Optimising Plant Establishment 2021 Merredin Canola Experiment

Data from the 2021 canola seeding trial at Merredin, WA. The trial compared the establishment of canola with ryegrass competition across different densities (5 densities for canola vs 3 densities for ryegrass), and under a cone seeder vs under a Monosem precision seeder. The experiment was run under the UOA1803-009RTX GRDC research project led by the University of Adelaide, and the experiment trial and data collection were managed locally in Merredin by the Western Australian No-Tillage Farmers Association (WANTFA).

Files:2021 Merredin canola.xlsx

Experiment setup:Experiment managed locally by the Western Australian No-Tillage Farmers Association (WANTFA). The trial was organised as a split split plot with 5 densities of canola (10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 target plants/m2), three densities of competitional ryegrass (nil, low and moderate) and two different seeders used (conventional cone seeder vs Monosem precision seeder). The design was embedded in a spatial grid with 30 rows (not including two bordering buffer plots on either side), and 3 replicate columns, for 90 plots total.

Variables recorded:establishment count (canola and ryegrass plants/m2), interplant distance (cm), canola biomass (t/ha), ryegrass biomass (t/ha), canola yield (t/ha), protein (%), moisture (%), oil (%), temperature (degrees Celsius), ryegrass tiller counts

Data collection and assessment:Date of harvest was recorded as 08/09/2021. Plant counts were made for both the canola crop and ryegrass, with 3 counts made per plot on 04/07/2021. Interplant distances were also measured and recorded on 04/07/2021. On 08/09/2021, the harvest yield, canola biomass and ryegrass biomass in each plot were recorded in t/ha, and ryegrass tiller counts were made on 15/11/2021. Grain quality information, including the protein content, moisture content, oil content and temperature, were also recorded subsequent to harvest.