AgTalk Home
AgTalk Home
Search Forums | Classifieds | Skins | Language
You are logged in as a guest. ( logon | register )

Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs
View previous thread :: View next thread
   Forums List -> Crop TalkMessage format
 
FamousLee
Posted 1/15/2018 23:25 (#6508550)
Subject: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs



Ossian, IN
How do you calculate how many bags/acre or units/acre you need for corn and soybeans. We run twin row 30s in both corn and soybeans. We've been in the 36k range on corn...however haven't seen any benefit yet and would like to tone it down to may 34...32? And then in soybeans, we've been around 175-180k range, but same deal, do we need to be that high or does the 160-165 range work better.

Previously dad had always done the math and basically dealt with the dealer/co-op for me, but now in my 6th year, I want to go with a different brand and while he's given me the numbers, I'd like to be able to calculate for the future. Getting him to talk and give answers is a challenge sometimes as I don't think he wants to spread his knowledge because he doesn't want to be replaced? I can be around when he's filling the liquid in the planter or when spraying, and I don't get the explanations of why we are doing this and how to do it.

At the 36k range for corn, we are figuring around 14 bags to do 30-31 acres. At the 175-180k range for beans, it was calculated at 80-85 bags/units so do 57-58 acres. So what's the formula to figure it?

I'm not dealing with big acres, but this is something I need to learn.

Sorry for the long post, but Thank you!
Top of the page Bottom of the page
gthompson97
Posted 1/15/2018 23:30 (#6508560 - in reply to #6508550)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs



NE ND
80,000 seeds per bag of corn and 140,000 seeds per unit of soybeans.

36k x 31 ac = 1,116,000 seeds /80,000 = 13.95 bags of corn seed

Or

36,000/80,000 = 0.45 bags/ac x 31 ac = 13.95 bags

Edited by gthompson97 1/15/2018 23:35
Top of the page Bottom of the page
paul the original
Posted 1/15/2018 23:34 (#6508566 - in reply to #6508550)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs


southern MN
Seed corn is 80,000 seeds per bag.

I plant 32,000 an acre.

Divide it out, 80,000 by 32,000 and it comes to 2.5 acres per bag. And that comes out very close to perfect for me.

Beans area little tougher. Now they are selling them by the seed count too, but I don't hit the rates so closely with them, have to get a few extra bags than I think most years.

Paul
Top of the page Bottom of the page
DudekSeeds
Posted 1/16/2018 01:47 (#6508646 - in reply to #6508550)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs


southern thumb of MicMichigan
Planting populations do not equal a stand count. Those numbers do seem on the high side though lots of reearch out there to support 28-30 on corn beans i have seen 80k work well but personally on beans i run 125 early 145 late as canopy happens to work better on june beans
Top of the page Bottom of the page
JAnderson
Posted 1/16/2018 09:15 (#6509137 - in reply to #6508550)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs


McCanna, ND
I like to take yield goal and end up with a planting rate that’s around 6-6.5bu/1000 on corn. I’ve routinely been up to 8.5/1000 with most varieties

Soybeans I plant at a unit a acre for easy math
Top of the page Bottom of the page
jonas grumby
Posted 1/16/2018 09:50 (#6509220 - in reply to #6508550)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs


Northern Illinois
bags per acre. I plant 35,000 seed per acre. Corn is sold in 80,000 seed bags. 80,000/35,000 = 2.29 bags per acre. You will end up planting more than that so take that into consideration.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
NHpuller
Posted 1/16/2018 10:17 (#6509285 - in reply to #6509220)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs


Central Illinois
That math would be 2.29 acres/bag. It would be 35,000/80,000 = .4375 bags/acre.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
John Smith
Posted 1/16/2018 11:05 (#6509394 - in reply to #6508550)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs


South Central Illinois

With full seed treatment 140,000 is good with beans.
More if planted after May 15, less if planted before May 1.
Best soil can get by with lower populations.
Droughty soil needs higher populations.
In early June go with 170,000 / Late June 200,000.



