Will Sampling Decrease My Yield?

Will Tissue Sampling Decrease My Yield???

We ask that all sampling be done within a single area of about 1 acre that is under Yield-Contest Management and as near as possible to where you expect your Contest acre to be harvested. The obvious question arises: Will sampling decrease my yield?

Not measurably. The final sample will be collected at maturity and thus not affect yield. The three other samples will remove a maximum of 40 early-season plants and 20 ear leaves. On a per acre basis projected from plant populations of 20,000 to 45,000 / acre and grain yields of 100 to 350 bu/acre, these might produce a yield loss ranging from a 0.1 to 0.73 bu/ac. The greatest losses would be at the lowest populations and highest yield, an unlikely combination. For a realistic projected population of 35,000 / ac and very high yield of 350 bu/ac, the maximum projected yield loss would be 0.45 bu/ac

We understand this may still concern you: You want to win the contest! Potential yield losses can be mitigated by sampling over an area larger than 1 acre and/or some distance from where you expect to harvest your Contest Acre, but under Yield-Contest management. Please feel free to do so!