Oakes Irrigation Research Site
Carrington Research Extension Center * North Dakota State University
P.O. Box 531, Oakes, ND 58474-0531, Voice: (701) 742-2189, FAX: (701) 742-2700, email: rgreenla@ndsuext.nodak.edu

 

'SUPERSWEET' SWEETCORN HYBRID PERFORMANCE TRIAL

Richard Greenland, Leonard Besemann and Heidi Eslinger


Results summary

Table 37. Harvest data for baby corn

Table 38. Baby corn ear characteristics

Table 39. Effects of secondary ear removal for baby corn on number of ears per acre and yield of sweetcorn

Table 40. Corn development, ear height, ear removal score, and lodging percentages for sweetcorn

Table 41. Number of ears per acre and yield of sweetcorn

Table 42. Ear characteristics of sweetcorn

Table 43. Husk characteristics of sweetcorn


           Sweetcorn grows very well in this area of North Dakota. The short summer is compensated for by long days and lots of sunshine. In our trials, sweetcorn has always matured before frost. In this trial, in addition to testing sweetcorn harvested at the regular time, we also tested sweetcorn for harvest as baby corn and the effects of harvesting secondary ears as baby corn on the yield of regular sweetcorn.


MATERIALS AND METHODS


Soil:

Maddock sandy loam; pH=7.5; 1.8% organic matter; soil-P was very high, soil-K was high; soil-S was medium.

Previous crops:

2003 - edible bean; 2002 - edible bean; 2001 - edible bean.

Seedbed

preparation:

Disked May 18. Multiweeded (field cultivated) two times on May 19 to smooth the seed bed and to incorporate fertilizer.

Planting:

Seeded on May 19 in 30-inch rows. Planting depth was about 1 inch. Seeding rate was 48,500 seeds/acre. Stand was later thinned to 25,000 plants/acre.

Plots:

Plots were 15 ft (6 rows) wide by 17 ft long. There were 4 reps.

Fertilizer:

On April 15, broadcast 20 lbs N/acre and 24 lbs S/acre as 20-0-0-24. Applied 50 lbs N/acre as 28-0-0 on May 19. Knifed in 100 lbs N/acre as 28-0-0 + Agrotain (2.4 qt/ton of N) on June 23.

Irrigation:

Overhead sprinkler irrigation as needed.

Pest Control:

Roundup + NIS (1.5 qt/acre + 0.5% v/v on May 14), AAtrex (0.5 lb ai/acre on May 21), Dual II (1.5 pt/acre on May 21), cultivation (June 30), and hand weeding controlled weeds. Applied Dipel (2 lb/acre on July 7 and July 15) to control European corn borer and corn earworm.

Harvest:

Secondary ears from one of the two center rows from each plot were harvested as baby corn from July 27 to August 6 (at a growth stage of initial silking to 2 days after silking). Primary ears and secondary ears of marketable size from both of the two center rows were hand harvested Aug 19 to Aug 27, which was 23 to 28 days after half-silk date.

RESULTS


           For the baby corn, BSS 1690 VP had the highest yield. Most hybrids had good yield and quality. Yield and quality of marketable ears was not affected by harvesting secondary ears as baby corn. BSS 1690 VP was the best looking. WSS 0987 VP had the highest yields.


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Table 37. Harvest data for baby corn in the Oakes Irrigation Research Site 2004 supersweet baby corn performance trial.

Hybrid

Seed source1

Days to harvest

Harvest spread2

Number of ears

Yield

unhusked

husked

unhusked

husked

 

days

days

---- 1000s per acre ---

---------- lbs/acre --------

 

BSS 1690 VP

RG

72

6

19.2

18.7

2877

537

GSS 0966

RG

77

4

21.5

20.0

3738

390

WSS 0987 VP

RG

75

5

18.7

16.4

3172

355

 

Probability

0.0001

0.16

0.81

0.71

0.60

0.31

LSD (0.05)

1

—

—

—

—

—

C.V. (%)

1

31

31

33

36

38

1See Appendix A for a list of seed sources.

2Days from first harvest to last harvest.


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Table 38. Baby corn ear characteristics for the 2004 Oakes Irrigation Research Site supersweet baby corn performance trial.

Hybrid

Seed

source1

Ear weight

Ear length

Ear diameter

Appearance

Overall

unhusked

husked

 

----- ounces/ear ------

--------- inches --------

1 to 5

1 to 10

 

BSS 1690 VP

RG

2.4

0.46

4.1

0.58

3.9

7.9

GSS 0966

RG

2.8

0.31

3.3

0.54

3.8

7.4

WSS 0987 VP

RG

2.7

0.34

3.4

0.54

3.6

7.6

 

Probability

0.06

0.0002

<0.0001

0.03

0.39

0.002

LSD (0.05)

—

0.04

0.2

0.03

—

0.3

C.V. (%)

8

6

2

3

7

2

1See Appendix A for a list of seed sources.


