Seeding Rates for DEKALB® Brand Roundup Ready® Corn 2 Products for Refuge Acres
December 11, 2023
TRIAL OBJECTIVE
- Seeding or planting rate is one of the most important decisions to make when planting corn and it can only be made prior to or during planting.
- For this reason, the Bayer Learning Center at Scott, Mississippi conducts an evaluation of planting rates each season for the DEKALB® Brand Roundup Ready® Corn 2 products that can be used for the required refuge acres in B.t. transgenic corn.
- Growers ask several primary questions, including:
- Is the potential yield increased if the planting rate is increased?
- Does the potential for lodging increase as planting rates increase?
- Does the increase in planting rate provide an increase in return-on-investment potential?
RESEARCH SITE DETAILS
- All field work, tillage, and herbicides were per local standards.
- 240 units of nitrogen was applied in a split application as 30-0-0-2.5 (N-P-K-S).
- DEKALB® Brand Products planted:
- Planting Rates (seeds/acre):
- 28,000
- 32,000
- 36,000
- 40,000
- Trial Design:
- Non-replication strip plot
- Each corn product planted in 12 rows per strip
- About 0.75 acre planted per corn product
- Harvest Parameters:
- Plots were harvested with a commercial combine.
- Yields were corrected to 15.5% moisture content.
- Return on Investment Potential Calculations:
- Grain price of $5.05 on 9/13/23 was used.
- $340/80,000 seed bag or $4.25/1000 seeds planted was used for seed cost.
UNDERSTANDING THE RESULTS
- Survival/established plants was about 92% across the trial.
- Data indicates than many of the DEKALB® Brand, Roundup Ready® Corn 2 refuge products should be planted at mid to high planting rates to help maximize yield potential (Figure 1) and net returns (Table 1).
- A planting rate of 32,000 seeds/acre increased net returns by over $10.00 per acre compared to a planting rate of 28,000 seeds/acre in 5 of the 6 corn products tested (Table 1).
- A planting rate of 36,000 seeds/acre increased net returns by over $10.00 per acre compared to a planting rate of 32,000 seeds/acre in 3 of the 6 corn products tested (Table 1).
- A planting rate of 40,000 seeds/acre increased net returns by over $10.00 per acre compared to a planting rate of 36,000 seeds/acre in 2 of the 6 corn products tested (Table 1).
- No lodging was observed in any of the seeding rate treatments.
KEY LEARNINGS
- Growers should study and understand the recommended seeding rate for any corn product they choose to plant.
- Planting the recommended seeding rate can help maximize the yield potential of each product.
- Most of the DEKALB® Brand refuge corn products respond positively to planting rates in the mid-30,000 seeds/acre range.
- Please contact your local DEKALB® Brand seed representative for more information.
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