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A yield estimate is somewhat possible with the following formula, which requires close examination of the components that contribute to yield.
You need to know:
- Number of pods per plants
- Number of seeds per pod
- Number of plants per square foot
- Seed weight
These will take some time to count, and you would need to do a number of counts across a field to get a somewhat accurate estimate. And if seeds have more time to fill and get larger between counting and harvest, the estimate will be low.
The forumula
Yield estimate (bu/acre) = # pods per plant X # seeds per pod X # plants/sq ft X seed size conversion factor (see below).
Approximately 25 to 50 samples will provide an estimate within +/– 25 per cent. That is a lot of work for an estimate that will not be very accurate. While you don’t have to shell out pods to count seeds (you can hold a pod up to sky) you will need them get a seed weight.
Seed size conversation factor
g/1000 seeds 1bu/acre – seeds/square foot bu/acre conversion factor
2 261 0.0038
2.5 208 0.0048
3 174 0.0057
3.5 149 0.0067
4 130 0.0077
4.5 116 0.0086
5 104 0.0096