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Table 39. Effects of secondary ear removal for baby corn on number of ears per acre and yield of sweetcorn in the Oakes Irrigation Research Site 2004 se sweetcorn performance trial

Treatment

Unhusked

Husked

marketable

total

marketable

total

ears

yield

ears

yield

ears

yield

ears

yield

 

1000s/A

tons/A

1000s/A

tons/A

1000s/A

tons/A

1000s/A

tons/A

 

Secondary ears removed

20.9

8.0

24.3

8.7

19.5

4.5

24.3

5.1

Secondary ears not removed

23.9

8.6

29.0

9.7

21.4

4.6

29.0

5.7

 

Probability

0.02

0.18

0.004

0.04

0.14

0.52

0.004

0.04

C.V. (%)

12

13

11

11

14

16

11

12


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Table 40. Corn development, ear height, ear removal score, and lodging percentages for sweetcorn in the Oakes Irrigation Research Site 2004 supersweet sweetcorn performance trial.

Hybrid

Seed source1

Early

 stand2

Days to

 half-silk

Days to harvest

Ear height3

Ease of ear removal4

Lodging

 

1000s/acre

 

 

inches

1 to 10

%

 

BSS 1690 VP

RG

39.5

70

93

24.3

6.0

4

GSS 0966

RG

33.1

74

100

32.5

5.9

1

WSS 0987 VP

RG

36.8

73

100

30.3

6.9

1

 

Probability

0.31

<0.0001

<0.0001

0.0007

0.0013

0.51

LSD (0.05)

—

1

0

2.6

0.4

—

C.V. %

14

1

0

5

4

160

1See Appendix A for a list of seed sources.

2Corn was over planted. After stand count, corn was thinned to about 28,000 plants/acre.

3Distance from ground to base of ear.

4The higher the score, the easier it was to remove the ear.


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Table 41. Number of ears per acre and yield of sweetcorn in the Oakes Irrigation Research Site 2004 supersweet sweetcorn performance trial.

Hybrid

Seed source1

Unhusked

Husked

marketable

total

marketable

total

ears

yield

ears

yield

ears

yield

ears

yield

 

1000s/A

tons/A

1000s/A

tons/A

1000s/A

tons/A

1000s/A

tons/A

 

BSS 1690 VP

RG

22.8

8.3

26.9

9.2

20.5

4.8

26.9

5.8

GSS 0966

RG

24.3

8.8

30.2

10.1

19.7

4.2

30.2

5.7

WSS 0987 VP

RG

24.6

8.7

29.7

9.8

24.1

5.0

29.7

5.7

 

Probability

0.74

0.88

0.47

0.72

0.15

0.48

0.47

0.98

LSD (0.05)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

C.V. (%)

14

18

13

15

13

19

13

17

1See Appendix A for a list of seed sources.



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Table 42. Ear characteristics of sweetcorn in the Oakes Irrigation Research Site 2004 supersweet sweetcorn performance trial.

Hybrid

Seed source1

Ear length

Ear diameter

Average rows of kernels

Tip unfilled

Tip shape2

Kernel color

Kernel yellow intensity3

Ear overall score

 

-------- inches -------

inches

1 to 3

 

1 to 3

1 to 10

 

 

BSS 1690 VP

RG

8.8

1.71

14.0

0.3

1.4

bi

1.5

8.0

GSS 0966

RG

7.5

1.71

16.5

0.0

2.0

y

1.5

7.8

WSS 0987 VP

RG

7.6

1.73

16.0

0.0

1.5

w

 —

7.6

 

Probability

0.0007

0.77

0.04

0.19

0.002

 

1.0

0.36

LSD (0.05)

0.4

—

1.9

—

0.2

 

—

—

C.V. (%)

3

2

7

234

9

 

0

4

1See Appendix A for a list of seed sources.

2Tip shape: 1 is pointed; 2 is blunt; 3 is double or flat.

3Gives darkness of yellow kernels on ear. 1 = light yellow; 2 = medium yellow; 3 = dark yellow.


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Table 43. Husk characteristics of sweetcorn in the Oakes Irrigation Research Site 2004 supersweet sweetcorn performance trial.

Hybrid

Seed

 source1

Husk color2

Distance husk over tip3

Husk tightness4

Percent short shank

Husk overall score

 

1 to 3

inches

1 to 3

%

1 to 10

 

BSS 1690 VP

RG

2.0

1.5

1.8

96

7.5

GSS 0966

RG

2.0

1.8

1.5

79

7.5

WSS 0987 VP

RG

2.0

1.8

1.5

66

7.0

 

Probability

1.00

0.56

0.13

0.12

0.39

C.V. (%)

0

28

11

21

8

1See Appendix A for a list of seed sources.

2Color of husk. 1 to 3 is light to dark green.

3The distance the husk extends beyond the end of the ear.

4How tight husk is around ear. 1 = loose; 3 = tight.


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