Seed Plan

Seed Plan · Worked example

What does another 4,000 seeds cost?

Compare three corn seeding rates at the same hypothetical seed-unit price before reviewing agronomic fit.

Hypothetical teaching case60-second demo

The question

How much does seeding rate change seed cost when price stays fixed?

At $300 per 80,000-seed unit, adding 4,000 seeds per acre adds $15 per acre. This is a cost comparison, not a yield-response or optimum-population recommendation.

Play the 60-second demonstration →

Start with these inputs

Field area
100 acres
Crop
Corn
Seed unit
80,000 seeds
Example unit price
$300
Seeding rates
30,000 / 34,000 / 38,000 seeds per acre
Product identity
No named hybrid or rating supplied
Same seed price · different seeding rates · fractional planning units
Seeding rate, seeds/acreUnits/acreSeed cost/acreUnits for 100 acres100-acre seed cost
30,0000.375$112.5037.5$11,250
34,0000.425$127.5042.5$12,750
38,0000.475$142.5047.5$14,250

Step 01

Hold the product and price constant

Use the same seed-unit size and price for all three cases. Cost per acre equals seeds per acre ÷ seeds per unit × price per unit. For 34,000 seeds, the calculation is 34,000 ÷ 80,000 × $300 = $127.50 per acre. The field total is $12,750 for 100 acres.

Step 02

Compare the incremental cost

The move from 30,000 to 34,000 seeds adds $15 per acre, or $1,500 across the example field. The move from 34,000 to 38,000 adds the same amount. Fractional units express planning demand; whole-package ordering, discounts, treatment, taxes, delivery and seed left over can change an invoice.

Step 03

Bring the cost back to the field plan

In Seed Plan, review the field, candidate products and planned population in the authorized planning workflow. Use this table alongside the plan. It does not promise that every package calculation or comparison shown here is a dedicated application screen. Keep missing product ratings blank and check the original supplier information.

Step 04

Keep seeding rate and final stand separate

Seeds planted per acre are not the same as an established plant population. This example supplies no emergence percentage, yield gain or economic optimum. Review local trials, hybrid guidance and supported field observations before choosing a rate; the lowest seed cost does not establish the best agronomic outcome.

Take it to your own plan

Calculate the added seed expense first, then evaluate whether local evidence supports the rate change. Preserve the package size and price with the plan.

Sources and further reading

The sources explain methods and context. They do not supply the hypothetical prices, forecasts or crop percentages used here.