Planting Accuracy Guidelines for Corn

Apr 24, 2023


Successful seed flow and singulation

Best practices to improve seed flow and singulation.

Several factors, such as air and seed temperature, relative humidity, seed treatment recipe, as well as seed size and shape impact seed flow and plantability.

Excellent planting accuracy and plant stand establishment can be achieved with all seed sizes and shapes, regardless of seed treatment recipe and environmental conditions, through careful planter aid usage and planter adjustments.

This guide highlights environmental conditions that result in challenging planting conditions, as well as best practices to optimize planting accuracy.

The challenge: Spring weather is unpredictable
Warming spring temperatures signal the beginning of the crop planting season. However, weather in spring is unpredictable with cold, dry conditions often followed closely by warm, humid conditions. Rapid fluctuations in weather can create condensation on the seed, causing poor seed flow, increased seed bridging and reduced planter accuracy.

For example, when seed is stored at 50°F, condensation can start to occur as soon as the seed is moved into warmer, more humid conditions common during the Spring planting season. When condensation accumulates on seed, planting accuracy can be impacted if not managed properly.

The opportunity: Be prepared for Spring weather

  • Planter aids: diligently and thoroughly apply planter aids as recommended by your planter manufacturer. Data has shown that priming the planter unit with graphite or a talc/graphite blend, as well as mixing the planter aid properly with the seed, can greatly improve seed flow and singulation.
    • TALC: a naturally occurring mineral that acts as a drying agent, while reducing static electricity.
    • GRAPHITE: a crystalline carbon lubricant that helps reduce equipment wear, improves seed flow and reduces static electricity. Not a drying agent.
    • FLUENCY AGENT: a polyethylene wax-based lubricant used to aid seed flow. Not a drying agent.
  • Contact your local ag retailer or Brevant® seeds retail product agronomist for precise recommendations on planter settings, and access batch-specific information for individual planters. Adjust settings to planting conditions following manufacturer instructions.
  • Environment: slowly increase seed storage temperature and provide increased air flow to minimize seed condensation. When using boxes or large pallets of seed bags, warming the seed should be done over numerous days (ideally, 1-2 weeks) if feasible.

Contact your local Premier agronomist for more information and precise planter recommendations

 

Ken Jahnke

Sales Manager
 

 

Recent Posts

Oct 01, 2025
Fall is here and harvest is underway for most of our area. Our grain facilities located in Mazomanie, Mineral Point, Richland Center, and Westby are anxiously awaiting this year’s crop. A few weeks ago, the Premier grain team spent the day reviewing safety and operational procedures to better prepare to serve our members’ needs during the upcoming season. Whether you need help hauling this year’s crop to the elevator or are still looking to finalize your grain marketing plan, give us a call. Our knowledgeable staff is looking forward to working with you to make this year’s harvest as safe and smooth as possible. Our team will do their best to meet your needs and they always appreciate the communication of trucking needs and your planned delivery dates. Thanks for your support and please be safe this harvest season.
Oct 01, 2025
As corn silage season concludes, it’s important to take a moment to recognize the dedication and long hours that went into securing the feed you’ll rely on throughout the coming year. We all aim to put up the highest quality feed possible, but in the rush of long hours during a short harvest window, it’s easy to lose sight of our true goal. Ultimately, we’re working to produce feed that is consistent, clean, and rich in nutrients. Once that hard work is done, the next critical phase is feedout. Here are a few key things to keep in mind as you move forward.
Oct 01, 2025
We had a good ending to our energy division fiscal year, so I’m glad I’m still here this month to write this newsletter article.

Since 2020, we have increased our delivery efficiency (gallons per mile) by 17.4%. We’ve also dropped the number of miles driven by 21% comparing 2025 to 2020. That equates to 66,776 less miles this year than in 2020. In other words, we saved about 2.7 circumnavigations of the globe, conserving over 13,000 gallons of diesel fuel we would have used to power our propane delivery trucks. Less diesel consumption means less pollution. Heck, we’re saving the planet without even trying.