Single- or Twin-

Row Crops?
Kelly Nelson
University of Missouri
Greenley Research Center, Novelty
Physiological benefits of twin-rows
Experiences with twin-row crops in MO
• Northeast MO – dryland
• Corn
• Soybean
• Glyphosate application timings
• Southeast MO – irrigated (Henggeler)
• Corn
• Soybean
Summary and Recommendations
 30 in.

22.5 in. 7.5 in. 22.5 in.

What are the benefits of twin-rows?
 Twin-row benefits
• Plant with the same planter
 Twin-row benefits

• No new harvest
equipment required
 Twin-row benefits
• Increased light (PAR) interception

100
90 88.6 88.6
87.3 87.3 87.3
Radiation penetration (PAR %)

80
77.2 77.2
70 71.5
69.7 71.5
69.7
60 59.3 59.3
53.9 53.9 53.9
50
40 41.9 40.6 41.9 40.6

30 27.8 27.3 29.2 27.8 27.3 29.2

25.1 25.1
20 19.1 17.6 19.1 17.6 19.1
10
0
30 15 0 60 45 30 15 0 60 45 30
Distance from south row (inches)

East-west rows, 2004 2 meter 1 meter 0 meter

 Twin-row benefits
• Increased light (PAR) interception

70
66.5 66.5
60
Radiation penetration

50

40 38 38 38
35.9 35.9
30
23.1 23.1 23.1
20 19.4
18.9 19.4
18.9
12.8 12.8
10 9.3 10.4 9.3 10.4 9.3

0
15" 0" 30" 15" 0" 30" 15"
Distance from the south row (inches)
East-west rows, 2004
2 meter 1 meter 0 meter
 Twin-row benefits
• Wider in-row plant spacing

In-row spacing at 28,000 plants/acre

7.5 in. 10.6 in. 15 in.
7.5 in.
15 in.
15 in.
15 in.

30 in. Twin-row Twin-row 15 in.

parallel alternating
 Twin-row benefits
• Increased seeding rates
• Improved weed control
• Lower grain moisture at harvest
• Reduced incidence of disease
• Increased grain yield
• New technology
 Twin-row Peanut Production
Two, 7 in. rows on 36 in. centers
• Increased light interception
• Increased pod yield
• Improved market grade
• Reduced incidence of disease
(Jaaffar and Gardner, 1988; Jordan et al., 2002; Lanier et al., 2004)

www.soilcrop.tamu.edu
 Twin-row benefits
• Plant with the same planter
• No new harvest equipment required
• Increased light interception
• Wider in-row plant spacing
• Increased seeding rates
• Improved weed control
• Lower grain moisture at harvest
• Reduced incidence of disease
• Increased grain yield
Physiological benefits of twin-rows
Experiences with twin-row crops in MO
• Northern MO – dryland
• Southern MO – irrigated
Summary and Recommendations
 40ON

36ON
Source: http://umcspace.missouri.edu/columbia/home.cfm
Conventional and No-till Corn
Row Spacing and Density

15 in PSS 30 in PSS

Twin PSS

22.5 in PSS 30 in JD
 Corn Row Spacing IPAR in
2001-2003 (Conventional tillage)
95
LSD(p<0.1)=5

90
NS
IPAR (%)

NS
85

80
2001 2002 2003

15 in. 22.5 in. Twin 30 in. PSS 30 in. JD

Pioneer 34B24, No interaction between RS and Plant Density.

Data were averaged over 25, 30, 35, and 40K plants/acre.
 Corn Grain Yield in 2001-2003
(Conventional tillage)
LSD(p<0.1)= 24
170
160
150
140 LSD(p<0.1)= 5
Yield (bu/acre)

130
120
110
100
90
80
70
60
50 LSD(p<0.1)= 8
40
30
2001 2002 2003

15 in. 22.5 in. Twin 30 in. PSS 30 in. JD

Pioneer 34B24, No interaction between RS and Plant Density
Data were averaged over 25, 30, 35, and 40K plants/acre.
Corn Row Spacing IPAR and Grain
Yield (No-till) in 2001 and 2002
125 LSD(p<0.1)= 10
120
115

Yield (bu/acre)
110
IPAR (%)

105
100 LSD(p<0.1)= 5
95
90
85
80

15 in. 22.5 in. Twin 30 in. PSS 30 in. JD

Garst 8342IT, No interaction between RS and Plant Density
Data were averaged over 25 and 30K plants/acre.
No-till Corn Emergence in 2001

PSS JD planter
2-4 inches taller 4
weeks after planting
Twin-row Corn Plant Density
and Arrangement
 Twin-row Corn Plant
Arrangement (25,000
plants/acre)
7.5 in.
11.1 in.

