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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lincoln, Nebraska » Agroecosystem Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #200017
Title: Plant-to-plant variability in corn production

Author
item MARTIN, K - OKLA STATE UNIV
item HODGEN, P - GRAD STUD/UNL NE
item FREEMAN, K - OKLA STATE UNIV
item MELCHIORI, RICARDO - INTA PARANA, ARGENTINA
item ARNALL, D - OKLA STATE UNIV
item TEAL, R - OKLA STATE UNIV
item MULLEN, R - OHIO STATE UNIV
item DESTA, K - OKLA STATE UNIV
item PHILLIPS, S - VA POLYTECH INST VA
item SOLIE, J - OKLA STATE UNIV
item STONE, M - OKLA STATE UNIV
item CAVIGLIA, OCTAVIO - INTA, PARANA AGENTINA
item SOLARI, FERNANDO - GRAD STUD/UNIV OF NE
item BIANCHINI, AGUSTIN - AAPRESID ROSARIO ARGEN
item Francis, Dennis
item Schepers, James
item Hatfield, Jerry
item RAUN, W - OKLA STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Agronomy Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2005
Publication Date: 11/1/2005
Citation: Martin, K.L., Hodgen, P., Freeman, K.W., Melchiori, R., Arnall, D.B., Teal, R.K., Mullen, R.W., Desta, K., Phillips, S.B., Solie, J.B., Stone, M.L., Caviglia, O., Solari, F., Bianchini, A., Francis, D.D., Schepers, J.S., Hatfield, J.L. 2005. Plant-to-plant variability in corn production. Agronomy Journal 97(1603-1611).

Interpretive Summary: The impetus of this study was to learn more about plant-to-plant variability in grain yield for corn (Zea mays L.) grown under commercial production systems. Individual plant grain yield from 46 locations in Argentina, Mexico, and the U.S. were evaluated. By-plant grain yields were determined by harvesting 8- to 30-m of row at the various locations. Plant-to-plant variation in corn grain yields was found to average 2765 kg/ha (44.1 bu/ac) for these sites. The standard deviation in by-plant yields obtained within each row increased as the average grain yields increased. Likewise, the yield range (maximum corn grain yield per plant minus the minimum corn grain yield per plant) increased with increasing yield levels. Production practices that minimize both variations in plant–to-plant spacing and differences in time to emergence may decrease plant-to-plant growth variations and could lead to increased grain yields.

Technical Abstract: Corn (Zea mays L.) grain yields are known to vary from plant to plant, but the extent of this variability across a range of environments has not been evaluated. This study was initiated to evaluate by-plant corn grain yield variability over a range of production environments and to establish the relationships among mean grain yield, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, and yield range. A total of forty-six 8- to 30-m corn transects were harvested by plant in Argentina, Mexico, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio, Virginia, and Oklahoma from 2002 to 2004. By-plant corn grain yields were determined, and the average individual plant yields were calculated. Over all sites in all countries and states, plant-to-plant variation in corn grain yield averaged 2765 kg ha-1 (44.1 bu ac-1). At the sites with the highest average corn grain yield (11 478 and 14 383 kg ha-1, Parana Argentina, and Phillips, NE), average plant-to-plant variation in yield was 4211 kg ha-1 (67 bu ac-1) and 2926 kg ha-1 (47 bu ac-1), respectively. As average grain yields increased, so did the standard deviation of the yields obtained within each row. Furthermore, the yield range (maximum corn grain yield minus the minimum corn grain yield per row) was found to increase with increasing yield level. Regardless of yield level, plant-to-plant variability in corn grain yield can be expected and averaged more than 2765 kg ha-1 over sites and years. Averaging yield over distances >0.5 m removed the extreme by-plant variability, and thus, the scale for treating other factors affecting yield should be less than 0.5 m. Methods that homogenize corn plant stands and emergence may decrease plant-to-plant variation and could lead to increased grain yields.