2020 Competitive Seed Comparison Plot
On a sunny, cool October 16th Friday afternoon, the First Harvest Farm Management, LLC 2020 “Competitive Seed Comparison Plot” was harvested. Yields were fantastic and topped out at 275 bushel per acre. The 2020 trial involved 12 different hybrids planted at one uniform population across the field involving four unique replications for each hybrid. The individual replications included; 1) each hybrid planted without the benefit of any biologic product, as well as replications utilizing 2) Loveland (Nutrien Ag Solutions) Accomplish LM, 3) New Leaf Symbiotic’s Terrasym 408, and 4) Valent, USA MycoApply EndoPrime EC biologic products. Each biologic replication was applied in-furrow in liquid form thru the planter on April 21, 2020. Throughout the course of the growing season, plant tissue analysis was collected and recorded with observations made regarding nutrient uptake comparing the biologic replications to the control, or untreated rows in the trial.
Plot agronomy this year included soil testing in the Spring of 2019 with recommendations made for the 2020 crop. P & K levels were adequate for the 2020 crop. 50 lbs. Potash (K) was applied with Sulphur (S) as recommended for the 3 rd year corn on corn. Anhydrous Ammonia was spring-applied at 215 lbs. actual w/ N-Serve. Our 2020 chemical program included Halex GT w/ atrazine and Warrior insecticide on the first pass and Callisto with atrazine and Round-up on the second pass. Maravis NEO fungicide with Warrior insecticide was aerially applied at tassel stage for disease protection and insect control.
The goal of the 2020 plot was to provide a side-by-side comparison of different biologic products to evaluate improved emergence, plant health, nutrient uptake as well as final yield. The analysis shown in the chart below suggests a net economic benefit ranging from $15.60/ac to $16.35/ac for the Accomplish LM and MycoApply EndoPrime products at a cash corn price of $3.75/bu. While the Terrasym 408 product did not increase average yield across the entire plot, it increased the yield on the highest yielding hybrid by 7.12/bu. acre over the hybrid average. Applying the Net Economic Benefit calculation and applying it to the Terrasym biologic suggests it returned an additional $25.44/acre.
| Biologic Product | Ave. Yield w/out Biologic | Ave. Yield with Biologic | Cost Per Acre | Cost/Acre per Bushel Gained | Net Economic Benefit per Acre |
| Terrasym 408 | 243.7197 | 242.6563 | $9.00/acre | $9.00/ac. | N/A |
| Accomplish LM | 243.7197 | 248.2049 | $15/acre | $3.34/ac. | $13.48/acre |
| MycoApply EndoPrime EC | 243.7197 | 248.3323 | $11.00/acre | $2.38/ac. | $14.92/acre |
Click below for the full 2020 First Harvest Farm Management, LLC “Competitive Seed Comparison Plot” harvest yield report.
For more information on the 2020 F.H.F.M. “Competitive Seed Comparison Plot”, visit the First Harvest Blog link on the First Harvest Farm Management, LLC (www.fhfm.biz) home page.
