First Harvest Farm Management, LLC harvested the 2025 FHFM “Competitive Seed Comparison Plot” located on 235th Ave east of Pikeland Community School on October 21, 2025. 2025 is our 8th consecutive year hosting this independent hybrid corn trial matching multiple corn hybrids in a uniform environment measuring the beneficial attributes of a “single pass”, a “two pass”, and a “three pass” fungicide application. This year, First Harvest Farm Management, LLC set up this trial comparing different applications of aerially applied fungicide both by drone and by airplane to measure the yield improvement and stalk quality benefits of timely applied fungicide applications.
Plans are for 2026, plans are to replicate the 2025 trial in order to provide additional verifiable yield information for local producers, First Harvest Farm Management clients, interested land owners, and hybrid seed corn providers.
The 2025 plot was planted on May 7th, 2025, and harvested October 21st under near perfect conditions. At harvest, once individual trials have been harvested and yields tabulated, yield information is available on the First Harvest Farm Management, LLC website at www.fhfm.biz.
In order to provide useful data for producers, the plot field is segregated into four separate replication trials. One trial compares yield performance with a single airplane-applied fungicide application at tassel stage. Trial number two in the field compares the same airplane-applied fungicide application at tassel, but adds an early vegetative stage fungicide application applied by drone. Trial number three evaluates the single pass fungicide application but adds in a late reproductive stage fungicide application, also applied by drone. Finally trial number four incorporates an early vegetative as well as the late reproductive stage fungicide application to the standard airplane applied fungicide at tassel giving producers information on not only single versus multiple pass fungicide applications, but evaluates the benefits of using alternative application windows not normally a part of a single pass program.
Previous “Competitive Seed Comparison Plot” trials have evaluated population trials, aerially applied biologic product trials, split rate nitrogen trials, starter fertilizer trials, as well as in-furrow applied plant growth stimulants with the seed at planting evaluating the benefits of an early boost of micro-nutrients to overall plant health.
First Harvest Farm Management LLC “Competitive Seed Comparison Plot” is supported by local crop input suppliers and West Central Illinois based hybrid seed corn company representatives. Producers are always welcome to stop by the plot on 235th Ave approximately 2 1/2 miles east of County Highway 7 In Section 28 of Newburg Township, Pike County.
First Harvest Farm Management is a locally owned West Central Illinois farm management company owned and operated by Pittsfield residents Joe and Alicia Dierker on land owned and operated by Edgewood Farms LLC. First Harvest Farm Management, LLC principal Joe Dierker thanks local agricultural producers and Edgewood Farms, LLC tenants Earl and Vicky Phillips and Campbell Farms, Inc. who have been instrumental in helping make the plot successful over the past 10 years as well as out many seed corn providers who annually contribute seed for the plot each year.
For more information on our services, we invite you to visit the First Harvest Farm Management, LLC website at www.fhfm.biz, by email at joe@fhfm.biz, or call Joe at 217.248.1214.