Inside the 2025 NCGA Yield Contest: How Management, Genetics Drove 400-Bushel Corn

NCGA National Corn Yield Contest winners show how precise management and a near-perfect 2025 growing season combined to push corn yields higher.

-- A: Conventional Non-Irrigated Class

Josh Watson
Sweetwater, Tennessee
387.6074 bpa
Dekalb DKC68-35

THE FARM. Josh Watson farms in partnership with his brother, Caleb, in East Tennessee less than an hour from Knoxville. Prior to 2018, the operation was primarily a dairy farm, but the loss of a milk contract led them to focus on row crops including corn, soybeans and winter wheat.

"We farm about 1,600 acres," he says. "When we got rid of the cows, all the silage ground, alfalfa ground and pasture ground went into row crops."

THE FIELD. Sitting at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains, the 55-acre field of Emory silt loam was planted on April 16 with Dekalb DKC68-35 at a population of 36,000 seeds per acre. The corn followed soybeans in the rotation.

"You have to find the right hybrid for the right soil type," he says. "We also planted the field with the rows running north-south, which I think helped us hold moisture, especially in what was a drier year."

THE FORMULA. Watson believes a unique organic nitrogen fertilizer product is making a difference on his farm. For the past several seasons, he's applied spent microbial biomass (SMB), a nutrient-rich coproduct resulting from corn syrup manufacturing, to his fields.

"In the past, we've just applied the SMB on top, but on this field, we disked it under, and I really think that made the difference," he says.

THE FIGHT. Neither pests nor disease caused issues for Watson in 2025. Instead, moisture was the biggest obstacle. "It seemed like the rain kept taking the same path, and this field was in that path," he says. "I'd say it was a fair season."

THE FUTURE. Watson's first national win came in 2021, when he placed third in this class with a yield of 343.4807 bpa. This year's win sets a new high yield for the farm.

"I just want to thank God for the opportunity to be a steward of his land," Watson says.

-- B: Conventional Non-Irrigated Class

(Corn Belt States: IL, IN, IA, MN, MO, OH, WI)

Kevin Kalb
Dubois, Indiana
425.7728 bpa
Dekalb DKC68-35RIB

THE FARM. Kevin Kalb entered his first NCGA yield contest in 2007 and continues to use it as a learning tool. The Kalb family claims three first-place national corn yield wins in 2025. The farm produces corn, soybeans and turkeys.

THE FIELD. Sandy-silt loam soils in this part of southern Indiana are not particularly high in organic matter, but Kalb considers soil biology more important. Near-perfect growing conditions played a big role in pushing this field of corn on corn. Continuous corn typically outyields those following soybeans on his farm.

THE FORMULA. A conventional entry, the field was deep ripped in the fall and received a generous serving of "microbial magic" in the form of turkey litter. In-furrow microbes and a 2 x 2 x 2 band of nutrients below the seed got it off to a quick start. Tissue samples starting around V3 continued through black layer and determined the subsequent diet. Commercial nitrogen totals fell into a modest range of 160 to 180 pounds per acre delivered in split applications through a high-clearance sprayer and drop nozzles. Kalb planted on May 10 in 30-inch rows at 36,000 harvest plant population. The 118-day hybrid, Dekalb DKC68-35RIB, is unique in Kalb's experience. "It is of mid-tall stature, and the leaves are narrower, which allows heat to escape at night better than other hybrids. I've never planted a hybrid that yields equally well on our best ground and hill ground," Kalb says.

THE FIGHT. Wind damage has been a past problem in this field, but not in 2025. The crop also dodged tar spot and southern rust, which hit many fields in this region. Kalb credits an at-planting application of a biological from NewLeaf Symbiotics for season-long protection. It was the only Kalb contest entry where the product was tested and the only one that didn't require fungicide.

THE FUTURE. Kalb had the second-highest yield (369.3424 bpa) in this class with Preceon PR113-60RIB. He sees big opportunity in short-stature hybrids.

-- C: No-Till Non-Irrigated Class

Robert Santini
Bloomsbury, New Jersey
383.5325 bpa
Pioneer P1136AM

THE FARM. Santini is no stranger to the NCGA yield contest. He's won both state and national awards in the past, including taking the top spot in this class in 2024. He and his wife, Sharon, raise corn, soybeans, sorghum and wheat in western New Jersey.

