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Managing Corn for Greater Yield Potential: Insights From the 2024 NCGA National Corn Yield Contest
Crop Insights
Written by Mark Jeschke, Ph.D., Pioneer Agronomy Manager
Key Points
- Improved hybrids and production practices are helping corn growers increase yields. Over the past 20 years, U.S. yields have increased by an average of 1.9 bu/acre/year.
- The NCGA National Corn Yield Contest provides a benchmark for yields that are attainable when conditions and management are optimized.
- The 2024 contest had 655 entries that exceeded 300 bu/ acre, the most ever to attain that yield level.
- Pioneer® brand products were used in 310 NCGA National Corn Yield Contest entries that topped 300 bu/acre in 2024, the most of any seed brand.
- Plant populations in high yield entries were generally above average but not extraordinarily high, with most falling between 34,000 and 38,000 plants/acre.
- High yield entries tended to be planted relatively early; however, there were numerous instances where 300 bu/acre yields were achieved with late May or early June planting.
- The vast majority of high yield entries were planted in 30-inch rows, reflecting overall industry trends.
Benchmarking Corn Yield
Since the introduction of hybrid corn nearly a century ago, corn productivity improvements have continued through the present day. Over the last 20 years, U.S. corn yield has increased by an average of 1.9 bu/acre per year. These gains have resulted from breeding for increased yield potential, introducing transgenic traits to help protect yield, and agronomic management that have allowed yield potential to be more fully realized.
As growers strive for greater corn yields, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) National Corn Yield Contest provides a benchmark for yields that are attainable when environmental conditions and agronomic management are optimized.
2024 NCGA National Corn Yield Contest Trends
The 2024 growing season started with widespread drought and ended with widespread drought, but enough rain fell during the season to produce some excellent corn yields across much of the U.S. Corn Belt. The USDA estimated average yield for the U.S. was 183.1 bu/acre, a new record high. At the state level, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska, South Dakota, and all three I-states posted record high yields.
2024 was a record-setting year for the NCGA National Corn Yield Contest as well. The number of contest entries yielding over 300 bu/acre hit a new record high in 2024 with 655, topping the previous high of 431 entries set in 2023 by a wide margin (Figure 1). Sixteen states set new records for 300 bu/acre entries. The biggest increases in high yield contest entries were in Iowa and Illinois, with both states more than doubling their previous record highs (Table 1). Other states with big increases in high yield entries in 2024 included Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Kansas. Louisiana and Connecticut both posted their firstever 300 bu/acre yields in 2024. States with sizable drops in high yield entries compared to 2023 included Nebraska, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Pioneer® brand products were used in 310 NCGA National Corn Yield Contest entries that topped 300 bu/acre in 2023, the most of any seed brand (Figure 2), as well as 191 state-level winners. State-level winners included a total of 81 different Pioneer brand products from 63 different hybrid families ranging from 72 to 120 CRM (Appendix).
Table 1. Number of NCGA National Corn Yield Contest entries over 300 bu/acre by state, 2020-2024.
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*New Record
Yields exceeding 300 bu/acre have been achieved using Pioneer brand products from 95 different hybrid families over the past five years, ranging from 91 to 120 CRM. The top-performing Pioneer hybrid families in the National Corn Yield Contest are shown in Table 2. The Pioneer brand P14830 and P1742 families of products once again had the most 300 bu/acre entries, repeating their 2023 performance as the top two hybrid families. Making a strong debut as a top performer in the 2024 contest was the P13777 family of products with 13 entries over 300 bu/acre. Pioneer brand P14830, P1742, P1027, P0953, P13777, and P10811 families all had 10 or more entries over 300 bu/acre in 2024.
Figure 1. Total entries in the NCGA National Corn Yield Contest exceeding 300 bu/acre by year from 2015 to 2024.
Figure 2. Seed brand planted in National Corn Yield Contest entries exceeding 300 bu/acre in 2024.
Figure 3. Average yields of NCGA National Corn Yield contest non-irrigated class national winners and U.S. average corn yields, 2005-2024.
