The Quest for High Yield Corn

Crop Physiology Laboratory Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-

Champaign

Farmer Research Summit UI Campus, Urbana, IL January 8, 2016

Test Your Knowledge of High Yield Corn

• What factor has the biggest impact on Corn yield each year?

Weather

Test Your Knowledge of High Yield Corn

• What is the record corn yield and what is the corn yield gap?

The Corn Yield Gap • US average corn yield of about

170 bushels per acre • All 18 National Corn Growers Contest winners in 2015 exceeded 300 bushels, 5 exceeded 400 bushels

• New World Record of 532.0271 bushels per acre

2015 NCGA Winners from Georgia •  Irrigated 1st, Randy Dowdy @ 486.2

•  Irrigated 2nd, Bridget Dowdy @ 477.1

•  Irrigated 3rd, Dustin Dowdy @ 444.6

• No Till/Strip Till Irrigated 3rd, Kevin Dowdy @ 481.1

• A Non- Irrigated 1st, Michelle Dowdy @ 348.9

2015 NCGA Winners from Indiana • AA Non- Irrigated 2nd, Kevin Kalb @

331.5

• AA No Till/Strip Till Non-Irrigated 1st, Jeannie Linneweber @ 318.9

• AA No Till/Strip Till Non-Irrigated 3rd, Robert Little @ 302.6

Strategy for Winning the Corn Yield Contest

• Feed (better plant nutrition) and protect a much higher density of plants of the best ‘racehorse’ hybrids

• Make sure the crop is never stressed

Quest for High Yield Corn

• Intelligent Intensification with the Seven Wonders of the Corn Yield World

• What management factors have the biggest impact on corn yield each year?

Seven Wonders of the Corn Yield World

• Ranks those factors that each year can have a positive (and sometimes negative) impact on corn yield

• Gives each factor an average bushel per acre value

Crucial Prerequisites, but not Yield Wonders

• Drainage

• Pest/Weed Control

• Proper soil pH & adequate levels of P and K based on soil tests

70+ Weather

7 6 5 4 3 2 1

bu/acre Value Factor Rank

Seven Wonders of the Corn Yield World

Given key prerequisites

Above Average Precipitation during June, 2015

Source: NOAA Midwestern Regional Climate Center

2015 Illinois Weather Challenges

2015 Experimental Weather Challenges

Tryston Beyrer PhD Student

70 Nitrogen 70+ Weather

7 6 5 4 3 2 1

bu/acre Value Factor Rank

Seven Wonders of the Corn Yield World

Given key prerequisites

Nitrogen Deficiency to the Row

180 lbs N preplant (Left) vs 180 lbs preplant + 80 lbs sidedress (Right)

Growth Stage at Application Time Grain Yield

bushels acre–1

No Applied N 140 V2 203 V5 207 V12 208 R2 175 R5 149

Adding 60 lbs of N at Various Growth Stages

LSD 0.05 = 14 Average of two varieties and two years