Use of Narrow Rows in Sprinkler-Irrigated Corn Systems to Increase Grain Yields, Aboveground Biomass, and Water and Nitrogen Use Efficiencies

Abstract

Narrow rows and optimum nitrogen applications are effective best management practices (BMPs) to enhance crop yield in an economically viable way. In a set of four studies, we aimed to compare the traditional method of planting (TMP) in wider rows (76.2 cm) with a lower plant population (84,600 seeds ha−1) against a new BMP of planting in narrow rows (38.1 cm) with a higher plant population (158,000 seeds ha−1). Implementation of the BMP resulted in 29.9 Mg ha−1 of dry matter (DM) silage, which was 42.5% higher than the 21.0 Mg ha−1 observed with the TMP. The p-values for the BMP versus TMP silage comparisons were p < 0.05, p < 0.05 and p < 0.001 for studies 2, 3, and 4, respectively, showing the significantly higher production with the BMP. Silage production water use efficiency (WUE) and agronomic nitrogen use efficiency (AE) were also higher with the BMP in studies 2, 3 and 4. The average harvested grain DM of the three BMP studies (9.9 Mg ha−1) was 9.5% higher than the 9.0 Mg ha−1 harvested grain DM with the TMP. The BMP of narrow rows with higher plant populations increases silage and grain production in sprinkler-irrigated systems.