Field and Garden: Choices abound for farmers and gardeners

“Variety selection is without a doubt the most important decision I make annually on my farm,” said a producer at a meeting early this winter.

Many farmers will agree with the man’s comment. Some of them might add that because there are so many choices, variety selection is also one of their most difficult decisions.

Each variety has specific strengths and weaknesses that make it more- or less-suited to a given field environment.

Differences in variety performance can have huge effects on a producer’s bottom line.

With so much riding on their decisions, it’s vital that growers take advantage of all the tools available to make their variety selection.

NDSU Extension has information that can help.

Every year, NDSU researchers conduct variety trials at locations around the state. The trials provide growers with unbiased data on which to base their decisions.

Last year, researchers at the Carrington REC tested more than 600 varieties among 19 crop species.

The highest yielding varieties always draw a lot of attention but yield consistency is a more important consideration. The variety that performed well under last year’s conditions may do poorly in the coming year.

The best varieties are those which give good yields consistently over several years and at several locations.

Of course, yield is not the only factor to look at when selecting varieties. Growers also consider herbicide technology, disease resistance, time to maturity and grain

quality.

NDSU has an on-line variety selection tool which allows growers to quickly and easily compare variety trial results: https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/ag-hub/ag-topics/crop-production/variety-trials.

With a click of the mouse, growers can rank the varieties from best to worst for yield, test weight and other characteristics.

NDSU’s variety trial results are also available in print. If you would like to receive a copy in the mail, please contact me in the Extension office (652-2581, jeff.gale@ndsu.edu).

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It’s not only farmers but also gardeners who are thinking about which varieties to grow this summer.

My favorite garden seed catalogue arrived in the mail just after Christmas. The catalogue is filled with wonderful pictures, including 19 varieties of sweet corn and 103 varieties of tomato.

The question is which varieties do well under our growing conditions.

To answer this question, I frequently turn to NDSU’s publication “Vegetable Cultivars for North Dakota.”

From asparagus to watermelon, the publication lists cultivars that have performed well in more than 200 gardens in our state.

The evaluations were done by gardeners like you and me, who considered in their judgments: date to maturity, flavor, disease resistance, productivity and adaptability to wide-ranging conditions.

In case you are wondering, the best tomato varieties for North Dakota are Big Beef Plus, Celebrity Plus, Early Girl, Goliath, Mountain Fresh Plus, Mountain Merit and Red Deuce.

Recommended corn varieties include American Dream, Anthem XR, Catalyst, Enchanted, Icon and XtraTender 274A.

“Vegetable Cultivars for North Dakota” can be downloaded from NDSU Extension’s website. I can also mail a paper copy to you.