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Although there has been a resurgence in interest among farmers in producing narrow row hybrid maize (Zea mays L.) in the Eastern UnitedStates, agronomic recommendations for modern hybrids are limited. To address this issue, field trials were carried out from 2016 to 2018 in Ohio and Pennsylvania (10 unique site‐year combinations), aiming to answer the following questions: (i) Do modern hybrids differ in their response to narrow (38 cm) and conventional (76 cm) row spacing? (ii) Is there a yield increase for narrow row production? The study was planted in a split‐plot randomized complete block design with four replications. The whole plot factor was row spacing, and the subplot factor was hybrid. Two hybrids (P0506AM and P0604AM) were in an "early"‐season group, and two hybrids (P1197AM and P1443AM) were "full"‐season hybrids. Both P0506AM and P1443AM were identified as AQUAmax hybrids and had superior seed company drought tolerance ratings over their maturity pairing counterpart. Grain and forage yield were 4% and 8% greater, respectively, for the narrow row spacing across hybrids. Hybrid differences in drought tolerance designation did not result in grain or forage yield differences under varied row spacings. There was no hybrid × row spacing interaction. In most site‐years, P1197AM hybrid produced the greatest grain and forage yields, though P1443AM and P0506AM were similar in most cases. Results suggest a minor advantage in yield (≤8%) from narrow rows in Ohio and Pennsylvania, though other considerations that include cost to conversion should be considered prior to adoption. Core Ideas: Narrow row spacing increased maize grain and forage yield by 4% and 8%, respectively, over conventional spacing.Response to row spacing was similar across hybrids, that is, there was not a hybrid × row spacing interaction.Hybrid drought tolerance designation did not affect row spacing response.Full‐season maize hybrids produced greater grain and forage yield than early‐season hybrids, regardless of row spacings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain amaranth is a highly nutritious pseudo‐cereal with good adaptability to a range of environmental conditions and potential to be further cultivated in many areas of the world. Although the crop has good adaptability, soil type can influence crop establishment and production; thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate how cultivar, sowing depth, and soil type affect emergence and early growth of grain amaranth. A pot experiment was carried out in two runs under greenhouse conditions. The experiment was set in a randomized complete block design in a 3 × 5 × 2 factorial arrangement with three soil types (loam, clay loam, and clay) × five sowing depths (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 mm) × two grain amaranth cultivars (Amaranthus cruentus BRS Alegria and Amaranthus caudatus Inca). Amaranthus caudatus had greater seedling height, stem diameter, number of leaves, root length, fresh weight, and dry weight compared to A. cruentus. Emergence was affected by cultivar and was 15% greater for A. cruentus. Seedling height was significantly greater at a 5 and 20 mm sowing depth. Root growth varied as a function of the interaction between soil types and sowing depths in which the longest roots were obtained when grain amaranth was sown in a loam soil at 10 mm depth. For better growth of grain amaranth, the recommended combination is A. caudatus in a loam soil at a depth between 5 and 20 mm. Core Ideas: Emergence and early growth of amaranth are affected by soil type, sowing depth, and cultivar.Root growth is favored by loam and clay soils, whereas the clay loam soil hinders growth.Grain amaranth should be sown between 5 and 20 mm deep.A. caudatus Inca had the greatest plant height, stem diameter, root length, and fresh and dry weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]