1999 Annual Report for FNC99-247
Evaluating Corn Varieties for Ohio Organic Farmers
Summary
Organic, or untreated, corn for use in organic crop or livestock operations is difficult to locate in Ohio.
Objective: To evaluate corn varieties for organic production in Ohio.
The producer assessed performances and organic growing conditions of feed grade, food grade and open-pollinated corn. When maturity information is available, varieties suited to the growing region will be tested. Excessive rain allowed only 11 of 14 certified organic farms to successfully plant corn. One variety tested flowered abnormally, so the field was chopped for silage.
Results: The open-pollinated varieties performed poorly, due to excessive lodging, stalk breakage and barren plants. The project will be extended one year to further confirm the performance of promising varieties.