Evaluation of Grain Sorghum Hybrid Varieties in Dryland Farming Conditions in Nueces County

Transcription

1 Evaluation of Grain Sorghum Hybrid Varieties in Dryland Farming Conditions in Nueces County Ordner Farms 2002 NUECES COUNTY Harvey L. Buehring and Michael W. Potter County Extension Agent-Ag., Demonstration Assistant-Ag. respectively SUMMARY: The yield average for twelve commercial sorghum hybrids evaluated at this location was 3,664 pounds per acre. Two varieties produced yield in excess of 4,000 pounds per acre. The top ranking yield in this trial was 4,229 pounds per acre achieved by a new hybrid identified as BH The second ranked hybrid was the NC+ variety 7-R-83 which yielded 4,157 pounds per acre. Only 307 pounds per acre separates the Gaucho and non-gaucho treated seeds. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this demonstration was to evaluate commercially available and experimental sorghum hybrids for yield potential and adaptability to Nueces County growing conditions. This demonstration provides the opportunity to evaluate most commercial hybrids marketed in the area, as to their comparative performance in a side-by-side planting. MATERIALS and METHODS: The plot was planted on February 22, 2002 with a 12 row MaxEmerge II planter on 30" row spacing. The variety DeKalb 52 was planted across the field as a test standard to determine field variation. Each six row variety strip was acres in size. The plots was harvested with a John Deere combine equipped with a 24 foot grain header and weighed with a portable grain weigh wagon with an electronic scale. Grain yields were adjusted to uniform 14% moisture basis. Planting Date: February 22, 2002 AGRONOMIC DATA Soil Type: Victoria Clay Harvest Date: July 8, 2002 Plot Length/Width: 1762 X 15 Base Fertility: 350 lb of Sulfur Herbicide: 1 lb. Atrazine Plot Size (ac): 0.607ac Previous Crop: Cotton RESULTS and DISCUSSION: In the evaluation of both popular commercial grain sorghum varieties an new experimental lines good yield results were achieved despite very dry weather throughout the spring. Twelve commercial hybrids evaluated were all treated with Gaucho treatment to provide protection against early season insects. The results are in Table 1. The group of experimental sorghum 33

2 lines and their commercial comparison lines were not treated with Gaucho seed treatment. This data is shown in Table 2. Gaucho treated seed had a 307 pound advantage over the non-gaucho treated seed. Planting moisture was considered as fair on the February 22 planting date. Deep soil moisture was classified as good. Additional weight was applied to each row unit to compensate for the small amount of seed (approximately 12 ounces) being placed in each planter box. The additional weight (approximately 50 pounds) for each planting unit reduced bouncing and provided for more uniform seed placement with this double disk opening style Max-Emerge II planter. A new hybrid being marketed as BH 5661 produced the top yield of 4,339 pounds per acre for all varieties being evaluated at this test site. In the portion of this demonstration that evaluated new experimental lines the Monsanto s X 109 and X 111 lines were the only experimentals that produced yields that were numerically comparable or slightly better that the plot average of 3,357 pounds per acre as shown in Table 2. The new Monsanto release identified as Pulsar produced 3,645 pounds per acre. This yield was only slightly greater (125 pounds per acre) better than DeKalb s DK-52 which was the comparison standard for this trial. Table 1: Coastal Bend Standard Sorghum Variety Evaluation Demonstration, Ordner Farms, 2002 Rank Company Variety % Moisture Bushel Wt. Yield/Acre 1 B-H Services BH NC+ 7-R Pioneer Garst Golden Acres UAP DG 732 B Pioneer 82-G Triumph TR DeKalb DK Douglass King dk 765G Croplan Warner W-818E AVERAGE: POUNDS OF VARIATION FROM HIGH TO LOW

3 Table 2: Commercial/Experimental Non-Gaucho Treated Seed Varieties, Ordner Farms, 2002 Rank COMPANY VARIETY % MOISTURE BUSHEL WT. YIELD/ACRE 1 Asgrow A Monsanto Pulsar Pioneer 84-G Monsanto DK Monsanto DK Monsanto X Monsanto X Monsanto DK Monsanto X Monsanto DK DeKalb DK AVERAGE: POUNDS OF VARIATION FROM HIGH TO LOW 1480 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: The Nueces County Agricultural Extension Office would like to thank the Bill Ordner, Scott Ordner and Shane Scuggs for providing the land, equipment, labor and time required to conduct this demonstration. DISCLAIMER CLAUSE: Trade names of commercial products used in this report are included only for better understanding and clarity. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Texas A&M University System is implied. Readers should realize that results from one experiment do not represent conclusive evidence that the same response would occur where conditions vary. Results obtained from local trials conducted over a three to four year period provide for a more reliable basis for making major decisions to change production or management practices 36

