Louisiana Variety Testing

2010 SCC-33/UCTA

St. Pete Beach, FL

January 26-29, 2010

Rick Mascagni

Northeast Research Station

St. Joseph, LA

LSU AgCenter Variety Testing

Crop Coordinator(Project leader/

Research Associate)

Project leader(Research Station)

Research Associate(Research Station)

Coordinator Cooperator

• Solicits seed company participation via application form on-line

• Collects seed• Packages and

distributes seed/locn• Visits each location• Collects data from

each locn• Summarizes data in a

report posted on-line

• Plants the test and directs all the recommended cultural practices

• Takes notes, i.e. mid-silk date, plant height, lodging, etc.

• Harvests plots

Variety Testing

• Variety testing conducted on research stations, which are autonomous.

• Funding generated by entry fees– Wheat/oats - $300/entry (receives commodity support)– Corn/grain sorghum - $500/entry– Soybeans - $600/entry– Cotton - $900/entry– Fees are divided among coordinator, cooperators, and

administration

• RCB with 4 to 5 reps• Data posted on the web

– www.lsuagcenter.com/crop– Click on “Variety Trials & Production Practices”– Single locations

Background of OVT 1992 - 2000

- Any variety tested for three years and whose yield falls within 90% of the avg. yield of the top three hybrids by location and maturity group was recommended provided it was acceptable in other agronomic traits.

Background of OVT2001- 2007

- Any variety tested for two years and whose yield falls within 90% of the avg. yield of the top three hybrids by location and maturity group was recommended provided it was acceptable in other agronomic traits.

Background of OVT 2008-2009

• Corn, Grain Sorghum, Soybeans, Cotton– 2007 was the last year varieties were

recommended– Starting in 2008, highest-yielding varieties for

one year (varieties falling within one LSD, 0.10) were reported

– Highest-yielding varieties for two years

(varieties that fall within one LSD for

two years) were reported

Soybean Variety Testing - 2009

• Coordinator – Ronnie Levy (Ext. Spec.)

• Dean Lee Research Station – Alexandria

• Macon Ridge Research Station – Winnsboro

• Northeast Research Station – St. Joseph

Soybean Variety Testing - 2009

• MGIII – 5 varieties• MGIV early – 11

varieties • MGIV late – 75

varieties• MGV – 62 varieties• MGVI – 2 varieties

Soybean Parameters Measured

• Grain yield• Maturity date• Plant height• Lodging• Salt damage• Seed quality• Green stem• Cercospora, Leaf

blight ratings

Cotton Variety Testing - 2009

• Coordinator – Jim Hayes (RA-RRRS)

• Dean Lee Research Station – Alexandria (silt loam and clay)

• Macon Ridge Research Station – Winnsboro (irr and non-irr)

• Northeast Research Station – St. Joseph (silt loam and clay)

Cotton Variety Testing - 2009

• Early-maturing – 25 varieties

• Medium-maturing – 20 varieties

Cotton Parameters Measured

• Yield• Lint %• Fiber properties

– Length UHM– Micronaire– Strength– Uniformity

Grain Sorghum Hybrid Testing - 2009

• Coordinator – Rick Mascagni (PL-NRS)

• Rice Research Station – Crowley

• Dean Lee Research Station – Alexandria

• Red River Research Station – Bossier City

• Macon Ridge Research Station – Winnsboro

• Northeast Research Station – St. Joseph

Grain Sorghum Hybrid Testing - 2009

• 23 hybrids• 6 seed companies

Grain Sorghum Parameters Measured

• Grain yield• Harvest moisture• Test weight• Mid-head• Plant height• Head exertion• Head type• Bird damage• Midge damage• Lodging

Wheat/Oat Variety Testing - 2009

• Coordinator – Steve Harrison (PL-BR)

• North Louisiana– Alexandria, Bossier

City, Winnsboro, St. Joseph

• South Louisiana– Baton Rouge, Crowley,

Jeanerette

• Oats– Baton Rouge, Bossier

City, Winnsboro

Wheat/Oat Variety Testing - 2009

• Wheat– 69 entries– 50 varieties– 19 lines (LA, GA,

AR, VA)

• Oats– 22 entries– 6 varieties– 16 lines (LA, FL,

TX)

Wheat/Oat Parameters Measured

• Grain yield• Test weight• Head day• Plant height• Lodging• Diseases

– Leaf rust– Stem rust

• Phenotype

Corn Hybrid Testing - 2009

• Coordinator – Rick Mascagni (PL-NRS)

• Dean Lee Research Station – Alexandria

• Red River Research Station – Bossier City

• Macon Ridge Research Station – Winnsboro

• Northeast Research Station – St. Joseph

(silt loam and clay)

Corn Hybrid Testing - 2009

• 89 hybrids• 5 hybrids not RR• 12 seed companies

Corn Parameters Measured

• Grain yield• Harvest moisture• Test weight• Plant population• Mid-silk• Plant height• Ear height• Shuck cover• Lodging• Ear tip

Corn Hybrid Families

• Pioneer brand hybrid– PB 31G66 (conventional)– PB 31G68 (YG)– PB 31G65 (RR)– PB 31G71 (Herculex, LL, RR)

Corn Hybrid Maturity

• In the 1990’s, had early maturity (106-112 days), medium maturity (113-118 days), and late-maturity (119 and greater days) categories in the OVT.

• We were relying on seed companies to categorize hybrid maturity.

• In early 2000, started using harvest moisture for categorizing hybrid maturity.

Corn Maturity - 2001

• Early Maturity 12.9 - 14.4%

• Medium Maturity 14.7 - 18.1%

• Full Season 18.9 - 19.4%

Corn Hybrid Maturity - 2009

• Days to maturity ranged from 107 to 120.• Harvest moisture on Sharkey clay at the

NERS ranged from 14.5 to 18.1%.• High-yielding group across locns. – 2009

– 106 – 112 day maturity – 7 hybrids– 113-118 day maturity – 40 hybrids– 119 and greater day maturity – 5 hybrids

• Should we categorize hybrids based on maturity?

Rick MascagniNortheast Research Station

P.O. Box 438St. Joseph, LA 71366

Ph: (318) 766-3769 Fax: (318) 766-4278 e:mail: hmascagni@agcenter.lsu.edu

WHO DAT.NATION GO SAINTS