October 15, 2020
TRIAL OBJECTIVE
The objective of this trial was to understand the effect of planting speed on soybean yield to address claims of significant yield increases with reduced planter speed.
RESEARCH SITE DETAILS
| Location | Gothenburg, NE | ||
| Soil Type | Hord silt loam | ||
| Previous Crop |
Corn | ||
| Tillage Type |
Strip tillage |
| Planting Date | 05/11/2020 | ||
| Harvest Date | 09/30/20 | ||
| Potential Yield (bu/acre) |
60 | ||
| Seeding Rate (seeds/ac) |
60K, 120K |
- Treatments consisted of three planting speeds and two seeding rates for a total of six treatments.
- Planting speed – Planter passes were mapped using the Climate FieldViewTM Platform (Figure 1).
- 1.5 miles per hour (mph)
- 3.0 mph
- 4.5 mph
- Seeding rates
- 60,000 seeds/acre
- 120,000 seeds/acre
- Planting speed – Planter passes were mapped using the Climate FieldViewTM Platform (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Speed of planter passes as reported in Climate FieldViewTM
The study was setup as a randomized complete block with four replications of each of the six treatments, and all planting speed by seeding rate combinations were evaluated.
A 2.5 maturity group soybean product was planted.
The plots were irrigated until mid-August. After that, irrigation was decreased during late pod fill due to a mechanical issue with the lateral irrigation system.
Weeds were controlled and no fungicides or insecticides were applied.
Plots were combine-harvested, and a subsample of seed from each replication was taken to determine moisture content, test weight, and total weight. Statistical analysis for Fisher’s LSD was performed.
UNDERSTANDING THE RESULTS
Figure 2. Average soybean yield response to planting speed across the two seeding rates.
- Neither planting speed nor seeding rate affected soybean test weight.
- There was not a significant interaction between planting speed and seeding rate on soybean yield.
- Planting speed had a significant effect on average soybean yield in this trial (Figure 2).
- The 4.5 mph treatment had significantly lower average yield than either the 1.5 or 3.0 mph treatments.
- The 3.0 mph treatment had the highest average yield but was not significantly different than the 1.5 mph treatment.
KEY LEARNINGS
We observed that planting speed affected average soybean yield in this first year, single-site study.
Further research is planned for next year. Farmers may want to consider taking these findings and trying a side-by-side comparison using the Climate FieldViewTM Platform on their farm by using the 3.0 mph planter speed compared to the planting speed they typically use.
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