Planting Narrow-Row Soybean Leads To Increased Yield And Farm Profitability Under Conventional Tillage In The Northeast

Orlowski, John

Planting Narrow-Row Soybean Leads To Increased Yield And Farm Profitability Under Conventional Tillage In The Northeast

Abstract

Growers can plant soybean [Glycine max( L.) Merr.] with a grain drill or row crop planter, which can affect seed and weed control costs and yield. Farmers planted soybean with a grain drill in 0.19 m rows and a row crop planter in 0.38 and 0.76 m rows at recommended (420,000 seeds ha1 ) and reduced (321,000 seeds ha-1) seeding rates in two field-scale studies in New York to obtain agronomic information and conduct partial budget analyses to aid growers in future planter purchase decisions. Soybean intercepted more light in 0.19 (65-70%) compared with 0.76 m rows (50-55%) at flowering, despite lower early plant establishment (~70 and ~85%, respectively) at both locations. At the no-till location, soybean in 0.76 m rows compared with narrower rows had greater weed density at full pod stage (19.7 vs. 6.3 and 5.1 plants m-2) and biomass at harvest (13.7 vs. 6.6 and 7.3 g m-2), but similar yield (~3.30 Mg ha-1). At the chisel tillage location, soybean in 0.19 m rows at 420,000 seeds ha-1 yielded more (4.27 Mg ha-1) than other row spacing by seeding rate combinations (4.15 to 4.01 Mg ha-1). Partial budget analyses indicated that soybean in 0.19 m rows at 420,000 seeds ha-1 had ~$30 ha-1 increased profit compared with 0.76 m rows at 321,000 seeds ha-1. Partial budget analyses indicated that for farms without a grain drill the 4% yield advantage offsets costs of purchasing and owning a grain drill and added seed costs at present market and seed price.

Date Issued

2012-05-27

Keywords

Soybean; Economics

Committee Chair

DiTommaso, Antonio

Committee Member

Knoblauch, Wayne Alan
Cox, William Joseph

Degree Discipline

Soil and Crop Sciences

Degree Name

M.S., Soil and Crop Sciences

Degree Level

Master of Science

Types

dissertation or thesis