By Terry Boland, Editor-in-Chief
The Ontario Hybrid Corn Performance Trials Report, published annually by the Ontario Corn Committee (OCC), is scheduled for release in early December. Growers will notice a change in the report from those of previous years. In the past, the trials were organized into eight tables, representing various heat unit zones in southern Ontario. However, this arrangement was not satisfactory because when trials were lost because of adverse weather or other problems, the information available to producers in some areas was based on only one or two trials. In 2000, the OCC re-organized the trials into six tables so that at least three trials would be planted for each table. Thus, growers may have to look for a different table number to find the hybrids suitable for their area. They may find that the location in their area is grouped with a different set of trials than in previous reports.
Because of the combined effects of weather, leaf rust and stalk rots in 2000, growers should be very cautious in interpreting the results of the OCC and other trials this year. This is especially true in terms of assessing the relative maturity of the hybrids as grain moisture at harvest may not be a reliable guide to hybrid maturity. At all locations, some hybrids died prematurely because of weather stresses and diseases. As a result, the harvest moisture for these hybrids is lower than hybrids of similar maturity with better resistance to stress and/or disease. Hybrid selection should be based on the most data available. Greater emphasis should be put on averages from several locations which provide a more accurate prediction of future performance than will single location results.
Many corn growers are receiving a copy of the Performance Trials Report with their
December issue of The Ontario Corn Producer magazine. Producers who do not receive
this magazine will be able to obtain the report from their nearest OMAFRA office.
Reports are also available from some seed corn dealers and farm supply outlets.
The report will be available for downloading and printing from the web site of
the Ontario Corn Producers' Association (http://www.ontariocorn.org).
Growers who are unable to obtain a report by any of the above means can obtain
a copy by calling the office of the Ontario Corn Producers' Association (1-519-837-1660).
