ANNUAL REPORT, 1946-47 13 



Corn Improvement Program. (Hrant M. Yegian.) 



Uniform Double Cross Tests. Twenty-five commercial hybrids of the U. S.-13 

 maturity group were tested, with five northeastern experiment stations cooperat- 

 ing. An experimental hybrid, (B164 x WF9) x (40B x L317), gave the highest 

 yield — 134.3 bushels of shelled corn per acre, calculated at 15.5 percent moisture, 

 and 21.1 tons of silage per acre, calculated at 70 percent moisture. Ohio 3143, 

 Pioneer 300, Funk G-94, Iowa 4059, and Conn. 830 were also high producers. 

 The hybrids which performed well at this station were also consistently high in 

 yield in the other four tests. 



None of the predicted double crosses in the early maturity group produced as 

 much grain as the Mass. 62. New experimental double crosses are being tested 

 this year in an effort to find one which will outyield Mass. 62. 



Single Cross Test. A set of 45 single crosses involving all possible combinations 

 of ten selected inbred lines in the early maturity group and another set of 45 

 single crosses in the midseason maturity group were tested cooperatively. On 

 the basis of these tests a few of the promising predicted double crosses are being 

 made for testing during the 1948 season. 



Last year a new set of 45 early maturing single crosses was made here. They 

 are being tested for their general adaptability in the Northeastern region. 



Date and Rate of Planting. The results of further yield tests with four hybrids 

 ranging in maturity from early to late, planted on three difTerent dates (May 10, 

 20, and 30) and at three rates (3, 4, and 5 plants per hill), were again not very 

 reliable. Excessive rainfall in the spring and poor drainage of the field caused 

 wide discrepancies among the replicates. Although early planting hastened 

 maturity from 7 to 10 days, in was very difficult to prepare a deep mellow seed- 

 bed, control the weeds, and secure a good stand, because of cold and wet soil 

 conditions which favored poor germination and seed rot. 



Onion Breeding. ( Hrant M. Yegian.) Hybrid Onions. In 1946 a number of 

 bulbs of male-sterile Imes supplied by Dr. H. A. Jones of the U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture were pollinated with selected strains of our Ebenezer lines to de- 

 termine their relative combining ability. The resulting hybrid seeds from these 

 crosses are being used for set production and will be distributed to interested 

 local farmers for experimental testing. 



Pre-harvest Spraying. Further tests for the control of storage rot of onions 

 by spraying with Fermate, Puratized N5E, Isothan Q-15, Wettable No. 604, 

 Wettable Spergon, and Dithane D-14 did not give any control of rot in storage. 

 The various fungicidal chemicals were applied three times at weekly intervals 

 before the onions were pulled. 



In most instances infection of the bulbs takes place through wounds at the 

 neck of the topped onions or through damaged roots, which may account for the 

 ineffectiveness of the fungicides to control storage rot. Immature onions, big 

 fleshy bulbs, or thicknecked bulbs are especially susceptible to infections. The 

 most practical method known for reducing loss is to store only sound, properly 

 cured onions in cold storage under controlled conditions at 32°-35° F. and low 

 humidity. 



Fertilizer Application. It is a generally accepted practice in the Valley to apply 

 from 2000 to 2500 pounds per acre of a complete commercial fertilizer such as 

 5-8-7 to onion fields. Although the fertilizer is broadcast and disked in to a depth 

 of 3 to 4 inches about a week prior to planting the sets, there have been cases, 

 nevertheless, where serious fertilizer injuries have occurred on light sandy soils 



