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Agronomic Crops Network

Ohio State University Extension

CFAES

Seeding Practices

When planting at the proper time and into soil that is not too wet, seed should be planted 1.5-inches deep. Row width should be 6 to 8 inches. Planting by bushels per acre is very inaccurate due to variability in seed size from year to year and from one variety to another. Low seeding rates result in inadequate stands and winter injury, while excessively high rates increase lodging and disease severity. 

Do not plant weak-strawed varieties prone to lodging. Calibrate the drill each year for each variety and seed
lot planted. The optimum seeding rate is 1.2 to 1.6 million seeds per acre (18 to 24 seeds per foot in 7.5-inch row width) when planting during the two weeks following the fly-safe date. During the third and fourth week after the fly-safe date, plant 1.6 to 2 million seeds per acre (24 to 30 seeds per foot of row). Do not plant faster than the speed at which the drill was calibrated. The number of seeds per pound and germination rates are critical factors that need to be known before a proper seeding rate can be determined and the drill calibrated. This information should be listed on the bag of seed. The information in Tables 6-1 and 6-2 can be used to calibrate grain drills accurately. 

Table 6-1: Pounds of Seed Needed to Plant From 1.6 to 2 Million Seeds Per Acre With Seed of Varying Size. 

Millions of Seed Per Acre

Seeds Per Pound

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2.0

10,000

120

140

160

180

200

11,000

109

127

145

164

182

12,000

100

116

133

150

167

13,000

92

108

123

138

154

14,000

85

100

114

129

143

15,000

80

93

107

120

133

16,000

75

88

100

113

125

17,000

71

82

94

106

118

18,000

66

77

89

100

111

Table 6-2: Seeds Per Foot of Row for Different Row Spacings and Target Seeding Rates.

 

Desired Seeding Rate

Row Spacing in Inches*

 

7

7.5

8

10

Million seed/ac

-----------Seeds/foot of row------------

1.2

16.0

17.2

18.4

23.0

1.4

18.7

20.0

21.4

26.8

1.6

21.4

23.0

24.5

30.6*

1.8

24.1

25.8

27.5

34.4*

2.0

26.8

28.7

30.6*

38.3*

*At 15-inch row width, 25 seeds per foot of row is recommended.