Agricultural publication G4020 — Reviewed October 1, 1993

Tables for Weights and Measurements — Crops

William J. Murphy
Department of Agronomy, University of Missouri-Columbia
These tables give weights per bushel, weights of grain by volume, moisture conversion and planting rates.

Table 1. Weights per bushel.
CropWeight per bushel (lbs.)
Alfalfa60
Barley48
Clover, Alsike60
Clover, Crimson60
Clover, Ladino60
Clover, White60
Clover, Red60
Clover Sweet60
Corn, shelled56
Corn, ear70
Cotton32
Cowpeas60
Flax60
Grass, Brome (smooth)14
Grass, Blue14
Grass, Fescue (tall)14
Grass, Orchard14
Grass, Redtop14
Grass, Timothy45
Lespedeza40-50
Millet50
Oats32
Rape60
Rye56
Sorghum, forage50
Sorghum, grain56
Soybeans60
Sudan grass28
Sunflower (oil type)24-32
Trefoil, Birdsfoot60
Vetch60
Wheat60

Table 2. Calculating approximate weight of grain by volume
Standard bushel weight (lbs.)Pounds/cubic feet
6048.18
5644.97
5040.15
4838.54
4536.14
2822.48
1411.24
70 (ear corn)28.001
1 Varies greatly with ear size and moisture content.

Measuring cubic feet

Width in feet multiplied by length in feet multiplied by depth of grain in feet equals cubic feet in square or rectangular enclosures.

Example.

10 ft. width x 14 ft. length x 9 ft. grain depth = 1,260 cu. ft.

In circular bins, the formula is: pi (3.14) multiplied by the radius squared, multiplied by the depth of grain = cubic feet.

Obtaining total grain weight

Multiply cubic feet of volume by the appropriate figure from Table 2 under Pounds/Cubic Feet.

If actual bushel weight (test weight) is available, multiply actual bushel weight by 0.803. This calculation will give a more accurate figure for lbs./cu. ft. than you can get from the table.

Table 3. Moisture conversion for ear and shelled corn.
Percent moisture in grainHarvest weight (lbs.) of ear corn to yield 56 shelled corn at 15.5% moisture1Shelled corn (lbs.) Equivalent to 56 lbs. shelled corn at 15.5% moisture
1063.4952.56
10.563.8652.87
1164.2553.16
11.554.6553.46
1265.0653.77
12.565.6054.08
1365.9554.39
13.566.4254.70
1466.8955.02
14.567.3955.34
1567.8955.67
15.568.4056.00
1668.9456.33
16.569.5156.67
1770.0957.01
17.570.6957.35
1871.3157.70
18.571.9558.06
1972.6058.41
19.573.2758.78
Percent moisture in grainHarvest weight (lbs.) of ear corn to yield 56 shelled corn at 15.5% moisture1Shelled corn (lbs.) Equivalent to 56 lbs. shelled corn at 15.5% moisture
2073.9659.15
20.574.6059.52
2175.3659.89
21.576.0760.28
2276.7960.66
22.577.5361.05
2378.2561.45
23.579.0161.85
2479.7662.26
24.580.5062.67
2581.2563.09
25.582.0363.51
2682.8263.94
26.583.5064.38
2784.1964.82
27.584.9065.26
2885.6265.72
28.586.3266.18
2987.0466.64
29.587.7667.12
Percent moisture in grainHarvest weight (lbs.) of ear corn to yield 56 shelled corn at 15.5% moisture1Shelled corn (lbs.) Equivalent to 56 lbs. shelled corn at 15.5% moisture
3088.5067.60
30.589.2268.08
3189.9468.57
31.590.6769.08
3291.4369.58
32.592.1370.10
3392.8570.62
33.593.5571.15
3494.2871.69
34.594.9872.24
3595.7172.80
1Ear corn values supplied by Dr. Marcus Zuber, University of Missouri Agronomy Department. Ear corn values apply with greatest accuracy at harvest because differences in cob and grain moisture will change in storage. Shelled corn figures apply at any time.

Obtaining bushels of grain

Divide total grain weight by appropriate standard bushel weight.

Obtaining number of hundredweights (cwts.) of grain

Divide total grain weight by 100.

Table 4. Moisture conversion for soybeans.
Percent moisture
in grain
Soybeans (lbs. equivalent to 60 lbs.of Soybeans at 13.0% Moisture
1058.00
1158.65
1259.32
1360.00
1460.70
1561.41
1662.14
1762.89
1863.66
1964.64
2065.25
2166.08
2266.92
2367.79
2468.68
2569.60
2670.54
2771.51
2872.50
2973.52
3074.57

Table 5. Moisture conversion for wheat.
Percent moisture in grainWheat (lbs.) equivalent to 60 lbs. of wheat at 13.5% moisture
1057.67
1158.65
1259.32
1359.66
13.560.00
1460.35
1561.06
1661.79
1762.53
1863.29
1964.07
2064.88
2165.70
2266.54
2367.40
2468.29
2569.20
2670.14
2771.10
2872.08
2973.10
3074.14

Table 6. Moisture conversion for grain sorghum.
Percent moisture in grainGrain sorghum (lbs.) equivalent to 56 lbs. of grain sorghum at 13% moisture
1054.13
1154.74
1255.36
1356.00
1456.65
1557.32
1658.00
1758.70
1859.41
1960.15
2060.90
2161.67
2262.46
2363.27
2464.11
2564.96
2665.83
2766.74
2867.67
2968.62
3069.60

Calculating other conversion factors

These conversion tables cover the most widely grown crops and the most common moisture contents. When you need other conversions, the calculations are relatively simple.

