Economic and Marketing Information
FOR INDIANA  FARMERS
Prepared by the Agricultural Staff of Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana  
February   28,   1966
by Paul  R.  Robbins and Jay L. Strom, Agricultural Economics
It is now possible to raise corn and
soybeans in narrow rows1 using a
complete line of factory equipment.
Growers have long recognized the
greater yield potential for narrow row
soybeans. For many years soybeans
have been grown in narrow rows by a
limited number of farmers who usually duplicated ownership of equipment
to plant and cultivate narrow row
soybeans while growing wide row
corn. Manufacturers are now making
and promoting the sale of equipment
to raise both corn and soybeans in
narrow rows. As a result of the wide
publicity concerning narrow row culture, many farmers are now trying to
size up the economics of their new
choice in machinery purchases.
Indiana farms are rapidly increasing in size and often specialize in corn
or corn and soybean production.
Small changes in the cost of production or yield per acre on large specialized farms can make a significant
contribution to net income.
What Kind of Farmers are Justified in Switching?
Some important factors in determining if a farmer can economically justify converting to narrow row
culture for both corn and soybeans
are:
1. What are the net returns from
alternative yield boosting possibilities such as more fertilizer, better
weed control, etc.
2. What are the ages of the principle pieces of equipment now owned?
3. What is the acreage of corn and
soybeans to be grown?
4. How are extra costs and returns
resulting from narrow rows shared
between the renter and landlord?
Equipment manufacturers are now making narroiv ro
to farmers. Pictured here is a 6-row narrow planter.
quip
it available
1Narrow rows defined for this study are a
spacing of 30 or 32 inches with nearly all
observations at the 30 inch spacing.
What are the Expected Yield Increases from Narrow Rows?
Experimental data and farmer experience in the Corn belt would indicate a 10-15 percent increase in
soybean yield as a result of switching
to 20- to 30-inch row spacings. Experimental data and farmer experience on yield response of corn
to narrow row culture is more limited
than for soybeans. But, Purdue agronomists feel that an average increase
of about 5 percent can be expected
from 30-inch rows as compared to
40-inch rows if present hybrids and
cultural practices are used and other
factors are held constant.
The  Survey  and Economic Analysis
From data obtained from 55 Indiana farmers and several equipment
dealers in December of 1965, partial
budgets were computed to compare
the costs incurred for narrow row
compared to wide row production of
corn and soybeans. The analysis estimates yield increases required to
cover added costs resulting from a
shift to narrow rows.
Of the farmers reporting, three-
fourths switched from their old 4-
row-wide systems to the new 6-row-
narrow. The next most popular switch
was from 4-row-wide to 8-row-nar-
row. Only the switch from 4-row-wide
to 6-row-narrow is considered in this
analysis.
Working width is slightly different
for the two systems: 160 inches compared to 180 inches for planters and
cultivators and 80 inches versus 90
inches in corn combines or a 12.5 percent increase in width. The usual
complement of narrow row equipment is the 6-row 30-inch planter and
cultivator, and a 3-row 30-inch com-