Response of DEKALB® Brand Corn Products to Planting Mistakes - 2017

• The purpose of this demonstration was to simulate planting errors that growers often encounter when planting corn.​

• This demonstration is similar to the missing row research that has been conducted over the last few years at the Monsanto Learning Center at Scott, MS.

• Measure the yield potential of corn products planted “correctly” at the appropriate populations.​

• Measure the ability of corn products to compensate or “flex” in response to missing rows or missing twins in a planter pass.​

• Give another measure of the flex characteristics of DEKALB® brand corn products.

• 5 DEKALB® brand corn products were planted in 4 different configurations:​
• These were 4-row, twin-row passes planted with a Monosem planter​
• Rows were 175 feet long​
• All agronomic inputs were per local standards​
• Nitrogen (N) was applied at a rate of 240 lb/acre

Populations planted:​

• DKC70-27 brand and DKC67-44 brand were planted at 32,000 kernels/acre in checks and 24,000 or 28,000 in treatments​
• All others were planted at 36,000 kernels/acre in the check and 27,000 or 31,500 in treatments​

Solid planted at either 32,000 or 36,000 kernels/acre planted​

One full row unplanted – 1/4 of the pass missing​

• Corn products planted at 32,000 kernels/acre would have a final population of 24,000 kernels planted/acre​
• Corn products planted at 36,000 kernels/acre would have a final population of 27,000 kernels planted/acre

Populations planted:​

• One twin-row unplanted
  • Corn products planted at 32,000 kernels/acre would have a final population of 28,000 kernels planted/acre​
  • Corn products planted at 36,000 kernels/acre would have a final population of 31,500 kernels planted/acre​
• Two separated twins on two different rows left unplanted​
  • Corn products planted at 32,000 kernels/acre would have a final population of 24,000 kernels planted/acre

• None of the corn products tested were able to compensate greatly for the missing plants in the field, although a range of compensation did appear to exist.​

• DKC70-27 brand appeared to be the least compensatory and DKC68-26 brand was the most compensatory in this demonstration.​

• The other corn products were intermediate in their ability to compensate.​

• The populations tested may not be the appropriate populations for each corn product in every geography.

• This information points out the requirement for correct populations and uniformity in corn fields to optimize yield potential.​

• Fields should be carefully evaluated for replanting after emergence and issues corrected at once if they exist.​

• Data from this demonstration may help in defining the “flex” inherent to each corn product tested.

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