16.4 in.
16.4 in.
22.5 in.
23.9 in.

Twin-row parallel Twin-row

plant arrangement alternating
plant arrangement
 Twin-row Corn Plant
Arrangement in 2001 and 2002
90

LSD(p<0.01)= NS
85
Yield (bu/acre)

80

75

70

Twin-row parallel Twin-row alternating 30 in. PSS 30 in. JD

Burrus 671RR, No interaction between RS and plant density.
Data were averaged over 25 and 35K plants/acre.
 Twin- and 30 in. Wide-row
Production in Large Contour
Plots in 2001 and 2002

Rep #2
15 x 1500 ft
30 in. PSS

Twin PSS 30 in. JD

• 5 MPH @
30,000 s/a

• Burrus BX65
• Wheat-clover

• Garst 8464IT
• Soybean

• 2.5 MPH
IPAR, Harvest Density, and Grain Yield
Garst 8464IT
in 2001 Burrus BX65

110 LSD = 8 LSD = 11

100 LSD = 9
90 LSD = 15
80
70
60
50 LSD = 1.6
40 NS
30 *
20
10
IPAR (%) Plant Yield IPAR (%) Plant Yield
density * (bu/a) density * (bu/a)
1000 1000
(No./a) (No./a)
Twin-row PSS 30 in. PSS 30 in. JD
IPAR, Harvest Density, and Grain Yield
in 2002
 Cooperator Research in 2001
and 2002
Palmyra 2001 Yield Knox City 2002 Yield
(bu/a) (bu/a)
30 in. Kinzie 170 30 in. JD1750 148
Twin-row PSS 159 Twin-row PSS 140
LSD (p=0.1) 10 NS
Twin- and Single-row Soybean
in 2001 and 2002

Twin 7.5 in.

22.5 in. 15 in.

 Twin- and Single-row Soybean
in 2001 and 2002
95 46
LSD = 7 LSD = 3
45

Yield (bu/a)
90
IPAR (%)

44

85
43

80 42

7.5 in. 15 in. 22.5 in. Twin 7.5 in. 15 in. 22.5 in. Twin

Pioneer 93B01
Glyphosate Application Timings
in Twin- and Single-Row Corn
and Soybean in 2002 and 2003
Wilcross 3149 @ 29,000 s/a

Asgrow 3701 @ 180,000 s/a

 Weed-free Corn Intercepted PAR in 2002 & 2003
100
Light interception (%)

95
NS NS
90
85 NS
80
75 NS
70
65
60
9 WAP 10 WAP 11 WAP 12 WAP

Twin-row corn 30" corn

Weed-free Soybean Intercepted PAR in 2002 & 2003
100
Light interception (%)

95 LSD(p<0.1) = 2
NS
90
85 NS
80
75
70
10 WAP 11 WAP 12 WAP

Twin-row soybean 15" soybean 7.5" soybean

 Total Weed Biomass in 2002 and 2003
2500
NS
Total weed biomass (g/m2)

2000 NS

1500

1000
NS
NS
500

0
Corn 2002 Corn 2003 Soybean Soybean
2002 2003

Twin-row 15 in. 7.5 in. 30 in.

Row spacing main effect. Data were averaged over glyphosate application timing.
 Summary:
1. Intercepted PAR was
similar in twin- and 30 in.
wide-row corn 9 to 12
weeks after planting
(WAP).
2. 7.5 in. soybean
intercepted 3% more PAR
than 15 in. soybean 12
WAP.
3. Total weed biomass was
similar in twin- and 30 in.
wide-row corn, and similar
in twin-, 15 in., and 7.5 in.
soybean.
 Corn Grain Yield in 2002 and 2003
120 NS
LSD (p<0.05) = 14
100
Yield (bu/a)

80

60

40

20

0
Corn 2002 Corn 2003

Twin-row 30 in.
Row spacing main effect. Data were averaged over glyphosate application timing.
 Soybean Grain Yield in 2002 and 2003
45
40
35
Yield (bu/a)

30
25
20
15
10
5
LSD (p<0.1) = 4 LSD (p<0.1) = 3
0
Soybean 2002 Soybean 2003

Twin-row 15 in. 7.5 in.

