CROP SCENE INVESTIGATION – 27: What happened to Larry’s wheat? – Solved


by BERNARD TOBIN


The poor-performing wheat in Larry’s field suffered from nutrient deficiency after he mistakenly adjusted the fertilizer rate rather than the seeding rate.

Agronomist Paul Sullivan explains that Larry had intended to increase the seeding rate on his drill as he finished up planting, but in his haste he somehow managed to change the fertilizer setting, reducing the flow of in-furrow starter fertilizer.

In his investigation, Sullivan ruled out many potential explanations – from spray injury to planting depth and seed performance. When he discovered that the plant population had not actually increased in the block of the poor-performing wheat, despite Larry apparently increasing the seeding rate, the pieces of the puzzle fit together.

Better Farming – November 2010