South Dakota Corn Performance Tests, 1953

Com yield trials were conducted in 1953 by the Agronomy Department of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station to supply farmers with up-to-date information on popular hybrids which are being grown extensively in the various agricultural areas of the state. These trials were not contests or demonstrations, but were the basis for unbiased analvsis of replicated plots. Methods used in selection of entries, planting, harvesting and analyzing will be presented under separate headings. The information obtained from the 1953 yield trials reflects relative performing ability of the various hybrids in a season which had above-average precipitation and nearly normal temperatures in most areas of the state. May temperatures were below normal, resulting in slow growth during germination and the early seedling stages in many areas. However, killing frost did not come until most of the com in the state had reached maturity, resulting in a high quality crop. The com trials were harvested during the month of October; at that time, most varieties were low enough in moisture content to be normally cribbed. Results of these trials are presented in the tables which follow.