The Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
The University of Georgia
Research Report Number 717
October 2008
2008 Corn Performance Tests
Edited by
Anton E. Coy, J. LaDon Day, and John D. Gassett
The Season
Corn planting started and progressed normally in March and April although cool wet
weather caused some delays in early April in some areas. In other areas the dry spring
caused planting progress to be much slower than normal. Above normal summer time
temperatures (especially during the very hot first two weeks of June) and drought
conditions took a toll on the dryland corn crop and caused some pollination problems in
irrigated corn. Greater amounts of irrigation were needed to produce what turned out to
be a good corn crop for Georgia. Stink bugs and rust were a problem in many heavily
irrigated areas.
Rainfall during the season was 10 to 12 inches below long term averages at the corn
variety test locations in the Piedmont and North Georgia regions as listed below;
however, hurricane Fay dropped heavy rains on the Coastal Plain region in late August,
thus, the season total in this area was at or near normal.
Growing Season Rainfall1, 2008
Month
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
Total (8 mo)
Normal (8 mo)*
Blairsville Calhoun2
Griffin
Midville
Plains
Tifton
------------------------------------------- inches --------------------------------5.79
3.68
4.18
5.19
5.43
7.82
7.60
3.74
2.55
3.82
3.18
3.17
2.56
3.85
3.67
3.91
3.66
3.02
2.25
4.39
2.73
3.65
1.82
1.83
1.49
.84
3.96
.61
2.93
2.28
4.01
4.13
2.18
4.37
2.76
3.31
4.43
4.39
4.54
6.31
11.77
12.32
.41
1.47
.68
.60
1.61
.16
28.54
38.62
26.49
38.47
24.49
34.43
28.60
30.74
33.16
33.77
33.91
32.24
1. Data submitted by Dr. G. Hoogenboom, Georgia Station, Griffin, GA.
2. Floyd County location.
* Based on average February to September (8 mo) 1971 to 2000.
Corn producers reduced planted acres 28 percent in Georgia during the 2008
season due largely to increased input costs (related mainly to higher energy prices).
Maturity and harvest progressed at the 5-year average. Of the 370,000 planted acres
320,000 were harvested for grain. Yields were estimated to be 130 bu/acre, five
bushels below last year, giving a total of 41.6 million bushels. This level of production
was about 30 percent less than last year.
Anton E. Coy is a senior agricultural specialist in the Crop and Soil Sciences Department at the Tifton Campus,
Tifton, Georgia 31793-0748. J. LaDon Day is program coordinator of the statewide variety testing program and John
D. Gassett is a research professional II in the Crop and Soil Sciences Department, Griffin Campus, Griffin, Georgia
30223-1797.