2018

Corn Silage Tests in Tennessee 2018

Location Information

Table 1.  Location Information for REC trials

Corn Silage AgResearch and Education Center (REC) Trials

Table 2.  Yield, Agronomic Traits, and Feed Quality Characteristics Across Locations – 1 yr, 2 yr, 3 yr

Table 3.  Dry Weight Yield by Location – 1 yr, 2 yr, 3 yr

Additional Trial Information

Table 4.  Corn Hybrid Characteristics

Alternate version with filtering

Table 5.  Seed Company Contact Information

Table 6.  Abbreviations for Biotech Traits

Virginia Sykes, Assistant Professor, Variety Testing Coordinator and Agroecology Specialist
Alison Willette, Research Associate, Variety Testing and Agroecology
Gary Bates, Professor and UT Beef and Forage Center Director
David McIntosh, Coordinator, UT Beef and Forage Center

Experimental Procedures

AgResearch and Education Center (REC) Tests: Thirteen corn hybrids were evaluated for silage yield and quality in 2018. The tests were conducted at the East Tennessee (Knoxville), Highland Rim (Springfield), Middle Tennessee (Spring Hill), and Plateau (Crossville) RECs. The plots at all locations consisted of two rows, planted 30 inches apart, 30 feet in length, and replicated three times. Yields presented were adjusted to both dry weight and 65% moisture. The plant populations, as well as the planting and harvesting dates, are given in Table 1. Plots were harvested using commercial silage harvesters. A sub-sample of approximately 3 lbs was taken from each plot for analysis. Fresh weight and dried weight were recorded on each sample for determination of moisture at harvest. Dried samples were then ground and analyzed for nutritional content. Silage quality analyses were provided by the UT Beef and Forage Center using the 2017 unfermented corn silage calibration model developed by the NIRS Consortium (Hillsboro, WI). Predictions for milk production per ton and milk production per acre were calculated using the University of Wisconsin Milk2006 program.

Growing Season: Trials were planted at the end of April to early/mid-May Throughout the state, cold temperatures and persistent rainfall early in the season delaying planting one to two weeks. Statewide corn planting was on par with five year average by mid-May with 86% of corn planted in Tennessee. By mid-August, 68% of the crop rated good to excellent, with rates increasing by mid-September to 73% of the crop rated good to excellent.

Interpretation of Data:

The tables on the following pages have been prepared with the entries listed in order of yield performance, the highest-yielding entry being listed first. Mean separation was performed using the Fisher’s Protected LSD (Least Significant Difference) test. The mean trait value of any two entries being compared must differ by at least the LSD amount shown to be considered different at the 5% level of probability of significance. To simplify interpretation, Mean Separation Letters have been listed next to each entry for traits analyzed across locations. Hybrids that have any letter in common are not significantly different in yield at the 5% level of probability based on the LSD test. Hybrids with performance not significantly different from the top performing hybrid will have an “a” included in the list of mean separation letters next to that entry.