Edited by John Smith 1/16/2018 11:46
Top of the page Bottom of the page
4WD
Posted 1/16/2018 12:01 (#6509535 - in reply to #6508550)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs


Between Omaha and Des Moines, 7 miles South of I80

I'll mention one more item, that comes into play with my ground driven John Deere 7200 planter.

I set my planter population by using the JD charts, in the planter booklet/manual; BUT these charts "assume" the planter will have 15% worth of tire slippage, when JD drew up the population chart.


Once, I actually got a more expensive planter monitor, I realized that this planter didn't have a full 15% worth of slippage = it only had about 11% slippage, Thus I was planting a little more corn than I originally thought (around 4% extra, above the chart)

Example:

 I set planter's seed transmission (by the chart) to 31,744 population, but the fancy planter monitor said I was dropping around 33,000 to 33,100 seeds per acre. So; 31,744 x 4% extra = 33,014 which is about what I see on my more expensive monitor.

So, with this new info, I can now assume the planter will "drop" a strong 33,000 seeds verses my original estimate of say 31,800-32,000 seeds went I first calculated my expected amount of seed bags to buy from seed dealer, in November or December timeframe, for early discounts.

 

Then, one more wrinkle, in your seed volume thoughts, is that most seed tags might says 95% germination rate.

 I take 33,000 x 95% = 31,350 seeds(or better) is the population I hope to achieve that will truly emerge from the ground. (later, when doing some plant counts, 32,000 comes up quite often



Edited by 4WD 1/16/2018 12:02
Top of the page Bottom of the page
NEILFarmer
Posted 1/16/2018 12:36 (#6509624 - in reply to #6509535)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs


Morris, IL
I thought it was 10% they figured in? I don’t know don’t matter I find conventional tillage ground to be about same as book notill to slip less=planting heavy. Normally about 1 tooth in transmission. Keep in mind if seed changes speeds up or slows down anything else does as well so my squeeze pump for example which isn’t as easy to account for.

Do what you have to do make you Dad talk. He doesn’t want to be replaced but only one he is hurting is you, he will have to be replaced someday we all do. Seen way too many times Dad dies while operation goes up in smoke kid either didn’t care enough to pay attention or father would never let go. Seen guys 90 years old telling 60 year old son what to do.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
nick121
Posted 1/16/2018 12:07 (#6509550 - in reply to #6508550)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs


ontario
corn is 80 000 seeds per bag, soys are 140 000.

divide the seeds per bag by your intended planting population. For example 80,000/ 34 000 = 2.35 acres per bag


I drill my beans and don't have very good depth so I shoot for about 200 000 seeds an acre. Have enough seed for 210 000 an acre this year, as I have better luck with a thicker population in my area and with my old drill

. Most guys using planters for beans go with a lower population of maybe 150,000 but depends on your area.

I have't had a good crop yet and this will be my 3rd year but hopefully I have a respectable crop this year.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
WTF2014
Posted 1/16/2018 14:06 (#6509822 - in reply to #6508550)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs


CIL
Real rub here for lowing populations is your twin row planter especially on soybeans. Here we drop 125k on 30in rows with treated beans. Have gone as low as 90 k when growing seed beans. Twin row could run into emergence issues spreading that same population out on twin rows. Corn I wouldn’t be so concerned about but beans is a different story. Sorry no advice with twin rows. Want to lower pop...then go with 30 or 20 in rows for beans. Bottom line likely going to have to change planters to lower populations. Others have spelled out the calculations for bags.

Edited by WTF2014 1/16/2018 14:07
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Iron Archer
Posted 1/16/2018 15:46 (#6509980 - in reply to #6509822)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs


South Eastern VA
Since I suck at math I like using the Hefty’s planting population app. It was a free download and does all the math for you...gives you plant spacing and all that stuff.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
FamousLee
Posted 1/17/2018 23:40 (#6513390 - in reply to #6509822)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs



Ossian, IN
WTF2014 - 1/16/2018 15:06

Real rub here for lowing populations is your twin row planter especially on soybeans. Here we drop 125k on 30in rows with treated beans. Have gone as low as 90 k when growing seed beans. Twin row could run into emergence issues spreading that same population out on twin rows. Corn I wouldn’t be so concerned about but beans is a different story. Sorry no advice with twin rows. Want to lower pop...then go with 30 or 20 in rows for beans. Bottom line likely going to have to change planters to lower populations. Others have spelled out the calculations for bags.


