The Combine Forum banner
21 - 40 of 41 Posts
I have seen the test plot data done by numerous different companies and universities. Some it is worth it some it is not. I don't think it is far to compare it to your neighbors field and say that you had a 10-20% better crop. I have planted with standard 30" rows and seen tremendous yield difference between quarters of land that are side by side seeded with same variety same fertilizer planted 5 days apart. I would like to see some real world data done on more then a test plot. 1/2 mile long runs alternate between twin and standard rows.
 
I think 10 and up is when they started air pro, I miss my e-set meters but they are good, just a pain that every time you change seed shape its meter time, 48 of them on mine will make you're head spin. They are pretty simple to time, soon this winter I am going to make mine a 5 sec auto control. I will get some pics up when I get into that. The diamond pattern does not have to be piston accurate just as long as they are not directly accros from each other
 
I have seen the test plot data done by numerous different companies and universities. Some it is worth it some it is not. I don't think it is far to compare it to your neighbors field and say that you had a 10-20% better crop. I have planted with standard 30" rows and seen tremendous yield difference between quarters of land that are side by side seeded with same variety same fertilizer planted 5 days apart. I would like to see some real world data done on more then a test plot. 1/2 mile long runs alternate between twin and standard rows.
I know it sounds arrogant but it would only take about 10 min to make mine work like a single 30 but I don't want to see how much I was loosing without it. It does really help
 
One item not mentioned here is the harvest of twin row. In know some guys will not like it, it feels like you are slightly off the row all the time. In certain conditions losses can escalate, you almost always have to harvest slower to do a good job in our experience. SW if you use the pans no problem.
 
I'm not saying it doesn't have a yield increase in our area, but we have also had the best two years for moisture in sw nd. This year all our corn froze before it was mature so it was not a good year for basis. I'm thinking about tillage or a strip till machine before twin rows. This would help speed the growing up and beat the frost.
I harvested twin rows when we planted with our air drill and harvest speed was hindered. What speeds can you travel?
 
We have also been using a 1083 case ih, it took some mods to make it work well, we used a drago last year and that was a Cadillac for it as the losses were almost nothing and the knife rolls turn slow enough to get a smooth flow. But with all heads the chopping job is compromised to an extent
 
Around 6-7 with the 8 row case head, 6-7 with the drago chopper 12 row. 3-4 with the macdon but we did harvest some 61# corn this year on sand by the farm but had a wet weather failure down on easy street this year as the plot on Lyles had varied between 45-170 bpa with believe it or not a 94 day had best yield and was average test weight to the rest of the field being 82 day
 
Discussion starter · #31 ·
So your saying you can harvest 6mph in twin row corn?? I also run a drago head and i usally run 4.5 but im not a speed demon!! i have heard it feeds just like a 30" corn..but i havent done it yet neither!
 
the first time I cut it I didn't even realize it, it really didn't matter but my 1083 got kind of fussy in changing conditions and got worse after I used priaxor at tastle. What happened was that the stalks stayed much greener and the stalk would want to fold over under my gathering chains before it got into the knife rolls. I found that this was probably due to my points being wore down more than I realized but I also shortened up the deck plates witch made a large improvement along with slowing the head down but the drago worked like it was made for it right out of the box, it was very impressive and you just couldn't make it loose the corn. I am a little fussy about variaties of corn with it tho, I cut a little pioneer and dekalab but the ear retention was not spectacular and some cobs tend to fall off but not bad. I like dekalab so I am trying to find a better variety for it but no one grows it out here. I have been having good luck with all of the wensman for having great ear retention
 
Discussion starter · #33 ·
we have always had good luck wid NK but we are going dekalb this year gonna see what we can do with it....next week will are gonna choose a planter and im 98% sure we are going twin row...cannot wait for the 2015 Harvest season to see what this twin row is all about...good luck to all
 
I've never raised twin row corn, but I've heard if the moisture gets down to 12% ears will be flying every where. I know on 30" rows ears that dry fly every where if you bump the the plant with the corn head.

I would take some serious time to research the Great Plains planter and make sure it will do a proper job planting. I've read mixed results about it on line, but haven't seen one work. I farm 30 miles from the factory and have only seen them at trade shows, not on dealer's lots or in fields.

