For Josh Thornsbrough, the results speak for themselves. In 11
out of 12 trials, twin rows outyielded traditional 30-inch row
spacing in corn. The jury may still be out on twin-row corn for
many growers, but Mark Peterson has examined the evidence on his
farm and he’s reached a verdict: More bushels, more dollars. As
spring nears and weather warms, concern is rising about 2009
corn stored in bins. Much of the crop came out of the field at
lower-than-normal quality and higher moisture. Pioneer Hi-Bred
recently announced the release of a new generation of corn
hybrids designed for water-limited environments. These hybrids
will be branded as Optimum AQUAmax hybrids. Farmers have always
led the way to higher-yielding crops, often experimenting with
technologies not yet mainstream. Those technologies may begin in
test tubes, growing chambers and greenhouses. In the early
1900s, when the primary power source for farmers was the horse,
corn row spacing commonly ranged from 38 to 40 inches to
accommodate the animal’s