In times when margins are tight and every bushel counts, narrow-row corn continues to pique farmers’ interest. Still, the key question remains — does it pay?

It depends on a variety of factors, but one pattern is clear. "Our research from the last few years shows no consistent yield advantage with narrow-row corn, al­­though various hybrids do make a difference," said Mark Licht, an Iowa State University (ISU) Ex­­tension cropping systems specialist and assistant professor of agronomy. "While data from our Sutherland location show that 20-inch rows have occasionally yielded better, it’s not consistent year to year."

Sometimes the data isn’t even consistent within the same growing season. In 2015, ISU ...