Optimising Plant Establishment 2019 Mannibadar Canola Experiment

Data for the 2019 crop establishment trial at Mannibadar, VIC. The trial compared the establishment of SF Ingite TT canola at different target densities, under a conventional seeder (Vaderstad Rapid) and under a precision seeder (Vaderstad Tempo), and at two row spacings (a narrow row spacing of 250mm, and a wide row spacing of 500mm). The experiment was run under the UOA1803-009RTX GRDC research project led by the University of Adelaide, with the experimental trial and data collection managed locally by Southern Farming Systems (SFS).

Files:2019 SFS canola trial results.xlsx

Experiment setup:Experiment managed locally by Southern Farming Systems (SFS). The trial was organised as a split plot design with 2 main plot treatments (the precision Tempo seeder vs the conventional Rapid seeder) and 4 subplot treatments (two row spacings 250mm and 500mm, by two different target plant densities 21 and 40 plants/m2), arranged spatially in 6 ranges by 8 columns with 6 replicates, for 48 plots total. The variety of canola used for the trial was SF Ignite TT.

Variables recorded:establishment count (plants/m2), soil moisture (%), seedling depth (mm), interplant distance (cm), peak biomass dry weight (t/ha), harvest biomass dry weight (g), harvest index, yield (t/ha), oil (%), protein (%), test weight (kg/hL), seeds/m2

Data collection and assessment:The paddock was sown with the canola crop on 01/05/2019 through 03/05/2019. Plant emergence counts and soil moisture readings were made on specific plots on 14/05/2019, 24/05/2019, 31/05/2019, 07/06/2019 and 13/06/2019, with the counts made in 1 row over a three metre length. Seedling depth in mm was also measured for the plots in Range 1. Interplant spacing distances were recorded in cm. The dry weight for the peak biomass 2x0.5m cuts were recorded for each plot, and again at harvest maturity. At harvest, the crop yield, oil content, protein content and seeds/m2 were assessed and recorded.