Agronomic Crops Team On-Farm Research Projects 1997

Special Circular 160-98

CORN

Narrow Row Corn Evaluation

Objective

To determine corn grain yield response to row width in different production environments across Ohio.

Methods

Extension agents across the state found cooperators to conduct on-farm trials comparing narrow 15-inch row corn to 30-inch row corn. Plans were developed to use three or more blocks (replications) containing strips with narrow row corn planted next to conventional row corn at each site.

Results

Pre-Harvest Data
County	Row Width (in)	Row Splitters Used?	Number of Replications	Final Stand Population	% Lodging	% Barren or Nubbins	% Stalk Rot	2' Gaps Per 100' Row
Clark	15	No	Avg. of 3	37,000	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
	30		varieties	43,000	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Crawford	15	(folded	3	24,000	0	N/A	N/A	N/A
	30	planter)		23,625	0	N/A	N/A	N/A
Darke	15	No	3	29,333	3.4	11.4	1.7	0.3
	30			27,333	3.6	7.3	2.4	0.3
Fulton	15	No	4	30,083	1	6	0	3.5
	30			28,667	1	4	0	0.75
Knox	15	No	4	29,400	2.0	3	47	N/A
	30			31,100	0	3	47	N/A
Licking	15	No	3	30,500	2.5	0.5	4.5	6
	30			29,500	0.5	1.3	0.5	0.5
Logan	15	No	3	21,800	9.6	19.8	2.1	12.3
	30			25,100	9.7	13.3	1.9	3.3
Morrow	15	Yes	Avg. of 4	24,750	5	2	N/A	5
	30		varieties	27,250	4	2	N/A	1
Van Wert	15	Yes	3	26,136	1.3	6.7	0	15.7
(Pioneer)	30			21,636	1.3	4.0	0.8	5
Van Wert	15	Yes	3	24,684	0.7	0	25.8	16
(Beck's)	30			24,684	1.3	4.7	10.8	4.3
Avg. over	15		10	27,769	3.2	6.2	11.6	7.4
Locations	30			28,190	2.7	5.0	9.1	2.2
Additional Notes: Narrow-row spacing consistency: Fulton County - narrow rows were 14.1" apart on average (std. dev. = 4.0") Licking County - narrow rows were 15.2" apart on average (std. dev. = 1.9") Logan County - narrow rows were 16.1" apart on average (std. dev. = 2.8") Darke County - narrow rows were double rows 7.6" apart on average (std. dev. = 3.0") on 29" centers

Harvest Data
County	Row Width (in)	Harvest Lost (bu/A)	Rows per Ear	Kernels per Row	Ear Lenght (cm)	Harvest Moisture	Yield (bu/A) (Adj 15.5%)
Clark	15	3.9	N/A	N/A	N/A	23.6	234.3
	30	2.5		25.4	206.1 **
Crawford	15	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	153.0
	30						163.7 n.s.
Darke	15	"	18.2	35.3	16.7	22.0	163.0
	30		16.7	40.0	17.6	21.2	143.7 n.s.
Fulton	15	"	15.9	33.9	N/A	25.8	179.8
	30		16.3	30.6		25.8	187.3 n.s.
Knox	15	"	N/A	N/A	"	23.6	179.5
	30					23.7	179.4 n.s.
Licking	15	"	"	"	"	18.5	148.5
	30					18.8	143.6 n.s.
Logan	15	"	"	"	"	21.2	142.8
	30					21.4	155.0 n.s.
Morrow	15	1.6	"	"	"	29.2	118.1
	30	0.2				30.3	127.1 n.s.
Van Wert	15	1.8	"	"	"	26.2	133.6
(Pioneer)	30	1.2				25.5	143.7 n.s.
Van Wert	15	1.9	"	"	"	25.0	132.4
(Beck's)	30	1.2				25.0	134.3 n.s.
Avg. over	15	2.3	17.1	34.6		23.9	158.5
Locations	30	1.3	16.5	35.3		24.0	158.4 n.s.
** Significant at 0.01 probability level

Summary and Notes

At all but one location there were no significant yield differences between the two-row-width treatments at the 5% level of probability. There was also no significant difference in yield when analyzed over all locations. Further work needs to be done to determine the effect on yield if the plant population of narrow-row-width corn is increased above conventional seeding rates. Future multi-location studies may also examine differences in variety performance and weed control in narrow-row corn systems.

The Agronomic Crops Team would like to thank the following cooperators and agents for their participation in this multi-location study:

County	Cooperator	Extension Agent
Clark	Ira and Steve Rust, Springfield	Mike Haubner?
Crawford	Dr. Steve Prochaska	Dr. Steve Prochaska
Darke	Dennis Baker	Dennis Baker
Fulton	Richard Snyder, Delta	Greg LaBarge
Knox	Ron and Bill Piar	John Barker
Licking	Mike Thomas, Baltimore	Howard Siegrist
Logan	Mac-O-Creek Farms, Jim Patton	Tammi Dobbels
Morrow	Steve Ruhl	Steve Ruhl
Van Wert	Dr. Tom Krill	Mark Schumm

Report submitted by:

Dr. Phil Rzewnicki in consultation with Dr. Peter Thomison
Howlett Hall
The Ohio State University
2001 Fyffe Court
Columbus, OH 43210
614-292-0117
rzewnicki.1@osu.edu