15 Corn vs. 30 Corn. Newsletter for the Southern Piedmont of North Carolina. Inside This Issue

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1 Newsletter for the Southern Piedmont of North Carolina Vol 3, Issue 4 October 21 Inside This Issue 15 Corn vs. 3 Corn How Many Corn Seed Per Acre Popup Fertilizer on Corn Special Thanks Variety Trial Results Contact: Andrew Gardner Extension Agent-Union Agriculture andrew_gardner@ncsu.edu Shannon Braswell Extension Agent-Stanly Agriculture shannon_braswell@ncsu.edu CAUTION: Information & recommendations presented are applicable in the Southern Piedmont of NC & may not apply in your area. Consult your local Extension agent. Distributed in furtherance of the acts of Congress of May 8 and June 3, North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating. Recommendations for the use of chemicals are included in this publication as a convenience to the reader. Mention or display of a trademark, proprietary product, or firm in text or figures does not constitute an endorsement or imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms by North Carolina State University, North Carolina A & T State University or North Carolina Cooperative Extension nor discrimination against similar products or services not mentioned. Individuals who use chemicals are responsible for ensuring that the intended use complies with current regulations and conforms to the product label. Be sure to obtain current information about usage regulations and examine a current product label before applying any chemical. Union County, 323-D Presson Road Monroe NC Stanly County, 2632-E Newt Road Albemarle NC Corn vs. 3 Corn Interest in field corn production with narrow row width has been a topic of great interest in recent history. Technological advances have made it harvesting this narrower row spacing than in previous years. However the question remains, does it yield more? Therefore, two trials were conducted in Union County, NC over the past two years. The first trial was planted on April 27, 29, using Augusta AG7463LL corn. The selected target populations were 25,; 3, and 38, plants per acre. The 38, population was included to evaluate yield at extremely high populations and is much higher than would be recommended. Plots were planted using a Kinze 3 foot planter. The planter was divided into two 15 foot sections with the left half of the planter planting on the15 inch spacing and the right half of the planter planting on the 3 inch spacing. This arrangement allowed two plots to be planted at the same time and population with the only difference being row width. This arrangement was selected to avoid any bias. The arrangement is included in the picture below. As illustrated, treatments were replicated three times. The second trial initiated on April 8, 21, and was conducted using the same populations and planting equipment. This trial was also conducted in Marshville in a different field. The only difference was the growing season and the corn hybrid used was Pioneer 1184 HR. Both trials were harvested using a commercial combine and a calibrated weigh wagon. Yields were then corrected to 15% moisture and recorded. Actual plant stands were counted approximately two months after planting to confirm populations. Unfortunately, these counts did not exactly match target populations but were quite close and are listed in the table below. It is critical when evaluating these results that you pay special attention to the 25, plant population in 29. The actual stand counts for the 15 were 25,439 plants per acre, while the actual count with the 3 population was 28,41. This led to a large yield bias toward the 3 and is

2 unfortunately not a fair comparison. This was corrected and populations in the 21 trial were more consistent. (graph 1) (Graph 1) , 3, 38, 25, 3, 38, 15 Inch 25,439 3,898 38, Inch 25,91 3,783 37,287 3 Inch 2841* 31,189 38,333 3 Inch 23,845 29,98 37,694 The data from these two trials consistently showed a yield advantage on all populations in both years, with the exception of 29, with the narrower 15 inch row spacing (Graph 1). The lack of consistency in 29 is best explained by actual stand counts as mentioned earlier. The average yield advantage with the narrow spacing at each population is shown in Table 2 below, with target populations displayed along the top. Narrower row spacing allows better light interception and greater plant distribution per acre than the same population with wider row spacing. 3, plants per acre at the 3 inch row width has a within row spacing of seven (7) inches. This same population at the 15 inch row spacing has a within row spacing of 14 inches. This wider within row spacing provides less intercrop competition, thus providing a yield advantage to higher populations in narrower rows. This yield advantage is displayed in Table 2 and Graph 1. The yield advantage was then converted to monetary gain using $4.75 per bushel corn and is shown along the bottom in Table 2 below. (Table 2) Yield and gross income advantages with narrow rows averaged over replications 25, 3, 38,..86 bu/ac* 7.96 bu/ac bu/ac $4.9 $37.81 $11.27 (Graph 1) Yield comparison of 15 and 3 row spacing by plant population averaged over replications * , 3, 38, * Actual plant population in 29: 25,439 for the 15 and 28,4.5 for the 3 2

