Two lower seeding rates comparison

This experimental field was in Marshall County, South Dakota. Soybeans variety AE1000 was planted in 30-inch rows in strips on May 25, 2021. The purpose of this experiment is to compare two different lower seeding rates. Soybean was planted in 30 feet wide strips having two different seeding rates of 100K and 130K seeding rates. This experiment had 4 replications for each seeding rates. Soybean were harvested on October 4,2021. For analysis purposes, the field was classified into three different yield zones: low yield zones (less than 35 bu/ac), mid yield zones (35-55 bu/ac), and high yield zones (more than 55 bu/ac). This analysis was performed for mid yield zone.

Overall, there was no significant different in yield comparing two seeding rates (Figure 1 & Table 1). At 3 replications, 100K seeding rate performed better by increasing yield by 0.94, 2.41 and 0.86 bu/ac. However, at 4th replication 130K seeding rate outperformed another seeding rate by 0.62 bu/ac. On average 100K seeding rate had 0.90 bu/ac increase in yield. This implies that lowering the seeding rate may increase yield along with reducing the total input cost to farmers. More research at multiple sites with more replications are required to better explain the contrast between two different treatments in different environmental conditions.