To Increase Yield, Will You Slow Down?

As planters hit the fields, farmers want to get the crop in the ground as fast as they can. But this isn’t a race of who can put the crop in fastest – it’s a race for the best revenue per acre. Increasing yield can be as simple as slowing down during planting.

Purdue University has conducted studies with all types of planters, and results have shown that “grain yields for crops planted at 6 and 7 mph were 3 bushels per acre less than those for crops planted at 4 to 5 mph.”

Nine years of Ole & Sven research trials at Peterson Farms Seed have shown a 9.3 bushel difference between 3.5mph and 6.5 mph.

Skips and doubles are more prevalent at planting speeds greater than 5 mph. Seed spacing is critical for good stand establishment.

With so many things affecting yield that are out of your control (rain, heat, hail, etc.), why wouldn’t you do everything in your power to control the things you can? Planting speed has been proven to affect final yield in a big way. Slow down for more bushels!