3 Converting to corn production with narrower row spacing does come with concerns and considerations. The largest of these concerns would be with equipment. Harvest should be conducted with a 15 header, although this is not an absolute necessity, it is highly recommended. This investment is large and must have the positives and negatives weighed for each individual operation. Conversion could also result in equipment savings if the operation currently conducts any other production using 15 inch rows. This will facilitate equipment savings as maintenance of a separate 3 planter for corn production will no longer be needed. Based solely on this data, conducted over two years, with two different soil types, with two different weather patterns and two different corn hybrids the yield advantage is substantial with the 15 inch row spacing when compared to 3 inch rows. How Many Corn Seed per Acre Do I Plant? Part Two Recent variety production has led to developments of corn hybrids that can tolerate more stress than in earlier years. This has led to varieties that can do more with less. We have also known that the only way to consistently increase corn yields is to produce more ears. The simplest way to do this is to have more plants, but how many is enough and how many is too many? We have attempted to answer this question in the past two years in coordination with our Tri-County Variety Testing Program. In 29 we planted six (6) varieties at four (4) different populations: 25,; 28,; 3, and 33, plants per acre. In the 29 trial two (2) hybrids yielded greater as populations were increase, two (2) were unaffected by increased populations and two (2) had decreasing yields with increased populations. Ultimately we concluded that we must know our hybrids and our land and with this knowledge discuss populations with our seed salesman and adjust accordingly for the variety selected. If you would like to review this data it can be found online at: This trial was repeated in 21 again in coordination with our Tri-County Variety trial with five (5) hybrids. Stand counts were conducted and four (4) varieties had stands consistent with target yields. (Figure 1) Figure 1. Actual stand counts 21 Brand Variety 25, 28, 3, 33, Pioneer 33F87 24,75 27,75 28, 33,75 Augusta 91-69VT3 24,75 27,75 31,75 34,5 Doebler 633HXR 24,5 28,75 31, 33,25 Dekalb ,25 27,25 3,75 33, Pioneer 33F K 28K 3K 33K 3

4 Augusta 91-69VT K 28K 3K 33K Doebler K 28K 3K 33K Dekalb K 28K 3K 33K Results from this trial showed somewhat more consistency than in 29. No ideal population was found. However upon review of the yield data we can conclude that as a general rule the populations performed best around 28, to 3, plants per acre at this particular site. 4

5 Is there an advantage to using a Popup Fertilizer at Planting on Corn where Litter has been applied? Popup fertilizers have become a hot topic among growers, especially in the Piedmont over the last few years. Many growers were interested in knowing if there was a yield advantage to applying a popup fertilizer (11-37-) or a liquid fertilizer beside the row at planting even on land where heavy quantities of chicken litter have been applied. For the 29 and 21 trials, four (4) tons of broiler litter was applied pre-plant. In both years the trial was conducted on a random block design replicated four (4) times. In the 29 trial the following plots were included: 1. No In-Furrow/Beside the Row fertilizer (Urea was broadcast pre-plant to equal total units acquired from at planting fertilizers) % Nitrogen applied in a 2X2 band of the row at a rate of 1 gpa % N (here 1 gpa of 32% was applied in a 2X2 band off the row as well as 4 gpa of in furrow None 32% 32% In 21 a similar trial was conducted in the New London area of Stanly County. This trial was an exact duplicate to the 29 trial, however with one major change in treatments due to mechanical reasons. In the 21 trial the 32% treatment was replaced with alone. 5

6 None 3% Conclusions: Numerical differences were found between each treatment. However, when statistics were applied taking out plot to plot variations these differences were not statistically significant in either year. Based solely on this trial we found no consistent advantage to adding an in furrow popup fertilizer or fertilizer in a 2 x 2 placement on land with a history of poultry litter applications. We extend special thanks to the sponsors and individuals listed below. Each one provided support for trials this summer through either resources of time and/or funding. If it were not for their contributions the Tri-County Field Day would not have been possible. Advance Agra Services BASF Corporation Bayer Crop Science Carolina Farm Credit Doeblers Dow Agro Sciences LLC DynaGro Lane Griffin Farms Valent USA Monsanto-Dekalb-Asgrow NC Farm Bureau New Salem Volunteer Fire Dept. Pioneer Southern States Cooperative Smith Brothers Farms Syngenta Talley Farms 6

7 Variety Final Pop* Maturity Other Characteristics Moisture T W Adjusted Yield** Augusta 6166 TCBLLC 26, 116 GT; CB; LL Seed Consultants C 11AGT3 24, GT; CB; LL Dekalb , VT3; Genuity Check (DK 685) 22, VT Triple Pro; Genuity; RR Dekalb , VT Triple Pro; Genuity; RR Southern States 788VT3Pro 23, 116 VT Dyna Grow 57VO5 26, VT3; RR Dekalb ,5 112 VT Triple Pro; Genuity; RR Augusta 6164GT3 23, GT; CB; LL Doebler 679GRQ 25, GT Doebler 633 HXR 18,5 11 Herculex I; LL; RR Pioneer 1184HR 23, HX1; LL; RR Seed Consultants 12 24,75 12 Conventional Pioneer 31G71 17, HX1; LL; RR Pioneer 33F57 18, HX1; LL; RR Dynagrow 58V24 21, RR2; VT Augusta 9169VT3 22, RR; Poncho 25; Yield Gard VT Seed Consultants 11HQ39 24,5 113 RR; EW: LL; RW Southern States 818RR2 24, RR Doebler 725HRQ 26, HXT; LL; RR Southern States 749VT3 PRO 24, VT3; Accelleron Cooperator: Lane Griffin Planting Date: 6 April, 21 Plot Average Herbicides: Pre: Bicep II 2 quarts/ac + 1 pint/ac Post: Ignite 28 22oz Directed Location: Renee Ford Rd. Locust, NC * The target population for this trial was 26,. Unfortunately this was not accomplished with all varieties due to environmental issues. We encourage you to consider the actual stand when evaluating this data. ** In an effort to provide more accurate results this year's plots included check plots planted every five (5) varieties. The yields presented here are adjusted to those check plot yields. Conducting the trials in this manner helps to reduce the impact field variation has on yields. 7