We wrapped up our 2025 Corn Test Plot a couple of weeks ago here at Maranatha Acres. Each fall, this plot gives us one of our favorite opportunities to learn — putting hybrids from multiple seed companies head-to-head under real field conditions on our farm.
This year’s plot featured 23 hybrids from four major seed companies, ranging from 99–112 days in maturity. This year’s plot was one of our most uniform yet — and while weather threw us a few curveballs, it gave us valuable insight into which hybrids rise to the challenge. While the results always tell part of the story, the real value comes from seeing how these hybrids handle the ups and downs of a growing season in our soils.
Test Plot Overview
The corn test plot was planted on May 10, 2025, at a seeding rate of 34,000 seeds per acre. The corn is planted in 30-inch rows with 2×2 mix of 10/34/0 and 28% N fertilizer applied at 15 gallons per acre. The previous crop on the field was soybeans. The field is a loam soil, representative of much of our operation. Anhydrous ammonia was applied on May 27. Vertical Ag sprayed the field with Veltyma fungicide, an insecticide, and a foliar product from BW Fusion called AmiNo on July 19. It was applied crossways across the plot to make sure there was no bias in our yield data. The field is managed using conventional tillage. We harvested the plot on October 21 and October 23 due to a rain event on the 21st.
This year’s growing season started out nearly ideal, with timely rains and good stand establishment. However, as we moved into late July/August, the rain shut off, and the area once again slipped into D2 drought. Though not as severe as 2024, the topsoil dried out quickly, especially on our lighter sand ground. Even so, the corn handled the stress better than expected — thanks to early-season health and strong root systems.
The plot was divided into two maturity groups:
Early to mid maturities (99–109 days)
Full-season maturities (109–112 days)
By harvest, the differences in drought tolerance, ear development, and shelling characteristics became clear — and the results gave us plenty to think about for 2026.
Key Findings from the 2025 Corn Test Plot
Top Yielding Varieties
99-109 Day Plot
The early-to mid-season maturities showed impressive yield stability again this year, just as they did in 2024. The lighter soils in this part of the field make this section of the plot an excellent test of stress tolerance.
Dekalb® 56-26RIB led the early-maturity plot with a check-adjusted yield of 253.5 bu/acre and 16.3% moisture. This hybrid had excellent ear consistency and test weight (57.2 lbs), proving its ability to perform across soil types. It handled the dry stretch remarkably well and looked great from the road, and continues to be one of our go-to numbers on our farm.
Dekalb® 59-82RIB, serving as the checker hybrid in the plot, averaged 246.4 bu/acre, providing a solid benchmark for the rest of the early group. This hybrid continues to be a strong standard in our testing program, performing consistently year over year.
Pioneer® P07147PCE followed close behind with a check-adjusted yield of 244.0 bu/acre at 16.5% moisture. This hybrid features a white cob, which can traditionally shell harder because kernels pull sugars from the cob to finish — but it shelled clean this year. It maintained excellent standability and overall plant health through harvest.
These results highlight how balanced the early-maturity lineup was this year. DKC56-26RIB stood out for raw yield, while P07147PCE demonstrated the significant improvement in white-cob genetics for shellability and standability. The combination of yield, consistency, and test weight made this one of our strongest early plots yet.
109-112 Day Plot
The later-season hybrids had a tougher test this year, as the limited late-summer moisture hit them right during grain fill. Still, several varieties showed excellent performance in both yield and plant health:
Pioneer® P09312V topped the full-season plot with a check-adjusted yield of 258.0 bu/acre and 17.5% moisture. This hybrid was extremely impressive from start to finish — with strong plant health, clean ears, and uniform kernel set. It stood tall and healthy all the way through harvest. Something additional to note is that this hybrid is a white cob hybrid.
FS InVISION® 6245V RIB was right behind at 255.7 bu/acre and 18.0% moisture. Known for its stay-green and excellent late-season appearance, this hybrid looked fantastic from the combine and handled the dry finish with ease.
FS InVISION® 5947T RIB followed close behind with 255.4 bu/acre, offering consistent ear development and strong test weight (57.8 lbs).
While the late-season drought clipped some of the top-end yield potential, the full-season hybrids clearly benefited from the July 19 fungicide pass. Across the late-maturity plot, it was clear that fungicide timing and hybrid selection paid dividends. The Pioneer and FS hybrids both showed great late-season stay-green, while the Dekalb lineup provided impressive consistency in ear development across varying soil types. The improved standability of these varieties, even as Tar Spot flared back up at the end of the season, continues to impress.
