Variable seed rate

Dman2

Member
Location
Durham, UK
Hi
On rigging up a system for increasing seed rates on poorer areas while drilling
What sort of amount is a sensible increase
Is there a standard amount?

Cheers
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Big topic. SOYL map the soil zones and create establishment maps e.g. 60% on a bit of heavy clay and 90% on a bit of light sandy loam. There are various models that can either allocate what seed you have to the right places or create a required quantity for you to order. Their website tool then generates a shape file for the drill controller.

What exactly are you rigging up?
 

Dman2

Member
Location
Durham, UK
I know where the poorer areas are, been looking at them for the past 35 years
Just rigging an actuator and limit switches to enable me to flick a switch in the cab to increase the rate by howevermuch when I get to a poorer part of the field
Keep targetting the worst bits with compost which is improving things all the time
But years like last year when it was wet, I increased rates by manually geting off the tractor and altering the drill, did improve things but only guess work as to what the increase should be
This is what I have so far
20180808_145523.jpg
 

Woodlander

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Leicestershire
Think with the switches set where they are now it will give an increase of @ 10%
I'd go for a mimumum 20% difference. We started varying seed rate in 2000 when we bought a Kuhn combi drill with a actuator for on the move adjustment. Initially we set it at 10% difference but after a few years felt this was not enough. We increased it to the maximum travel which gives us around 18% depending on seed rate.

In 2012 we bought a second hand Vaderstad Rapid, which enabled us to adjust to whatever level we want. Generally set it to 20% increase, and we have the option to press the + button twice to increase to 40% if necessary.
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Mine vary by a lot more than 10% but that's on big steep fields with lots of variability. You'll need to stay sharp to make the best of it if doing it manually.

I'm sure @drifter and @Rhiza-UK can comment of typical variances within clients' fields.
 

Rhiza-UK

Member
Location
Wiltshire
The amount of variation in the plan is entirely dependant on the variability of your soils. Our system can take into account soil texture, depth, geology, stone content, organic matter, moisture and more. Allowing you to decide how much you want to vary the seed according to the soil type. Generally speaking we're increasing seed rates much more than reducing them, trying to improve the poorer areas of the field and not taking away from the better areas. Sometimes we might increase seed rates by as much as 40-50% above the base rate we start at.
 

drifter

Member
BASIS
Infield variation is dependant on soil type, as Rhiza mention soil texture, depth, stone content m/c all contribute toward an establishment factor. Seed rates do vary by as much as 50% and in some cases by that much in the same field.
 

Dman2

Member
Location
Durham, UK
The amount of variation in the plan is entirely dependant on the variability of your soils. Our system can take into account soil texture, depth, geology, stone content, organic matter, moisture and more. Allowing you to decide how much you want to vary the seed according to the soil type. Generally speaking we're increasing seed rates much more than reducing them, trying to improve the poorer areas of the field and not taking away from the better areas. Sometimes we might increase seed rates by as much as 40-50% above the base rate we start at.
Already signed up to the trial and there are some interesting images there
Not looking to reduce rates, will use my usual 12st acre / 188kg / ha as the base and move up from there.
 

snarling bee

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Bedfordshire
Some situations you probably don't need to vary seed rates, other years/fields you need 100% or more. 10% is a waste of time. Why have the limit switches joined, have them separately mounted so you can vary more.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.0%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 35.1%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.0%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,290
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
Top