Abstract

Brown mid-rib (BMR) corn hybrids are of interest to many growers in the Northeast who would like to maximize milk production on homegrown forage. BMR corn has a naturally-occurring genetic mutation that leads to less lignin in the stalk and makes corn silage more digestible. Corn yields can be highly dependent on population, and it is generally recommended to plant BMR corn at lower populations than conventional silage corn. BMR corn has always been considered to be more prone to lodging due to its lower lignin content, and lower populations allow for less stress on each individual plant. However, optimal populations for the Northeast have yet to be developed. With this in mind, University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops & Soils Program conducted a field experiment in 2014 to evaluate the yield and quality performance of four BMR corn hybrids at three different populations. The data presented are only representative of one year, but this information can be combined with other research to aid in making agronomic decisions for BMR corn in the Northeast.

Keywords

Vermont, University of Vermont

Publication Date

2014

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