Germination and crop establishment

[shakalakka]

Hi,

Been struggeling a little with my crop establishment since i started my farming journey 3 years ago - quite a newbie so be nice

Only doing cereals for now, so crop rotation is wheat, oats and barley. Tillage is done with a Carrier, and drilling with a Rapid. pH is from 5.9 -> 6.5 on all fields. Drilling the recommended amount for the local area (around 240 kg/ha). Giving about 100 kg N/ha at drilling, and then spreading later in the season based on how good the fields look.

What seems to often happen, is i have a good establishment, where i have even germination throughout the field. The plants come up, get 1-2 leaves, then suddenly the field gets more patchy - some spots all plants die, some spots they tiller poorly, and some looks great. Since the field looks good initially, i assume this might be a root development issue, and that they die off/do poorly when they have to rely on their own roots after a while? Is that a compaction issue due to only using discing for tillage? Is it a pH-issue? I know im a little low on some places, but have put down 4000 kg/ha the last 3 years - takes a while for it to take effect. I dont disc in wet soil, and the disc is leaving quite a nice seedbed for the Rapid to seed into. Fields have over all good drainage, so no big problems with water lodging.

 

[yellow belly]

Some areas may be low on ph depending on sampling system
do spot ph as if it is under 6 this could be a nutrient availability issue
is soil type consistent and even
where and what soil

 

[clemmo]

What do the poor spots look like ?

 

[shakalakka]

Mostly loamy clay to heavy clay - some lighter soil, but primarily clay types.

 

[shakalakka]

The poor spots have smaller plants, fewer if any tillers, seems to be growing slower then the good parts of the fields. Just lacks the potency of the good parts.

 

[clemmo]

The poor spots have smaller plants, fewer if any tillers, seems to be growing slower then the good parts of the fields. Just lacks the potency of the good parts.

Almost sounds like a mn defiency from what you describe

 

[Flatlander]

Almost sounds like a mn defiency from what you describe

Is you crop darker in the wheel tracks. If so mn could be lacking

 

[Flatlander]

How are your P&K levels. Neither will effect germination but after that if the crop doesn’t thrive it needs addressing. Picture would help everyone point you in the right direction. Tissue test the better and worst areas.

 

[Wombat]

Spring barley especially hates low Ph and that will lock up P. So if the stunted plants have pink/purple stems that’s a good place to start

 

[shakalakka]

Ill take some pictures tomorrow, but color looks uniform throughout the fields, just the vitality and tillering that is very different. Ill check the soil samples re p and k values soon

 

[Flatlander]

Ill take some pictures tomorrow, but color looks uniform throughout the fields, just the vitality and tillering that is very different. Ill check the soil samples re p and k values soon

Poor tillering and root structure go together. Have you used P and k

 

[shakalakka]

i use 17-5-13 of fert at seed-time, usually around the 500 kg/ha, then 27-0-0 topdress.

 

[Flatlander]

i use 17-5-13 of fert at seed-time, usually around the 500 kg/ha, then 27-0-0 topdress.

Even as a maintance dressing the P Isn’t enough. Especially if broadcast It will depend on soil levels but my soil levels are decent but I still see visual difference in p placed in the seed row. More so in a cold wetter start.

 

[shakalakka]

Looks like you might be on to something @Flatlander , the P-AL for the areas that are patchy is 3-6 mg/100g, labeled "Low". On the better parts there are 10-20 mg/100g. 12-18-0 should be applied at seed-time for spring barley here?

 

[Brisel]

Check the soil structure too. Look for roots going down then sideways. The risk with your tillage system is a shallow pan just below the disc depth. Compare the good bits with the poorer patches.

 

[farmerm]

What you need is a plough and combi drill

 

[shakalakka]

Hehe guess so, but the environmental programs here prohibit ploughing in the fall, and spring ploughing doesnt really work well here on clays.

 

[Punch]

Location & photos would help. All good suggestions so far.

 

[alomy75]

Check the soil structure too. Look for roots going down then sideways. The risk with your tillage system is a shallow pan just below the disc depth. Compare the good bits with the poorer patches.

This. If it comes up and looks fine/uniform and THEN goes wrong….it’s most likely a mechanical issue.

 

[Flatlander]

By the sounds of it you’ve got a few things to sort out. Get the spade out and dig down in the poorer parts and compare the soil structure and roots to the best. Soil test those two sites and even tissue test. Should show Up what your problems are.