Combined Plot Results
In the combined plot data, which merges the results of both the early to mid season and full-season varieties, we see a clear picture of which varieties excelled across the board. Each variety’s yield is refigured based on the average checker across the entire plot. These results give us a comprehensive view of variety performance and help guide decisions on future planting strategies:
- Pioneer® P09312V led the overall 2025 test plot with a check-adjusted yield of 258.0 bu/acre. It stood out for its healthy appearance all season long and topped the charts on both yield and ear uniformity. It is the next generation variety of one of our favorites, P0935AM. This is a white cob variety that, from our experience, does best when you tighten up the machine to run to get all of the kernels off the cob.
- FS InVISION® 6245V RIB followed at 255.7 bu/acre, maintaining its strong position from previous years and demonstrating great adaptability under dry conditions. This number is a slow dry-down variety, but the stay green and overall plant health is impressive.
- FS InVISION® 5947T RIB came in just behind at 255.4 bu/acre, proving to be another excellent performer for our area. The semi-flex ear on this number was impressive, and it did well handling the drought as it finished.
- Dekalb® 56-26RIB placed fourth overall at 253.5 bu/acre, showing the power of a mid season hybrid that can hang with later maturities.
- Dekalb® 110-41RIB rounded out the top five at 249.6 bu/acre.
These results reflect the value of mixing maturities and genetics to balance risk across growing conditions. Pioneer and FS hybrids showed impressive health and late-season performance, while DeKalb continued to deliver strong early-maturity consistency. The combined plot results confirm the overall adaptability and strength of these top varieties, which maintained high yields across both early and full-season conditions.
White Cob Observations
Traditionally, white cobs can be tougher to shell because kernels draw sugars from the cob as they finish grain fill. The plot this year had 3 white cob varieties from Pioneer. Pioneer® P09312V, Pioneer® P07147PCE, and Pioneer® P10477V. One of our biggest takeaways this year was how much better the white cob hybrids shelled off the cob even in a stressful finish to the year.
When running this type of variety in the past, we had to tighten the concaves and slow the combine down to get all the kernels off the cob. This year, we noticed that these 3 tended to shell better than our previous experiences with White Cob corn.
We’ll keep watching this trend as seed companies continue to refine cob color and composition genetics to improve both yield and shelling characteristics. We would like to implement more of these varieties as they perform well in our plot, but are hesitant based on the past and the ease of shelling.
Moisture Levels
Moisture content plays a crucial role in determining not only the timing of harvest but also the quality and test weight of the crop. Throughout the 99-109 day plot, moisture levels ranged from 15.1% to 16.8%, while the 109-112 day plot saw moisture levels between 16.3% and 18%.
These moisture levels were slightly lower than expected. Most of the corn we were shelling before the plot was in that 18% consistently or close to 20%. Having the same varieties in the plot planted close to the same date, but 2% drier, was interesting to us. We were overall impressed with how tight the moisture range was across the whole plot. That could be thanks to fungicide applications, which provided a boost to the plant’s health and allowed for a more robust grain fill window.
Yield Accuracy
To ensure the accuracy of the data collected, we employed two separate weight wagons—one dedicated to the early to mid season plot and one for the full-season plot. This allowed us to minimize errors and ensure consistency in the measurements. We kept the same wagons in the same spots on the second day as well so the data stayed consistent.
For each plot, we take an average of the checkers in the plot to generate an average checker yield, which helps us adjust and compare the performance of each variety right next to the checker. This year, the raw yield data was extremely consistent across the plot, which made for some great data on how these varieties performed. By normalizing the data through checker yields, we can provide a more competitive comparison, regardless of soil type or environmental factors.
Drought Challenges and Impact
The 2025 growing season started strong, with consistent early rainfall and near-perfect weather through early summer. Stands were excellent, root systems established well, and early vigor across the plot looked promising. But as August arrived, the rain shut off — and flash drought conditions set in once again across Northwest Ohio.
By late summer, much of the region had slipped into a D1 drought, marking the driest year in the Maumee River watershed since 1988. According to FarmServer, this farm has received about 23.4 inches of moisture this year — about 1.2 inches more than last year, but still below the five-year average. While not as severe as 2024’s drought, the topsoil dried out quickly, especially on our lighter sand ground, and the crop had to rely on early-season moisture and root strength to finish. Despite the stress, the corn handled the conditions better than expected.
Interestingly, the early-maturity hybrids finished grain before conditions worsened, while the later maturities had to fill ears under increasing heat and dryness. Still, hybrids like Pioneer® P09312V and FS InVISION® 6245V proved their resilience, finishing strong with uniform ears and great test weights.
