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Uneven Sunflower Spacings
The effects of uniform and non-uniform plant spacings within an overall population of 20,000 plants per acre in rows 30 inches apart were studied at five locations over two years in Minnesota.
The distributions tested included uniformly spaced, clumped, and widely spaced plants:
a) uniform single-plants 10.5 inches apart,
b) uniform double-two plant groups 20 inches apart,
c) 5-5-5-five plants 5.25 inches apart, 31.5-inch space, etc.,
d) 7-1-7-seven plants 3.5 inches apart, 31.5-inch space, one plant, 31.5-inch space, seven plants 3.5 inches apart, 31.5-inch space, one plant, etc.
The uniform, single-plant spacing gave the highest average yield. Both oilseed and non-oilseed hybrids responded the same to the plant distributions.
Sunflower yields at five locations in Minnesota
(1979-80)
| Distribution of Plants | Average 9 trials
lbs/A |
| Uniform single | 2,455 |
| Uniform double | 2,321 |
| 5-5-5 | 2,231 |
| 7-1-7 | 2,190 |
| LSD 5% | 71 |
Plants uniformly spaced in pairs did not support each other, they lodged more and yielded less than uniformly spaced, single plants. Paired plants may give more emergence through crusted soil than single plants, but this possibility was not evaluated.
Head moisture differences among plant distributions were highly significant on the average. Plants spaced singly and uniformly had lower head moisture percentages than did the 7-1-7 arrangement in all trials.
The non-uniform plant distributions were uneven in height from pre-heading to maturity. The center plants of the groups of five and seven plants were 4 to 7 inches taller than the single plants. Average plant heights among the distributions did not differ noticeably.
Plant distribution did not, on the average, significantly affect test weight per bushel of seed.
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