Table 2. Pioneer® hybrid families with entries over 300 bu/acre in the 2024 NCGA National Corn Yield Contest.
| Hybrid Family | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2020-2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| —————— Number of Entries —————— | ||||||
| P14830 | 24 | 67 | 91 | |||
| P1742 | 8 | 20 | 55 | 83 | ||
| P1027 | 13 | 34 | 47 | |||
| P0953 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 16 | 54 | |
| P13777 | 13 | 13 | ||||
| P10811 | 1 | 11 | 12 | |||
| P1136 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 17 | ||
| P1170 | 5 | 17 | 8 | 30 | ||
| P1718 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 26 | ||
| P0924 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 26 | |
| P10477 | 6 | 6 | ||||
| P1222 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 19 | |
| P13050 | 5 | 5 | ||||
| P0859 | 4 | 4 | ||||
| P1383 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 12 | ||
| P1511 | 1 | 4 | 5 | |||
| P17677 | 4 | 4 | ||||
| P1828 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 22 |
| P0529 | 4 | 3 | 7 | |||
| P08075 | 3 | 3 | ||||
| P1108 | 3 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 19 |
| P1185 | 10 | 29 | 20 | 5 | 3 | 67 |
| P12065 | 3 | 3 | ||||
| P05466 | 2 | 2 | ||||
| P05737 | 2 | 2 | ||||
| P0732 | 2 | 2 | ||||
| P1278 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 9 | ||
| P12904 | 2 | 2 | ||||
| P1366 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 15 | ||
| P1563 | 11 | 22 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 52 |
| P1572 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 20 |
| P15784 | 2 | 2 | ||||
| P0421 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| P0720 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | |
| P09312 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| P09944 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| P1237 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| P13476 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||
| P1370 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
| P1457 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||
| P1608 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||
| P16544 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| P1790 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| P9540 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||
| P9624 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| P96760 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| P97299 | 1 | 1 | ||||
High-Yield Management Practices
Top performers in the NCGA yield contest not only have produced yields much higher than the current U.S. average; they have also achieved a higher rate of yield gain over time. Over the past 20 years, U.S. corn yields have increased at a rate of 1.9 bu/acre per year while winning yields in the non-irrigated yield contest classes have increased by 4.6 bu/acre per year (Figure 3). Contest fields are planted with the same corn hybrids available to everyone and are subject to the same growing conditions, which suggests that management practices are playing a key role in capturing more yield potential. The following sections will discuss management practices employed in contest entries yielding above 300 bu/acre.
Planting Practices
Plant Population
One of the most critical factors in achieving high corn yields is establishing a sufficient population density to allow a hybrid to maximize its yield potential. Historically, population density has been the main driver of yield gain in corn – improvement of corn hybrid genetics for superior stress tolerance has allowed hybrids to be planted at higher plant populations and produce greater yields.
Harvest populations in national corn yield contest entries over 300 bu/acre from 2020 through 2024 are shown in Figure 4. The average harvest population over this period was 35,400 plants/acre, well above the USDA average plant population of 29,200 plants/acre, as would be expected for high-yielding environments. However, yields over 300 bu/acre were achieved over a wide range of populations, from 27,000 to 50,000 plants/acre, demonstrating that exceptionally high populations are not necessarily a prerequisite for high yields. Although population density is important in establishing the yield potential of a corn crop, it is just one of many factors that determine yield.
Figure 4. Harvest populations of NCGA National Corn Yield Contest entries exceeding 300 bu/acre from 2020 to 2024.
Planting Date
High-yielding contest plots are usually planted as early as practical for their geography. Early planting lengthens the growing season and, more importantly, moves pollination earlier. When silking, pollination and early ear fill are accomplished in June or early July, heat and moisture stress effects can be reduced.
The range of planting dates for contest entries exceeding 300 bu/acre in several states is shown in Figure 5, as well as the mid-point of corn planting progress according to USDA NASS. Average planting dates for 300 bu/acre entries in 2024 was generally mid-April for Southern and East Coast states and late-April through early-May for Corn Belt states. The 2024 contest had several high-yield entries planted in mid- to late-May and even early June, demonstrating that high yields can still be achieved under favorable conditions if planting is not delayed for too long. However, the odds of achieving high yields are generally going to be better with earlier planting.
Figure 5. Average planting date and planting date range of NCGA National Corn Yield Contest entries exceeding 300 bu/acre in 2024 in select states.
Row Spacing
The vast majority of corn acres in the U.S. are currently planted in 30-inch rows, accounting for around 80% of corn production. Among high yield contest entries, this proportion is even greater, with over 90% in 30-inch rows (Figure 6). Row spacings narrower than the current standard of 30 inches have been a source of continuing interest as a way to achieve greater yields, particularly with continually increasing seeding rates. However, research has generally not shown a consistent yield benefit to narrower rows outside of the northern Corn Belt (Jeschke, 2018).
Figure 6. Row spacing used in NCGA National Corn Yield Contest entries exceeding 300 bu/acre in 2024.
