Very Wide Row Corn Performance in a Mississippi Trial: Year 2.

Field corn (Zea mays L.) is normally planted in rows spaced less than 1 m apart. A theory has been advanced that some cultivars might perform well at wider row spacing, but at the same total population per hectare, allowing the wide inter-row areas to be planted to some type of compatible crop. Such a system may be especially advantageous in small holder farming systems were land and other resources can be limited. We tested four cultivars in two planting arrangements: a locally standard 0.95 m row spacing and a twin row arrangement, with the twin rows centered 2.9 m apart and the paired rows 0.2 m from each other. In both row arrangements, the targeted seeding rate was 66,000 seed/ha. Crop management was the same for both arrangements and used local practices and fertilizer rates based on soil tests and local recommendations. Stands in both row treatments were good. Management included locally acceptable fertilizer practices, pre-plant herbicide treatment, and in-season insecticides to minimize ear damage from various Lepidoptera larvae. Rainfall was adequate throughout the season and no irrigation was necessary. The study includes measurement of grain yield and moisture, kernel size and  counts, ear size and the frequency of second ears produced in both planting arrangements. The wide row system may be enhanced by adding cover crops to the system, and may even allow for complementary cash crops in the inter-row areas.