MINUTES SRIEG-33
CROP VARIETY TESTING
Memphis, TN
February 9 & 10, 1999

CO-CHAIRS - Kevin Howard, Delta & Pine Land Co. and Bill Pearce, University of Kentucky
SECRETARY - Doyce Graham, Clemson U.
TREASURER - Debra Ahrent, U. of Arkansas
CSREES REPRESENTATIVE - Marsha Stanton, Washington, DC
ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISOR - Vance Watson, Mississippi State U.

TUESDAY, FEB. 9, 1999

Introduction and Comments

Kevin Howard gave a short intro for the meeting with details of registration and meeting rooms.

Vance Watson detailed the unique partnership of public and private entities in our IEG compared to all of the other IEG. He also commended all parties and participants in how well the concept is working and the cooperation displayed by all. Ou r IEG, SRIEG-33, has first WWW page and has set a standard for others that will follow. Three years of minutes will be kept on the web page. He introduced Marsha Stanton as our CSREES representative.

Marsha Stanton gave details of her new position which includes oversight of some funding and CRIS reporting and information system. She detailed where plant breeding and genetics RPAs would go into the CRIS system. USDA funding will increase 2.6 % for FY 2000. CSREES web page is at

http://www.reeusda.gov

Stanton email address is mstanton@reeusda.gov

SRIEG-33 Web Site

Dr. Watson has kindly organized a WWW site at Mississippi State U. on which information for the group has been entered. Information includes officers, advisors, and meeting date(s) when determined, minutes, history, publications, discussion groups and di rectory of variety test personnel. Check the URL below to see how it has developed and progressed

http://www.mafes.msstate.edu/admin/ieg.html

The SRIEG-33 group has placed information such as application dates, check varieties, and dates such as return of preliminary data to cooperators. Dewey Barefield of Clemson has developed a list server for discussions and exchanges. Go to the SRIEG- 33 homepage listed above and click on the Discussion Group choice to subscribe to the list server.

Group Introductions and New Variety Releases

Those present from various companies and AES reported on new varieties and personnel changes.

Directory Update

Directory is now kept at the web site for SRIEG-33 listed above. Any corrections to personnel should be reported to Patsy Sykes in Vance Watson's office at Mississippi State.

patsys@ext.msstate.edu

Discarding Trials (R2 and C. V.)

Clarence Watson, Mississippi State - A presentation was given that explored when to publish or when to discard data. In past c.v. has been used extensively. C. V was proposed in 1895 by Karl Pearson as a measure of relative variation. Few alter natives have been offered. Watson had several slides and discussions comparing c.v. and R2 measures of discarding data. He referred to a paper in Agronomy Journal 89:860-866 where details of presentation are published. He suggested that a re searcher not toss data solely on basis of c. v. More than one measure would be better and to use good judgement and common sense.

Discarding Trials(Error Variance)

Daryl Bowman, North Carolina State U. - A reprint from Agronomy J. 87:147-151 was the basis of a suggested procedure to reject crop performance data. Historical data (minimum of 30 data points) are used to establish a an average error variance and to determine any relationship between productivity level and error variance by regressing log(variance) and log(mean) for the variable of primary interest, usually yield. Data were presented from five crop species in North Carolina.

Testing Procedures for Roundup Ready Soybeans

Harry Minor, U. of Missouri-Columbia - Minor reviewed how several states are testing genetically modified organisms(GMO). Two questions have been posed as being of interest to various groups using GMO. 1) Do GMO varieties differ? 2) Do GMO and c onventional varieties produce equally? Testing in various southern states run the gamut from GMO alone, inclusion of GMO in tests of conventional, and GMO being compared to a "check package" of conventional varieties. Slides were used to illus trate various outcomes in the Missouri tests and presentation method of yield data.

BT Corn

Ric Bessin, U. of Kentucky - A tremendous grower interest in Bt corn is to be found in Kentucky and other corn growing states. At least five kinds of Bt are being marketed. They are Knockout, Natureguard, Yieldguard, Bt-Xtra, and Starlink. Each kind and protection against insects was detailed. Bessin had indications that Bt hybrids occupy 40-50% of corn acreage which points to an approaching problem to resistance management. Refuges have been proposed as a major approach to minimizing insects resistance to Bt. Refuge strategies include not mixing non-Bt and Bt corn in same hopper, do not plant Bt corn in strips, plant in blocks, and manipulate planting of non-Bt for refuge. Bessin's observation has been that farmers/growers are showing some reluctance to planting of refuges and an education effort will be needed.

