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Sweet Corn Variety Trial

Sweet corn is a major vegetable crop in Florida.  The spring crop in 2002-03 was reported at 33,900 acres with a yield of 345 42-lb crates per acre average.  There were 4,900 acres harvested in the fall with an average yield of 321 42-lb crates.  The combined value at the farm-gate was $89.5 million.  The Everglades region continues to lead in sweet corn production in Florida with about 60 percent, followed by the Southeast and Southwest regions with 25 percent.

The popular yellow sweet corn varieties in Florida include:  ACX 844 (Abbott & Cobb); GSS-0966VP (Syngenta); Flagship 11 (Seedway); and Summer Sweet 8100R (Abbott & Cobb).  Bicolor varieties grown include:  BSS-0977VP (Syngenta); ACX538, Summer Sweet 8102 (Abbott & Cobb); and Big Time VP (Syngenta).  White varieties are not planted in large acres but include:  Summer Sweet 801R (Abbott & Cobb); Boreal VP, WWS-1921 (Syngenta); and White Saturn (Seedway).

In the spring of 2004, a small sweet corn variety trial was conducted in Central Florida with the cooperation of Long and Scotts Farm.  One bicolor and four yellow varieties of Sh₂ type were hand planted with rows 25 feet long and replicated four times in a randomized complete block.  Planting was on March 4, 2004.  Seeds were spaced 8 inches in the row and rows were 36 inches apart.  The grower used his normal cultural practices for growing corn.  Days to harvest ranged from 74 to 80 days, which was about a week longer than normal due to a cool spring.  One variety was in the trial two times due to two seed lots from the same supplier.  Yield and horticultural characteristics are in Table 1.  The soil type was a Wabasso sand and seep irrigation was used.

Husk cover and ear tip fill data are not shown since there were no differences.  All varieties were rated 5 on each characteristic where 5 equals a tight husk cover of over ½ inch and 5 for tip fill indicates corn kernels  filled to the tip of the ear.  ACX 1068 (bicolor) and ACX 1082y had the greatest ear diameter.  Prime Plus and ACX 1082y were the longest ears at 7.6 inches.

Evaluation data from one season in one location is valuable, but caution and more testing is required before a good recommendation can be made.

(J. Marion White, MFREC-Apopka, Vegetarian 04-06)