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' SWEET CORN HYBRID PERFORMANCE TRIAL, 1999

Richard Greenland, Leonard Besemann, and Heidi Eslinger

Results summary

Table 21. Corn development, ear heights and ear removal scores.

Table 22. Number of ears per acre and yield of sweet corn.

Table 23. Husk characteristics of sweet corn.

Table 24. Husked ear characteristics of sweet corn.

Sweet corn grows very well in this area of North Dakota. Long days and lots of sunshine compensate for the short summer. Sweet corn always matures before frost.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Soil: Maddock sandy loam; pH=7.7; 2.3% organic matter; soil-P and soil-K were very high; soil-S was low.
Previous crops: 1998 - cabbage; 1997 - potato ; 1996 - field corn.
Seedbed preparation: Disked on 3 November 1998. Disked 26 April 1999. Field cultivated May 11.
Planting: Seeded on May 11 in 30-inch rows. Planting depth was about ¾ inch. Plots were seeded at a rate of 50,000 seeds/acre, then later thinned to 28,000 plants/acre.
Plots: Plots were 5 rows (12.5 ft) wide by 17 ft long. There were 4 reps.
Fertilizer: On April 7, broadcast 15 lbs N/acre and 75 lbs P2O5/acre as 10-50-0, 18 lbs N/acre and 20 lbs S/acre as 21-0-0-24, and 99 lbs K20/acre as 0-0-60. Sprayed 70 lbs N/acre as 28-0-0 on April 27. Knifed in 80 lbs N/acre as 28-0-0 plus N-serve (1 qt/acre) on June 9.
Irrigation: Overhead sprinkler irrigation as needed.
Pest Control: Dual + Cypro (1.5 pt/acre + 1.5 lb/acre applied on May 13), cultivation on June 10, and hand weeding controlled weeds. Sprayed Asana (8 oz/acre on June 29) and Pounce (8 oz/acre on July 9) to control European corn borer and corn earworm.
Harvest: Hand harvested 23 to 25 days after half-silk date. Only the center row of each plot was harvested. Harvested from Aug 2 to Aug 10.

RESULTS

All hybrids had good emergence and early growth except GSS 3587. Ear heights were generally 20 to 25 inches from the ground to the bottom of the ear. Ears of GSS 0966 and Odyssey were higher. Ears of Fresh Start, Snow Mass, and GSS 3587 were lower. Ear removal was easiest with Impulse, BSS 6284, SummerSweet 781 Ultra, Fortune Bicolor, and SummerSweet ACX405.

Yields this year were lower than average. The highest yielding hybrids were three SummerSweet hybrids (ACX405, 781 Ultra, and ACX420), BSS 6284, and BSS 0977. The best looking hybrid with the husk on was BSS 6284. SummerSweet ACX420, SummerSweet ACX405, and BSS 6284 were the best looking after husking. These last three hybrids and SummerSweet 781 Ultra had the largest ears.

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Table 21. Corn development, ear heights and ear removal scores in the Oakes Irrigation Research Site 1999 'supersweet' sweet corn performance trial.
Hybrid Seed source Early stand Days to half-silk Days to harvest Ear height Ear removal§
1000s/A inches 1 to 10
White
Boreal RG 35.1 bcd†† 66.3 cd 87.0 b-e 22.3 cde 6.0 cde
Fresh Start ST 31.6 def 69.0 g 90.0 fg 18.5 g 6.3 b-e
Snow Mass RG 30.0 ef 68.8 g 89.5 fg 19.8 fg 5.8 ef
SummerSweet 781 Ultra AC 34.1 b-f 67.5 ef 88.5 ef 22.5 cde 6.9 abc
Vail RG 33.3 c-f 68.5 fg 89.5 fg 25.5 a 6.3 b-e
Bicolor
BSS 0977 RG 31.5 def 68.5 fg 90.0 fg 23.3 bc 6.3 b-e
BSS 1605 RG 34.1 b-f 68.0 efg 90.0 fg 22.8 cd 6.3 b-e
BSS 6284 RG 33.1 c-f 61.3 a 83.0 a 20.5 efg 7.0 ab
Fortune Bicolor ST 44.1 a 65.5 c 85.8 b 21.0 def 6.8 a-d
Odyssey ST 30.0 ef 68.3 fg 90.0 fg 25.3 ab 6.3 b-e
SummerSweet 7422BC TW 37.4 bc 65.3 c 86.0 bc 21.0 def 6.3 b-e
SummerSweet ACX420 AC 31.8 def 67.5 ef 88.5 ef 22.3 cde 5.9 def
Yellow
GSS 0966 RG 38.7 b 70.3 h 90.8 g 27.3 a 5.6 ef
GSS 3587 RG 24.9 f 66.0 cd 86.3 bcd 19.8 fg 5.0 f
Impulse RG 34.3 b-e 62.8 b 83.0 a 20.5 efg 7.3 a
Prime Plus RG 35.1 bcd 67.0 de 87.5 cde 22.8 cd 5.5 ef
SummerSweet ACX405 AC 35.4 bcd 67.0 de 87.8 de 21.3 c-f 6.8 a-d
C. V. (%) 11 1 1 7 10
Probability 0.0001 0.0001 0.0001 0.0001 0.0004

