Crop Scene Investigation - 13 Solved: What set back two rows in William's corn?

Monday, December 1, 2008

by DAVID TOWNSEND

The two rows in Williams corn were set back because they didn't receive the appropriate fertilizer due to a mud ball plugging an opener.
Knowing the planter got stuck in a wet hole helped to pinpoint the equipment as the problem. Results of the plant tissue test showed that the two rows were low on nitrogen and phosphorus compared to the other rows. Instead of going into the soil to help the plant, the fertilizer landed on top of the soil.

The fact that the second field didn't have any set backs further proved that mud in the opener was the issue. The opener got unplugged during the 10-mile trip on the gravel road, which bounced the mud ball free. The planter operator couldn't see the outside hopper during planting because a portion of the tractor blocked his view. He could see fertilizer coming out of the other ones, but it was the out-of-sight hopper that was plugged.

The lesson here is that you should check your planter every two to three hours. I recommend setting a timer at two-hour intervals during planting.

Once the timer goes off, it doesn't matter where you are. Go out and check everything over, starting with planting depth. Another good habit when filling the planter up with seed and fertilizer is to make sure you lift it out of the ground and check all of the openers.

Making sure everything is working throughout the field at regular intervals will help ensure you don't find any surprises during scouting. Congratulations to Brenda Konency, Wallaceburg, for her correct answer. BF
 
David Townsend, CCA, is Crop Manager for NK Brand, Syngenta Seeds. He is based near Clinton, Ontario.