2013 Demonstration Report
Monsanto Learning Center at Gothenburg, NE
LEARNING
the
MONSANTO
CENTER
™
Skip Row Configurations in Dryland Corn
Background
Key Messages
During dry conditions, skip row configurations may be beneficial
as corn roots can grow into moist soils under rows left fallow at
planting. Moisture in fallow rows may be further conserved by
standing crop residue. Skip row configurations would typically be
targeted towards a 100 bushel and less yield environment that
is prone to dry conditions. A critical component when using skip
row configurations is weed control, as canopy cover does not
shade most of the ground surface, and corn yield potential could
be at risk if weeds are allowed to compete with corn for water
and resources. A corn demonstration trial was conducted at the
Monsanto Learning Center at Gothenburg, NE investigating skip row
configurations in corn as a method to conserve soil moisture under
dryland conditions. Goals of this trial were to:
• Evaluate yield benefits of skip row configurations compared to
traditional row configurations under dryland conditions.
• Determine if certain skip row configurations are more
beneficial to use, and identify the most beneficial configuration.
Materials and Methods
• Two corn products were planted:
–108 RM (Fixed-ear product)
–115 RM (Flex-ear product)
• Corn was planted into no-till wheat stubble plots, and plots
received approximately 18 inches of rainfall throughout the
growing season. Standard corn weed control was used across
the trial.
• In-row populations differed; however, overall populations
remained 22,000 plants/acre for each treatment.
Rows
Left Fallow
Row
Configuration
Everyrow planted
• Due to above average rainfall, skip row configurations offered
no yield benefit over standard row spacings (all rows planted in
30-inch and 30-inch Twin) except in the case of the 108 RM
corn product in the P2S1 and TP2S1 configurations. Other
skip row studies that experienced abnormally wet growing
seasons have also found yield potential was favored by
planting more rows.1
• When evaluating skip rows only, it is evident that P2S1 and
TP2S1 produced a greater yield response over the other row
configurations.
• The 108 RM fixed-ear corn product had greater yields at the
P2S1 and TP2S1 configurations compared to the standard
30-inch and twin row spacings, respectively. Under the
yield conditions, it was surprising the 108 RM product
would perform better at these configurations compared to
conventional row-spacings. Further, this earlier-maturing corn
product out-yielded the fuller maturity (115 RM) corn product
in these row configurations. This finding is supported by other
skip row planting studies that demonstrate later maturing corn
products had significantly greater yields compared to shorter
maturing corn products.1
• Based on averages from most of the row configurations, the
fuller maturity (115 RM) flex-ear product had higher yields than
the earlier (108 RM) fixed-ear product.
• In comparing 30-inch skip row configurations to the twin
skip row configurations, twin skip row configurations (except
the TP2S2 configuration) had equal or higher yields than the
30-inch skip rows.
Plant Population
(plants/acre)
Planted Row Population
(plants/acre)
30” and Twin Row 30”
22,000
22,000
One row fallow
Plant 2, Skip 1;
Twin Row Plant 2, Skip 1
22,000
33,000
Two rows fallow
Plant 1, Skip 1;
Plant 2, Skip 2;
Twin Row Plant 1, Skip 1;
Twin Row Plant 2, Skip 2
22,000
44,000
2013 Demonstration Report
Monsanto Learning Center at Gothenburg, NE
LEARNING
the
MONSANTO
CENTER
™
Skip Row Configurations in Dryland Corn
30-inch Spacing – All Rows Planted
30-inch Spacing – Plant 1, Skip 1 (P1S1)
Sources & Legal
1
Lungren, N. et. al. 2010. Corn response to
skip-row planting configuration in North Dakota.
ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts.
http://www.ars.usda.gov (verified 11/16/2013).
The information discussed in this report is from
a single site, non-replicated demonstration.
This informational piece is designed to report
the results of this demonstration and is not
intended to infer any confirmed trends. Please
use this information accordingly.
For more information regarding the intellectual
property protection for the seed products
identified in this publication, please see www.
asgrowanddekalb.com. Individual results
may vary, and performance may vary from
location to location and from year to year.
This result may not be an indicator of results
you may obtain as local growing, soil and
weather conditions may vary. Growers should
evaluate data from multiple locations and years
whenever possible.
Asgrow® is a registered trademark of Monsanto
Technology LLC. Leaf Design® is a registered
trademark of Monsanto Company. Channel®
is a registered trademark of Channel Bio, LLC.
Always read and follow grain marketing and
all other stewardship practices and pesticide
label directions. ©2013 Monsanto Company.
11202013KY
30-inch Spacing – Plant 2, Skip 1 (P2S1)
30-inch Spacing – Plant 2, Skip 2 (P2S2)
2013 Demonstration Report
Monsanto Learning Center at Gothenburg, NE
LEARNING
the
MONSANTO
CENTER
™
Skip Row Configurations in Dryland Corn
Twin 30-inch Spacing – All rows Planted
Twin 30-inch Spacing – Plant 1, Skip 1 (TP1S1)
Twin 30-inch Spacing – Plant 2, Skip 1 (TP2S1)
Twin 30-inch Spacing – Plant 2, Skip 2 (TP2S2)
2013 Demonstration Report
Monsanto Learning Center at Gothenburg, NE
LEARNING
the
MONSANTO
CENTER
™
Yield (bu/acre)
Skip Row Configurations in Dryland Corn
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
162
30"
155
141
P1S1
P2S1
172
141
P2S2
164
147
Twin
131
TP1S1 TP2S1 TP2S2
30"
Twin
Row Configuration
Yield (bu/acre)
Figure 1. Corn Yield Response to Row Configuration
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
164 161
30"
142 140
178
166
144 138
145
P1S1
167
P2S1
P2S2
142
Twin
152
157
TP1S1
30"
TP2S1
Twin
Row Spacing Configuration
115 RM product
Figure 2. Yield Response of Two Corn Products to Row Spacing Configuration
108 RM product
170
134
128
TP2S2