See Appendix A for seed source code.

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

Distance from ground to base of ear.

§Indicates ease of ear removal. The higher the score, the easier it was to remove the ear.

††Values in the same column followed by the same letter are not significantly different at the 0.05 level.

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Table 22. Number of ears per acre and yield of sweet corn in the Oakes Irrigation Research Site 1999 'supersweet' sweet corn performance trial.
Hybrid Seed source 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
White
Boreal RG 21.3 7.1 a-d 22.8 7.3 a-e 20.8 abc 4.6 a-d 22.8 4.8 b-e
Fresh Start ST 20.4 7.3 a-d 22.4 7.6 a-d 18.5 a-e 4.4 a-e 22.4 4.8 b-e
Snow Mass RG 19.2 6.4 bcd 21.5 6.7 cde 17.9 b-e 3.8 de 21.5 4.1 e
SummerSweet 781 Ultra AC 21.8 7.9 a 22.8 8.1 ab 20.5 abc 5.0 abc 22.8 5.3 abc
Vail RG 19.0 6.2 cd 21.5 6.5 de 17.7 b-e 4.1 de 21.5 4.5 de
Bicolor
BSS 0977 RG 23.1 7.4 abc 24.3 7.5 a-d 22.3 a 5.0 abc 24.3 5.2 a-d
BSS 1605 RG 20.5 6.2 cd 22.5 6.5 de 20.5 abc 4.4 b-e 22.5 4.6 cde
BSS 6284 RG 22.5 7.9 a 24.1 8.2 a 22.0 a 5.2 ab 24.1 5.5 ab
Fortune Bicolor ST 22.5 6.5 bcd 24.3 6.8 cde 21.3 ab 4.2 cde 24.3 4.5 cde
Odyssey ST 17.7 6.0 d 20.8 6.4 de 15.9 e 3.9 de 20.8 4.4 de
SummerSweet 7422BC TW 18.4 6.1 cd 21.5 6.5 de 16.4 de 3.9 de 21.5 4.5 cde
SummerSweet ACX420 AC 19.7 7.7 ab 20.8 7.9 abc 17.2 cde 5.0 abc 20.8 5.6 ab
Yellow
GSS 0966 RG 21.0 6.2 cd 24.1 6.6 de 19.7 a-e 4.1 de 24.1 4.5 cde
GSS 3587 RG 18.7 6.1 cd 19.5 6.2 e 16.4 de 3.7 e 19.5 4.1 e
Impulse RG 19.7 6.6 bcd 21.5 6.9 b-e 19.7 a-e 4.3 cde 21.5 4.6 cde
Prime Plus RG 20.2 6.0 d 21.5 6.2 e 20.0 a-d 4.0 de 21.5 4.2 e
SummerSweet ACX405 AC 22.3 8.2 a 23.8 8.4 a 19.7 a-e 5.3 a 23.8 6.0 a
C.V. (%) 13 14 12 13 15 14 12 12
Probability 0.16 0.0045 0.32 0.0032 0.0277 0.0023 0.32 0.0002

See Appendix A for seed source code.

Values in the same column followed by the same letter are not significantly different at the 0.05 level. If no letters in column, then there are no significant differences between values in that column.