As far as Pioneer seed, each company has good and bad varieties. I plant several different corn varieties from different companies and try a few new ones. My three go to corn varieties have survived high stress growing conditions and trial varieties have to compete with them. The bottom line is seed dealers will tell you what they think will work, you have to try different varieties to find the ones that work for you. Keep in mind what was good this year might not be the best next year.
 
we have always had good luck wid NK but we are going dekalb this year gonna see what we can do with it....next week will are gonna choose a planter and im 98% sure we are going twin row...cannot wait for the 2015 Harvest season to see what this twin row is all about...good luck to all
Good luck with it, you won't be disappointed in it! When you set it up the depth guage wheel arm will make you scratch you're head but you will figure it out. Good quality planters, nothing second rate about them as everyone worries. You will see your plant heath improve big time
 
When testing twin rows you have to test hybrids suited to it. A holstein will out milk a herford all the time. A hybrid has to be suited to growing in the different environment you are putting in. Proud to hear about Pioneer dealers doing what is right even when they lose. My issues occurred when I gave this data to my dsm and it was never published or showed up in trial results. Funny thing is they are now handing out plot data on material I am selling yet no one can find their data online with any company plots.
 
When testing twin rows you have to test hybrids suited to it. A holstein will out milk a herford all the time. A hybrid has to be suited to growing in the different environment you are putting in.
Yield will depend a lot on growing conditions and the soil it was planted into, along with spacing. (And other factors... We got a lot of rain during June that occurred around the time the corn was determining ear size, hurt yield even if it was underwater for only a few hours.)

I would like to switch to twin row 30" someday as changing to 22" would require different tires, header, planter, ect. instead of different planter, modifying header, and probably keeping same tires.

Corn seed companies:

Dad has always been a die-hard DeKalb man, used to grow seed corn for them years ago, but seems in my area they are starting to price themselves out of range as yields are roughly average but price is above average. (And this year had one hybrid that was hard shelling even for an axial flow combine due to conditions.)

Dad always avoided Pioneer corn because of events years past but I'm a bit more open minded although it doesn't seem to stand out above any others here. (Have not grown...) Question for those who sell Pioneer... Are they more "picky" about stalk, test weight, roots, ect. scores than others or do some hybrids vary a lot from others vs. what how the competition rates theirs? I picked up a seed booklet this year from them and noticed the scores vary a lot more than other companies.

NK: Did well for me but first year growing, either luck of the draw or I picked the right hybrids for the field.
 
Dad always avoided Pioneer corn because of events years past but I'm a bit more open minded although it doesn't seem to stand out above any others here. (Have not grown...) Question for those who sell Pioneer... Are they more "picky" about stalk, test weight, roots, ect. scores than others or do some hybrids vary a lot from others vs. what how the competition rates theirs? I picked up a seed booklet this year from them and noticed the scores vary a lot more than other companies.

NK: Did well for me but first year growing, either luck of the draw or I picked the right hybrids for the field.
It is always a trade off, some high yielding race horse hybrids will sometimes have really bad stalks if conditions are just right. I find that comparing Pioneer Hybrid numbers scores to other Pioneer Hybrid scores they are fairly accurate. If goss's wilt is an issue, Pioneer Hybrids seem to handle it better than most of the other companies choices in my area. I have a really good local Pioneer salesman and the DSM seems good. They usually summarize yield checks with Hybrid A won 75% against others, or 55% against others. A lot of times it is hard to compare apples to apples with all of the seed traits out there.
 
Reading this thread has intrigued me. Don't know much about twin-row planting or planters, I don't know of many being in our area. If what you all have been saying is true it would be pretty slick to have a twin-row planter. We plant 30 inch rows and I have always thought it would be good to move to 22 inch rows, however then we have to adjust our tractors so the tires don't run over rows and we would have to find a new corn head and 22 inch corn heads are fairly hard to find so running a twin-row planter would solve all the issues there apparently?

I have only heard of White twin-row planters in my area, what are all the brands that make twin-row planters? Also, I have only heard of planting corn in twin-rows, we raise corn and soybeans, do soybeans grow well in a twin-row setup? Are there yield advantages for both corn and soybeans?
 
21 - 40 of 41 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top