THE FIELD. For the second year, Santini selected Pioneer P1136AM, a 111-day hybrid with, notably, the shortest relative maturity among the hybrids that won each national class. He planted the corn into bean stubble in 30-inch rows using a John Deere 1795 planter.

"This clay loam field lays behind a dairy farm, and years ago, when they hauled manure, they didn't go too far from the barn," Santini says. "It really built up the organic matter."

THE FORMULA. While Santini didn't change hybrids from 2024 to 2025, he did change his seeding rate, dropping more than 10% to a harvest population of 34,000 -- the lowest among national first-place winners. He stayed with his typical fertility program, which included 200 units of nitrogen, 100 units each of phosphorus and potash per acre, and the application of chicken litter prior to planting.

THE FIGHT. Keeping the corn stand healthy, green and growing is always a top priority for Santini, and he accomplishes it with a combination of at-plant and postemergence fungicide applications. He also added a biological seed treatment in 2025. While disease pressure was low in western New Jersey, Santini did contend with some tar spot in his area late in the season.

THE FUTURE. Despite reducing his seeding rate, Santini increased his class-winning yield by nearly 47 bushels with the same hybrid. While he attributes part of the gains to his management decisions, Mother Nature still plays her part.

"When that rain comes at the right time, it'll give you 25 to 30 extra bushels," Santini says. "We still haven't hit our 400-bushel target, but we'll keep trying."

-- D: No-till Non-irrigated Class

(Corn Belt States: IL, IN, IA, MN, MO, OH, WI)

Rhylan Kalb
Dubois, Indiana
425.3257 bpa
Dekalb DKC68-35RIB

THE FARM. Rhylan Kalb grew up in the corn contest arena, but this is her first year entering as a full-time farmer. Her first-place entry fell only a few kernels shy of her father's (Kevin Kalb) winning entry. It yielded 15 bpa more than the second-place winner, Shawn Kalb, her mother, who also won this class last year.

THE FIELD. Rhylan's winning field was also near her father's entry in proximity. The river bottom soils represent some of the farm's more productive and best-drained acreage. Tile helps keep water off the fields, but the soils also have good water-holding capacity to carry the crop through dry conditions. The farm received about 36 inches of rain during the growing season, and the rain showers were spread almost like an irrigation schedule except for a short dry spell in August. Broadcasting turkey litter in the fall immediately after harvesting helps break down residue and feed soil biology.

THE FORMULA. Tillage (or lack of it) is the main difference in the Kalb entries. This no-till field received the same in-furrow microbes and a 2 x 2 x 2 band of nutrients placed with a Case IH 1250 planter fitted with no-till attachments. Tissue sampling identified what nutrients the plants needed with total nitrogen rates falling in the 160- to 180-pound-per-acre range. Rhylan planted Dekalb DKC68-35RIB in 30-inch rows on May 15 behind corn at a population of 38,000 plants per acre.

THE FIGHT. Keeping the plant green and protected is key to yield. Growing conditions were favorable for disease infection in the region, so the crop received a VT growth stage application of Delaro Complete fungicide. To guard against infection intensifying, a second fungicide application of Veltyma was applied in the early R growth stages.

THE FUTURE. With college in the rearview mirror, Rhylan is concentrating on farming and figuring out a way to beat Dad in the 2026 contest.

-- E: Strip-Till, Minimum-Till, Mulch-Till, Ridge-Till Non-Irrigated Class

Jabe Watson
Sweetwater, Tennessee
349.0543 bpa
Dekalb DKC68-35RIB

THE FARM. After attending college for a few years, Jabe Watson returned to the family farm two seasons ago to work full time alongside his father, Josh, and uncle, Caleb.

THE FIELD. The 40-acre field, which was planted to soybeans the previous season, wasn't too far from Josh Watson's conventional nonirrigated class-winning field. It was planted on April 17 with Dekalb DKC-68-35RIB at a population of 34,000 plants per acre. Unlike his father's field, Jabe's corn was planted in rows running east to west.

"We farm at elevations from 850 feet to 1,200 feet on the tops of these ridges," he says. "It helps keep things a little cooler during the summer than a lot of the Southeast."

THE FORMULA. Spent microbial biomass (SMB) was also used on the field as organic fertilizer, but it was not incorporated into the soil, which Watson believes made a difference between the family's two winning fields, as all other inputs and management were the same.