Use percent dry matter in making conversions because the problem is to obtain the same weight of dry matter as is found in a standard bushel. For example, a standard bushel of wheat contains 60 pounds at 13.5 percent moisture. Thus, 86.5 percent dry matter (100-13.5) x 60 lbs. = 51.9 lbs of dry matter.

Example. How many pounds of 20.5 percent moisture wheat is equivalent to a standard bushel?

13.5% Standard Moisture Content = 100 - 13.5 = 86.5% Dry Matter

20.5% Moisture Content = 100 - 20.5 = 79.5% Dry Matter

86.5 ÷ 79.5 = 108.8%

(108.8 x Standard Bu. Wt. (60 for Wheat)) ÷ 100 = 65.28 lbs. equivalent to a standard bushel

To check your answer:

65.28 x 79.5% dry matter = 51.9 lbs. of dry matter

Table 7. Common measures and approximate metric equivalents.
1 liquid teaspoon = 5 milliliters (ml.)
3 liquid teaspoons = 1 liquid tablespoon = 15 ml.
2 liquid tablespoons = 1 liquid ounce = 30 ml.
8 liquid ounces= 1 liquid cup = 0.24 liter (l.)
2 liquid cups= 1 liquid pint = 0.47 l.
2 liquid pints= 1 liquid quart = 0.9463 l.
4 liquid quarts = 1 liquid gallon (U.S.) = 3.7854 l.

Table 8. Conversion factors for metric and English units.
Length
1 mile = 1.609 kilometers; 1 kilometer = 0.621 miles
1 yard = 0.914 meters; 1 meter = 1.094 yards
1 inch = 2.54 centimeters; 1 centimeter = 0.394 inches
Area
1 square mile = 2.59 square kilometers; 1 square kilometer = 0.386 square miles
1 acre = 0.00405 square kilometers; 1 square kilometer = 247.1 acres
1 acre = 0.405 hectares; 1 hectare = 2.471 acres
Volume
1 acre-inch = 102.8 cubic meters; 1 cubic meter = 0.00973 acre-inches
1 quart = 0.946 liters; 1 liter = 1.057 quarts
1 bushel = 0.352 hectoliters; 1 hectoliter = 2.838 bushels
Weight
1 pound = 0.454 kilograms; 1 kilogram = 2.205 pounds
1 pound = 0.00454 quintals; 1 quintal = 220.5 pounds
1 ton = 0.9072 metric tons; 1 metric ton = 1.102 tons
Yield or rate
1 pound/acre = 1.121 kilograms/hectare; 1 kilogram/hectare = 0.892 pounds/acre
1 ton/acre = 2.242 tons/hectare; 1 ton/hectare = 0.446 tons/acre
1 bushel/acre = 1.121 quintals/hectare; 1 quintal/hectare = 0.892 bushels/acre
1 bushel/acre (60#) = 0.6726 quintals/hectare; 1 quintal/hectare = 1.487 bushels/acre (60#)
1 bushel/acre (56#) = 0.6278 quintals/hectare; 1 quintal/hectare = 1.597 bushels/acre (56#)
Temperature
To convert Fahrenheit (F) to Celsius (C): 0.555 x (F - 32); to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit: 1.8 x (C + 32)

Table 9. Mixing small quantities of liquid spray. The first column represents concentration of active ingredient per gallon; the second column provides corresponding amount to mix for 1,000 square feet to get 1 pound/acre of active ingredient.
Concentration of Active Ingredient per GallonAmount to Mix for 1000 sq. ft. to get 1lb./acre of Active Ingredient
1 lb.7 tablespoons or 103 ml.
2 lbs.3.5 tablespoons or 51.5 ml.
3 lbs.2.3 tablespoons or 34.3 ml.
4 lbs1.7 tablespoons or 25.8 ml.

Checking planting rate or stand per acre

This table may be useful in checking actual planting rate when planting a crop. It can also be used in obtaining stand counts.

Determine average spacing in inches between seeds (or plants) in the row. Then divide the appropriate figure in the right hand column by this figure to determine planting rate (or stand).

Example. Grain sorghum planted in 30-inch rows is found to average 2.5 inches between seeds.

209,088 ÷ 2.5 = 83,635 seeds being planted per acre.

Or the grain sorghum stand averages 1 plant per 3.5 inches of row. Then 209,088 ÷ 3.5 = 59,379 plants per acre.

You can use this method without the table as long as you remember that there are 43,560 square feet per acre and that 144 square inches = 1 square foot.

43,560 x 144 = 6,272,630 square inches per acre.
Divide 6,272,640 by inches of row width to obtain inches of row per acre (6,272,640 ÷ 30 = 209,088).

Row spacing (inches)Inches of row
per acre
40155,682
38165,069
36174,240
30209,088
28224,023
24261,360
20313,632
18348,480
15418,176
14448,046
12522,720
10627,264
8784,080
7896,091


To order, request G4020, Tables for Weights & Measurements: Crops (50 cents).
Copyright 1999 University of Missouri. Published by University Extension, University of Missouri-Columbia. Please use our feedback form for questions or comments about this or any other publication contained on the Explore site.

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