Row Spacing and Seeding Rate Effects on Yield and Yield Components of Soft Red Winter Wheat1

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Abstract
Information to determine optimum row spacing and seeding rates for soft red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em Thell.) in high‐yielding environments in the mid‐Atlantic Coastal Plain region is not available. Three field experiments were conducted in the Coastal Plain of Virginia (on Typic Hapludult and Aquic Quartzipsamments soils) to evaluate row spacing and seeding rate influences on grain yield of winter wheat grown with intensive management. Seeding rates ranging from 186 to 558 seeds m−2 were studied in row spacings of 10 and 20 cm with additional treatments of 744 and 1116 seeds m−2 in 10‐cm row spacings. Intensive management included adequate supplies of P, K, and micronutrients as preplant fertilizer, insecticide, and fungicide use, and split‐spring N applications. Measurements included wheat grain yield and yield components. Ten‐centimeter row spacings produced 0.6 to 0.8 Mg ha−1 higher grain yields than 20‐cm row spacings at similar seeding rates. Yield levels ranged from 5.0 to 8.1 Mg ha−1. Heads m−2 and kernels head−1 varied with seeding rate to a greater extent than weight kernel−1. Yields did not vary over a wide range of plant populations, but were reduced with low (469 heads m−2) or high (897 heads m−2) harvest populations. Seeding rates of 372 to 744 seeds−2 in 10‐cm rows were sufficient to produce high yields with the ‘Tyler’ cv. grown under intensive management.