Corn Product Interactions with Planting Date and Seeding Depth

TRIAL OBJECTIVE

• Corn product selection, planting date, and planting depth are influential factors that must be considered when planting corn.
• This experiment was designed to evaluate corn yield potential relative to planting date and planting depth.
• Changes in planting date and planting depth are basically free decisions because input cost is the same and so these decisions should be based on sound data and responses to local environmental conditions.
• Planting depth can also be a critical factor to help reduce bird predation at emergence.

RESEARCH SITE DETAILS

• Trial information
  • Corn products planted
    • DEKALB^® DKC66-06 Brand, 116 RM (relative maturity), Trecepta^® corn
    • DEKALB^® DKC117-78 Brand, 117 RM, VT Double PRO^® corn
    • DEKALB^® DKC68-35 Brand, 118 RM, VT Double PRO^® corn
    • DEKALB^® DKC69-99 Brand, 119 RM, Trecepta^® corn
  • Planting dates
    • 3/14/2024
    • 4/1/2024
    • 4/24/2024
  • Planting Depths
    • 1.25 inches
    • 2.5 inches
  • Trial design
    • Single replicate strip plot
    • 12 rows x 140 feet long (0.12 acres/strip)
  • Data collected
    • Machine harvested yield (corrected to 15.5% moisture content)
    • Return on Investment (ROI) calculated using $4.00/bu based on local 8/22/24 grain price.
  • Additional information
    • All field work, tillage, and herbicide applications were local standards.
    • Trial was conducted during a “normal” Delta cropping season.
      • Environment was wet and cold during mid-March.
      • Growing conditions were favorable during mid-April into May.
      • Grain fill period, particularly during late July and August, was very hot with a high heat index.
    • Bird predation was not a major factor for this trial.

UNDERSTANDING THE RESULTS

• In this trial, planting date was a major factor for average yield, as the highest average yield for the four products (264 bu/acre) occurred with the 4/1 planting date for both planting depths (Figures 1 and 2). In comparison, the average yield of the four products for the 3/14 and 4/24 dates was 215.5 bu/acre. In this trial, the average yield response to planting date was 48.5 bushels/acre. The yield increase in this trial provided a ROI of $194.00/acre @ $4.00/bushel for a “free” decision, which costs the grower nothing to change.
  • The 3/14 planting date was likely yield penalized due to wet, cold conditions during imbibition/emergence while the 4/24 planting date likely suffered due to heat during pollination/grain fill.
• In this trial, planting depth also had an impact on yield potential as the 2.5-inch planting depth returned an average yield of 234 bu/acre versus the 229 bu/acre average yield for the 1.25-inch planting depth (Figure 3). The 5 bu/acre advantage in this trial provided a ROI of about $20.00/acre @ $4.00/bushel for another “free” decision.
• The four corn products responded similarly to both planting date and planting depth (Figure 4).

KEY LEARNINGS

• Growers should carefully evaluate local conditions prior to planting corn. Optimal planting date and environmental conditions can be major factors in corn yield productivity.
• Planting depth can influence corn yield potential positively for a variety of reasons including rooting depth, rooting mass, and potential for reductions in bird predation.
• Consideration of these factors can aid in the placement and help improve the performance of the DEKALB^® brand corn products that growers choose to plant for the 2025 cropping season.
• Please contact your local DEKALB^® brand seed representative for more information.

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