Crop Rotation
Rotating crops is one of the practices most often recommended to keep yields consistently high. Rotation can break damaging insect and disease cycles that lower crop yields. Including crops like soybean or alfalfa in the rotation can reduce the amount of nitrogen required in the following corn crop. A majority of the fields in the 300 bu/acre entries were planted to a crop other than corn the previous growing season (Figure 7).
The rotation effect is a yield increase associated with crop rotation compared to continuous corn even when all limiting factors appear to have been controlled or adequately supplied in the continuous corn. This yield increase has averaged about 5 to 15 percent in research studies but has generally been less under high-yield conditions (Butzen, 2012). Rotated corn is generally better able to tolerate yield-limiting stresses than continuous corn; however, yield contest results clearly show that high yields can be achieved in continuous-corn production.
Figure 7. Previous crop in NCGA National Corn Yield Contest entries exceeding 300 bu/acre in 2024.
Tillage
Around 40% of the high yield entries in the NCGA contest in 2024 used conventional tillage, with the other half using no-tillage or some form of reduced tillage (Figure 8). Over the past decade, tillage practices among high yield contest entries have shifted toward reduced tillage, with the percent of conventional tillage entries declining and the percent of no-till and stip-till entries increasing.
Figure 8. Tillage practices in NCGA National Corn Yield Contest entries exceeding 300 bu/acre in 2024.
Tillage practices varied considerably by state (Figure 9). Missouri had the highest proportion of conventional tillage entries, followed by the northern Corn Belt states of North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. On the other end of the tillage spectrum, Kentucky, Nebraska, and Iowa had the highest proportion of reduced and no tillage.
Figure 9. Tillage practices in NCGA National Corn Yield Contest entries exceeding 300 bu/acre in select states in 2024. Reduced tillage includes entries classified as minimum, mulch, or strip-till.
Nutrient Management
Achieving highest corn yields requires an excellent soil fertility program, beginning with timely application of nitrogen (N) and soil testing to determine existing levels of phosphorous (P), potassium (K), and soil pH.
Nitrogen
Corn grain removes approximately 0.67 lbs of nitrogen per bushel harvested, and stover production requires about 0.45 lbs of nitrogen for each bushel of grain produced (IPNI, 2014). This means that the total N needed for a 300 bu/acre corn crop is around 336 lbs/acre. Only a portion of this amount needs to be supplied by N fertilizer; N is also supplied by the soil through mineralization of soil organic matter. On highly productive soils, N mineralization will often supply the majority of N needed by the crop. Credits can be taken for previous legume crop, manure application, and N in irrigation water. Nitrogen application rates of entries exceeding 300 bu/acre are shown in Figure 10. Numbers are based on 536 entries that reported N application rates and include fertilizer N as well as estimated N from reported manure applications.
Nitrogen Rates
The N application rates of 300 bu/acre entries varied greatly, but the majority were in the range of 200 to 300 lbs/acre (Figure 10). As corn yield increases, more N is removed from the soil; however, N application rates do not necessarily need to increase to support high yields. Climatic conditions that favor high yield will also tend to increase the amount of N a corn crop obtains from the soil through increased mineralization of organic N and improved root growth. Total nitrogen applied in high yield entries has trended downward in recent years. In the 2016 contest, over half of high yield entries had over 300 lbs/acre of N applied, compared to less than a quarter of entries in 2024.
Figure 10. Nitrogen rates (total lbs/acre of fertilizer and manure N applied) of NCGA National Corn Yield Contest entries exceeding 300 bu/acre in 2024.
Nitrogen Timing
Timing of N fertilizer applications can be just as important as application rate. The less time there is between N application and crop uptake, the less likely N loss from the soil will occur and limit crop yield. Nitrogen uptake by the corn plant peaks during the rapid growth phase of vegetative development between V12 and VT (tasseling). However, the N requirement is high beginning at V6 and extending to the R5 (early dent) stage of grain development.
Timing of N fertilizer applications in 300 bu/acre entries is shown in Figure 11. around a quarter included fall-applied N. Many applied N before or at planting. Around 2/3 of 300 bu/acre entries included some form of in-season nitrogen, either side-dressed or applied with irrigation. Multiple nitrogen applications were used in over 75% of high-yield entries.
Figure 11. Nitrogen fertilizer application timing of NCGA National Corn Yield Contest entries exceeding 300 bu/acre in 2024.
Nitrogen Management Class
A new feature of the NCGA National Corn Yield Contest in 2023 was the addition of the Nitrogen Management Class (Class J). Entrants in this class are required to limit total nitrogen applications from non-field sources to 180 lbs/acre of actual nitrogen applied. For the 2023 and 2024 contests, this class has been limited to 100 total entrants from select Corn Belt states. Rules for this class also place limits based on previous crop, with only fields planted to corn, soybean, wheat, or a wheat followed by soybean double crop eligible for entry.
