With high soybean seed prices, there is a need to examine if we could reduce seeding rates on soybeans [
Glycine max (L.) Merr.] while maintaining high yields. The objective of the study was to evaluate 5 seeding rates (4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 seeds per 1 foot of row and 38 inch row spacing) on 3 maturity groups (MG) soybeans (MG VI, VII, and VIII). The experiment was conducted at the Edisto Research and
Education Center near Blackville, SC. Cultivars used were Pioneer 96M60 (MG VI), DP 7870 (MG VII), and AGS 825 (MG VIII). Due to different maturity groups and therefore different harvest dates, each maturity group was planted separately. Plant population significantly increased soybean yields for MG VI from 64.7 to 69.7 Bu/A. However, soybean yields were not influenced by plant population for MG VII and VIII. Generally, plant height increased with increasing plant population in soybean MG VI, VII, and VIII. With higher plant population, seed moisture increased in MG VIII, while moisture did not change in soybeans MG VII and VIII. Seed test weight, seed weight, and the number of seeds bu
-1 were not influenced by plant population.