he crop variety and hybrid performance trials listed in the
following pages are designed and conducted under a set of crop management
criteria that best allows determination of differences in crop performance due
to genetic potential of the lines evaluated. To appropriately determine
differences that are due to a variety (genetics), researchers design the
experiment to eliminate or at least reduce other sources of variation. As an
example, individual trials are planted in an area with a uniform soil type and
similar cropping history. This eliminates possible differences in variety
performance that may be due to variability in soil fertility, soil moisture,
and texture across the study area.
The crop performance attained within these trials is
determined by recording yield, crop quality, plant maturation, height, lodging,
and many other traits that vary with the crop being tested. The performance
levels attained should express the potential of that crop variety/hybrid when
planted under similar conditions on the farm. Identification of treatments that
allow our producers to select practices that optimize their efforts is a
primary objective of this research. The figure below shows the variability in
spring wheat grain yield across a farmer’s field from the region. This producer
had excellent crop performance, but yields differed across the field which is expected
with the variable soil types that result from glaciated soils. The wheat yields
from the more productive soils on this farmer’s field are closely correlated
with the higher yielding spring wheat varieties referenced in this report.
Figure 1. Yield map of 2004 spring wheat generated from
yield monitor, courtesy of Todd Jones.