Hybrid corn is a comparatively recent development. Extensive breeding programs for the development of corn hybrids date from only about 1920—the Iowa program was begun in 1922. Despite the newness of hybrid corn, yield comparisons in the Iowa Corn Yield Test during the past 10 years have adequately demonstrated the superiority of certain hybrids over the best open-pollinated varieties. Results of these and other comparisons have awakened among growers a keen interest in the possibilities of hybrid corn.

Every grower is interested in obtaining large acre yields. The net profit from growing a bushel of corn is the difference between the cost of production and the selling price. Costs of producing an acre of corn are relatively constant, regardless of yield. The cost per bushel, therefore, is materially reduced with larger acre yields.