farm Morris airseeder

03/05/2014: 30 kg/ha DAPSCZ, 5.3 L/ha CalSap®, 1% Sulphate of Ammonia

05/06/2014: 40 L/ha UAN

09/07/2014: 30 L/ha UAN

03/05/2014: 1.8 L/ha Trifluralin, 1.5 L/ha Gramoxone, 275 g/ha Diuron, 0.3% LI 700

05/06/2014: 350 mL/ha Paragon, 50 mL/ha Alpha-cypermethrin, 30 g/ha Lontrel, 4 g/ha Metsulfuron

24/04/2014: Deep ripped in dry conditions using a Yeomans farm ripper (centre section) with towed rubber tyred roller; subsoil moisture content 5-7% v/v. The Case Steiger 435 HD used 40-45 L/h of fuel (41-46% engine power and 5-7% slip at 4.5kph) when ripping to 350-400mm in one pass. For the 2 bite system the tractor used 42-45 L/h of fuel (42-45% engine power and 4-5% slip at 4.5 kph) in a second pass to 400-450mm after a first pass using 28-30 L/h (30-38% power and 2-3% slip at 4.5 kph) ripping to 250-275 mm depth. 5 tines at 500mm spacing were used in all cases. No shear pins failed when ripping the plots. The front rank of tines was set at about 40mm shallower than the rear tines to reduce draft on the leading tines in all runs.

• Deep ripping dry sand was more effective with two passes (or shallow leading tines) because the surface finish was less cloddy, allowing more reliable seed placement. Deeper seed placement in the trial was due to trying to use a common setting of presswheel pressure and frame height for the airseeder. In a whole deep ripped paddock the air seeder would be set up for optimum seed depth in just one condition. From previous research we already know shallow leading tines reduce cloddiness and fuel use; both are challenges to effective deep ripping of dry sand.
• Yield benefits of 410 kg/ha (18%) from deep ripping were mainly due to better head fill. About 12% more yield per head was found. The fewer plants in the deep ripped soil produced more tillers to provide about the same head population as the unripped treatment. Screenings and grain size were about the same, probably due to late rains. Larger yield improvements were found by deep ripping l