WEDNESDAY, FEB 10, 1999

Value Added Traits(VAT) in Variety Testing
- When do we have separate Tests

Palmer - expressed view that grower needs info on VAT and any impact on his bottom line. Most VAT varieties should be tested in regular tests to answer this question. If not right away in the process then as soon as possible.

Graves - VAT varieties are progressing like other varieties. A knowledge base of their performance is needed and being gradually developed. SRIEG-33 has influenced testing in positive manner in that interactions between all involved in variety testing have been possible.

Fogleman - expressed idea that aside from oil in corn most VAT varieties do not need separate tests. Proposed that variety testers could present a table of data with VAT varieties that would be separate.

Dombek - experience has been primarily with RR soybeans first in 1995 where yields were disappointing and then in 1996 when separate tests were used. His strong feeling is that common test for all varieties are appropriate under most circumstan ces with some obvious exceptions. Pitched for more cooperation between weed scientists, entomologist, and pathologists in the case of many VAT varieties.

Shannon- noted that numerous specialty VAT soybean varieties would be available in near future. A testing method that will provide information to growers is preferred. Testing methods will probably best proceed according to the needs in particu lar states as opposed to one uniform testing method. The role of land grant in this type of testing will continue to be very important in that unbiased results are expected by growers/farmers. Yield is an overriding consideration. State variety test obl igation is to determine yield in a conventional setting; farmer/grower can then work out his needs.

Some group discussion included an observation that weed scientists often are conducting early testing and information is not as readily available. Non-disclosures are also contributing to information lag on VAT varieties. Putting VAT varieties into a sep arate table was also suggested. Minor indicated that MO was moving to a display at a web site where grower could manipulate the table to say display on RR or say RR and SCN resistant variety. Please present any progress in next meeting was a desire expr essed to Minor. Watson indicated that MS is considering a budget generator in their cotton information to assist growers with RR varieties. Information about seed availability continues to be a problem with VAT varieties. Rapid turnover of varieties ma y lead to states using 2 years instead of three for recommending newer varieties. Knowing experimental number of new variety can often assist with information delivery.

Testing High Oil Corn

William Pearce, U. of Kentucky - In 1998 testing was done with the TC blends®. The constraints and special steps necessary for testing were presented. Advantages and disadvantages also detailed. One test had mean yield of 144 bu/ acre and cv = 12.7%, second test was manyield of 183 bu/acre and cv = 5.2%. Higher yields were reported for TC blends ® when tested with conventional hybrids indicating that separate tests for TC blends® were needed.

Yield Protocol for testing TC Blend® Seed Corn and general testing of RR Soybeans and Waxy Corn

Stuart Kaplan, Optimum Quality Grains - TC Blend( Seed Corn is an example of using xenia to enhance the end product. Blend is 8% pollinator and 92% male sterile high yielding hybrid. Pollinator is typically about 12% oil and male-sterile hybrid female p arent is typically 4% oil. Advantage of TC Blend® Seed Corn is that harvested grain by grower for cash sale will be about 7% oil for which a premium will be paid. Elaborate field testing plans are necessary in order to retain the xenia ef fect. Buffers of various parents are needed which necessitates rather large amounts of land and planting to actually determine yield potential of any one TC Blend® Seed Corn. Excellent slides and transparencies were used to illustrate the protocol for testing.

Field Plot Design

Daryl Bowman, N. C. State University - information was presented on a computer program that will meet the following conditions for field plot design. No entries will fall back to back, no entries occur on the diagonal, an entry occurs not more tha t 3 times on one side of an experiment. Program keeps forcing randomization until conditions above are met for four out of five reps.

No-Till Wheat

Daryl Bowman, N. C. State University -Question about no-till wheat and which varieties was raised in North Carolina. Experiments had been conducted with corn comparing no-till and conventional tillage with different varieties. Experiments with n o-till and conventional tillage as main plot and varieties in split plots were conducted. Data were collected and AOV analyses were done. The critical interaction, tillage vs. variety effects were n.s. in all cases. Conventional tillage data is valid f or no-till situations.

Check cultivars

Soybeans

MG IV early - TN4-86;late - RA 452
MG V early - Hutcheson;late - Hyperformer HSC 574
MG VI early - Dillon;late - Pioneer 9692
MG VII - Haskell
MG VIII -Cook

Corn

Early - Pioneer 3245 and AgraTech AT 787
Medium - Pioneer 3163 and DeKalb 683
Late - Pioneer 3082 and NK N8811

Cotton

DP51 - maturity standard for division into early and late trials
Early maturing standards - ST474 & SG125
Later maturing standards - DP5415 & ST LA887

Business Meeting

Correcting Variety Names -

Preliminary report from testers to those entering varieties will consist of yields only and also allow a check of variety names and corrections at a point before publishing data.

