This time of year, growers are bombarded with plot data. How can you be sure the data is relevant to your situation and will assist you in making the best choices for your 2008 crop?

Fact is, many people believe that the only plots that are meaningful to them are planted close to their own operation. However, much like farming, there are several inputs that are essential to seeing the whole picture.

Replication trumps single location
While proximity is an important detail to keep in mind, a plot that is replicated in multiple locations over multiple years provides the depth of information necessary to get an accurate picture of the performance of a given hybrid.

The experts at Stine Seed Company have compiled a list of plot types which provide the most valuable data for growers.

1. Multiple locations, multiple years – This plot type provides a more accurate view of a hybrid’s expected performance because it takes into account a wider variety of growing conditions and better depicts what a grower can expect.
2. Multiple location, single year – While this type of plot provides view of performance in a variety of soil types and growing conditions, it is also limited by the growing pressures and weather conditions of a single season. Any grower knows that one year seldom mirrors another; therefore, this plot data may provide a skewed perception of a certain hybrid’s strengths and weaknesses.
3. Single location, multiple years – While this plot type is valuable to a given geographic area, it is limited in the amount of knowledge it can provide with regard to overall performance of the hybrid.
4. Single location, single year – This less-trustworthy data shows only a snapshot of performance during a single season at a very confined geographic area. While single location, single year plots should be reviewed, this data is best used as a component of a larger picture, rather than the only data taken into consideration.

Stine Plot Data
Long recognized as the research leader in the seed industry, Stine plots reflect best practices in seed performance research.

While it’s sometimes difficult to trust “company data,” Stine customers can rest assured that the data emerging from Stine plots is of the highest quality.

Not only are Stine plots designed to provide growers with the depth of information needed to make informed buying decisions, the plots also provide Stine researchers with important information about the performance of a given hybrid.

Independent Plots
Stine corn consistently performs in a wide range of plot situations. This year’s performance in the Farmers Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.) plots demonstrates Stine’s superior performance.