PROJECT RESULTS

Evaluation of Dwarf Cereal Corn Cultivars for Production in Southern Manitoba

Applicant: 

David R.S. Rourke
Ag-Quest, Inc.
Minto, Manitoba  R0K 1M0  Canada

Table of Contents:

• Objective
• Procedure and Project Activities
• Results and Discussion
• Conclusions

ARDI Project:

#98-050

Total Approved:

$28,000

Date Approved:

April 21, 1998

Project Status:

Completed July, 2000

With the demise of the Crow Rate more livestock is being produced on the Prairies creating a larger feed grain market. There is a demand by producers for feed substitutes to barley, which will deliver a higher profit margin for the producer while still providing equal to or better quality feed.  Past research has shown that dwarf cereal corn does have potential to be a desirable feed substitute and suitable for production in areas with lower heat units where traditional corn crops have not been successfully introduced.  Dwarf corn also has shown a higher tolerance to fusarium head blight, which has lowered the quality of many feed grain crops in the Prairies to the point where they are unsafe to use for feed.  The dwarf cereal corn varieties require about 2,000 heat units and do not require row crop equipment for production or harvest.

Ag-Quest 1997 Trial Averages:

* Corn @ $3.50/bu           March 25/98 local feed mill price.
* Barley @ $2.30/bu

Objective:

Corn trials were conducted in four Manitoba locations including Minto, Dauphin, Melita, and Winnipeg.  This enabled the varieties to be evaluated over a variety of growing conditions and soil types where cereal corn is most suitable to be produced.

Summary of Trials Conducted

• Variety yields evaluation: 20 varieties of cereal corn plus two barley varieties were tested in small plot RCB study at four locations.
• Seeding rate and heat unit evaluations: three seeding rates on three seeding dates were grown at four different locations. Evaluations were recorded and analyzed for vigor, maturity and yield.
• Nitrogen rates by crop variety: six rates of nitrogen were applied in corn and barley at all locations. The plots were evaluated for emergence and vigor, maturity, and yield.

The resulting data was used to evaluate and confirm or reject the corn cultivars being analyzed comparing their performance to barley throughout Manitoba.

Procedure and Project Activities:

Small plot evaluations were conducted throughout Manitoba under a number of different growing conditions. Similar trials were also carried out at Saskatoon and Lethbridge to attain data from Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan.

In 1998 variety trials consisted of barley, cereal corn, and a normal early corn check. A seeding date study had BRCsyn planted at different dates to determine the effect of seeding date on yield and ensure that there is enough maturity in cereal corn to provide an ample seeding window. Fertility trials were conducted comparing BRCsyn and barley at various rates to determine the nitrogen requirements for a cereal corn.

1999 expanded the number of cereal varieties in the variety evaluations. An adaptation trial focused directly on the most developed line of cereal corn, BRCsyn. A trial was run at several Manitoba locations as well as in Lethbridge and Saskatoon, comparing the yield of BRCsyn to barley and hybrid corn to establish how well cereal corn could compete within today's markets. Seeding date and fertility trials continued similar to 1998 and a row spacing trial was added in Minto to determine if the was a row effect on yield in cereal type corn. An efficacy trial was also conducted to ensure that suitable weed control was available and that there was good crop tolerance to it.

Results and Discussion:

1998

Variety Evaluations
20 varieties of cereal corn and two barley varieties and one normal corn were tested and evaluations were recorded. Locations (other than Saskatoon, which had an extremely dry spring,) showed corn yields to be as good as or better than the barley and maturing two weeks before the earliest normal corn check.

Seeding Rate X Seeding Date Trials
Three seeding rates and two seeding dates were grown and analyzed at four locations. The dates were cut from three seeding dates to two due to late seed arrival. Earlier seeded plots had higher yields than the later seeding. About 2,000 corn heat units are required for BRCsyn to reach maturity. Yield is maximized with a seeding rate between 45,000 and 60,000 plants per acre.

Nitrogen Rates by Crop Variety
Six rates of nitrogen were applied on cereal corn and barley and evaluated. Yields were maximized between 90 and 120 lbs. of nitrogen per acre in the corn and 90 lb. per acre in the barley. This led to considerable lodging in the barley, but the corn stood well.

1999

Variety Trials
Variety evaluations expanded in 1999 including many experimental hybrid varieties. Testing was done at Winnipeg and Minto as well as Lethbridge. Plots were solid seeded to simulate field conditions and harvest moistures recorded with yield. It became evident that many of the cereal hybrids would not be early enough but some were similar to the early commercial checks in regards to harvest moisture and yield. More work must be done to develop earlier germplasm for a cereal hybrid to be agronomically accepted.

