Trial Type
Seeding Rate/ Varieties/ Row Spacing
General Stats
Soil Stats
Methodology
Soybeans were planted in rows either 15 or 30 inches wide. Since separate equipment was used for each treatment, the seeding rates did not perfectly match-up. For example, the 15 inch rows were planted at 190-200 seeds/acre. The 30 inch rows were at 175,000 plants/acre.
Results
Overall, narrower rows yielded significantly higher than the 30 in. rows. Farmers can double plant strips in their fields with a 30 in. row planter to see what type of yield increases they can achieve on their operations. If the increases are large enough, they may consider adding a second planter. Even if narrower rows don’t improve yield, the return on investment might come in the form of savings from one less herbicide pass or from increased yields due to earlier planting, provided there’s a second planter operator.
