"Planting 34,000 seeds per acre for irrigated corn and 24,000 to 30,000 for rainfed corn, depending on expected yield, with 30-inch row spacing is expected on average to give the best net returns." Lines and paragraphs break automatically. By definition, it is the seeding rate that generates the most income when seed cost and grain price are factored in. In southern Pennsylvania, try to plant in early to mid-April, and in northern Pennsylvania, in mid- to late May. How Many Acres Of Each Crop Should The Farmer Plant If She Wants To Spend No More Than $6000 On Seed? An analysis of Pioneer plant population data from the past 30 years has shown that this trend continues up to the present day (Ciampitti, 2018a). Ciampitti, I. Related: Maximize Ears Per Acre For Highest Corn Yields. If your site does have these problems and you want full coverage, use 1 pound per 1000 sq. Please contact your Pioneer sales professional for information and suggestions specific to your operation. Depending on cultivar and planting equipment, the optimal plant population is between 14,000 and 24,000 plants per acre. These conditions can occur when planting into no-till or high-residue seedbeds, or cloddy or compacted soils. Average plant or seed spacing. Farmers can use the multi-year and multi-location results to identify the best potential planting rates specific to their hybrid, location, and management practices. Bob Nielsen, Purdue University Extension corn specialist, says that's likely to leave you short of your goal at harvest time. Average corn seeding rates reported by growers in North America (Pioneer Survey, 2018), and average U.S. corn yields (USDA NASS). Years ago, corn was planted with the check or hill-drop system that used seeding rates around 12,000 seeds per acre. Corn yield response to population and optimum economic seeding rate by location yield level at water-limited sites, 7-yr average. Boost target seeding rates by an additional 5% for extreme or challenging environments such as those described in the paragraph above. of seed per acre. After all, if germination is 95% on the tag, based on germination tests to determine that number, the best you should be hoping for in that case would be 30, 400 plants per acre. Figure 7. Please note these numbers are approximations - each variety will be diffe Improvement of corn hybrid genetics for superior stress tolerance has allowed hybrids to be planted at higher plant populations and produce greater yields. For super-sweet corn patches, you’ll only need 5 to 6 … Some researchers theorize that the disadvantages of smaller stature and lower leaf area index of early maturity hybrids are alleviated by higher populations. Note that the lowest recommended “per acre” seeding rate for achieving 30,000 plants per acre … To calculate your seeding rate in pounds per acre: Decide on your desired seeding rate (30,000* seeds per acre is recommended). The amount of seed corn needed to plant an acre will vary by row spacing and seed type. Duvick reports a seeding rate increase of approximately 400 seeds per acre per year. Corn yield response to population and optimum economic seeding rate by location yield level (7-yr average of all hybrids tested). The population density (plants/acre) of sweet corn has an impact on the number of ears produced per acre, as well as the ear quality determined by length, diameter, and level of tip-fill (Figure 1). Registered in England and Wales. Pioneer Agronomy Research Update. Recommendations for planting densities of sweet corn have changed significantly over the past 50 years. Seeds. Figure 2. Brown says using 2019 numbers, it costs about $400 an acre to plant corn on ground that may yield 150 bushels per acre. Question: Seed Costs For A Farmer Are $200 Per Acre For Corn And $120 Per Acre For Soybeans. Many Nebraska farmers are paying as little as 45 cents per bushel of yield compared to 55 to 65 cents (20-45 percent more) in most of the rest of the Corn Belt. One bag of DEKALB corn will seed 2.7 acres. Corn population per acre. Shaded bars show the increase in agronomic optimum plant density range from the earliest time period in the study to the most recent. Insecticides. I recommend planting these open pollinated corns at a density of 14,000 to 18,000 per acre. Each year Pioneer evaluates corn plant population responses in research trials that span the Corn Belt of North America. All of these factors can interact to challenge stand establishment, and effects are magnified when planting early into cold, wet soils. Economic optimums based on a corn grain price of $3.50/bu and a seed cost of $3.00 per 1,000 seeds; assumes 5% overplant to achieve