Cereal Corn Adaptation Trial
To ensure cereal corn varieties could be adapted to Manitoba and compete against other crops, the only commercially available cultivar (BRCsyn) was selected to be compared to barley and hybrid corn. Sites in Boissevain, Dauphin, Minto, Newdale, Treherne, Winnipeg, and Dauphin provided data from a broad scope of Manitoba environments. Newdale was the only location where none of the crops matured, due to the cool spring and early fall frost. Cereal corn yields averaged more than barley and less than the hybrid corn, but BRCsyn was earlier maturing and had lower harvest moisture than the hybrid corn at all locations.

Seeding Rate X Seeding Date Trials
Initially we intended to carry out three seeding dates starting in April but due to the cool wet conditions this had to be revised at many locations. The results show that earlier seeding does lead to higher yields in all locations when seeding conditions are optimum.  We were not able to push these dates forward enough due to cool soil and air temperatures.  This was noticed in the field with growers who planted in April and the crop had to struggle to emerge. Test weights were also heavier from the earlier seeding dates. Population studies were planted slightly heavier and thinned to the desired plant population. Yield results show that 60,000 plants per acre is the desired rate. This may change on a dry year but has remained constant over the past two years and field observations would confirm the same to be true. Early planting does provide higher yields and better quality grain. The optimal plant population is 60,000 plants per acre.

Fertility Trials
Similar to 1998, six rates of nitrogen were applied on cereal corn and barley and evaluated.  This trial was continued to determine the optimum nitrogen fertility rate for BRCsyn and compare yield effect to barley with the same rates applied. Granular urea was broadcast on the plots at rates in accordance to the treatment. BRCsyn was sown at 60,000 plants per acre. The fertility effect was not apparent visually but did show that between 60 and 90 lbs. of  N gave the best overall yield. The barley had poor responsive to the N fertilizer.

Row Effect Study 
Minto had one trial designed to look at row effect. It compared solid seeding plots with 8-inch row spacing to row plots with 30-inch row spacing. Two populations representative of the seeding method were used for type of planter. Solid seeding was carried out with populations of 45,000 and 60,000 plants per acre. Row planting had populations of 30,000 and 45,000 plants per acre. At planting both solid and row crop plots were thinned to an initial population of 45,000 plants but at harvest the solid seeded plots had a higher population so a per plant yield was figured out. The best yield was obtained by solid seeding at 60,000 plants per acre. The worst was the row crop at 30,000 plants per acre. Both planting methods at 45,000 plants per acre were very similar in per plant yield. While no positive row effect was noticed yields might have been less than optimal due to environmental stresses. The optimal row crop populations may have been higher than first thought and to realize a row effect the trial may need to be repeated with row populations as high as the solid seeded populations.

Efficacy Trial
Weed control is very important in cereal corn because solid seeding does not allow for inter row cultivation so a trial was set up to test the tolerance of BRCsyn to many of the chemicals recommended for use on corn. We sprayed plots at a 1X and a 2X rate within a field at Minto. The crop was already at the six leaf stage when it was sprayed July 5, 1999. It was 20°C and a moderate wind so a shielded boom was used on a bicycle sprayer. The trial was rated twice for crop tolerance, on July 12 and July 31. There were no recommended chemicals observed to cause any major crop damage in comparison with the untreated checks. It was noted that tank mixes with Accent lead to more burning than individual applications and usually the plants would grow out of the damage however it set back the maturity. Accent did not tank mix well with 2,4D nor MCPA as suspected (it is not a recommended tank mix). Several thistle control agents were tested and found safe on BRCSYN. A similar test was conducted by Manitoba Agriculture and they concluded that BRCsyn had as much tolerance as other hybrids. Chemicals registered regionally on hybrid corn can safely be used on cereal corn within the same region.

Conclusions:

• Variety evaluations show that there are cereal corn varieties that yield consistently more than barley and will even be able to compete with the hybrid corn checks while still having drier harvest moistures.
• Cereal corn can compete in Manitoba's agricultural marketplace. While more work is needed to enable it to compete with hybrid yields, it has been proven than it can yield higher than barley in many locations in Manitoba.
• There are varieties of cereal corn, which mature much earlier than the early hybrid checks enabling cereal corn production to expand outside the hybrid areas.
• Seeding date ‑ early seeding dates help maximize yield. In Manitoba plant within the first two weeks of May for maximum yield and seed quality.
• Population is very important and 60,000 plants per acre maximizes yield and provides some canopy to help control weeds.
• Fertility requirements are slightly higher than barley but high nitrogen will not cause lodging in BRCsyn like in barley. The response is close to 1 lb. of nitrogen for 1 bushel of yield.
• There were no advantages to growing cereal corn in rows. Cereal corn offers an advantage over other corn to new growers. It can be grown productively without the added expense of new equipment.
• Chemical control of weeds is very important from the seedling stage on. It is obvious that corn seedlings do not compete well with weeds. It is valuable to have confirmation that products developed for hybrid corn will work on cereal corn cultivars.   

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