Yield Results and Variability
A product’s yield is determined by the interaction of its genetics and the environment in which it is tested. It’s important to note that yield trials and test plots involve many variables in each of their environments. I’ve heard it said before that one single test location will tell you what you should have planted in that field that year. That’s a fair statement, but one plot is not the best way to choose a product for the next year or a different field.
So how can we get a good picture of a product and predict its performance? Use multiple locations; and multiple years if possible. For example, Thunder Seed 6888 VT2P is a great 88 day corn hybrid that consistently performs very well. At one testing location, it yielded 227 bu/ac but was 8 bu/ac less than an experimental hybrid. Would that be an accurate prediction of those products? Let’s consider how these two products perform across multiple locations. Both products were tested at 4 locations. The average yield of 6888 VT2P across those 4 locations was 222 bu/ac and was 5 bu/ac greater than the experimental hybrid. Even though the average went down slightly, 6888 VT2P performance was better than the experimental. The 4 locations had different environments which, when combined, provided a more reliable result and consequently a more accurate prediction of performance.
No product will win every test plot every time, even if it’s truly better. Environmental factors and testing variability influence yield differences across plot locations. Using data across more locations will paint a better picture of product performance for you, increasing your confidence in finding the best product for your fields. Call a Thunder Seed representative today to visit about what products are right for you.
Mike Dietrich
Director of Portfolio Development
