First results from our Direct Drilling Demo Day’s field: number of plants per m², growth stage
Erika Lõhmuste
Monday, October 30, 2023
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The purpose of organizing Direct Drilling Demo Day in Estonia was to show and compare different drills that can be used for direct drilling. In total, 15 different drills and also an agrodrone participated in our first demo day.
Direct drilling is one of the foundations of regenerative agriculture and one of the ways to reduce the costs of agricultural production. Direct seeding promotes the formation of soil aggregates, water holding capacity, the abundance of earthworms and reduces the risk of erosion, nutrient leaching, CO2 emissions and fuel consumption per hectare, and thereby the total cost of production.
About the trial field
Our trial field for direct drilling is located in the Rannu Seeme field in Elva municipality, Tartu County. In this field, the pre-crop was winter oilseed rape, the yield of which was 3.4 t/ha. The type of soil is loam. Before sowing, the field was sprayed with a general herbicide containing glyphosate and treated with Horsch Cultro straw harrow, but an untreated strip was also left. It was fertilized with NPK 10-26-26 complex fertilizer, the rate of 150 kg/ha. Winter wheat "Julie" was sown with seed rate 140 kg/ha.
Prerequisites for seed drills
Size of test plots: 1.8 - 2.4 ha
Sowing depth 2.5 - 3 cm
Number of germinating seeds per m²: 260 seeds
Additional option: 50 kg/ha NPK 10-26-26 complex fertilizer with sowing
Dates of fixing results
Numbers of plants were counted on 21st of September and growth stages were assessed on 23rd of October.
1. Horsch Sprinter
Seeder type: tine seeder
Seed drill width: 6 m
Row spacing: 25 cm
Extras: combi drill, seed box separately attached in the front of the tractor.
Number of plants per m²
Growth stage of plants
The plants have sprouted on the sowing site and have reached growth stage 23, both on the part with straw harrowed and without straw harrowed area.
Pictures were taken of parts of the field that were not straw harrowed.
2. Horsch Avatar
Seeder type: disc seeder
Seed drill width: 9 m
Row spacing: 25 cm
Extras: combi drill, no row cleaners
Number of plants per m²
Growth stage of plants
The plants have sprouted on the seedbed and have reached growth stage 23, both on the part with straw harrowed and without straw harrowed area.
Pictures were taken of parts of the field that were not straw harrowed.
3. Virkar Dynamic
Seeder type: tine seeder
Seed drill width: 6 m
Row spacing: 25 cm
Extras: combi drill, V-shaped wheel, which helps the seed to have good contact with the soil.
Number of plants per m²
Growth stage of plants
The plants have sprouted on the seedbed and have reached growth stage 23, both on the part with straw harrowed and without straw harrowed area.
Pictures were taken of parts of the field that were not straw harrowed.
4. Bourgault FMS
Seeder type: disc seeder
Seed drill width: 9 m
Row spacing: 19 cm
Extras: combi drill, extra support wheel for even sowing depth.
Number of plants per m²
Growth stage of plants
The plants have sprouted on the seedbed and have reached growth stage 22, both on the part with straw harrowed and without straw harrowed area.
Pictures were taken of parts of the field that were not straw harrowed.
5. Multiva Forte 400 EVO
Seeder type: disc seeder
Seed drill width: 4 m
Row spacing: 15 cm
Extras: combi culti drill
Number of plants per m²
Growth stage of plants
The plants have sprouted on the seedbed and have reached growth stage 23 in the straw harrowed area and growth stage 24 in the non-straw harrowed area.
Pictures were taken of parts of the field that were not straw harrowed.
6. Amazone Primera
Seeder type: tine seeder
Seed drill width: 6 m
Row spacing: 25 cm
Extras: combi culti drill
Number of plants per m²
Growth stage of plants
The plants have sprouted on the seedbed and have reached growth stage 23, both on the part with straw harrowed and without straw harrowed area.
Pictures were taken of parts of the field that were not straw harrowed.
7. Horizon DSX
Seeder type: disc seeder
Seed drill width: 6 m
Row spacing: 20 cm
Extras: combi drill, with row cleaners
Number of plants per m²
Growth stage of plants
The plants have sprouted on the seedbed and have reached growth stage 23, both on the part with straw harrowed and without straw harrowed area.
