Performance of SE type Sweet Corn Cultivars

Performance of SE type Sweet Corn Cultivars, Ames Plantation, 2001

Charles A. Mullins, Marshall Smith, and A. Brent Smith

Interpretative Summary

The highest yield, tallest plants, and longest ears were produced by >Silver Queen=. >Fleet= produced relatively small ears compared to the other cultivars.

Introduction

Sweet corn is widely grown in home gardens and in small commercial plots for local fresh market sales in Tennessee. Acreage produced for local markets has expanded in recent years. Sweet corn is grown commercially in every county in Tennessee, and total acreage is over 3000. Most of the cultivars grown for local markets are SE type, and white sweet corn is preferred by many Tennessee consumers. A shipping market exists, but optimum cultural and post harvest practices are very rigid to insure insect free and high quality sweet corn. Economic and marketing conditions do not appear highly favorable for sweet corn production during the season when corn can be produced in Tennessee. Several excellent sweet corn cultivars are available to commercial growers, and seedsmen are continually introducing new cultivars. Several sweet corn cultivar trials have been conducted by University of Tennessee researchers in recent years. An experiment was conducted at the Ames Plantation at Grand Junction, TN in 2001 to evaluate performance of 13 SE type sweet corn cultivars.

Materials and Methods

The plots were prepared using no-till methods. Fertilizer was broadcast at 600 lb/A of 15-15-15 on March 22. Glyphosate (Roundup) was broadcast 2 lb ai/A on April 9 for a burn down. Plot size was one row, 20 ft long, and rows were spaced 30 inches apart. Seed of the cultivars was obtained from commercial seedsmen, and was planted on April 18 at the rate of 70 seed per row using a cone-type mechanical planter. Experimental plot design was a randomized complete block with four replications. Herbicides applied on April 19 were atrazine (Bicep II) at 1.25 lb ai/A. Insecticides were applied on a 3 to 5 day frequency and included esfenvalerate (Asana) at 0.05 lbai/A and carbaryl(Sevin 4XLR) at 1 lb ai/A.

Records taken included plant stand, plant height, ear height, ear diameter, number and weight of ears, ear length, ear diameter, external ear appearance, internal ear appearance, and % fill. All data were analyzed by analysis of variance procedures, and cultivar means were separated by Duncan=s multiple range tests at the 0.05 level of probability.

Results and Discussion

Plant stands of all cultivars were above the target level of 23,500 plants per acre, with >Silver Queen= having the largest stand of the cultivars tested (Table 1). Plants of >Silver Queen= were taller than, and had ears set higher above ground than plants of all cultivars tested. >Fleet= had the shortest plants of the varieties tested. Plant diameter was not significantly different due to cultivar. Ears of >Fleet= had the shortest length as well as least diameter and weighed less than ears of all cultivars. No significant difference could be found in the percentage of insect damage due to cultivar. Both >Fleet= and >Punctuality= received damage due to racoons, and therefore over-all yield may not reflect accurately an the true performance of these cultivars.

Table 1. Plant characteristics and yield of SE sweet corn cultivars evaluated at The University of Tennessee Ames Plantation at Grand Junction, 2001.

Cultivar	Plants/acre	Plant height (in.)	Plant dia-meter (in.)	Ear height (in.)	Yield doz/A.	Ear wt - of./ear
Bicolor
Serendipity	31145 bc	73.00 def	0.81 abc	22.25 cd	2378 bc	09.49 d
Mystique	29403 bcd	74.00 de	0.86 abc	19.75 de	2741 ab	09.94 cd
Friendship	28750 cd	69.50 f	0.79 abc	20.25 de	2341 c	10.88 ab
Fleet	27225 d	52.75 h	0.73 c	08.75 g	1851 d	05.74 f
Punctuality	29185 cd	58.00 g	0.89 ab	14.50 f	2305 c	09.61 e
White
Silver Princess	30274 bc	69.25 f	0.74 bc	21.00 d	2450 abc	09.53 d
Silver Queen	35501 a	94.75 a	0.89 ab	36.25 a	2668 abc	11.20 a
Imaculata	32234 b	75.25 cd	0.88 abc	20.00 de	2759 a	09.67 cd
Faith	29621 bcd	71.00 ef	0.86abc	17.75 e	2414 abc	19.85 cd
Avalanche	29403 bcd	74.00 de	0.75 bc	21.00 d	2650 abc	10.35 abcd
Cloud Nine	29185 cd	76.25 bcd	0.93 a	21.00 d	2360 c	10.84 ab
Yellow
Honey Select	30274 bc	79.50 b	0.85 abc	24.00 c	240 abc	10.48 abc
Gold Nuggets	30056 bcd	79.00 bc	0.88 abc	26.75 b	2523 abc	10.30 bcd

z Means within columns followed by the same letter are not significantly different by Duncan=s multiple range tests at the 0.05 level of probability.

Table 2. Ear characteristics of SE sweet corn cultivars evaluated at The University of Tennessee Ames Plantation at Grand Junction, 2001.

Cultivar	Ear length (in.)	Ear diam. (In)	External appearance^x	Internal appearance^x	Insect Damage (%)
Bicolor
Serendipity	8.05 ab^z	2.05 ef	8.00 a	8.00 ab	0.75 a
Mystique	8.14 a	2.20 ab	7.50 a	8.00 ab	0.00 a
Friendship	7.96 ab	2.25 a	7.25 ab	7.25 bcd	0.00 a
Fleet	6.04 d	1.82 g	7.25 ab	6.25 r	1.00 a
Punctuality	7.84 abc	2.03 f	7.00 ab	7.75 abc	1.25 a
White
Silver Princess	7.63 bc	2.07 def	7.75 a	6.75 de	0.50 a
Silver Queen	8.20 a	2.13 bcde	8.00 a	8.25 a	1.75 a
Imaculata	7.41 c	2.09 cdef	8.00 a	7.25 bcd	0.00 a
Faith	8.15 a	2.16 bc	6.25 b	7.00 cde	2.00 a
Avalanche	7.80 abc	2.14 bcd	7.00 ab	7.75 abc	1.00 a
Cloud Nine	7.80 abc	2.24 a	7.25 ab	7.75 abc	0.00 a
Yellow
Honey Select	8.02 ab	2.10 cdef	8.00 a	7.75 abc	1.00 a
Gold Nuggets	7.69 bc	2.21 ab	8.00 a	8.00 ab	0.00 a

^{x Ratings on a scale of 1 to 10, 10=most desirable.

^{Y Ratings on scale of 1 to 10, 10=most damage.}z Means within columns followed by the same letter are not
significantly different by Duncan=s
multiple range tests at the 0.05 level of probability}

Email all comments and suggestions to ghonea@utk.edu
Copyright � 1999 by The University of Tennessee. All rights reserved.

This research represents one season's data and does not constitute recommendations. After sufficient data is collected over the appropriate number of seasons, final recommendations will be made through research and extension publications.