Notes on Corn Yield and Other New Developments, from Jeff Watson
USDA reports the year corn production first reached these milestones:
Bushels/Acre Year achieved
30 1896
40 1948
50 1958
60 1961
70 1965
80 1967
90 1972
100 1978
110 1982
120,130 1992
140 2003
150,160 2004
170 2014
180*est 2022
190*est 2027
*USDA forecast
85% of the US corn crop is planted in rows 30 inches apart, according to Pioneer Hybrids. This allows for a population approaching 40,000 plants per acre. Narrowing the distance between rows to 20 or 22 inches has shown a significant increase in yields in many trials. There's a school of ag scientists who predict that the development of new hybrids and GMO's combined with narrow rows will allow for ultra high plant populations of up to 80,000 plants per acre. The huge populations will be achieved without causing undue stress to the plant. Scientists are working on future root systems that will adapt to the narrow rows, allowing for the more efficient collection of water. In some hybrids, they are tinkering with the shape of the plant, making them more Christmas tree like to maximize exposure to light. The effect of sunlight cannot be underestimated, as any sunlight that hits the ground is effectively wasted. To further increase yields, scientists are tinkering with the size and shape of the ears, going from the biggest/longest ears to shorter more modest size ears with many more ears per plant. After all, huge ears require more support and that translates to wasted, non-essential plant structure. One envisions a time in the future when corn yields will average 200+ bu/ac. Science and modern agriculture methods and practices have increased yields by 466% in a little over a century.