Latest News - June 06
14.06.06 - GET THE BEST FROM RAPE ESTABLISHMENT
Simba Horsch is offering a range of seed applicators and a new style of following harrow to enable farmers to establish oilseeds effectively by broadcasting it off cultivators like the Solo, X-Press and Cultipress.
This is in response to farmer-demand, and following significant field research, for systems that enable the crop to be established quickly, simply, and at minimal cost, but which also help ensure maximum yield is achieved:
“While broadcasting oilseeds behind the combine or cultivator is quick and cheap, doing that alone risks reduced yield in some conditions. Simba has been running field trials examining different establishment systems over the past two autumns to assess how to avoid losing yield”, says Philip Wright, Simba’s Technical Director.
“Our research aimed to find the ideal balance between cost control and guaranteeing optimum yield. Doing the bare minimum – broadcasting seed off combines or cultivators onto the surface and trusting it will grow – is cheap but risks reducing yield when conditions are not suitable.
“By contrast, plough and power harrow based cultivations guarantee a good seedbed, although they can cause moisture loss, but are costly and a comparatively slow operation at a time when other demands of the rotation demand speed.
“The two biggest factors affecting oilseed yields are the consistency of emergence – the proportion of seeds that become viable plants – and seedbed quality. Oilseed rape does not like having its feet wet and struggles if it cannot establish an effective root system. Judicious seedbed preparation and deeper restructuring often pays dividends”.
In response to the results of the trial work, Simba now recommends the seed is spread off the back of cultivators – after the final press rather than in front of it – and then worked in with a following harrow:
“Spreading the seed behind the press means it lands on a ‘closed’ seedbed rather than an open, unconsolidated one and can then be worked into the desired depth. This gives you very good control over seeding depth, in particular limiting the maximum depth to which the seed can fall.
“Spreading in front of the final press – especially in cobbly, dry conditions – risks some seed falling too deep into the soil. This may extend the period over which the crop germinates, while some seed will fail to germinate at all.
“If the farmer compensates for this loss by raising seed rate then an opposite risk – too many plants and too thick a crop – becomes a danger in better parts of the seedbed. This risks producing an over-thick crop of plants that will compete for nutrients, moisture and light. Crowded oilseed plants often suffer very poor pod populations as well, which can compromise yield.
“The best system, we feel, is to cultivate with a Solo, Solo ST or X-Press with ST bar fitted so stubble and trash is incorporated effectively. The restructuring legs can be set at the appropriate depth to remove compaction and restore drainage, so you create a seedbed and sub-structure that helps optimise crop performance.
“The cultivator’s rear DD rings leave a ridged finish, which is a stable platform onto which to spread seed, most of which will fall into the grooves. The harrow tines are aligned to run through these ridges, spreading the soil and covering the seed to between 10mm and 15mm”.