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Table 23. Husk characteristics of sweet corn in the Oakes Irrigation Research Site 1999 'supersweet' sweet corn performance trial.
Hybrid Seed source Husk color Distance husk over tip Husk tight-ness§ Husk Overall score
1 to 3 inches 1 to 3 1 to 10
White
Boreal RG 2.0 a†† 1.5 a-d 1.4 bcd 6.9 bc
Fresh Start ST 2.0 a 1.7 abc 1.7 a-d 6.7 bc
Snow Mass RG 2.0 a 1.8 ab 1.5 bcd 6.5 bc
SummerSweet 781 Ultra AC 2.0 a 1.7 abc 1.3 cd 6.4 c
Vail RG 2.0 a 1.1 e 1.6 a-d 7.0 bc
Bicolor
BSS 0977 RG 2.0 a 1.4 a-e 1.8 abc 6.8 bc
BSS 1605 RG 2.0 a 0.2 g 1.0 d 5.5 d
BSS 6284 RG 1.9 a 1.8 a 2.3 a 7.8 a
Fortune Bicolor ST 2.0 a 1.6 abc 1.9 abc 7.1 ab
Odyssey ST 1.8 ab 1.3 cde 1.9 abc 6.9 bc
SummerSweet 7422BC TW 1.5 b 1.3 cde 1.3 cd 6.5 bc
SummerSweet ACX420 AC 2.0 a 0.6 fg 2.3 a 6.8 bc
Yellow
GSS 0966 RG 1.8 ab 1.1 de 1.4 bcd 6.9 bc
GSS 3587 RG 1.8 ab 1.3 cde 1.6 a-d 7.0 bc
Impulse RG 1.8 ab 1.4 b-e 2.0 ab 6.9 bc
Prime Plus RG 1.9 a 1.1 e 1.3 cd 6.5 bc
SummerSweet ACX405 AC 2.0 a 1.0 ef 1.4 bcd 6.5 bc
C. V. (%) 10 23 29 7
Probability 0.0067 0.0001 0.0084 0.0001

See Appendix A for seed source code.

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

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

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

††Values in the same column followed by the same letter are not significantly different at the 0.05 level.

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Table 24. Husked ear characteristics of sweet corn in the Oakes Irrigation Research Site 1999 'supersweet' sweet corn performance trial.
Hybrid Seed source Ear length Ear diameter Average rows of kernels Tip shape Kernel yellow intensity Ear overall score
inches 1 to 3 1 to 10
White
Boreal RG 7.3 cd§ 1.71 e-h 15.5 ab 1.1 a --- 7.6 ab
Fresh Start ST 7.4 cd 1.77 c-g 17.3 a 1.3 a --- 7.0 bcd
Snow Mass RG 7.5 bcd 1.64 h 15.5 ab 1.1 a --- 6.9 cd
SummerSweet 781 Ultra AC 7.5 bcd 1.88 abc 16.5 a 1.1 a --- 7.1 bc
Vail RG 7.5 cd 1.80 b-e 17.0 a 1.1 a --- 7.5 abc
Bicolor
BSS 0977 RG 7.4 cd 1.71 e-h 15.5 ab 1.1 a 1.9 b 7.3 bc
BSS 1605 RG 7.5 cd 1.69 fgh 15.5 ab 1.1 a 2.0 b 6.9 cd
BSS 6284 RG 7.3 cd 1.86 a-d 15.5 ab 1.8 b 2.0 b 7.8 ab
Fortune Bicolor ST 7.1 d 1.64 h 14.0 bc 1.0 a 2.0 b 7.3 bc
Odyssey ST 7.4 cd 1.84 a-d 16.5 a 1.0 a 2.0 b 6.4 d
SummerSweet 7422BC TW 7.7 bc 1.77 def 14.0 bc 1.0 a 2.0 b 7.1 bc
SummerSweet ACX420 AC 8.2 a 1.91 a 17.0 a 1.0 a 2.3 a 8.0 a
Yellow
GSS 0966 RG 7.4 cd 1.68 fgh 16.0 ab 1.1 a 1.0 c 7.6 ab
GSS 3587 RG 7.4 cd 1.66 gh 13.0 c 1.0 a 2.0 b 7.5 abc
Impulse RG 7.3 cd 1.76 d-g 15.5 ab 1.0 a 2.0 b 7.4 abc
Prime Plus RG 7.5 cd 1.65 gh 15.0 abc 1.0 a 2.0 b 7.4 abc
SummerSweet ACX405 AC 7.9 ab 1.90 ab 17.0 a 1.3 a 2.4 a 7.8 ab
C. V. (%) 4 4 11 22 6 7
Probability 0.002 0.0001 0.056 0.02 0.0001 0.008

See Appendix A for seed source code.

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

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

§Values in the same column followed by the same letter are not significantly different at the 0.05 level.

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