Experimental Procedures for Plant Density Test – 2001

The second year of a soybean plant density test was conducted in Prosper, TX. Soil type was a Houston Black Clay with pH 8.3. Ten soybean cultivars were planted on 15 May 2001. Plots were 20 feet long by 8 rows wide using 14-inch rows (plot area was approximately 187 sq. ft.). Seeding rate was 100,000 seed/acre, 200,000 seed/acre, and 300,000 seed/acre for each cultivar. Seed were inoculated with Cell-Tech 2000 prior to planting. Poast (at 1.5 pt per acre) and Asana XL at 0.5 pint/acre was applied on 6 July due to grass and grasshopper pressure, respectively. Rain was plentiful through June 30, but there was little rain in July. By mid August, the weather was unseasonably cool and wet and it remained that way through September. All plots were end trimmed to 10 feet and the four center rows of each plot were harvested with a mechanical plot harvester. Plots were harvested within a week of R8 (defined as the maturity date). Seed moisture was obtained on all plots and weights were adjusted to 13% moisture. As we found in 2000, the results indicated that 200,000 seed per acre maximized yield, but 100,000 seed per acre was just as economical as 200,000 seed per acre.

Please see results page.