Progress Report Series No. 100
Agricultural Experiment Station
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
R. Dennis Rouse, Director
Auburn, Alabama
SWEET CORN VARIETY 
TRIALS 1972'
J. L. TURNER, H. F. YATES, J. E. BARRETT, JR.,
N. R. McDANIEL, and M. H. HOLLINGSWORTH
2
S WEET CORN in Alabama is produced on approxi-
mately 6,000 acres, most of which is located in three
counties: 2,000 acres in Baldwin, 1,200 acres in
Escambia, and 1,000 acres in Chilton. The remainder
is located in 28 other counties throughout the State.
All of the commercial acreage is exclusively for fresh
market consumption either locally or shipped.
Sweet corn variety trials were conducted at the
Gulf Coast Substation, Fairhope, Alabama (Baldwin
County) and the North Alabama Horticulture Sub-
station, Cullman, Alabama (Cullman County). These
two areas represent growing conditions that are gen-
erally encountered.
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
Twenty-seven varieties and lines were seeded on
March 22 at Fairhope and April 18 at Cullman. One
additional line was added at Cullman. Two row
plots 15 feet long in a randomized block design with
4 replications were used for the study. After thin-
ning, 2 plants per hill remained spaced 9 inches in
the drill. Rows were spaced 37 inches at Fairhope
and 44 inches at Cullman. Fertilizer applications
and insect controls were applied in accordance with
recommended practices. Irrigation was applied to
supplement rainfall to ensure up to 1 acre inch of
water per week. Each variety was harvested once
over when market maturity was reached.
1 Data presented in this publication is in the opinion of the
authors a true evaluation of each entry. Variety and company
names are used for identification and does not imply endorsement
of one over the other.
'Research Associate, Department of Horticulture; Superintend-
ent and Assistant Superintendents, Gulf Coast Substation; and
Superintendent, North Alabama Horticulture Substation, respec-
tively.
' Commercial Sources of Alabama Produce. Published by Fruit
and Vegetable Division, Alabama Farmnn Bureau, Alabama Depart-
ment of Agriculture and Industries, and Cooperative Extension
Service, Auburn University. May 1972.
RESULTS
Gulf Coast Substation, Baldwin County. Market-
able yield and other characteristics of each entry
are presented in Table 1. Asgrow XP 1281 produced
the highest number of marketable ears of the 
17
highest entries. Funk's GSCW and lochief produced
a lower yield than the other entries.
Monarch Advance and Goldenrod produced the
largest ears by weight and 
Hybrid Seneca Scout and
lochief the smallest. Goldenrod, Asgrow XP 299,
and Northrup King 667 produced 
the longest ears
(shuck removed) and Keystone Evergreen 
Hybrid,
Monarch Advance, arid Merit produced ears with the
greater diameter. Funk's GSCW, 
Golden Security,
Hybrid Seneca Scout, and Tendersweet 
were rated
excellent for ear filling.
Eye appeal rating was made 
on the shucked ear;
size and diameter of the ear were not 
factors in this
rating. Goldenrod, Golden Security, 
Hybrid Seneca
Chief, Northrup King 435-666, Rogers 64-2160, 
and
Silver Queen were rated highest.
Several entries produced plants with heights in
excess of 7 feet, Table 2. Funk's GSCW and lochief
produced the shortest plants. Asgrow XP 358, 
Key-
stone Evergreen Hybrid, Rogers 64-2160, and Tender-
sweet showed the greatest ease in snapping the ear
from the plant. Gusto and Asgrow XP 1281 were
the most difficult to harvest.
Maturity dates 
were earlier 
than normal this 
year
for some entries. Silver Queen normally requires
approximately 90 to 92 days growing time. This year
it required 
83 days.
North Alabama Horticulture Substation, Cullman
County. Hybrid Seneca Chief and Asgrow XP 299
produced the highest yields while 
Calumet, lochief,
and Merit produced the lowest yields, Table 3. Yields
of Marketable ears were rather variable at this loca-
tion. Ear weights were in general larger at Cullman
than at Fairhope. Monarch Advance and Asgrow
December 1972
TABLE 1. YIELD AND EAR CRARACTERISTICS OF SWEET CORN VARIETIES, GULF COAST SUBSTATION, FAI]RHOPE, ALABAMA., 1972
Variety
Asgrow XP 1281
Goldenro ro --- -
Rogers 64-2160
Rogers 70-2428
M erit-- ------------ -
Hybrid Seneca Chief
Northrup King 667
Silverliner- - - - - -
Asgrow XP 299
Keystone Evergreen Hybrid
Tendersweet- - -
G oldie-- ------- --- -
Calumet--- - --- --
Butter Sweet- -
Silver Queen-------------
Golden Queen------------
Sweet Tennessee ---------
Northrup King 435-666----
Hybrid Seneca Scout ------
G u sto -- -----------------
W intergreen--------------
Asgrow XP 358 ------ ---
Monarch Advance --------
Golden Security ----------
Hybrid Seneca 110 -------
Joch ief ----------------- -
Funk's GSCW ------------
Ears per
acrel
Doz.
