Optimising Plant Establishment 2020 Inverleigh Canola Experiment

Data from the 2020 crop establishment trial at Inverleigh, VIC. The trial compared the establishment of Hyola 580CT canola at different target plant densities, under a conventional seeder (Vaderstad Rapid) and under a precision seeder (Vaderstad Tempo). The experiment was run under the UOA1803-009RTX GRDC research project led by the University of Adelaide, with the experimental trial and local data collection managed by Southern Farming Systems (SFS).

Files:2020 SFS canola.xlsx

Experiment setup:Experiment managed locally by Southern Farming Systems (SFS). The trial was organised as a randomised complete block design with four treatments (conventional seeder vs precision seeder, by two different target plant densities 25 and 50 plants/m2), arranged in a single column with 12 rows, 3 replicates (so 12 plots total). Hyola 580CT canola was sown as the variety in this trial.

Variables recorded:establishment count (plants/m2), interplant distance (cm), peak biomass wet weight (g), peak biomass dry weight (g), peak biomass moisture (%), peak biomass (t/ha), harvest biomass wet weight (g), harvest biomass dry weight (g), harvest biomass moisture (%), harvest biomass (t/ha), harvest index, yield (kg/plot), protein (%), oil (%), corrected yield at 8% moisture (t/ha), test weight (kg/hL), 1000-grain weight (g)

Data collection and assessment:The canola was sown on 26/05/2020. Only final establishment counts were made for the canola crop, as there were difficulties with ground larks and earwigs during the preliminary emergence observations. Interplant distances were recorded between successive seedlings for each plot. Peak biomass and harvest biomass cuts were made to assess wet weight, dry weight and moisture content, and at harvest the yield (in kg/plot and corrected to 8% moisture), moisture content, oil content and 1000-grain weight were assessed.