Seed Rate Calculator
Estimate how many seeds per acre to plant based on your target final stand and expected survival percentage.
Inputs
How It Works
Seeds per acre = Target Stand ÷ (Survival % ÷ 100)
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Seed Rate Calculator FAQ
Why adjust for survival percentage?
Not all seeds emerge and survive. Adjusting ensures you reach your target plant population.
What survival rate should I use?
Most growers use 85%–95% depending on seed quality and field conditions.
Understanding Seed Rate per Acre
The seed rate calculator helps determine how many seeds per acre you need to plant in order to achieve your desired final plant population. Because not every seed germinates and survives to maturity, growers must adjust their seeding rate to account for emergence percentage, field conditions, and early-season stress.
Seed rate is calculated by dividing your target plant stand by your expected survival percentage. For example, if your goal is 32,000 plants per acre and you expect 90% survival, you would plant approximately 35,556 seeds per acre. This adjustment ensures that natural losses from soil crusting, cold stress, insect pressure, or planter variation do not reduce your final population below optimal levels.
Proper seeding rate depends on crop type, hybrid or variety characteristics, soil productivity, planting date, and irrigation management. In corn production, final populations often range between 28,000 and 36,000 plants per acre depending on region and yield potential. Soybeans frequently require higher seeding rates due to branching patterns and stand variability, often ranging from 100,000 to 160,000 seeds per acre depending on row width and management practices.
Using the correct seeding rate improves yield stability, maximizes nutrient efficiency, and reduces wasted input costs. For spacing-based calculations, use the Plant Population Calculator to determine plants per acre from row spacing and plant spacing measurements.