Statewide
Texas A&M AgriLife’s Crop Testing Program (http://varietytesting.tamu.edu) annually conducts fee-based hybrid performance tests across Texas. These replicated tests also report multi-year data for up to three years at most locations. With increased interest in grain sorghum for 2013, visit the above website and click on ‘Grain Sorghum’ to learn about trials in your region. Results for 2012 to date—all including a 3-year summary—are posted for Monte Alto, Gregory, Thrall, College Station, and Farmersville. Results are forthcoming from Uvalde, Danevang, and High Plains irrigated and dryland locations.
Producers in the Texas Coastal Bend may contact extension agronomist Dr. Dan Fromme, Corpus Christi, (361) 265-9203, dfromme@ag.tamu.edu, for a copy of results of additional hybrid trials he coordinates with county Extension agents in his area.
What about seed company hybrid trials?—Numerous companies have in-house tests which focus primarily on their own hybrids but often include a few competitor’s hybrids. Though these trials are not considered ‘independent’ in the sense that a farmer or researcher would desire, these trials have an important role in identifying performance leaders within an individual company’s hybrid selections, especially as new hybrids are released that must be compared to the company’s old favorites.
