Each year, Atlanta, Ind.-based Beck’s Hybrids puts out one of the most comprehensive books on ag research centered around the company’s Practical Farm Research (PFT) Program. 

Agronomic data sourced from the PFR program is designed to help growers find new ways to better manage their farms and increase their ROI through this 256-page compendium of ag research. 

Testing sites for Beck’s 2024 research book were in Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Colorado and Wyoming. 

Below, No-Till Farmer has recapped some of the highlights from Beck’s “PFR Proven” success strategies for corn and soybeans. 

Tips for Best Corn Planting

Planting Time. Beck’s studies over more than two decades shows the penalty for planting corn late isn’t as severe as with soybeans. The optimum planting date is the final two weeks of April, but Beck’s says a uniform stand in corn is more important than the planting date. 

Proper no-till closing wheels is also seen by Beck’s researchers as fairly essential with corn. Tests of different closing wheels made by Yetter, Schaffert, Copperhead Ag and SI Distributing showed a yield advantage of 2.7 to 5% when compared to results with two rubber wheels. 

Beck’s studies over more than two decades shows the penalty for planting corn late isn’t as severe as with soybeans. The optimum planting date is the final two weeks of April. Beck’s Practical Farm Research Program

Click to enlarge

Closing the seed trench and optimizing seed-to-soil…