THE FIGHT. Strong emergence helped the field get off to a great start, and timely rains fell when the crop needed a drink.

"Because the rows were running east-west, it didn't hold onto the moisture as well as Dad's did throughout the season," he says. "We probably could have increased the population, too."

THE FUTURE. In addition to the two national awards, the Watsons earned four state yield contest awards in 2025. Next season, they plan to continue using SMB for fertilizer, but they plan to inject it rather than dribbling it on top or disking it into the soil.

"I like doing the contest to try different things on the plots to see how I can help my production corn the next year," he says. "There's a pretty popular song down here that says, 'Corn won't grow at all on Rocky Top,' but our red limestone ground has a lot of growing power. Don't let the color fool you. We're always striving to do better."

-- F: Strip-Till, Minimum-Till, Mulch-Till, Ridge-Till Non-Irrigated Class

(Corn Belt States: IL, IN, IA, MN, MO, OH, WI)

Kogen Kalb
Dubois, Indiana
389.4384 bpa
Dekalb DKC68-35RIB

THE FARM. At age 16, Kogen Kalb already has firm roots in NCGA yield contest history. He wins this class after placing second in 2024. In 2025, his sister, Emmersen, earned second-place national honors in the same class with 379.7248 bpa. Beyond corn and soybeans, the Kalb family raises turkeys, and litter is key to their high-yield practices.

THE FIELD. Strip-till on the Kalb farm is a spring operation. A SoilWarrior Edge three-point mounted strip-till system is the primary tillage with units adjusted to run with a single coulter. No shank is used to avoid deep spring tillage because, in this area, the soil surface might appear dry but still be wet enough below to cause enough soil smearing to influence root growth.

THE FORMULA. Turkey litter immediately following harvest the previous year also is central to the strategy in this field. Manure stimulates soil biology to break down residue and results in overall soil health that translates to reduced commercial fertilizer use. The strip-till field received in-furrow microbes and a 2 x 2 x 2 band of nutrients. Banding assists in avoiding carbon tie-up. Kogen planted in 30-inch rows on May 13 behind corn with a 37,000 harvest plant population. Additional fertility requirements are typically split between two over-the-top drop nozzle applications and total 160 to 180 pounds per acre. The Kalbs have found yields drop if they push nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium too hard. With no irrigation to cool the crop, hybrid selection becomes more important. They like this 118-day hybrid because it shows good ear flex when population rates are decreased slightly. The ears aren't super long but put on extreme kernel depth to compensate.

THE FIGHT. Yields in the strip-till entries were off from the family's conventional and no-till entries this year. The Kalbs think compaction in that field may have made the difference. Two fungicide applications helped fend off tar spot and southern rust.

THE FUTURE. Keep learning. Family competition is a motivator.

-- G: No-till Irrigated Class

Corder Hobbs
Elkmont, Alabama
402.3345 bpa
Dekalb DKC68-35

THE FARM. Corder Hobbs is a 19-year-old farmer and college student who raises corn, cotton, soybeans, wheat and winter canola in north-central Alabama with his grandfather, Dickey, and brother, Curtis. Hobbs Farms has recorded several state and national NCGA placings over the years. The contest represents an important tradition for Corder, as his late father, Jesse, saw value in the effort.

THE FIELD. The rolling hills and red clay soils of northern Alabama hardly seem the stuff to support mega yields, but the Hobbs family uses crop rotation and management to keep pushing the envelope. Following a spring herbicide burndown, the 118-day hybrid treated with ReziRx was planted into cotton residue on April 17 in 30-inch rows at a harvest population of 40,000 plants per acre using a John Deere 1775 no-till planter outfitted with standard row cleaners and closing wheels.

THE FORMULA. Chicken poop is powerful stuff, and Hobbs credits ready availability of litter as a key to top corn yields. The farm has been building fertility for several decades by broadcasting manure in the fall based on soil tests. Red clay soils receive heavier applications of up to 4 tons per acre, and darker soils tend to receive 2 to 2.5 tons per acre. The winning field received an additional 200 pounds of nitrogen per acre with a few units delivered as an at-tassel aerial application that also included fungicide, boron and other nutrients.

THE FIGHT. An unusually wet spring made getting corn planted a big challenge in 2025. Fortunately, rains continued for most of the growing season with only a slight dry spell in August. That meant overhead pivots saw light duty this season with approximately 3.5 inches of water per acre applied to the crop.

