Evaluation of Sweet Corn Varieties at Two Grower Locations in Ohio

 

Robert J. Precheur, Jim Doran, David Schacht, Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Grower Cooperators: New Albany, OH, Canal Winchester, OH.

 

Sweet Corn is Ohio's number one fresh market vegetable with between 15,000 to 17,000 acres planted depending on the year. In the US, Ohio ranks 6th in fresh market sweet corn production. Sweet corn is produced throughout OH, in the southeast along the Ohio River, in many counties around Cincinnati, and also throughout central and northern OH.

 

Objectives

To identify sweet corn cultivars with good emergence, high marketable yield and excellent quality under OH growing conditions.

 

Methods 

SE varieties # 1 & 2 were planted on May 1st  and 3# planted on May 21st in New Albany. At Canal Winchester, SE varieties were planted on May 11, 2007. Five SH2 varieties were planted in Canal Winchester on May 20, 2007 and five SH2 varieties were planted on May 30th  in New Albany. Plots consisted of either: 4, 6 or 8 row blocks, 30 in apart and approximately 500 or 1000 ft long depending on location. In row spacing averaged 9 inches in Canal Winchester and 11 inches in New Albany. The middle two rows (total 20 linear feet) at three random locations in the block were used for yield data. Data collected included early plant vigor (Canal Winchester only), plant and ear characteristics, and marketable yield. Sweetness was determined by a purely subjective evaluation of raw eating quality. Each variety was also evaluated for percent germination using the saturated salt accelerated ageing test (see Table 1) and at ten different temperatures on the thermo-gradient table (see Summary Table 2). Complete thermo gradient results, will be available at the VegNet website:  http://vegnet.osu.edu

 

Results

Good May weather allowed for early planting and good germination but was followed by a period of cool, wet weather. The days to maturity for the se varieties ranged anywhere from 4 to 7 days later than the ‘Predicted Maturity’ for a particular variety. In the bicolor se’s, BC 0805 and Trinity had the good early plant vigor 2-4 weeks after emergence. WH0807, white se variety, had good plant vigor in the field but had a very low % germination in the SSAA test and lower % germination compared to the other se varieties on the thermo gradient table. The seed biology lab reported that WH0807 seed became very moldy during the thermo-gradient tests. Good field conditions were favorable for rapid germination otherwise, plant stands would have been poor.

 

In the se’s, BC 0805 had the best yield and very good raw eating quality at both locations. WH0807 yields were good in Canal Winchester but much lower at New Albany. This is probably related to the seed quality issues mentioned before and the seed performance in heavier soils. However, eating quality ranged from good to very good at both locations.

 

Maturity for the sh2’s were only 1 to 4 days later than predicted at Canal Winchester and some 3 to 5 days earlier at New Albany as we moved into hot August weather. Yields were very good and the highest yielding bicolor sh2’s were: Mirai 308 BC, Mirai 301 BC and Holiday (augmented SH2) at New Albany and BSS 0982, Mirai 301 BC and Optimum (augmented SH2’s) at Canal Winchester. BSS 0982 produced almost 2000 dozen ears (1960 dozen) per acre at Canal Winchester. Tip fill was good this year for all sh2 varieties at both locations.

 

Flavor was rated as very good for most of the sh2 varieties and there was an occasional good to very good rating as well as some rated very good to excellent.

 

The SSAA Test

 

The accelerated aging test is a common and important seed vigor indicator for many large-seeded crops, but its utility for sweet corn (Zea mays L.) evaluation may be limited because of the anatomical and compositional differences among su, sh2 and se genotypes. The recent use of saturated salts in accelerated aging tests to reduce water uptake, microflora growth, and slow seed deterioration (Jianhua and McDonald, 1996) may also be useful in more accurately testing sweet corn genotypes. Pericarp damage and pathogen levels in (or on) sh2 seed are especially troublesome (Borowski et al., 1991; Parera et al., 1996). Use of a saturated salt accelerated aging (SSAA) test is to more accurately evaluate sweet corn seeds. The SSAA test should (1) reduce water uptake, (2) minimize microflora growth, and (3) slow overall seed deterioration, thereby allowing a more precise and repeatable measurement of sweet corn seed vigor.

 

 

 

Table 1.  Saturated salt accelerated aging (SSAA) results for sweet corn germplasm - 2007

 

 

 

 

ID #

Cultivar

Color

---% germination  after SSAA----

 

SE's

 

 

1

Trinity

Bi

97

2

BC0805

Bi

88

3

WH0809

W

22

 

SH2's

 

 

4

Optimum

Bi

64

5

Mirai 301 BC

Bi

35

6

Mirai 350 BC

Bi

54

7

BSS0982

Bi

29

8

Holiday

Bi

47

 

 

 

 

 

LSD (0.05)

 

9.5

 

 

 

 

 

CV

 

48.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 2.  Summarization of 2007, Sweet Corn Cultivars on The Thermo-Gradient Table

 

 

 

Percent Germination

 

Temperature Range

 

12-16oC
57 - 61 oF

 

18-20oC
64 - 68 oF

 

22-30oC
> 72 oF

 

Days on Table

 

3

5

7

10

 

3

5

7

10

 

3

5

7

10

ID #

Variety

Type

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SE's

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Trinity

Bi

0

20

56

70

 

6

85

98

98

 

79

99

99

99

2

BC 0805

Bi

0

11

42

68

 

5

83

93

93

 

63

98

98

99

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

WH 08091

Bi

0

8

18

36

 

0

13

45

60

 

33

68

75

79

 

SH2's

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

Optimum

Bi

 

8

11

37

 

6

48

75

86

 

60

88

91

92

5

Mirai 301 BC

Bi

 

0

7

22

 

0