Rowed beans require a minimum of 80,000 plants per acre. Seed input costs coupled with tighter profit margins are forcing growers to reconsider their soybean seeding rates.

In a recent soybean production survey growers were asked to list their current row spacing and soybean seeding rates (Table 1). The results of this survey indicated that 57% of Indiana soybean growers are planting in rows spaced ≤10 inches apart, 31% of growers are between 11 and 20 inches, and 12% of growers are ≥21 inches. Within each row spacing category, growers may be over-planting as much as 6% (≤ 10 inches), 24% (between 11 and 20 inches), or 33% (≥21 inches). These results suggest that growers are relatively close to the Purdue University recommendations for row spacings ≤10 inches; however there is less confidence in the seeding rate recommendations in rows spaced ≥11 inches. Those growers at ≥11 inches would benefit most by re-evaluating their current seeding rate practices.

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