4 Evaluation of Grain Sorghum Hybrid Varieties in Dryland Farming Conditions in Nueces County McNair Farms 2002 NUECES COUNTY Harvey L. Buehring and Michael W. Potter County Extension Agent-Ag., Demonstration Assistant-Ag. respectively SUMMARY: Fourteen commercial grain sorghum hybrids were evaluated at a sandy loam test site two miles north of Driscol, Texas. Only two hybrids produced yields above 4,000 pounds per acre during a ver dry spring and summer growing season while the test average for the 14 hybrids in this trial averaged 4,083 pounds per acre. Table 1 provides yield data, bushel weights and % moisture at harvest for all hybrids evaluated in this performance comparison. OBJECTIVE: This demonstration was one of two conducted in the county to evaluate yield performance and adaptation to the Nueces County environment of commercially available grain sorghum hybrids marketed in South Texas. MATERIALS and METHODS: This test plot was planted on February 19, 2002 with a 16 row Kinzie with double disk openers designed for flat planting. The varieties were planted in 8 tow strips on 30 inch row spacings. Pioneer 84-G-82 was selected by the cooperators as the comparison standard for the test. This variety was planted on the borders and in every fifth interval across the plot to measure field variation and to allow for accuracy testing adjustments to be calculated. Harvest was done with a John Deere 9600 combine. A portable weigh wagon with electronic scales was used to obtain yield data. Samples from each variety were tested for bushel weight and moisture content. Data shown in Table 1 is adjusted to a uniform 14% dry moisture basis. AGRONOMIC DATA Planting Date: February 19, 2002 Soil Type: Clareville Sandy Loam Harvest Date: June 21,2002 Plot Length/Width: 240 ft. x 20 ft. (8 rows) Base Fertility: 320 lb Plot Size (ac): 0.11 acre Herbicide: 3/4lb Atrazine and 0.18 of Peak Previous Crop: Cotton RESULTS and DISCUSSION: Hybrids in this comparison demonstration produced very respectable yield under very limited moisture during the spring growing season. The comparison standard or tester variety was Pioneer s 84-G-62. Five strips of this standard produced an average of 4,218 pounds with only a 746 pound variation between the highest and lowest yielding of the five strips planted to determine field variation. Doulgass King s dk 765G and Golden Acres 3694 were the only varieties producing over 4,500 pounds of grain in this test. 37

5 TABLE 1: % Moisture, Bushel Weight and Pounds Yield Per Acre, McNair, 2002 Rank Company Variety %Moisture Bushel Wt. Yield/Acre 1 Douglass King dk 765G Golden Acres Novartis K73-J Asgrow NC+ 7-R Pioneer 82-G Pioneer B-H Genetics Pioneer 85-G Triumph TR UAP DG-732 B Warner W-818E Pioneer 84-G Croplan Garst AVERAGE: POUNDS PER ACRE VARIATION FROM HIGH TO LOW 1123 TABLE 2: Tester Strips Comparisons, McNair Farms 2002 Company Variety % Moisture Bushel Wt. Yield/Acre Pioneer 84-G Pioneer 84-G Pioneer 84-G Pioneer 84-G Pioneer 84-G AVERAGE: POUNDS PER ACRE VARIATION OF TESTERS FROM HIGH TO LOW 746 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: The Nueces County Agricultural Extension Office would like to thank Larry and Donnie McNair and staff for providing the land, equipment, labor and time required for this demonstration. DISCLAIMER CLAUSE: Trade names of commercial products used in this report are included only for better understanding and clarity. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Texas A&M University System is implied. Readers should realize that results from one experiment do not represent conclusive evidence that the same response would occur where conditions vary. Results obtained from local trials conducted over a three to four year period provide for a more reliable basis for making major decisions to change production or management practices. 38

6 Evaluation of Grain Sorghum Varieties and Adaptation in Dryland Farming Conditions in Nueces County Perry Foundation 2002 NUECES COUNTY Harvey L. Buehring and Michael W. Potter County Extension Agent-Ag., Demonstration Assistant-Ag. respectively SUMMARY: Eight commercial grain sorghum hybrids evaluated at this test site produced an average yield across all varieties of 3132 pounds per acre under some very dry early season planting conditions. The top yielding hybrid was DeKalb DK which produced 3292 pounds per acre followed by NC+ 7-R-83 with a yield of 3,266 pounds. The yields from the top four varieties in this test only had a 72 pound yield difference. OBJECTIVE: This demonstration project was designed to evaluate commercial sorghum varieties in the dryland farming environment of Nueces County.. MATERIALS and METHODS: The trial was planted in12 row strips with a 6 row double disk opening planter on flat prepared seed bed. Grain was harvested by a John Deere 9600 combine with a Row crop header. Plot weights were taken in the field with the use of a portable weigh wagon equipped with an electronic scale. Moisture and bushel weight was also determined at the time of harvest. Planting Date: February 22, 2002 AGRONOMIC DATA Soil Type: Victoria Clay Harvest Date: July 26,2002 Plot Length/Width: 1300'x 30' Base Fertility: 333 lbs Zn Herbicide: 1.25 lbs of Atrazine Plot Size (ac): 0.89 ac. Previous Crop: cotton RESULTS and DISCUSSION: Although deep soil moisture was present, a dry winter produced difficult planting conditions. Below average rainfall continued throughout the spring which reduced yield potential across the plot. The early planting date resulted in the completion of bloom and early seed pod development during the drought stress period. Rains in early June did not contribute much to improving yield potential at this test site but did improve plant stalk strength and reduced lodging potential. Only a 466 pound difference was observed between he eight varieties evaluated at this test site. 39

