Seeding Rate Calculator
The Pioneer Seeding Rate Calculator generates seeding rate recommendations for Pioneer® products within minutes.
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Pioneer’s 2023 Planting Guide
Pioneer agronomy experts and Granular Data Scientists debunk three top planting myths and distill data for your state to drive your decisions this spring.
Myth 1: Always plant corn before soybeans
"For decades, common practice has been to plant soybeans after corn, but research shows that moving soybean planting earlier can add yield. Early planted soybeans generally reach canopy closure sooner, intercept more sunlight, and spend longer duration in reproductive growth, all of which lead to high yield potential. Make the decision on what to plant first based upon individual field conditions and what hybrid or variety will go on it."
- Dr. Mark Jeschke, Pioneer Agronomy Manager
Truth 1: Crop type shouldn’t dictate which goes first.
You’re losing 0.24-0.41 bu/acre every day you wait to plant soybeans after your earliest observable planting date.
See the highest yielding planting dates based on 2022 data from Iowa.
Iowa Corn Planting Dates
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Iowa Soybean Planting Dates
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3 Key Questions to Ask Before Planting Corn
Myth 2: Your seeding rate doesn’t need to vary much from year to year
"Seeding rates may vary from year to year, and over the past 3 decades, we have seen an average increase of 255 seeds per acre in the U.S. and Canada. Your seeding rate should be based on individual hybrids, field conditions at planting and your yield goals. Using these three factors will help you select the best seeding rate for your farming operation. The seeding rate may vary from field to field and year to year."
- Matt Essick, Pioneer Agronomy Manager
Truth 2: Your hybrid choice, seedbed conditions and yield goals should dictate seeding rate.
Not understanding your economic optimum seeding rate could be costing you up to $40/acre.
See the highest yielding seed populations based on 2022 data from Iowa.
Iowa Corn Seeding Rates
District 10
District 20
District 30
District 40
District 50
District 60
District 70
District 80
District 90
Iowa Soybean Seeding Rates
District 10
District 20
District 30
District 40
District 50
District 60
District 70
District 80
District 90
Our Seeding Rate Research At Your Fingertips
Seeding Rate Insight in Granular® Insights™
See how seeding rate impacted your farm’s hybrid yield results in 2022.
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Myth 3: Corn planted shallow will emerge faster, driving higher-end yield
"You really can’t plant corn too deep. If you want an even stand, stay between 2 to 2.5 inches. At 1.5 inches or less, you’re going to fight topsoil variability and temperature. And I don’t recommend “cheating” on planting depth even on your higher-yielding, better ground. It’s rewarding to see that quick emergence with shallow planting, but it will be fleeting as you fight uneven emergence and potential yield loss the rest of the season. As with any agronomy principle. there are exceptions, but it’s typically better to err on the side of too deep versus too shallow with corn planting depth, especially with lighter or sandier soils.”
- Dr. Mary Gumz, Pioneer Agronomy Manager
Truth 3: Shallow planting (less than 2 inches) leads to uneven emergence.
There’s a 20-bushel disadvantage to corn planted at 1 inch vs. 3 inches.
Pioneer Planting Depth Research
"The grouping of this year’s data provides a more meaningful analysis of regions that are aligned on soil type, climate, and length of growing season. Backed by 24M acres and 7 years of data, our hope is that growers can use these analyses as a reliable benchmark to make their own decisions of seeding rate, planting date, and hybrid maturity to maximize their yield this growing season."
- Hayden Schaumburg, Data Analyst, Granular
Planting Depth Effects on Corn Emergence
See the most profitable planting dates on your farm last year.
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State-based insights are based on more than 40 million acres from 2022 compiled by Granular Data Scientists.
All individual data and information shared with Granular - electronic or otherwise - submitted by farmers in connection with our tools and services will never be shared unless authorized by the farmer. Granular does compile or aggregate data segments or groups to look for averages, trends and other key indicators to help make operations more productive and profitable.