Direct seeding technology has come a long way in the past 15 years, and research will take it farther still.
Rapid progress in direct seeding will have some users convinced that’s as far as the science will progress. Lawrence Papworth, an engineer at Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development’s AgTech Centre in Lethbridge, thinks differently.
"We want to continually help farmers fine-tune their systems," says Papworth. "That’s why we did a row width and row spacing project. We want producers who have made the switch to get as much productivity out of their systems as they can."
Though AgTech engineers have already collected some row width and spacing data, they plan to continue their research next year as well.
"There were other variables built into our original width and spacing project " such as fertilizer placement," says Papworth. "Next year, we’re going to scale back those other variables and focus completely on the row width and spacing that is the most productive for producers. This information would help producers add some finesse to their operations."
Future AgTech Centre research will also tackle residue management, because in no other system is crop residue more of an issue than in direct seeding.
"As producers start to buildup residue in their fields, they’ll have to find ways to manage it," says Papworth. "In the next few years our research will explore management options with respect to residue management. Could a residue manager attachment that runs in front of the opener increase crop emergence and crop yield by clearing some of the residue away? Answers to that type of question will help producers increase their productivity."
It may be a desire to keep their industry environmentally sustainable that has led producers to make the switch to direct seeding, says Papworth. "But it’s continued research that’s ushering in a new era of direct seeding productivity, and that in turn will keep producers hooked."
Width matters
"We’ve done a row width project that showed row width can affect yield in a direct seeding system," says Papworth. "Changing the spread of the seed within a row is a way for a producer who already has some experience with direct seeding to add some finesse to the operation."
AgTech Centre engineers tested row widths of one, three and five inches. In most cases, increasing the row width led to an increase in yield. "The main reason for that is seedbed utilization," he says. "Using more of the seedbed means using more of the soil and more of the soil’s nutrients."
But there are issues associated with too great a row width. In order to spread seed out, a producer will have to use a wider opener. With a wider opener, the seed needs to be placed deeper to keep the opener in the ground, and that’s not ideal seed placement.
"The decision of row width should also be made with soil type in mind," says Papworth. "If you’re planting into loamy soil, the seed depth isn’t as critical, because the seed can germinate in a wider range of depths. That allows you to use a wider row. But, producers with a heavier soil may not want to go to a five inch width because the seed placement may be too deep for that type of soil."
The crop should also determine row width. For example, canola shouldn’t be seeded too deeply, so canola producers should use a narrower row width.
Re-thinking row spacing
Changing the row spacing, that is, the distance between rows, is another way to make an operation even more productive. Recent research at the AgTech Centre has explored different row spacing - eight, 10 and 12 inches - to determine which brings the highest yields.
"We tested row spacing at the same time as we tested row width, because earlier research had shown a dramatic difference in yields depending on the spacing," says Papworth."Our research found that a narrower row spacing brings higher yields and again this is because more of the seed bed is used."
In the case of row spacing though, it is possible to go too narrow. With narrower spacing, a producer may run into other problems, such as residue management.
"The higher yields that result from narrow spacing are going to leave heavier crop residue on the fields," says Papworth."That could be a problem for direct seeding the next time. A producer would need equipment that will work with heavier crop residue."
That’s why some producers are choosing a 12-inch spacing even though having a narrower one may result in higher yields, he says.
The future is now
The past 15 years have seen a tremendous increase in the amount of knowledge available about direct seeding, Papworth believes, and that’s only going to grow in coming years.
"We have the knowledge now to help beginners get into direct seeding and our ongoing research will help experienced direct seeders improve their operations even further," he says. "Now that we know as much as we do about creating successful direct seeding systems, there’s no reason that all producers can’t do this.
"In the future, as inputs get more expensive and as the trend towards conservation practices grows, even more farmers will make the switch. And when they do, there will be a system that’s exactly right for them." |