Comparison of seeders adapted for sowing sub-tropical grasses

2012
CC BY 4.0

Research organisatons
Funding sources

Trial details

Researcher(s) Christiaan Valentine (DAFWA)
Year(s) 2012
Contributor West Midlands Group
Trial location(s) Badgingarra, WA
Comparison of seeders adapted for sowing sub-tropical grasses locations
Aims

To compare commercial seeding machines that have specifically been set up to sow sub-tropical grasses.

Key messages
  • All three seeders have resulted in successful establishment of sub-tropical grasses at the paddock scale.  This reinforces that successful establishment can be achieved with a range of seeding machinery providing the basic principles are followed: i.e. furrow sowing, press wheels, precise shallow seeding together with wide row spacing.
  • The disc seeder appeared to have the least soil disturbance, with less loose soil on the soil surface after seeding, but had slightly more sand infill.  This may be due to steep side walls and a relatively narrow furrow, while the seeders with tynes created larger – wider furrows, so sand moving into the furrow was spread over a wider base.  The Case-International combine with a single point had the lowest sand infill.
  • The disc seeder resulted in the highest establishment of panic grass, but in late October many of these plants were still small seedlings and subsequently many died over summer.  As number of plants, size and health of plants need to be taken into account, the disc machine may not provide an overall advantage as the proportion of healthy plants was much less. Visually, the Case-International combine appeared to produce a thicker stand; this was most likely due to the higher number of medium to large sized plants when compared to the other machines. 
  • The knockdown did not completely kill the brome grass which subsequently recovered and competed with the emerging perennial grass seedlings in early spring.  Combined with dry conditions in October (5 mm) the perennial grass seedlings were struggling in late October.  More favorable seasonal conditions in November and December enabled the grasses to establish.  The scalping points on the John Shearer were able to reduce the impact of brome grass more successfully than the other seeders.
  • Persistence will be measured over late summer until the break of the season.  This machinery demonstration trial will be the focus of an extension video which features the producers describing the modifications to their seeders.
Lead research organisation Department of Agriculture and Food WA
Host research organisation West Midlands Group
Trial funding source Caring for our Country
Trial funding source DAFWA
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

This trial is part of the Transforming the Northern Sandplain project which is funded by Caring for our Country and DAFWA and is part of the Future Farm Industries CRC.  Many thanks to Matt Taylor for access to the site and to Grant Creagh, Gavin Haywood & Matt Taylor for use of their machinery and time.


Other trial partners Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

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

Badgingarra 2012

Sow rate or Target density 3kg/ha
Sowing machinery

The trial involved a comparison of 3 seeding combines:

·         Matt Taylor – 27 row Case 5126 International combine with a 6” scarifying point modified with a 6” pipe ‘collar’ to move the sand out of the furrow, with the seed dropped into the furrow behind the point followed by a press wheel.

·         Grant Creagh – John Shearer 6 row trash culti drill modified with 2 points in line with a 7” sweep at the front while the second 5” point acts to clean the sand out of the furrow, seed is dropped in the base of the furrow and pressed in with a press wheel, row spacing ~55 cm.

·         Gav

Sow date 15 August 2012
Harvest date Unknown
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser

No fertilizer was applied, except for a low rate (~30 kg/ha) of compound fertilizer mixed with the seed for the International combine with 6” points.

Herbicide

A knockdown, Glyphosate 450 @ 2 L/ha + additives on 8/8/12.

Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information
Trial source data and summary not available
Check the trial report PDF for trial results.
Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Badgingarra, WA Deep sand
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Badgingarra, WA Chromosol
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 Badgingarra WA
2012 278.6mm
2011 249.4mm
2010 231.9mm
2009 257.2mm
2008 269.9mm
2007 224.9mm
2006 230.4mm
2005 284.8mm
2004 253.4mm
2003 282.0mm
2002 255.6mm
2001 243.3mm
2000 267.4mm
National soil grid Source: CSIRO/TERN
NOTE: National Soil Grid data is aggregated information for background information on the wider area
Actual soil values can vary significantly in a small area and the trial soil tests are the most relevant data where available

Soil properties

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Climate

Badgingarra WA 2012


Observed climate information

Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 299mm

Derived climate information

Badgingarra 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

2012 trial report



Trial last modified: 19-01-2023 15:14pm AEST