On-Farm Investigation Of Seeding Rate For Wide-Row Wheat Production In Northwest Ohio
Eric Richer and Laura E. Lindsey
Previously conducted row width and seeding rate studies have indicated that approximately 871,000 seeds/acre is optimum when planting in 15-inch row widths (Lee and Herbek, 2012). However, many farmers were concerned that a seeding rate of 871,000 seeds/acre was too low for wheat grown in northwest Ohio, where the standard practice is to seed 2.0-2.5 million seeds/acre in 7.5-inch row widths. On-farm trials were conducted to evaluate wheat grown using the standard practice of 7.5-inch row width at 2.0 million seeds/acre compared with wheat grown in 15-inch row width at 1.0 and 1.5 million seeds/acre.
Quick Take-Away
- Yield was reduced by 15% when wheat was grown in 15-inch row widths compared to 7.5-inch row widths.
- When wheat was grown in 15-inch row widths, there was no difference in yield whether wheat was seeded at 1.0 or 1.5 million seeds/acre.
- If wheat is grown in 15-inch row widths, it is not necessary to plant over 1.0 million seeds/acre to maximize yield when planting within 20 days of the Hessian fly-safe date in northwest Ohio.
Methods. Three on-farm trials were established during the 2013-2014 growing season, and one trial was established during the 2014-2015 growing season in Fulton Co., Ohio. The trials consisted of three
treatments: 1.) the standard practice of seeding wheat in a 7.5-inch row width at 2.0 million seeds/acre, 2.) seeding wheat in 15-inch row width at 1.0 million seeds/acre, and 3.) seeding wheat in a 15-inch row width at 1.5 million seeds/acre.
Results. Averaged across the four site-years, wheat grain yield was 81.7 bu/acre when grown in the standard practice of 7.5-inch row width at 2.0 million seeds/acre (Figure 1). Compared to the standard practice, yield was reduced by 15% when wheat was grown in 15-inch row widths across seeding rates. There was no difference in yield when wheat was grown in 15-inch row widths whether wheat was seeded at 1.0 or 1.5 million seeds/acre.
Reference
Lee, C.D., and J.H. Herbeck. 2012. Winter wheat yield response to wide rows varies by year in the southern Ohio River Valley. Online. Crop Management. doi:10.1094/CM-2012-1030-RS
Acknowledgements:
- Research funded by the Michigan Wheat Program.
- Thanks to the cooperating farmers for assistance with planting, maintaining, and harvesting the trials.
Originally published: Richer, E., and L.E. Lindsey. 2016. On-farm investigation of seeding rate for wide-row wheat production in northwest Ohio. Crop, Forage, and Turfgrass Management. doi: 10.2134/cftm2015.0204.