7 TABLE 1: Sorghum Variety Demonstration Results, Perry Foundation 2002 Rank Company Variety % Moisture Bushel Wt. Yield/Acre 1 DeKalb DK NC+ 7-R Douglass King dk 765G Asgrow A Douglass King dk 818G Triumph TR DeKalb DK AVERAGE POUNDS PER ACRE DIFFERENCE FROM HIGH TO LOW 466 TABLE 2: Tester Variety Demonstration Results, Perry Foundation 2002 Company Variety % Moisture Bushel Wt. Yield/Acre Pioneer Pioneer Pioneer Average: POUNDS PER ACRE VARIATION FROM HIGH TO LOW 115 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: The Nueces County Agricultural Extension Office would like to thank the Perry Foundation and Mr. Andy Perry for providing the land, equipment, labor and time required to conduct this demonstration. We appreciate too the efforts of David Fuentes and Marcos Palacios for their help in planting, cultivating and Jim Massey for harvesting this crop. DISCLAIMER CLAUSE: Trade names of commercial products used in this report are included only for better understanding and clarity. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Texas A&M University System is implied. Readers should realize that results from one experiment do not represent conclusive evidence that the same response would occur where conditions vary. Results obtained from local trials conducted over a three to four year period provide for a more reliable basis for making major decisions to change production or management practices 40

8 Evaluation of Various Populations of Grain Sorghum in Dryland Farming Conditions in Nueces County Perry Foundation 2002 NUECES COUNTY Harvey L. Buehring and Michael W. Potter County Extension Agent-Ag., Demonstration Assistant-Ag. respectively SUMMARY: Very marginal moisture was present at the time of planting. Below average rainfall occurred during the spring growing season. The test site was under drought stress at head emergence, bloom period and the early seed development stages. Pioneer 82-G-63 at three different seeding rates produced grain yield averages of 3,202, with only 274 pound difference between seeding rates. Pioneer 84-G-62 variety produced a grain yield average of 2,689 pounds and had only 249 pounds of difference between the highest and lowest seeding rates. OBJECTIVE: This trial was designed to demonstrate the yield response differences that might be achieved by using three different seeding rates on two different hybrids under dryland farming conditions in South Texas. MATERIALS and METHODS: The trial was planted in12 row strips with a 6 row Duetz double disk opening planter on flat prepared seed bed. After emergence it was apparent that problems with the planter allowing more than one seed per plate cell to drop at a time was going to increase the target plant populations considerable higher than targeted. Plant population counts were made at six random 1/1000 acre sites with in each replication for each hybrid to obtain an average of plant population for these plots. Grain was harvested by a John Deere 9600 combine with a crop header. Plots weights were obtained with use of a weigh wagon equipped with electronic scales. Yields were adjusted to a uniform 14% moisture level. AGRONOMIC DATA Planting Date: February 22-23, 2002 Soil Type: Victoria Clay Harvest Date: July 26, 2002 Base Fertility: 333 lbs Zn Herbicide: 1.25 lb Atrazine Plot Length/Width: 1300 X 12 & 24 Rows Plot Size (ac): 0.89 ac. & 1.79 ac. Previous Crop: cotton RESULTS and DISCUSSION: This demonstration was unable to achieve its original objective of determining if significant yield differences could be obtained from seeding rates of 45,000, 60,000 and 41

9 76,000 seeds per acre. Complications from worn compression pads and small seed size allowed more than one seed to fall from each cell in the planter plate. This demonstration did provide performance data on yield performance of 82-G-63 and 84-G-62 under early planting and low rainfall and drougthy growing conditions. At this test site 82-G-63 had a 513 pound advantage over 82-G-62 under high plant population and low moisture growing conditions. Table 1 and 2 provide data on pounds of grain per acre produced at each population level. Table 1: Variety 82-G-63 Seeding Rate Yields, Perry Foundation, 2002 Rank Variety Plant Population % Moisture Bushel Wt. Yield/Ac 1 82-G , G-63 87, G , AVERAGE 100, POUNDS PER ACRE VARIATION FROM HIGH TO LOW 274 Table 2: Variety 84-G-62 Seeding Rate Yields, Perry Foundation, 2002 Rank Variety Plant Population % Moisture Bushel Wt. Yield/Ac 1 84-G , G , G , AVERAGE 108, POUNDS PER ACRE VARIATION FROM HIGH TO LOW 249 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: The Nueces County Agricultural Extension Office would like to thank the Perry Foundation and Mr. Andy Perry for providing the land, equipment, labor and time required to conduct this demonstration. We appreciate too the efforts of David Fuentes and Marcos Palacios for their help in planting, cultivating and Jim Massey for harvesting this crop. DISCLAIMER CLAUSE: Trade names of commercial products used in this report are included only for better understanding and clarity. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Texas A&M University System is implied. Readers should realize that results from one experiment do not represent conclusive evidence that the same response would occur where conditions vary. Results obtained from local trials conducted over a three to four year period provide for a more reliable basis for making major decisions to change production or management practices 42