-2,738 a
-2,543 A
2,,515 ab
2,487 ab
2,468 A
2,459 ab
2,459 A
*2,431 A
*2,421 A
*2,421 ab.
2,412 abc
*2,394 abc
2,393 abc
2,365 abc
2,365 abc
2,319 abc
2,319 abc
2,310 bc
2,282 bc
2,263 bc
2,1245 be
*2,198 bc
*2,189 bc
2,188 bc
*1,993 c
-1,509 cd
-1,444 cd
Ear Color Kernel
weight rows
Rating
5.00'
5.00
4.96
4.83
4.75
4.70
4.70
4.58
4.53
4.53
4.49
4.40
4.40
4.27
4.27
4.06
4.06
4.02
3.88
3.80
3.71
3.50
3.46
3.45.
2.55
0
0
Lb.
.64
.71
.51
.59
.63
.50
.68
.57
.57
.66
.52
.53
.61
.55
.58
.55
.63
.54
.49
.53
.53
.56
.74
.64
.51
.49
.52
Rating
3 3
5
0
2
3.
0
4
.2
2
4
0
1
3
1
2
1
3
1
0
1 a1
5
3
0
0
0
Y
2
y
y
y
y
y
y
w
y
w
y
y
y
y
w
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
w
No.
18
14-16
12
16-18
18
12-14
16-18
12
14-16
18
12-14
16-18
14
18
12-14
14-16
16-18
14-16
16-18
16
14-16
14-16
18
14-16
14-16
16-18
12-14
Soil test P 70 (medium); K - 90 (medium); Mg (high); pH 6.9.
'Means followed by the same letter do not differ significantly from each other at the 5% level.
2 Y-yellow, W-white.
Rating Index: 5 excellent, 4 - good, 3 z- fair, 2 poor,1 - very poor, and 0 unacceptable.
The ratings in this column were obtained by assigning values to yield and ear weight and averaging them with ear filling, tip cover,
and eye appeal. Rating index is the same as in footnote 
3.
TABLE 2. PLANT CHARACTERISTICS OF SWEET CORN VARIETIES,
GULFCOAST SUBSTATION., FAIRHOPE, ALABAMA, 1972
Variety
Asgrow XP 1281-----
Goldenrod
Rogers 64-2160------
Rogers 70-2428------
M erit -- --- ---- ---- --
Hybrid Seneca Chief
Northrup King 667
Silverliner------ -----
Asgrow XP 299
Keystone Evergreen
H ybrid -----------
Tendersweet---------
G oldie------------ --
Calum et ------------
Butter Sweet --------
Silver Queen--------
Golden Queen-------
Sweet Tennessee-----
Northrup King 435-66
Hybrid Seneca Scout-
G usto-------- --
W intergreen --------
Asgrow XP 358------
Monarch Advance----
Golden Security -----
Hybrid -S eneca 110---
Funk's GSCW-------
Jochief -------------
Soil test P - 70
Plant 
Ease 
of
height 
snap-
ping
In. Rating
----- 86.00 2.00W
---- 95.25 3.00
---- 72.25 3.501
---- 82.00 2.501
90.25 2.75
----72.25 3.00
---- 81.50 3.00
-- 87.50 3.25
----92.00 3.00
-- 102.50 3.75
----88.00 3.75
---- 84.00 3.00
---- 94.75 3.00
----89.75 3.00
----89.25 3.25
---- 91.75 3.00,
I--87.75 2.25
36--- 76.75 2.50
----83.00 
3.25
----81.25 2.00
----78.50 3.25
----92.00 3.501
---- 85.00 3.25
----93.75 3.00
73.75 2.50
----67.00 2.75
----64.75 3.00
(medium); K 90
Seed- 
Shank
liug 
length
vigor
Rating In.
