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Seed researcher shows importance of proper planting speed
Ryan Kussmaul with Dairyland Seeds explains the planter speed impact on the corn crop. Ears are mounted on the boards at the measured distances where they were located in the row. There were also differences in ear development.
A seed researcher says planting speed has a big impact on corn yield and plant health. Ryan Kussmaul with Dairyland Seeds tells Brownfield this is the second year he has planted the same variety of corn with everything identical except how fast the corn was planted. “We started with our four-row research planter. We started from three miles an hour and did four rows. Then we did three and a half, four, four and a half, all the way up to seven miles an hour, and yes, we did see a big difference.”
Kussmaul says the planter struggled to stay consistent at different speeds, leading to noticeable differences in plant development and ear size. “We also did see leaf counts, they were off a little bit. The emergence was different too.” saying faster planting made noticeable impacts.
Kussmaul says the sweet spot was between three and four-and-a-half miles per hour. He says farmers should take the time every year to go through their planter and make adjustments because skips and double seed placement change the plant population, affecting yield. “You only want to plant once. Take your time and do it right.”
Ryan Kussmaul discusses the planting speed study with Brownfield’s Larry Lee
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