This proposal of preliminary yields strongly reinforces the need for email addresses in the Directory of SRIEG-33.

Minutes

Minutes of 1998 were approved. Minutes are also listed on the SRIEG-33 web page.

http://www.mafes.msstate.edu/admin/ieg.html

Treasurer's Report

SRIEG-33 Treasurer's Report, 2-17-99
BALANCE FORWARD, 2-10-99 $1,291.30
 
1999 Meeting Income:
Registration (60 registrants @ $25) $1,500.00
TOTAL INCOME $1,500.00
BALANCE $2,791.30
 
1999 Meeting Expenses:
Meeting room $514.19
Break refreshments $603.55
Hospitality suite $135.31
Hosp. suite refreshments & supplies $383.48
Award plaque $ 47.98
TOTAL EXPENSES $1,684.51
 
CURRENT BALANCE $1,106.79
Submitted by Debra Ahrent, SRIEG-33 Treasurer

Co-chairs Pearce and Howard provided excellent leadership and service with respect to finances program, and facilities. The group offers our thanks and appreciation to Howard and Pearce.

1999 Service Award

Recipient of the 1998 Service Award is Dr. Robert Palmer of Pioneer Hi-Bred Seed, Inc. Bob has brought a keen sense of the service that variety testing delivers to the ultimate user, the grower. He has contributed to our discussions, meetings, presentat ions, and was co-chair in 1996. SRIEG-33 wishes Robert and Mrs. Palmer the very best in their retirement in the Sevierville, TN area. We will miss his participation in our annual meeting.

2000 Co-chairs

White, Mississippi State U. and Glover, Terral Seeds

2001 Co-chairs

Barefield, Clemson University and Whiting, Delta & Pine Land, Scott, MS

Participants at SRIEG-33, Memphis, TN Feb. 9 & 10, 1999

Dewey Barefield Clemson University
J. D. Barham U. of Arkansas
George Berger Eagle Seeds Co.
Ric Bessin U. of Kentucky
Daryl Bowman NCSU
Barry Bridges Terra Industries
Anton Coy U. of Georgia- Tifton
John B. Creech Mississippi State University
Don Day University of Georgia
Sherri Dickey Louisiana State University
Don Dombek U. of Arkansas
Ralph Esgar U. of Illinois
Barton Fogleman AgriPro Seeds, Inc., Jonesboro, AR
Larry Ganann Asgrow Seed Co.
Kathryn Glass Auburn University
Donnie Glover Terral Seeds, Inc., Greenville, MS
Dewayne L. Goldmon Monsanto
Scott Gordon Terral Seed
Doyce Graham Clemson University
Charles Graves U. of Tennessee
John Gunnway Texas Agric. Experiment Station
Steve Harrison LSU
Bob Harville LSU
Al Hoggard AgriPro Seeds, Inc., Memphis, TN
David Holshause1 Virginia Tech
Kevin Howard Delta & Pine Land, Scott, MS
Darin Joos U. of Illinois
Stuart Kaplan Optimum Quality Grains
John Kelly U. of Arkansas
Michael Kenty American Cyanamid
Eugene Lacefield U. of Kentucky, Lexington
Daryl Lawhorn Delta King Seed Co.
Walter Mayhew Asgrow Seed Co.
William Meredith USDA-ARS Stoneville, MS
Harry Minor U. of Missouri-Columbia
Mike Montgomery AgriPro Seeds, Inc., Jonesboro, AR
Carl Morris U. of Missouri-Columbia
Kevin Murphy Hornbeck Seed
Richard Myers United Agri Products
Jerry Nail Mississippi State University
Joe Paling U. of Arkansas
Robert Palmer Pioneer Hi-Bred, Huntsville, AL
Frank Patton Pioneer Hi-Bred, Huntsville, AL
William Pearce U. of Kentucky -Lexington
Paul Raymer U. of Gerogia
Kraig Roozeboom Kansas State University
Grover Shannon Delta & Pine Land, Scott, MS
Bob Sharp FFR Cooperative
Brad Stancil Clemson University
Marsha Stanton USDA, CSREES Representative
Brandon Stewart U. of Arkansas
James Thomas Hornbeck Seed Co., DeWitt, AR
Charles Tutt U. of Kentucky West. Ky. REC, Princeton
Norm Van Meeteren FFR Cooperative
Tony Walker Erwin Keith, Inc.
Clarence Watson Mississippi State University
Vance Watson Mississippi State University
Greg Weaver Garst Seed Co.
Bernie White Mississippi State University
Kelly Whiting Delta & Pine Land, Scott, MS
Lawrence Young USDA-ARS