No Evidence Sowing Date Influences Optimum Plant Density of Sweet Corn Grown in the Midwestern United States

Abstract

Sweet corn (Zea mays L.var. rugosa or saccharata) is sown across a wide range of dates to provide a steady supply of marketable ears for fresh market and processing. There is a perception in the sweet corn industry that plant density tolerance declines in late-season plantings in the midwestern United States; however, publicly available data to support this perception cannot be found. Using field experiments, the objectives of this research were to quantify the effect of the sowing date on growth responses to plant density and determine the extent to which the sowing date influences the optimum plant density and maximum yield/profit. There were few main effects or interactions of the sowing date on crop growth. More importantly, there was no effect of the sowing date on the economically optimum plant density or plant density that optimized yield. Although variations exist in sweet corn optimum plant densities in the midwestern United States, these variations are likely driven by several factors other than the sowing date that have not yet been fully characterized.