target population.). ... NK ® Corn: Features high-tech seed with the integrated know-how of a crop retailer to maximize return on every acre. Increasing leaf area index may be required for highest yields in northern areas with limited light availability during late ear-fill stages. But planters aren't 100% perfect and every seed won't come up, he says. See more from the report At a price of $3.50 per bushel for corn, he says that amounts to a profit of $129 per acre if there are no costs associated with the land. Based on Figure 1, planting rates of 34,000 to 36,000 seeds per acre maximize net return in most fields. See. Corn pollination can be a tricky thing. The calculators below will help with many of these questions. A 20%-refuge is planted with varieties that do not contain insect resistant traits, but do include herbicide tolerance. The economic optimum seeding rate will always be less than the seeding rate at which yield is maximized. The continual increase in optimum plant density throughout the hybrid corn era has been well-documented by research. Figure 3. These acres per bag figures were calculated by dividing 80,000 kernels per bag by the desired planting rate. Additionally, hundreds of on-farm Pioneer® agronomy seeding rate trials are conducted each year comparing multiple corn products at up to four seeding rates at each location. (Averaged across all hybrids tested. Pioneer research has shown that yield response to plant population depends on the yield environment. Figure 8. The ten corn-producing states for which the USDA collects corn plant population data have all had positive linear trends over the past 15 years (Figure 3). Therefore, consider the following points when choosing your seeding rate: Ciampitti, I. Since 1986, average corn seeding rates used by growers in North America have increased by about 275 seeds/acre per year, while U.S. average yields have increased by over 2 bu/acre per year (Figure 2). Corn populations are 4,350 plants per acre higher in 2014 than in 2004. The Planting Rate Estimator has the ability to display population response curves for a wide range of yield levels, which can provide guidelines for creating variable rate seeding prescriptions. We get many questions about "how many seeds in a package". Suppose you want to wind up at 32,000 plants per acre. Corn seed should be planed about 1.5 to 2 inches deep in the ground. 2018a. Farm Progress is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC. Sweet corn seed generally is planted when soil temperatures reach at least 55°F and the possibility of hard frosts (24°F or lower) has passed in the area. Base your seeding rate on the specific hybrid population response at the historical yield level of the field. Trends in Optimum Plant Density and Yields Gains for Corn in North America. ft. Copyright © 2021. Since 1986, average corn seeding rates used by growers in North America have increased by about 275 seeds/acre per year, while U.S. average yields have increased by over 2 bu/acre per year (Figure 2). Corn samples contain 1 ounce of seed or more. Corn hybrid response to plant population under four yield environments, a) low yielding <100 bu/acre; b) medium yielding 100-150 bu/acre; c) high yielding 150-180 bu/acre; and d) very high yielding 190-210 bu/acre (Ciampitti, 2018b). On the opposite CRM range, very early to medium (<78 CRM to 105 CRM) maturity hybrids typically achieved maximum yield at plant populations ranging from 36,000 to 39,000 plants/acre. The foregoing is provided for informational use only. So where does that leave you on setting the planting rate for your planter this spring? Nearly 30,000 kernels of corn are planted per planted acre, and corn yields can be close to 200 bushels per acre in a good year on high CSR land. Like the final stand needed to maximize profit, economically optimum seeding rates vary with corn price and seed costs. Pioneer researchers target representative environments based on maturity zone, expected yield (high or low), specific stresses, and other unique location characteristics. Corn Silage ORDER NOW!. Pioneer Agronomy Research Update. Pioneer has been conducting plant population studies with corn hybrids for over three decades. To produce the most ears of corn per plant, plant corn in a block of at least three or four rows. Example: You plan to sow 20 seeds per foot on rows 24” apart; 20 x 21,780=435,600 seeds/acre. PIONEER® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchase which are part of the labeling and purchase documents. Number 8860726. For an acre of a regular sweet corn planted as mentioned above, you will need 9 to 10 pounds of seed per acre.