NACAA

COMPARISON OF CORN PRODUCTION WITH 15 INCH AND 30 INCH ROW SPACINGS BY POPULATION.

Abstract:

The traditional row spacing for field corn (Zea Mays) production in Union County, North Carolina is 30 inches. Advances in harvesting equipment have made production with narrower 15 inch spacing possible. Narrower row spacing provides greater potential yield due to a more even plant distribution per acre. On 27 April, 2009 in Marshville, NC a trial was conducted using Augusta AG73-64LL corn to compare 15 and 30 inch production systems. Treatments were replicated 3 times and consisted of a 2 by 3 factorial arrangement of 15 and 30 inch row spacing by 25, 30 and 35,000 seeds per acre population. Stand counts were conducted to confirm actual populations. Plots were harvested on 14 September, 2009. Yields were calculated using harvested area and harvested weight and were adjusted to 15.5% moisture. Yields averaged 7.82 bushels per acre greater for 30 inch spacing at 25,000 plants per acre. Yields for the 30,000 and 38,000 populations were 11.35 and 26.31 bushels per acre greater with 15 inch spacing respectively. This study suggests that higher populations perform better with narrow row spacing. The lower yield with 15 inch spacing at the 25,000 plant population is potentially explained by population differences, as actual stand counts were an average of 28, 400 with the 30 inch spacing and 25,439 with the 15 inch spacing at this target population. This trial will be repeating in 2010.