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Comparison of seeding machines for sowing sub-tropical grasses

2009
CC BY 4.0

Research organisation
Funding sources
West Midlands Group
<abbr title='Meat and Livestock Australia'>MLA</abbr> <abbr title='Australian Wool Innovation Ltd'>AWI</abbr>

Trial details

Researcher(s) Tom Bailey (Evergreen Farming)
Phillip Barrett (Lennard (Evergreen Farming))
Ron Yates Geoff (DAFWA)
Chris Loo (CRC)
Phil Nichols (DAFWA)
John Titterington (Lennard (Evergreen Farming))
Brad Wintle (DAFWA)
Year(s) 2009
Contributor West Midlands Group
Trial location(s) Gillingarra, WA
Comparison of seeding machines for sowing sub-tropical grasses locations
Aims

To determine whether successful establishment of sub-tropical grasses is affected by seeding machine configuration

Key messages
  • This trial demonstrates that a good establishment result is possible using a range of different seeding configurations, provided the key steps to establishment are followed.
  • These factors include:
    • scalping of non-wetting sand and weeds away from drill runs;
    • row spacing of 50-60 cm;
    • sowing into furrows to harvest rainfall (especially important in dry springs); minimizing furrow collapse;
    • ensuring sowing depth is 5-10 mm; and - using press wheels for good soil contact with seed.
Lead research organisation N/A
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source MLA
Trial funding source AWI
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

This work was conducted in collaboration with the Evergreen Farming as part of the Future Farm Industries CRC project “Reliable establishment of non-traditional perennial pasture species” with additional funding from Meat and Livestock Australia, Australian Wool Innovation and Land and Water Australia. Thanks to Bob Hendry for use of his property for this trial.
Other trial partners Evergreen Farming
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Other crop: Grasses
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop : Type
  • Sowing : Method
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Gillingarra 2009

Sow rate or Target density 4kg/ha
Sow date 27 August 2009
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size 150m x 40m
Plot replication Not specified
Herbicide

The majority of the site had a single knockdown herbicide spray on August 15 (glyphosate @ 1L/ha), while 10 m strips of different pre-emergent herbicide treatments were applied perpendicular to machinery treatments.
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Table 1

# Variety
 Treatment 1
Establishment plants (plants/m2) Sand infill into furrows (mm)
1 █ Evergreen █ Massey-Ferguson 27.5 9.1
2 █ Evergreen █ Chamberlain 8.5 6.3
3 █ Evergreen █ International 25.8 3.2

Establishment plants plants/m2

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Sand infill into furrows mm

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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Gillingarra, WA Deep non-wetting sand
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Gillingarra, WA Kandosol
Soil Moisture Source: BOM/ANU
Average amount of water stored in the soil profile during the year, estimated by the OzWALD model-data fusion system.
Year Gillingarra WA
2009
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Climate

Gillingarra WA 2009

Observed climate information

Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 182mm

Derived climate information

Gillingarra WA

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Some data on this site is sourced from the Bureau of Meteorology

SILO weather estimates sourced from https://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/silo/
Jeffrey, S.J., Carter, J.O., Moodie, K.B. and Beswick, A.R. (2001). Using spatial interpolation to construct a comprehensive archive of Australian climate data , Environmental Modelling and Software, Vol 16/4, pp 309-330. DOI: 10.1016/S1364-8152(01)00008-1.

Trial report and links

2009 trial report



Trial last modified: 27-06-2019 13:10pm AEST