The Nitrogen Management Class had 20 entries reporting yield in 2024. Of these 20 entries, 2 were able to top 300 bu/acre while applying no more than 180 lbs/acre of N.
Secondary and Micronutrients
Around 40% of 300 bu/acre entries reported applying one or more secondary or micronutrients. Sulfur (S) was the most commonly applied nutrient, followed by zinc (Zn), and boron (B), and a smaller number of entries included magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), or copper (Cu). Micronutrients are sufficient in many soils to meet crop needs. However, some sandy soils and other low organic matter soils are naturally deficient in micronutrients, and high pH soils may reduce their availability (Butzen and Jeschke, 2022). Additionally, as yields increase, micronutrient removal increases as well, potentially causing deficiencies.
Video: 2024 NCGA Yield Contest Insights to Help You Manage for Higher Yields
References
- Butzen, S. and M. Jeschke 2022. Micronutrients for crop production. Crop Insights Vol. 32. No. 2. Corteva Agriscience. Johnston, IA.
- Butzen, S. 2012. Best management practices for corn-after-corn production. Crop Insights Vol. 22. No. 6. Corteva Agriscience. Johnston, IA.
- IPNI. 2014. IPNI Estimates of Nutrient Uptake and Removal.
- Jeschke, M. 2018. Row width in corn grain production. Crop Insights Vol. 28. No. 3. Corteva Agriscience. Johnston, IA.
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AM - Optimum® AcreMax® Insect Protection system with YGCB, HX1, LL, RR2. Contains a single-bag integrated refuge solution for above-ground insects. In EPA-designated cotton growing counties, a 20% separate corn borer refuge must be planted with Optimum AcreMax products. AML - Optimum® AcreMax® Leptra® products with AVBL, YGCB, HX1, LL, RR2. Contains a single-bag integrated refuge solution for above-ground insects. In EPA-designated cotton growing countries, a 20% separate corn borer refuge must be planted with Optimum AcreMax Leptra products. YGCB, HX1, LL, RR2 (Optimum® Intrasect®) - Contains a Bt trait and Herculex® I gene for resistance to corn borer.
AVBL,YGCB,HX1,LL,RR2 (Optimum® Leptra®) - Contains the Agrisure Viptera® trait, the Bt trait, the Herculex® I gene, the LibertyLink® gene, and the Roundup Ready® Corn 2 trait. Q (Qrome®) - Contains a single-bag integrated refuge solution for above- and below-ground insects. The major component contains the Agrisure® RW trait, the Bt trait, and the Herculex® XTRA genes. In EPA-designated cotton growing counties, a 20% separate corn borer refuge must be planted with Qrome products.
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POWERCORE® is a registered trademark of Bayer Group. POWERCORE® multi-event technology developed by Corteva Agriscience and Bayer Group. LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design are registered trademarks of BASF. ®Roundup and Roundup Ready are registered trademarks of Bayer Group. Agrisure® and Agrisure Viptera® are registered trademarks of, and used under license from, a Syngenta Group Company. Agrisure® technology incorporated into these seeds is commercialized under a license from Syngenta Crop Protection AG. Always follow IRM, grain marketing and all other stewardship practices and pesticide label directions. B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your seed representative for the registration status in your state. Corteva products are launched in accordance with Corteva Agriscience launch policies and Excellence Through Stewardship® Product Launch Guidance. Grain and byproducts produced from PowerCore® Ultra Enlist® corn material cannot be marketed in jurisdictions where not authorized, including Mexico, until the applicable approval is granted. Refer to www.biotradestatus.com for updated information on regulatory status, as well as www.traitstewardship.com for additional stewardship requirements.
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ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. IT IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL AND STATE LAW TO USE ANY PESTICIDE PRODUCT OTHER THAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS LABELING. ONLY USE FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LABELED FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION. USE OF PESTICIDE PRODUCTS, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, 2,4-D-CONTAINING PRODUCTS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR USE WITH ENLIST CROPS, MAY RESULT IN OFF-TARGET DAMAGE TO SENSITIVE CROPS/AREAS AND/OR SUSCEPTIBLE PLANTS, IN ADDITION TO CIVIL AND/OR CRIMINAL PENALTIES. Additional product-specific stewardship requirements for Enlist crops, including the Enlist Product Use Guide, can be found at www.traitstewardship.com.
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