The Importance of Test Plots

In today’s society we are always looking for the next best thing. Test plots play a big part in finding the next best hybrid to use whether it be a soybean or corn hybrid. I spend time once every two weeks documenting hybrids to help gain better knowledge of these products. The role when visiting these plots is to keep up with new hybrids, compare the new hybrids to older hybrids, examine and document plant traits, try different applications to parts of the field, and to gather better information for future use. I recently have traveled to all of the Pearl City Elevator’s Agronomy Salesman’s test plots to start collecting data that will be kept track of throughout the year into harvest. We have multiple locations to help ensure a broad range of climate and soil types and to ensure the adaptability and stability of the hybrid. I evaluate and document the average growth stage, the plant population per acre, the height, the soil conditions, examine the root system, the overall well being of the plant along with any extra notes that should be taken. These plots and the data collected from test plots will help growers choose their seed for the following planting season. By collecting data from multiple locations these plots can help growers understand what will grow best in their area and their fields. The goal of these plots is to ensure the best yield, low management, and good quality hybrid for all growers. By working in the test plot it has given me opportunities to learn and visualize different stages of a hybrid seed and how they all change over time. I have seen a variety of good and bad in these test plots given this year presents extra challenges to the crop, with little rain and large temperature changes. It is evident that there is frost damage, root damage, insect infested and poor soil conditions in fields causing setbacks to the crops overall growth and production. While some of these crops will make a comeback others will not. With a test plot we are able to document how these conditions affected certain hybrids differently to help determine which hybrids would excel in different scenarios to help a grower determine a more accurate hybrid for their operation. I look forward to watching and documenting these test plots to not only learn for myself but also to help educate others. From start to finish I will collect data to then use it in my internship project which consists of a presentation on multiple hybrids showing their strengths and weakness along with the most outstanding hybrids to suggest to future growing years. While presenting this information there will be accurate and detailed pictures showing comparisons between them along with the data to get the best evaluation of each one.