Crops: The Lynch File: Rising seed costs and better seeding equipment put more emphasis on seed drop

Monday, December 1, 2008

Producers who can capitalize on better seed placement can make $5 to $10 an acre more than those who drop high seed rates

by PAT LYNCH

I have just left a grower with whom I talked about seeding rates of corn, beans and wheat.    

Grower: "How come the scout report says that there are over 175,000 plants per acre, some places over 180,000, when all I dropped was 180,000."

Answer: "It could be that the scout made an error in the method of calculating populations. The standard size of the hoola hoop may not be accurate. Or it is possible that you were dropping more than you thought. The stand sure looks thick."

Grower: "I have a scale on the drill and, according to the seed tag information on seeds per pound, I only dropped 180,000 seeds."

Answer: "It is possible that there were more seeds per pound than the tag said. Consider the tag numbers as a minimum number. (This may get more accurate next year as seed companies start to sell soy seed based on seed count rather than weight.)

"The increase in seed costs and the improvement in seeding equipment will put more emphasis on seed drop.

I believe many growers can get equal yields with lower seeding rates. Currently, we over-seed because of equipment that has poor seed placement.

The producers who can capitalize on better seed placement can make $5 to $10 an acre more than those who drop high seed rates because they have always done it."

Grower: "What about seed treatments?"

Answer: "I believe we will see more seed treatments as we go forward.

The products we use now are just the beginning. We will see more seed treatments to allow us to reduce seeding rate further."

Grower: "I am not satisfied with my corn populations. The final stand numbers are OK, but I have too many doubles. I am consistently running about 2,000 seeds per acre as doubles. With seed costs at around $2 per thousand seeds, it is costing me $4 an acre. This is frustrating since I had my planter in for servicing, and they said it was all right."

Answer: "How fast do you drive when you plant?"

Grower: " I probably am going about four to 4.5 mph."

Answer: "That should not give you doubles."

Grower: "One thing I am thinking is that, when I had my planter calibrated, the results showed seed drop but did not distinguish between doubles or singles. Next year, I will be there when I have my planter checked and calibrated. And what about wheat seeding rates? You used to be pretty hung up about them."

Answer: "I have changed my mind on populations of wheat. I have tried to find a difference between 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 million seeds per acre, but can find no consistent pattern. A higher seeding rate reduces the probability of not getting a good stand, especially under less than ideal growing conditions. But it does not eliminate the chances.

"Wheat planted at low populations, under good conditions and into a good seedbed will respond more than we have given it credit for. The wheat plant can compensate for lower populations. If we drop 1.4 millions seeds per acre, this is about 20 seeds per foot of row. If we have 10 plants per foot of row, that gives 100 per cent yield.

"Typically, the wheat plant pollinates enough kernels. It is the conditions after pollination which determine final yield. If, for some reason, there are fewer kernels because of a lower population, the plants will compensate by putting more into each kernel. I think that a seed treatment properly applied, and disease control during the year, are both more crucial to final yield than the difference between 1.3 and 1.5 million seeds per acre."
Grower: "What about insecticide on wheat? I have had chafers."

Answer: "On your land, I think it is a good idea. I believe that the reduced use of insecticides on city lawns is allowing more chafers. I think in some fields there are other insects that these treatments are controlling. For fall 2008, there will be more acres planted with seed treated for chafers. From what we have seen so far, it appears that chafer numbers are down, so we will see if we get a yield increase with seed insecticides with lower chafer numbers." BF

Pat Lynch CCA (ON) is head agronomist for Cargill in Ontario.