Year: 2005
Type: article
Abstract: Significant spatial yield variations are known to exist in cornfields with different soil types, topsoil depth, and othervariables. Similarly, variations might also be found among the highly valued chemical components (oil, protein, and starch)in corn kernels due to local differences in soil type, fertility, acidity/pH, organic matter, etc. This study quantified the spatialvariability of protein, oil, and starch content of corn from two conventional cornfields and two high-oil cornfields. Whole earswere harvested by hand from 20 to 40 randomly selected locations within each field. A differential global positioning system(DGPS) receiver recorded the location of each collection site. Samples were also collected from hauling vehicles with asegmented probe prior to transport from the field and from the grain stream as trucks were unloaded. A NIRSystems. 6500near-infrared reflectance instrument was used to measure the protein, oil, and starch concentration of each sample collected.Yield maps were plotted for each type of corn along with protein, oil, and starch variation. Results showed large variationsbetween the conventional and high-oil cornfields. Slight variations were found between truck probe samples from the samefield. Oil content was more variable than protein or starch. Probe samples appeared to provide the most representative results.Segregation of grain based on average values of components in hauling vehicles appeared to be feasible. The oilconcentration between truck hoppers was significantly different and could be used for binning corn of differentconcentrations. However, segregation on the combine during harvest does not appear to be feasible due to the large variationsthat occurred within fields at the same location. For example, the oil concentration of individual ears varied between 1 and7 percentage points at the same location within the field.
DOI: 10.13031/2013.18550
Authors: S. G. McNeill, M. D. Montross, S. A. Shearer
Language: English
Subfield: Agronomy and Crop Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: bronze
Funder: University of Kentucky
OpenAlex ID: W2010358574