Even germination : does it really matter?

[Refco]

I was talking to a machinery dealer the other day and he was telling me the pros and cons between two drills that he had in his yard.
The drill, for which he is a main dealer for, was obviously the better drill and gave more even germination. That is to say, you go to bed at night with nothing to be seen in the field, and in the morning it's all there.
My argument is that if the stuff is going to be in the ground for ten or eleven months, does it really matter if some seeds germinate a few days before or after the rest?

 

[Rookie]

Depends if you've got a big problem with rooks and crows as they will cause more damage if coming up over a longer period.
Also I would link uneven germination due to uneven drilling depths. With this in mind if you are on light land you will have bigger problems with manganese deficiency.

 

[Brisel]

Quick answer is no, but good seed placement is worth it as a more even young crop will be easier to manage with herbicides at key growth stages. It's all down to what design woks for you (trash, disc v tine etc) & what you are prepared to spend.

 

[Muddyboots]

What were the two drills?

 

[Against_the_grain]

As above. Even seed emergence makes management and herb timings easier/more effective.

 

[Refco]

What were the two drills?

One was a horsch pronto dc and the other a Vaderstad rapid.
Can you guess which one he was putting forward as having the more even germination?

 

[Muddyboots]

One was a horsch pronto dc and the other a Vaderstad rapid.
Can you guess which one he was putting forward as having the more even germination?

As I am looking at buying one I am hoping your going to say the pronto!

 

[DrWazzock]

Depends if you've got a big problem with rooks and crows as they will cause more damage if coming up over a longer period.
Also I would link uneven germination due to uneven drilling depths. With this in mind if you are on light land you will have bigger problems with manganese deficiency.

How does uneven drilling depth impact on manganese deficiency problems? I didn't realise it did. I thought consolidation and root zone acidification and previous crop was key. But I'd be pleased to learn.

 

[Rookie]

How does uneven drilling depth impact on manganese deficiency problems? I didn't realise it did. I thought consolidation and root zone acidification and previous crop was key. But I'd be pleased to learn.

Just tend to find on light sandy land if you get seeds in too deep then they will be a weaker plant by the time they emerge and you will be chasing more with manganese. Seems to show up behind some that use these horsch 'co' tine type drills. Agree though that the firmer the seedbed the less problem you should have.

 

[Refco]

As I am looking at buying one I am hoping your going to say the pronto!

Sorry, the rapid. I wouldn't worry about it too much though Muddyboots, as you would have to take the salesmans comments with a pinch of salt.

 

[TelesnaAg]

The biggest concern i have is depth - in relation to pre emergent spray damage if heavy showers occur ( i band spray pre em over the top after seeding)...a by product of good depth control is even emergence..if that makes sense.

Ant...

 

[Muddyboots]

Sorry, the rapid. I wouldn't worry about it too much though Muddyboots, as you would have to take the salesmans comments with a pinch of salt.

Oh dear the salesman said it so it must be true! Lol. fwiw I think they are both v good drills when it comes to seed placement, it's got more to do with the person on the tractor. Being on light land the pronto has the edge for me as imo seeding needs to come after consolidation.

 

[Green oak]

Even emergence looks nice. But I think it makes know difference it's abit like a wheat seed tillering the main tiller is always way more forward than the others it all about timing. Spraying and combining at the end of the day it evens it's self out.

 

[CORK]

even seed depth/emergence is probably more important in WOSR in my opinion.

late emerging little plants never seem to come to much. I noticed they had more disease than the bigger plants too last year.

 

[quattro]

As above. Even seed emergence makes management and herb timings easier/more effective.

If you were drilling a big field and got rained off for a few days you wouldn't bother split spraying the field would you ?