Objectives
- To determine whether SE14 is reducing fertilizer toxicity, when placed in close proximity to seed.
- To compare and contrast crop emergence with increasing starter fertilizer and SE14 in-furrow.
Background
The wetter rate response trial was established on the 11th of June in Nyabing WA, by the David Grays AgLink – AgroAdvantage division. The trial was sown into damp soil following a series of light showers over the may/June period. The trial was positioned on a non-wetting sandy soil area, with a history of lower emergence and reduced crop performance.
The Nyabing Grower day on the 2nd of September 2020, was presented to 50 growers, agronomists, and industry representatives.
PRE-SEEDING
Knockdown 09/06/20:
Nufarm Weedmaster DST 2L/ha; Nufarm Kamba 750 125ml/ha; BASF Sharpen 25g/ha; Vicchem Hasten 1%; Wilchem Sulphate of Ammonia.
Immediately Pre-seeding 10/06/20:
NuFarm TriflurX 2L/ha; Conquest Alpha Forte 40mL/ha.
SEEDING
Seeding 11/06/20:
Scepter Wheat 70kg/ha; Bayer Evergol Energy SD 130mL/kg; fertilizer as per design.
POST-EMERGENT
Weed Control:
Grower sprayed for broadleaf weeds.
Table 1: Total units of macro & micro elements applied
Emergence counts 4 WAS
Yield
Key Findings
The trial was established on an area of non-wetting sandy topsoil, with a known history of lower-than-average emergence and reduced crop yield as compared to the rest of the paddock.
When comparing the emergence of treatments 2 & 3 (NPK#1 + 30L UAN + SE14 vs NPK#1 + 30L UAN) the treatment without the SE14 suffered a significantly reduced emergence to the treatment with SE14 (58plants/m2 vs 119.5plants/m2). The same result occurred between treatments 4 & 5 where the rate of UAN was increased to 50L/ha. This concludes that SE14 has improved the seed safety when high loadings of UAN & compound fertiliser are placed with the seed. This result translated through to the harvest yields with treatment 2 yielding significantly higher than treatment 3 (2.7t/ha vs 2.2t/ha respectively); and the same was observed with the higher application of UAN with treatment 4 yielding 2.8t/ha in comparison to treatment 5 yielding 2.3t/ha.
Treatments 1, 4 & 5 each contains 80kg/ha of K-Till and 50L of Flexi-N. The placement of these products has a significant effect on crop performance (both emergence and crop yield). Treatment 1 has the NPK compound applied on the seed, whilst the UAN has been deep banded. Treatment 5 has the NPK compound & the UAN applied on the seed. Combining the two products on the seed reduced the emergence from an average of 124.5 plants/m2 to 44.3 plants/m2. It then translated through to a yield reduction from 2.6t/ha down to 2.3t/ha. Having a high loading of fertiliser in close proximity to the seed is well known to reduce the crop performance, however, the addition of SE14 placed on the seed has softened this effect. The emergence increased from 44.3 plants/m2 (treatment 5) to 112 plants/m2 (treatment 4). The yield also increased from 2.3 t/ha to 2.8t/ha with the addition of SE14. From this result we can confidently conclude that the addition of SE14 applied with higher loadings of NPK can be safely applied close to the seed, and significantly improve crop yield.
Photographs
T1 – K-Till Extra 80 kg/ha; Flexi-N 50 L/ha
T2 – K-Till Extra 80 kg/ha; Flexi-N 30 L/ha;SE14 3 L/ha
T3 – K-Till Extra 80 kg/ha; Flexi-N 30 L/ha
T4 – K-Till Extra 80 kg/ha; Flexi-N 50 L/ha;SE14 3 L/ha
T5 – K-Till Extra 80 kg/ha; Flexi-N 50 L/ha;SE14 3 L/ha
T6 – K-Till Extra 72 kg/ha; K-Till Extra 48 kg/ha; Flexi-N 30 L/ha;SE14 3 L/ha
T7 – K-Till Extra 72 kg/ha; K-Till Extra 48 kg/ha; Flexi-N 50 L/ha;SE14 3 L/ha
T8 – K-Till Extra 120 kg/ha; Flexi-N 50 L/ha;SE14 3 L/ha
T9 – K-Till Extra 120 kg/ha; Flexi-N 50 L/ha