Pictures were taken of parts of the field that were not straw harrowed.
8. John Deere 750A
Seeder type: disc seeder
Seed drill width: 6 m
Row spacing: 16.5 cm
Extras: -
Number of plants per m²
Growth stage of plants
The plants have sprouted on the seedbed and have reached growth stage 23 in the straw harrowed area and growth stage 24 in the non-straw harrowed area.
Pictures were taken of parts of the field that were not straw harrowed.
9. Claydon Hybrid T6
Seeder type: tine seeder
Seed drill width: 6 m
Row spacing: 30 cm
Extras: strip-till drill, combi drill
Number of plants per m²
Growth stage of plants
The plants have sprouted on the seedbed and have reached growth stage 23, both on the part with straw harrowed and without straw harrowed area.
Pictures were taken of parts of the field that were not straw harrowed.
10. Weaving GD300M
Seeder type: disc seeder
Seed drill width: 3 m
Row spacing: 16.6 cm
Extras: combi drill, disc is placed under 22 degree angle.
Number of plants per m²
Growth stage of plants
The plants have sprouted on the seedbed and have reached growth stage 23 in the straw harrowed area and growth stage 24 in the non-straw harrowed area.
Pictures were taken of parts of the field that were not straw harrowed.
11. Junkkari D400
Seeder type: disc seeder
Seed drill width: 4 m
Row spacing: 16.7 cm
Extras: combi drill, precultivation possibility
Number of plants per m²
Growth stage of plants
The plants have sprouted on the seedbed and have reached growth stage 23, both on the part with straw harrowed and without straw harrowed area.
Pictures were taken of parts of the field that were not straw harrowed.
12. Kuhn Espro 6000R
Seeder type: ketasseemendi
Seed drill width: 6 m
Row spacing: 15 cm
Extras: combi drill, precultivation possibility
Number of plants per m²
Growth stage of plants
The plants have sprouted on the seedbed and have reached growth stage 23, both on the part with straw harrowed and without straw harrowed area.
Pictures were taken of parts of the field that were not straw harrowed.
13. Kverneland U-drill
Seeder type: disc seeder
Seed drill width: 6 m
Row spacing: 12.5 cm
Extras: combi drill, precultivation possibility
Number of plants per m²
Growth stage of plants
The plants have sprouted on the seedbed and have reached growth stage 23, both on the part with straw harrowed and without straw harrowed area.
Pictures were taken of parts of the field that were not straw harrowed.
14. Horsch Serto
Seeder type: disc seeder
Seed drill width: 12 m
Row spacing: 16.7 cm
Extras: combi drill, so called “light” direct drill
Number of plants per m²
Growth stage of plants
The plants have sprouted on the seedbed and have reached growth stage 23, both on the part with straw harrowed and without straw harrowed area.
Pictures were taken of parts of the field that were not straw harrowed.
15. Horsch Focus
Seeder type: disc/tine seeder
Seed drill width: 6 m
Row spacing: 15 cm
Extras: combi drill, with pre cultivation tines.
Number of plants per m²
Growth stage of plants
The plants have sprouted on the seedbed and have reached growth stage 23, both on the part with straw harrowed and without straw harrowed area.
Pictures were taken of parts of the field that were not straw harrowed.
16. Agrodroon XAG P100
Seeder type: spreading
Seed drill width: 4-8 m
Row spacing: -
Extras: need extra cultivation or rolling
Growth stage of plants
The plants have sprouted on the seedbed and have reached growth stage 23, both on the part with straw harrowed and without straw harrowed area.
Pictures were taken of parts of the field that were not straw harrowed.
Conclusions
The results are relatively similar. The differences are most likely linked to sowing depth - i.e. at the moment, areas that have been sowed about 1 cm deeper, have plants that are 1 stage behind from others.
The field walks are done for this year. Let’s wait for spring, then we can assess what influence has the winter had.
Until next time!
Additional and pictures with higher resolution can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1e_xye_8W0pM9kjZ_IXfnST3SEqPwi1jr?usp=sharin
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