Row spacing main effect. Data were averaged over glyphosate application timing.
 Summary:
1. Corn grain yield was
15 bu/a greater in 30
in. wide-rows than
twin-rows in 2002
while grain yields were
similar in 2003.

2. Soybean grain yield

was 3 to 7 bu/a greater
in 7.5 and 15 in. rows
than twin-rows.
 • 2 in. glyphosate
application timing

Twin-row

• 7.5 and 15 in.

soybean were more
tolerant of late
emerging weeds

7.5 in.
 40ON

36ON
Source: http://umcspace.missouri.edu/columbia/home.cfm
 Twin- and Single-Row Irrigated
Corn in 2003

Joe Henggeler, David Reinbott, John Engram

Irrigation Specialist, Farm Management Specialist, and Scott Co. Farmer
Monosem and 900 Case IH
38 in.

30.5 in. 7.5 in. 30.5 in.

Flood irrigated
Twin- and Single-Row Irrigated Corn in 2003
225

220
y = -1E-07x 2 + 0.0094x + 42.597
R2 = 0.9568
Yield (bushels/acre)

215

210
11 bu/a
205

1 rep.
200

195
24,000 26,000 28,000 30,000 32,000 34,000 36,000 38,000 40,000
Plant Population

Tw in Single
Twin- and Single-Row Corn on Overhead
Irrigated Sandy Soils in 2003
Joe Henggeler
30 in.

22.5 in. 7.5 in. 22.5 in.

34,850 plants/a 9.6 in.

6 in.
30 in. rows 12 in.

30 in. Twin-row
alternating
 Twin- and Single-Row Irrigated Corn on
Sandy Soils in 2003 (Hand Planted)

230

225 LSD(p<0. 1)= NS

Yield (bu/acre)

220

215

210

Twin-row alternating 30 in. single-row

DK 64-11RR
Twin- and Single-Row Soybean on Overhead
Irrigated Sandy Soils in 2003
Joe Henggeler
30 in.

22.5 in. 7.5 in.

104,500 plants/a 7.8 in.

2 in.
30 in. rows 4 in.

30 in. Twin-row
alternating
Twin- and Single-Row Irrigated Soybean on
Sandy Soils in 2003 (Hand Planted)
60 LSD(p<0.1)= NS

58
Yield (bu/acre)

56

54

52

50

Twin-row alternating 30 in. single-row

Morsoy RT4480N
Summary: Twin-Row Corn IPAR and
Grain Yield
< = >
IPAR (%) Site/years (average)
30 in. PSS 3 of 11 (9) 8 of 11 (0) 0
30 in. planter 4 of 9 (12) 5 of 9 (0) 0
Plant density was greater at 2 sites
Yield (bu/a)
30 in. PSS 3 of 15 (21) 12 of 15 (-3) 0
ECB harvest loss 2 contour sites
Weed interference was greater 1 site
30 in. planter 3 of 15 (20) 12 of 15 (-1) 0
ECB harvest loss 2 contour sites
Plant density was greater at 1 site
Irrigated Yield (bu/a)
30 in. planter 1 of 1 (-2)
Summary: Twin-Row Soybean IPAR
and Grain Yield
< = >
IPAR (%) Site/years (average)
7.5 in. 4 of 4 (-2)
15 in. 4 of 4 (1)
22.5 in. 2 of 2 (8)
Yield (bu/a)
7.5 in. 4 of 4 (4)
15 in. 2 of 4 (4) 2 of 4 (0)
Weed interference
22.5 in. 2 of 2 (0)

Irrigated Yield (bu/a)

30 in. 1 of 1 (5)
Risks Associated with Twin-row Crops
• Banded insecticide cost – coated
seed and rootworm resistant hybrids
• Increased risk of lodging in corn
• Increased insect management (ECB)
• Ability to compete with weeds
• Incidence of disease in corn
• Side-dress fertilizer applications
• Cultivation
• Reduced soybean grain yield
 Twin-row
Depth Corn
control
gauge
wheels

7.5 in. and 11.25 in. soybean