Released February 4, 2009
VAN WERT, Ohio -- A few seed companies have been discussing with farmers the idea of increasing their corn seeding rates in 2009 from 30,000-32,000 seeds/acre to nearly 40,000 seeds/acre with the idea that this increase in seeding rate will maximize potential corn yield.
In 2008, a research trial was conducted at Farm Focus to look at this issue. The trial examined corn yield differences at two different seeding rates, 30,000 and 40,000 seeds/acre, as well at the influence of nitrogen and foliar fungicide.
In a head-to-head comparison of 30,000 seeds/acre and 40,000 seeds/acre with equivalent inputs and OSU recommended nitrogen rates, the 30,000 seeds/acre seeding rate showed a statistically significant yield advantage as well as nearly a $70/acre increase in net revenue based on OSU crop budgets.
The same study had a comparison of 30,000 seeds/acre and 40,000 seeds/acre with a higher than recommended rate of nitrogen, so as to rule out nitrogen as a limiting factor for the higher seeding rate. Again, the 30,000 seeds/acre corn seeding rate showed a statistically significant yield advantage over the 40,000 seeds/acre seeding rate. In this high nitrogen rate comparison, the economic benefit of using the lower seeding rate provided a net revenue increase of over $80/A compared to the higher seeding rate.
This study at Farm Focus has a few limitations. First, the data is from one-year only. Second, the planting date was May 23 and a May planting date may not react to increasing corn seeding rate as much as an April planting date.
This research study is available at http://farmfocus.osu.edu/corn_max_input-08.pdf
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