What’s the best planting depth for corn?
There’s lots of research that points to a two-inch depth, but there’s growing evidence that planting corn up to three inches deep is a better choice if the seed can access optimum moisture levels at that depth.
On this episode of The Sharp Edge, Maizex Seeds agronomist Henry Prinzen visits with Port Rowan, Ont., farmer Justin Hiebert to look at how he’s using innovative technology to manage variability across his farm to plant corn at the right seeding depth for optimum yield.
In the video, Hiebert discusses how Precision Planting’s SmartDepth technology allows him to quickly and easily make depth adjustments, from inside the cab, as conditions change across the field. At the heart of the technology is a SmartFirmer, which uses sensors to measure the amount of moisture available to the seed at the depth of planting.
Moisture across a field can be impacted by many agronomic factors, including typography and soil type. The SmartFirmer can detect those moisture changes and that information is then used by the SmartDepth system to change planting depth on the fly as the planter crosses the field.
“If you are in a low spot that is wet, you can have it at two inches,” notes Hiebert. “And if you are going through a sand knoll and you’re really chasing that moisture, you can go down to three inches.”
It’s another way to manage field variability and increase yield, says Prinzen. “You can make sure that seed goes into optimum moisture, allowing for a perfect stand on every square inch of the field.” Watch the video below.
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