Narow Row Corn Production for Iowa

Corn producers continually strive to find new ways to either increase corn yields or reduce input costs. Corn yields have shown a steady increase since the 1940s (Figure 1). It has been suggested that roughly half of this increase can be attributed to improved genetics; the other half most likely could be attributed to improved management of the crop. Many factors are involved in this "management" aspect, such as earlier planting dates, improved soil fertility, improved pest management (including, weed, insect, and disease control), better hybrid selection, improved tillage methods, and improved plant spacing. It is plant spacing that I want to deal with in this paper.