The Georgia Agriculture Experiments Stations
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
The University of Georgia		 Research Report
Number 668
November, 2000
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2000 Corn Performance Tests

Edited by
Anton E. Coy, J. LaDon Day, and Paul A. Rose

The Season

The 2000 corn season was hot, dry and early. Open weather in March and April allowed planting to progress a week ahead of average, although in many areas soil moisture was below normal. By mid-April, dry soils were a concern across the state. Planted acreage was estimated at 400,000. May was extremely dry. Tasseling and silking were ahead of average. By mid-June, more than 50 percent of the crop was in poor condition. Late June rains gave some relief from heat, but soil moisture levels remained below normal over much of the state. Drought conditions continued through July and August. The irrigated crop was generally good, but more than normal irrigation was needed. Some areas experienced water shortages and long periods of very high temperatures at critical development stages. Dryland crop results depended on spotty rainfall. Grain quality as well as harvest and storage insects were increased problems in some areas.

The drought conditions of 1998-1999 continued through the 2000 season. Rainfall at the six Georgia and Quincy, Florida, corn variety test sites is listed below. Total seasonal rainfall remained below normal for the season for the third consecutive year.


Growing Season Rainfall1 ,2000
Month Blairsville Calhoun2 Griffin Midville Plains Tifton Quincy, FL
  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -inches - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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February 1.63 1.63 0.96 1.08 0.96 1.90 2.35
March 4.67 3.58 3.17 4.83 5.72 4.72 2.35
April 6.44 5.04 1.31 0.85 1.24 1.32 3.12
May 1.62 1.07 1.51 1.18 0.31 0.03 1.78
June 5.22 2.53 2.31 3.31 5.32 2.99 3.67
July 3.13 5.08 3.12 2.45 3.49 3.76 4.40
August 2.56 4.11 5.61 2.23 4.01 2.04 3.22
September 3.38 3.54 2.89 5.85 4.52 8.38 2.46
               
Total (8 mo) 28.65 26.58 20.88 21.77 25.57 25.14 23.35
               
Normal (8 mo) 38.53 37.14 35.88 34.70 34.71 35.28 -
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1. Data submitted by Dr. G. Hoogenboom, Georgia Station, Griffin, GA.
2. Floyd County location.

Harvest proceeded a week ahead of average with generally good harvest conditions. Of the 400,000 planted acres, only 340,000 were harvested at an estimated yield of 100 bushels per acre. The total production for the 2000 season was a 10 percent increase over 1999.
Anton E. Coy is senior agricultural specialist in the Crop and Soil Sciences Department at the Coastal Plain Station, Tifton, Georgia 31793-0748. J. LaDon Day is program coordinator of the statewide variety testing program and Paul A. Rose is agricultural research coordinator II, Crop and Soil Sciences Department, Georgia Station, Griffin, Georgia 30223-1797.
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