THE FUTURE. Keep learning, and push economical yields. "I really love farming and learn a lot from my high-yield plots," Hobbs says.

-- H: Strip-Till, Minimum-Till, Mulch-Till, Ridge-Till Irrigated Class

David Hula
Charles City, Virginia
572.2589 bpa
Pioneer P18216PCUE

THE FARM. David Hula's 2025 contest entry represents his 14th NCGA high-yield win. He remains the only farmer to break the 600-bushel mark in the contest (2019, 2021 and 2023). A third-generation farmer, he farms approximately 4,000 acres with brother, John, and son, Craig.

THE FIELD. Renwood Farms lies in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and uses surface water from the James River for irrigation. The 118-day hybrid, Pioneer P18216PCUE, was new to the farm. It followed soybeans, was planted May 3 in 30-inch rows and had a harvest population of 52,700 plants per acre. The crop received about 8 inches per acre of irrigation water during vegetative growth stages and another 4 inches during the reproductive stages.

THE FORMULA. All Renwood Farms corn acreage receives a proven in-furrow starter and seed-treatment program. Seed germination and quality are tested. Emergence scores and tissue testing begin around 325 GDU (growing degree units) to determine whether a field is worth pushing further. Veltyma fungicide is used to gain a wider application window, and its ethylene-blocking attributes keep the plant green longer. Biologicals, including acids and plant-growth-promoting compounds, are used to enhance vigor, root development and nutrient uptake. Hula also uses foliar treatments including nitrogen, phosphorus, zinc, iron, molybdenum and magnesium. The entry received a diet of both commercial fertilizers and chicken litter.

THE FIGHT. Hula says this year showed the importance of protecting the plant against disease and extending grain fill. This particular hybrid requires approximately 2,860 GDUs to reach black layer (maturity). "Based on our observations, we lengthened the time to reach black layer by another 120 to 150 GDUs. Plant health and stay green were remarkable, and it resulted in an impressive 66-plus (pound) test weight," he says.

THE FUTURE. Hula would love to see a genetic answer to problematic crown rot. Beyond that, he intends to keep exploring corn's potential and sharing what he learns.

-- I: Conventional Irrigated Class

Alex Harrell
Leesburg, Georgia
416.8270 bpa
Pioneer P17677

THE FARM. Harrell Farms was established in southwest Georgia by Alex's father, Rodney, in 1972. Last year, Rodney won this same class with a corn yield of 393.8045 bpa.

THE FIELD. Pioneer P17677 has been Harrell's choice for high-yielding environments. The 117-day conventional hybrid was planted on March 27 in 30-inch rows at a rate of 40,000 seeds per acre.

"It's a hybrid that likes to be pushed," Harrell says. "It likes heavier clay soils and doesn't mind being planted thick. It just flat-out makes corn."

THE FORMULA. Preparation begins with 1-acre grid soil sampling the previous fall. Variable-rate application of lime and nutrients follows. Harrell says a lot of time is spent on planter setup, making sure that seed singulation and planting depth is as close to perfect as possible, leading to even emergence. He says he uses both an in-furrow system and a 3 x 3 system to put down a "big slug of fertility and humic and fulvic acids."

THE FIGHT. The season brought more rain than usual early on, but then conditions dried off toward season's end, requiring Harrell to really crank up the center pivot to finish out the crop.

"We had cooler nighttime temperatures, which helped grain fill," he says. "Anytime we hit these bigger yield numbers, we're trying to push the plant's physical maturity. If it's mature at 2,800 GDUs, we want to push it past 3,000. If we can keep it alive longer than it's supposed to be alive, that leads to heavier grain."

THE FUTURE. Harrell Farms first cleared the 300-bpa yield hurdle in 2012. It took 11 more years to eclipse 400 bpa. The 416.8270 bpa in 2025 is their highest yield ever. Harrell attributes the accomplishment to their on-farm strip-trial program, which included more than 140 trials in 2025. The goal is to identify inputs that deliver both additional yield and ROI to the farm.

**

-- For more about the National Corn Yield Contest, visit https://ncga.com/…

-- Follow Jason on social platform X @JasonJenkinsDTN

-- Pamela Smith, Senior Crops Editor, supplied additional reporting. Follow the latest from her, by visiting the Production Blogs at https://www.dtnpf.com/… or following her on social platform X @PamSmithDTN

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