3.63 2 3.75
4.50 2.50
4.25 3.50
3.38 3.75
3.88 3.00
4.25 4.25
3.88 3.50
4.50 4.00
4.75 3.25
3.00, 3.00
4.25 3.25
4.63 3.25
4.00 3.00
4.50 3.00
3.63 3.50
4.50 2.75
4.25 3.00
3.88 2.50
4.25 3.50
4.25 2.75
4.75 3.00
4.63 3.75
4.25 3.25,
4.25 3.50
4.63 3.50
2.63 3.50
3.25 3.50
(medium); Mg
Grow-
ing
days
No.
79
80
74
77
77
77
79
80
81
77
77
84
79
83
82
79
79
77
79
80
79
79
77
77
81
79
(high);
pH - 6.9.
1Rating Index: 5 very easy, 4 -q easy, 3- average diffi-
culty, 2 = difficult, 1 very difficult.
2Rating Index: 5 excellent, 4 =- good, 3 fair, 2 po-or,
and 1 - very poor.
XP 299 produced the largest ear weights and Jochief
produced the smallest ears. Goldenrod had the long-
est ear (shuck removed) and Monarch Advance had
the greater ear diameter. Asgrow XP 358 produced
the best filled ears and Northrup King 667 produced
the poorest filled ears. Most of the entries at Cull-
man had very good ear filling.
Tip covering was good to very good for all but
four varieties. Calumet, Rogers 64-2160, and Silver-
liner had only a fair to good rating and Goldie had
a poor to fair covering. Hybrid Seneca Chief,
Jochief, Keystone- Evergreen Hybrid, Northrup, King
435-666, and Rogers 64-2160 were rated only fair in
eye appeal while the other entries were rated good
to excellent. Again, ear size and diameter were not
factors in this 
rating.
All entries at Cullman had shorter heights than
at Fairhope, Table 4. Goldenrod and Keystone Ever-
green Hybrid were the two tallest growing (as at
Fairliope) with Funk,'s GSCW and Hybrid Seneca
Chief the shortest. Calumet,.-Goldenrod, and Hybrid
Seneca Chief were the most difficult to harvest while
Northrup King 667 was the. least difficult to, harvest.
Asgrow XP 229 and Goldenrod had the smallest
number of suckers per plant.
Growing days from planting to market maturity
were variable with 83 days required for the slowest
maturing varieties and 74 days for the earliest ones.
Ear Ear
leth 
diame-
ng ter
In. In.
7.38 1.88
8.19 1.81
7.31 1.75
7.56 1.75
7.13 1.94
7.00 1.47
7.94 1.81
7.31 1.88
7.94 1.50
7.06 1.94
7.31 1.50
7.50 1.75
7.50 1.75
7.56 1.88
7.13 1.75
7.38 1.75
7.44 1.75
7.88-1.75
6.75 1.63
6.68 1.79
7.25 1.63
6.88 1.75
7.75 1.94
7.00 1.75
7.13 1.50
6.50 1.75
6.56 1.75
Ear set
height
In.
22.75
25.50
18.00
22.00
27.25
15.25.
18.001
27.25
27.50,
28.75
23.75
23.50
25.25
28.50
26.25
29.25
24.00,
14.25
24.75
19.75
18.50,
24.75
21.75
24.0:0
19.25
18.00:
25.00
Ear
filling
Rating
4
4
4
3
4
4
3
3
5
4
4
3
4
4
3
4
5
4
4
4
3
5
3
3
5
Tip
cover
Rating
3.25'
2.13
1.75
2.50,
2.50,
3.75-
2.38
2.00:
3.50
4.50
4.00
1.38
1.75
2.75
4.75
3.50
2.00
1.75
4.00,
2.75
3.00
4.00
2.75
4.75
3.50
3.00
2.37
Eye
appeal
Rating
4 
3
5
5
3
3
5
3
5
3
3
4
4
4
4
5
4
4
5
4
4
4.
