Precision Seeding Matt Braun Soil 4213

Precision Seeding Definition: Placing of desired numbers of seeds at a precise depth and spacing. Seeding accuracy is not a substitute for proper land preparation, water/nutrient/pest management, and seed quality necessary to obtain a good stand.

Benefits Plant Is At Optimum Spot For Growth And Development Reduced Seed Cost Greater Crop Uniformity Due To Equal Seed Spacing. Even Crop Emergence Across Field Economic Benefit i.e. More PROFIT

Examine Planter Level Planter Check Bushings, Bearings, Drive Chains Calibrate Meters Check Disc Openers Seed Tubes Closing Wheels Examine Monitors and Sensors

Seed Tube Wear Worn Tubes Can Cause Slower Seed Delivery and Uneven Spacing

Checking Meters Meter Max Plus System System mounts your meter on a stand, fill it with the type and size of seed you plan to plant, and then simply count the number of times there is an empty cell and the number of time it picks up two or more seeds (a double or a triple).

Meters

Planting Speed Speed of planting will depend on the seeder, but operation of a seeder above recommended speeds results in reduced uniformity, seed scatter, and poor stands

Guidance System Delbert Armstrong of Winterville, North Carolina Able to watch planter with auto steer Reduces operator stress Reduces overlap Less wear and tear on your equipment Use of GPS/GIS can shut of rows at proper time and alter seeding rate

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT??

Pioneer Study Looked at four fields in 2001, plant spacing standard deviations ranged from 3.2 to 6.9 inches. Improving the plant spacing standard deviation from its original level down to zero predicted grain yield increases of 7 to 19 bu/acre. The results of this study suggest that if the within-row plant spacing standard deviation could be improved by only one inch, the resulting yield benefit would be about 3.4 bu/acre

Other Studies Field survey data collected from 354 fields in Indiana and Ohio during 1987-1996 suggested that the average commercial field of corn had a Standard Deviation of about 4.5 inches and ranged from slightly less than 2.5 inches to more than 10 inches

Spacing Variability R.L. Nelson, Purdue University The results of field research suggested that yield loss due to uneven plant spacing averaged 2.5 bushels per acre per inch increase in Standard Deviation of plant spacing. The magnitude of yield loss observed over 8 site-years ranged from 1.2 to 4.5 bpa per inch of SD.

Spacing Variability Other research reported no relationship with row spacing variability Purdue investigated with goal of determing whether varying levels of plant spacing variability influence corn grain yield in fields planted to a single seeding rate.

Created artificial STD w/ in rows. Targeted seeding rate was 34,848 SPA Created Standard Deviations of 0,2,4,6,8 in. each row

Results Targeted STD Grain Yield The results of large-scale field research during 2004 indicate that uneven plant spacing within rows decreases corn grain yield at a rate of approximately 2.2 bushels per acre for every inch increase in standard deviation of plant-to-plant spacing. Targeted STD Grain Yield 192.4 2 191.8 4 188.2 6 183.6 8 178.5

References www.precisionseeding.net www.precisionplanting.com http://www.pioneer.com/ http://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/corn/research/psv/Update2004.html