Optimising Plant Establishment 2018 Hart Lentil Experiment

Data from the 2018 crop establishment trial at Hart, SA. The trial compared the establishment of Hurricane lentil at different target plant densities, under a conventional seeder and under a precision seeder, and at two different row spacings (a narrow row spacing of 22.9cm and a wide row spacing of 30.5cm). The experiment was run under the UOA1803-009RTX GRDC research project led by the University of Adelaide, and the experiment and data collection were managed locally in Hart by the Hart Field-Site Group.

Files:Hart Lentil 2018.xlsx

Experiment setup:Experiment managed locally by the Hart Field-Site Group. The trial was organised as a split plot design, with 4 main plot treatments (conventional seeder: wide row spacing, conventional seeder: narrow row spacing, precision seeder: wide row spacing, precision seeder: narrow row spacing), and 6 subplot treatments (target plant density 40, 60, 80, 100, 120 and 140 plants/m2). The design was arranged spatially in 3 bays with 32 rows, 4 replicates, 96 plots total. The variety of lentil sown for this trial was Hurricane lentil.

Variables recorded:establishment count (plants/m2), interplant distance (cm), seed bed moisture (% and mV), seedling depth (mm), NDVI, yield (t/ha), 1000 grain weight (g), flowering biomass dry matter (t/ha), harvest biomass fresh weight (g), harvest biomass dry weight (g), harvest seed weight (g), harvest index

Data collection and assessment:The paddock was sown on 10/05/2018 with the conventional cone seeder, and on 17/05/2018 with the precision planter. Initial soil moisture was measured at infurrow and midrow locations on 11/05/2018 and again on 17/05/2018. Plant establishment counts were recorded 6 times between 23/05/2018 and 22/06/2018, with plant numbers measured in 3m marks across two rows. Seedbed moisture was measured 5 times between 23/05/2018 and 22/06/2018, at infurrow and midrow. Interplant distances were measured for all plots. Seedling depth was recorded in mm for plots sown at the 120 plants/m2 density only. NDVI measurements were made 8 times between 09/07/2018 and 13/09/2018 for each plot. Biomass weight measurements were made at flowering and again at harvest maturity. At harvest, the yield (t/ha) and 1000 grain weight were assessed.