3
3
5
3
4
3
Com-
posite
Rating
3.854
4.23
3.14
3.07
3.45
3.29
3.42
3.52
3.21
3.86
3.50
2.96
3.43
3.00
4.00-
3.31
3.21
3.15
3.38
3.11
3.14
3.10
3.44
4.24
2.41
2.00
2.07
TABLE 3. YIELD AND EAR CHARACTERISTICS OF SWEET CORN VARIETIES, NORTH ALABAMA HORTICULTURE SUBSTATION,
CULLMAN, ALABAMA, 1972
Ear Color Kernel Ear die-ar Ear set Ear Tip Eye Corn-
weight rows length ter -height filling cover appeal posite
Doz. Rating Lb. Rating
Hybrid Seneca Chief------ 2,750 a 5.00
W  
.56
Asgrow XP 299 2,725 ab 5.00 .80
Rogers 64-2160 2,665 abc 5.00 .63
Sweet Tennessee 2,648 abc 5.00 .74
Northrup King 667-------- 2,631 abc 5.00 .74
Goldenrod - - 2,554 abcd 4.81 .74
Silverliner 2,545 abcd 4.75 .74
Asgrow 358 2,486 abcde 4.39 .67
Asgrow XP 1327W -------- 2,486 abcde 4.39 .67
Wintergreen 2,477 abcde 4.34 .68
Keystone Evergreen Hybrid- 2,452 abcde 4.18 .67
Rogers 70-2428........... 2,443 abcde 4.13 .61
Northrup King 435-666----- 2,364 abcdef 3.65 .73
Golden Security 2,315 abcdef 3.35 .72
Funk's GSCW 2,298 abcdef 3.24 .63
Butter Sweet 2,289 abcdef 3.19 .62
Golden Queen 2,289 abcdef 3.19 .73
Monarch Advance 2,247 abcdefg 2.93 .91
Goldie 2,213 bcdefg 2.73 .61
Hybrid Seneca 110-------- 2,204 bcdefg 2.67 .62
Silver Queen 2,187 cdefg 2.57 .75
Tendersweet 2,178 cdefg 2.51 .66
Gusto 2,085 defg 1.95 .64
Hybrid Seneca Scout------ 2,067 defg 1.84 .68
Asgrow XP 1281 2,050 defg 1.73 .87
Merit 1,990 efg 1.37 .73
Calumet 1,922 fg 0 .56
Iochief - 1,768 g 0 .59
00
4
1
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
1
3
2
1
1
3
2
5
1
1
3
1
1
2
5
3
0
0
No. In. In. In. Rating Rating Rating Rating
Y 12 7.88 1.50 16.20 3.713 4.08' 33 3.164
Y 14 8.40 1.65 29.37 4.18 4.78 4 4.39
Y 12 7.63 1.53 14.95 3.35 3.28 3 3.13
Y 16 7.93 1.78 26.27 4.43 4.60 4 4.21
Y 14-16 8.73 1.60 16.65 3.28 4.13 3 3.68
Y 14-16 9.45 1.60 32.15 4.20 4.58 5 4.32
W 12-14 8.25 1.55 26.77 3.70 3.80 4 3.85
Y 14-16 7.60 1.55 25.87 4.68 4.93 4 4.00
W 12 8.35 1.76 23.00 4.15 4.20 4 3.75
Y 14 7.85 1.58 18.90 4.33 4.10 5 3.95
W 16-18 8.05 1.75 30.80 3.90 4.00 3 3.42
Y 16-18 8.25 1.53 19.48 4.05 4.43 5 3.72
Y 16 8.88 1.53 15.38 3.30 4.05 3 3.40
Y 14-16 8.08 1.68 24.28 4.50 4.88 5 3.95
W 14 7.50 1.55 18.00 4.38 4.08 4 3.14
Y 18 7.78 1.65 27.82 3.95 4.38 5 3.50
Y 14 8.00 1.58 32.00 4.35 4.48 5 4.00
Y 16 8.90 1.88 23.15 4.13 4.28 4 4.07
Y 16 8.08 1.58 18.93 4.13 2.58 4 2.89
Y 14 7.30 1.50 18.48 4.28 4.20 4 3.23
W 12-14 8.03 1.76 26.20 4.43 4.75 4 3.75
Y 14 8.50 1.50 24.73 4.55 4.25 5 3.46
Y 16 7.13 1.60 22.22 4.58 4.25 4 3.16
Y 16 7.30 1.63 23.93 4.63 4.75 5 3.64
Y 18 8.65 1.72 22.60 4.23 4.65 4 3.92
Y 16-18 8.13 1.73 29.90 4.18 4.43 5 3.60
Y 14 8.12 1.35 24.45 4.00 3.78 4 2.36
Y 16-18 7.28 1.55 20.00 3.53 4.45 3 2.20
Soil test P - 250 (very high); K- 120 (high); Mg. (high); pH- 6.2.