I know the whole idea with the twin row is that you are spreading out on more ground so you can kick the pop up hoping for higher yields, but that doesn't seem to be happening. We've only done twins now for two years, and that's two years I didn't like it. I'd love to go back to 30 inch single rows in corn. Beans is another story though. For many of years, we were doing 10 inch (with a 20 inch gap every some many for sprayer track) using a drill, and then we upgraded to a 15 inch planter. We ran 15 inch for 3 or 4 years and liked it much better than a drill. We wanted to go to a single planter for corn and beans and get something better than a JD 7000 series and the most affordable Kinze 3000 we found was set up the twin row so we went that route. Having that 22 inch gap is nice for spraying, but it also seems like sometimes to much of an open gap early on and have some weed issues. Dad likes the twin row beans for spraying. I'd like to experiment with 20 inch, but correct me if I'm wrong, our tire spacing would be off from our 30 inch corn?
Top of the page Bottom of the page
alkali flats
Posted 1/16/2018 18:26 (#6510237 - in reply to #6508550)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs



Eastern Nebraska
Here is a couple Spreadsheets I made to do the math for me. If you have Excel or a free version it may help.



Edited by alkali flats 1/16/2018 18:38




Attachments
----------------
Attachments SeedSpreadsheet (1).xlsx (29KB - 427 downloads)
Top of the page Bottom of the page
FamousLee
Posted 1/17/2018 23:25 (#6513376 - in reply to #6510237)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs



Ossian, IN
alkali flats - 1/16/2018 19:26

Here is a couple Spreadsheets I made to do the math for me. If you have Excel or a free version it may help.



Thank you for these spreadsheets. Excel is an essential tool that I use daily on a personal basis as well as at work for Bill of Materials.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
spellfarms
Posted 1/17/2018 02:18 (#6510998 - in reply to #6508550)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs


Central Iowa
Like everyone said corn is 80,000 per bag and for you planting 36,000 you can do 2.22 acres per bag. Beans are 140,000 per bag, but the bag count your dad came up with you must be planting Becks. Becks is 130,000 seeds per bag. If you take 180,000 divided by 130,000 you would need 80 bags to plant 57 acres.

Edited by spellfarms 1/17/2018 20:47
Top of the page Bottom of the page
NHpuller
Posted 1/17/2018 18:57 (#6512617 - in reply to #6510998)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs


Central Illinois
It’s 2.22 acres per bag at 36K not 2.22 bags per acre.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
spellfarms
Posted 1/17/2018 20:48 (#6513023 - in reply to #6512617)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs


Central Iowa
That's what I meant. I must have been to tired when I typed it out
Top of the page Bottom of the page
FamousLee
Posted 1/17/2018 23:30 (#6513382 - in reply to #6510998)
Subject: RE: Calculating Corn/Soybeans Seed Needs



Ossian, IN
spellfarms - 1/17/2018 03:18

Beans are 140,000 per bag, but the bag count your dad came up with you must be planting Becks. Becks is 130,000 seeds per bag. If you take 180,000 divided by 130,000 you would need 80 bags to plant 57 acres.


No Beck's have ever been on this farm at this point. For the past 6-7-8 years or so, we've been planting bulk Croplan beans. Last year was the first in a few years that we did bags on a couple of acres of mine because it was different from dad's and not worth getting bulk in a wagon (plus didn't have another available wagon).

I'll have to get bags this year as well because I'm not getting the same beans as dad to get all together in the same wagon.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Jump to forum :
Search this forum
Printer friendly version
E-mail a link to this thread

(Delete cookies)