While the dry spell certainly trimmed some of the top-end yield — particularly on the sandier parts of the field — it also gave us valuable insight into which hybrids can maintain performance under stress. And for us, that kind of data is every bit as valuable as a record-breaking yield.
Additional Observations
Every year, we take time during harvest to make visual notes from the combine seat — the things data alone can’t tell you. Beyond the yield numbers, the 2025 corn test plot showed several noteworthy differences in plant health, structure, and shelling behavior.
- Pioneer® P04511AM – This hybrid stood out for its overall health and balance. It carried a dark, healthy green color deep into the season, showing little disease pressure. Ear consistency was excellent across the plot, and the uniform kernel depth and cob fill reflected strong late-season plant energy. Its agronomic strength was clear all the way through harvest.
- Pioneer® P07147PCE – This white cob hybrid shelled exceptionally clean this year — a noticeable improvement compared to older white-cob genetics we’ve grown in the past. Stalk integrity was solid, and overall plant health held right up to the end. It’s definitely a hybrid we’ll keep an eye on for consistency and harvestability.
- FS InVISION® 5949PC – One of the more visually impressive hybrids in the plot, this variety was very leafy and had a strong, upright canopy structure that looked nearly identical to Pioneer® P10477V. Its tall, vigorous plant type helped shade the row middles well, which likely contributed to its healthy leaf tissue and strong test weight at harvest. The hybrid showed balanced ear size and handled the dry finish better than expected.
- Pioneer® P10477V – Another white cob entry, and one of the healthiest hybrids in the plot from start to finish. It shelled cleanly, had strong stalks, and looked picture-perfect from the combine cab. Like P07147PCE, this hybrid’s performance shows how far white-cob breeding has come in terms of both yield and harvestability. We also noticed how well this hybrid carried its stay-green — still holding color well into drydown.
- Dekalb® 59-82RIB – Serving as one of our check hybrids again this year, this number proved why it continues to be a dependable benchmark in our plots. Its consistency stood out once again — delivering strong yields in both early and full-season comparisons. The hybrid had excellent stay-green and plant health, maintaining leaf color and stalk strength longer than most, even through the August dryness. That kind of season-long integrity is why we keep it in the lineup year after year.
- Finally, one of the biggest takeaways from this year’s plot was just how much the July 19 fungicide pass paid off. The combination of Veltyma, insecticide, and BW Fusion’s AmiNo foliar product visibly improved plant health and helped maintain green leaf area later into the season. That late-season plant health likely made the difference in holding yield through the August dryness, especially on the later-maturity hybrids that needed to finish under stress.
Looking Ahead: Using the Data to Inform Future Decisions
The lessons from the 2025 plot will carry directly into our hybrid planning for 2026. Each year, these test plots give us a clearer picture of what performs best not just on paper, but in the dirt — right here in Northwest Ohio.
The consistency of Dekalb® 56-26RIB, paired with the top-end performance of Pioneer® P09312V and FS InVISION® 6245V, gives us confidence in both ends of the maturity spectrum. These hybrids proved they can handle heat, hold stalk integrity, and maintain test weight through tough finishes.
We also learned that white cob genetics have come a long way. The improved shelling on hybrids like P07147PCE and P10477V was a pleasant surprise, showing that the days of needing to slow down the combine just to clean off the cob might be behind us. That’s something we’ll continue to monitor in future years.
As we plan for 2026, our focus remains the same — to keep learning from the data, manage risk through diversity, and build on what works best in our soils. The goal stays the same: to make data-driven hybrid decisions that improve yield potential while keeping plant health front and center.
Conclusion
The 2025 Corn Test Plot at Maranatha Acres reinforced just how valuable on-farm data is. From the combine cab, it’s easy to see differences in color, canopy, and ear height — but having side-by-side yield results brings those observations to life.
Despite another year of drought stress, the hybrids in this plot proved how far modern genetics and crop protection have come. The top-end yield potential we saw from Pioneer, FS InVision, and Dekalb hybrids — paired with the overall health and standability — gives us a lot of confidence and options heading into 2026.
At the end of the day, our test plot isn’t just about numbers. It’s about learning — seeing what works, what doesn’t, and how we can continue improving each season. We’ll keep using data like this to make smarter hybrid choices, improve management, and stay focused on building a stronger, more resilient operation for the future.
For a full breakdown of this year’s test plot results, including specific performance data for each variety, download the PDF below. We’re excited to apply these insights in next year’s growing season and continue refining our practices for even better outcomes.