1 Means followed by the same letter do not differ significantly from each other at the 
5% level.
2 Y-yellow, W-white.
' Rating Index: 5 - excellent, 4 = good, 3 fair, 2 = poor, 1- very poor, and 0 unacceptable.
' The ratings in this column were obtained by assigning values to yield and ear weight and averaging them with ear filling, tip cover,
and eye appeal. Rating index is the same as in footnote 3.
TABLE 4. PLANT CHARACTERISTICS OF SWEET CORN VARIETIES, NORTH ALABAMA HORTICULTURE SUBSTATION,
CULLMAN, ALABAMA, 1972
Variety
Hybrid Seneca Chief .......
Asgrow XP 299 ...........
Rogers 64-2160 ...........
Sweet Tennessee ..........
Northrup King 667 ........
G old enrod ................
S ilv erlin er .... . . . . . . . . .
. . .
A sgrow 358 .. ...........
Asgrow XP 1327W ........
W intergreen ..............
Keystone Evergreen Hybrid_
Rogers 70-2428 ...........
Northrup King 435-666 ....
Golden Security ...........
Funk's GSCW ............
Butter Sw eet .............
Golden Queen ..........
Monarch Advance ..........
G o l d ie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . .
Hybrid Seneca 110 ........
Silver Q ueen .............
T endersw eet ...............
Gusto ------------- I------
Hybrid Seneca Scout .......
Asgrow XP 1281 --------
M e rit . . . . . --- ------------
C alum et ------------- ----
Ioch ief . --- --- ----- ----- --
Plant Ease of Seedling
height snapping vigor
In. Rating Rating
67.20 2.751 
3.25 2
86.75 3.50 4.63
69.50 3.75 4.50
79.47 3.25 3.13
71.80 4.00 3.00
89.70 2.75 4.00
79.80 3.25 4.75
80.60 3.00 3.13
73.60 3.25 3.50
73.45 3.50 2.75
89.62 3.50 3.75
71.20 3.00 3.13
70.67 3.25 3.38
75.22 3.50 1.88
66.55 3.00 3.88
79.60 3.00 2.75
84.87 3.50 4.00
76.35 3.25 2.88
72.95 3.50 3.50
68.65 3.75 4.00
80.90 3.50 3.13
75.90 3.00 3.25
73.13 3.00 3.75
74.25 3.50 1.25
80.60 3.00 3.13
78.00 3.75 4.00
78.40 2.88 3.63
58.62 3.25 3.50
Soil test P- 250 (very high); K - 120 (high); Mg (high); pH - 6.2.
1 Rating Index: 5 very easy, 4 = easy, 3 - average difficulty, 2 = difficult, 1 -
very difficult.
2 Rating Index: 5 = excellent, 4 good, 3 - fair, 2 = poor, and 1 very 
poor.
Variety
Ears per
acre
1
Shank
length
In.
3.35
2.53
2.95
4.60
2.98
3.35
3.65
3.15
3.50
3.20
3.40
3.55
3.23
4.18
3.03
3.28
3.38
3.15
3.18
3.85
2.93
3.83
3.05
3.88
3.15
3.23
3.35
3.40
Suckers
per plant
No.
.75
.20
.68
.28
.55
.20
.48
.53
.53
.33
.88
1.23
.45
1.38
1.50
.60
.60
.63
.95
.50
.78
.40
.30
1.30
.53
.45
.58
.13
Growing
days
No.
79
81
74
81
79
81
81
79
83
79
83
74
76
83
83
79
81
81
74
76
83
81
76
81
79
76
74
74
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SUMMARY
Sweet corn varieties and lines were grown and
evaluated for commercial potential at two locations
in Alabama during the 1972 growing season. Variety
responses are shown in Tables 1 through 4. Varieties
Goldenrod, Silver Queen, and Golden Security re-
ceived the highest composite ratings at Fairhope
while Asgrow XP 299, Sweet Tennessee, Goldenrod,
Asgrow XP 358, Golden Queen, and Monarch Ad-
vance received the highest composite rating at Cull-
man.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Varieties and lines of sweet corn used in this study
were donated by the following companies.
Asgrow Seed Company
FMC Corporation
(Seed Department)
Louisiana Seed Company
Keystone Seed Company
Northrup King
Roberson Seed Farms
Rogers Brothers
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Modesto, California
Alexandria, Louisiana
Hollister, California
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Hall, New York
Idaho Falls, Idaho