406 A6499 STX 40,000

Bridget Dowdy, Gerogia 389 A6499 STX 38,000

Kevin Kalb, Indiana 386 DKC66-74 39,000

Jared Dowdy, Gerogia 375 A6499 STX 38,000

Dan Gause, South Carolina 357 P2089YHR 33,000

Source: NCGA, 2017

Evaluating Corn Hybrids for their

Yield Responses to Management

Champaign

Treatment

Description

Row Spacing

(inches)

Population

(plants/acre)

Nitrogen

(lbs N/acre)

Check 30 32,000 0

Low N 30 32,000 60

High N 30 32,000 280

Intermediate Pop. 30 38,000 280

High Pop. 30 44,000 280

Narrow Rows 20 44,000 280

56 Commercial Hybrids

• 9 seed brands

• 104-120 relative maturity

Hybrid Tolerance to N Loss

Hybrid A Hybrid B

30 Inch 20 Inch

Plant Population (plants/acre)

Location 32,000 38,000 44,000 44,000bushels acre-1

Yorkville 256 265 262 273

Champaign 258 266 271 278

Harrisburg 255 270 273 284

Average 256 267 268 278

Plant Population and Row Space

on Grain Yield

Average of 44 Commercial Hybrids in Illinois in

2017 and 2018

With 280 lbs N/acre

Range in Hybrid Tolerance to High Population

Change in grain yield from 38,000 to 44,000

plants/acre in 30 inch rows and 280 lbs N/acre

Yorkville, IL 2017

Range in Hybrid Response to Row Spacing

Change in grain yield from 30 to 20 inch rows at

44,000 plants/acre and 280 lbs N/acre

Yorkville, IL 2017

Top Yielding Entries in 2017

Location Hybrid Brand Spacing Density Yieldinches plants/acre bu/acre

YV 7927VT3P/RIB Croplan 20 44,000 379

HB EXP Golden Harvest 20 44,000 370

HB G18D87-3111 Golden Harvest 20 44,000 362

HB DKC65-94 DEKALB 20 44,000 360

YV 7927VT3P/RIB Croplan 30 38,000 356

YV 215-75STXRIB Channel 20 44,000 356

YV P1311AMXT Pioneer 20 44,000 356

HB P1197AMXT Pioneer 20 44,000 353

YV D55VC46 Dyna-Gro 20 44,000 352

YV G10T63-3122 Golden Harvest 30 38,000 348

Hybrids received 280 lbs N/acre

Top Yielding Entries in 2018

Location Hybrid Brand Spacing Density Yieldinches plants/acre bu/acre

CU 5370VT2P/RIB Croplan 20 44,000 322



CU A6544STXRIB AgriGold 20 44,000 308

CU DKC70-27RIB DEKALB 20 44,000 307

CU D58VC65 Dyna-Gro 20 44,000 299



HB DKC62-53RIB DEKALB 20 44,000 298

CU P1257AMXT Pioneer 20 44,000 295

Hybrids received 280 lbs N/acre

How do We Characterize Hybrids?

‘Workhorse’ Index• Check Plot Yield

• Response to Low

Nitrogen

‘Racehorse’ Index• Response to Nitrogen

• Response to

Intermediate Population

• Response to High

Population

• Response to Row

Spacing

Hybrids are ranked for each parameter within each

location.

Hybrid Brand Yield(bu/acre)

Workhorse

Index

Racehorse

Index

G18D87-3111 Golden Harvest 297 9.6 5.6

G10T63-31222 Golden Harvest 297 4.9 8.1

P1311AMXT Pioneer 296 4.9 7.7

P1197AMXT Pioneer 296 4.0 7.1

D56VC46 Dyna-Gro 293 5.2 6.2

DKC65-94RIB DEKALB 291 7.2 4.8

EXP Golden Harvest 287 7.3 6.0

D55VC45 Dyna-Gro 287 3.7 7.1

D58VC65 Dyna-Gro 287 7.6 4.9

5678VT2P Croplan 287 7.5 5.5

All Hybrids are not Created Equal

Yields averaged across three locations at 32,000 plants/acre

and 280 lbs N/acre

How to Get High Corn Yields?

• Optimize each of the seven

wonders, and their positive

interactions

• Provide better prerequisites,

season long weed control &

balanced fertility/nutrition

Standard Practice vs High Technology System 2013-18

Fertility None, or fall P or K based on soil testBalanced Crop Nutrition in lbs 30 N,100 P2O5, 25 S,

2.5 Zn banded as MicroEssentials-SZ and/or 75 K2O

and 0.6 B broadcast as Aspire at planting

Nitrogen 180 lbs pre-plant as UAN Extra N (60 lbs) sidedress with a urease inhibitor for

240 lbs of total N

Population 32,000 plants/acre vs 44,000 plants/acre

Fungicide No Fungicide

Headline-Amp, Quilt-Xcel or Trivapro @ R1

Row Space30 inch row spacing

20 inch row spacing

Standard Management vs High Tech System

Standard Management High Tech System

Standard Management vs High Tech System

High Technology

System

Standard Management

Ears from

1/1000 of

an acre

Year Standard High Tech Dbushels acre-1

2013 196 231 +35*

2014 193 238 +45*

2015 189 251 +62*

2016 227 272 +45*

2017 228 288 +60*

2018 246 303 +57*

Average 213 264 +51*

Corn Yield Response to Management

Average of 3 trials each in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2

trials in 2017 and 2018.

*Significantly different at P ≤ 0.05.

Conclusions• Understanding those factors

that have the biggest impact on corn yield each year (i.e. the Seven Wonders of Corn Yield) gives growers the opportunity to increase corn yield with better crop management

Conclusions• Today’s commercial hybrids exhibit a wide

range in yield responses to N loss and increased management.

• Higher plant populations are needed for increased yields, which ultimately will require narrow rows, the right hybrid and better crop nutrition

• For maximum yield a systems approach is needed that combines individual practices known to impact productivity

Crop Physiology 2018 Research Team

Champaign

Harrisburg

Past & Current Crop Physiology

Lab Sites & Farm Cooperators

DeKalb - Eric Lawler

H.B. Babson Farms

Yorkville - Bob Stewart

Stewart Farms LLC

Champaign - UI Research Farm

Harrisburg - Scott Berry

Berry Farms

Yorkville

DeKalb

The Crop Physiology Laboratory

•AdvanSix

•Agrinos

•Agrium

•Agrocete

•Asilomar

•Avunia

•Balchem

•BASF

•Bayer

•Calmer Corn Heads

•Compass Minerals

•Crystal Green Fertilizer

•Fluid Fertilizer Foundation

•Helena

•ISA

•Illini FS

•Italpollina

•John Deere

•Mosaic

•Montag Mfg

•Netafim

•Nutrien

•Sipcam Agro

Financial and Product Support for 2018

•Sirius Minerals

•Solvay

•Syngenta

•Tessenderlo Kerley

•United Prairie

•United Soybean

Board

•Valent

•Verdesian

•West Central

•WinField United

For More Information:

Crop Physiology LaboratoryUniversity of Illinois

http://cropphysiology.cropsci.illinois.edu

Special Thanks to David Reinbott

and Missouri Extension

the quest for high yield cornextension.missouri.edu/scott/documents/ag/corn...eric winans the quest...

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