Row spacings for wheat on wheat or fallow

Row spacing configurations - wheat on wheat in low rainfall zone
OBJECTIVE:
NEFF 2009
Trial No:
To assess the wide row spacing system for a second consecutive season
by planting wheat onto wheat using the same row configuration
LOCATION:
Pindar NEFF Tech site
AGRONOMIST:
TREATMENTS
2009 row config
Grant Thompson
protein
% of
Yield
%
Trt 1
Kg/ha
2008 row config
1
Gladius
9inch
40
kg/ha
9inch
8.13
1.00
1609.3
2
Gladius
9 inch then 18inch
40
kg/ha
9 inch then 18inch
7.78
0.89
1424.7
3
Gladius
18 inch
40
kg/ha
18 inch
8.25
0.91
1462.0
0.72
0.21
334.09
LSD 0.01
TRIAL DETAILS
Soil Moisture:
Date;
Pre:
PSPE:
Sown:
Post:
Boxer Gold 2.5L + Triflur 480 1.0L
Temperature:
dry
Water Volume:
Soil Type:
Yellow Orange loamy sand
Crop/Variety/Stage:
Gladius wheat
Fertiliser:
Trial Discussion:
0.48
0.14
220.53
Coefficient of Variation
4.51
0.01
11.35
seeded dry
Wind Speed/Direction:
nil
Atlantis 330ml + 500ml Precept 300 + Hasten oil
LSD 0.05
Oil / Wetter:
Seeding Method:
70L
Hasten 1%
kppw
IBS 100 kg Agras Extra, EPE 50kg/ha urea at 4-5 leaf.
The trial site was sown dry due to the latish start - hence no knockdown was applied. This allowed an opportunity for volunteer wheat to establish in the wheat on wheat plots.
9 inch rows - approximately 60% of the plants are volunteers, mostly coming up in the furrows. Volunteers in the inter-row are very poor, short in height and low in tiller number. Weed competition excellent.
9 - 18 - 9 inch row configuration - 30-40% of the plants are volunteers. Volunteers in the 18 inch spacing are quite thick due to the reduced competition from the planted crop.
18 inch rows - 40% of the plants are volunteers, the drilled plants have huge heads, the volunteer plants have relatively small heads when densely spread, sparsely spread volunteers have large heads.
Trial Summary
Due to the number of volunteer cereals in the wheat on wheat plots, any benefit of row spacing configuration and moisture preservation for grain filling was eliminated.
There was no significant difference in grain yield
I suspect the narrow row spacings allowed more volunteer wheat plants to access drilled fertiliser better, thus being healthier, more vigourous plants and contributing to yield more than less fertilised volunteers
in the wider row spacing configurations.
There were no significant differences in screenings or hectolitre weights.
The wheat on wheat plots yielded only 70% of the wheat on fallow treatments at the site.
Wheat on fallow - overleaf
Row spacing configurations - wheat on fallow in low rainfall zone
OBJECTIVE:
NEFF 2009
Trial No:
To assess 3 row spacing configurations for low rainfall low density wheat in the low rainfall zone
Date Printed:
10/03
LOCATION:
NEFF Tech Site Pindar
AGRONOMIST:
TREATMENTS
Grant Thompson
protein
% of
Yield
%
trt 1
Kg/ha
1
Gladius
9 inch
40
kg/ha
9.78
1.00
2067.7
2
Gladius
9 inch then 18inch
40
kg/ha
10.1
1.06
2190.6
3
Gladius
18 inch
40
kg/ha
9.75
0.95
1961.5
LSD 0.01
1.00
0.23
466.99
LSD 0.05
0.66
0.15
308.26
5.16
0.01
11.45
Coefficient of Variation
TRIAL DETAILS
Soil Moisture:
Pre:
PSPE:
Sown:
Post:
Soil Type:
Boxer Gold 2.5L + Treflan 1.0L/ha
Temperature:
dry
Water Volume:
Yellow Orange Loamy sand
Crop/Variety/Stage:
Fertiliser:
Wind Speed/Direction:
nil
Atlantis 330ml + Precept 300 500ml
dry
Oil / Wetter:
Seeding Method:
Gladius
REPS
Hasten Oil
kppw
4
100 kg Agstar Extra + 50kg Urea at 3-4 leaf
Trial Discussion:
Discussion:
The 18 inch rows had more grass weeds in the inter-rows. The head size was more uniform in this configuration - head size 15-18 spikelts per head
The 9 " - 18" - 9" configuration has some broadleaf weeds in the wider inter-rows, as minimal crop shading was achieved here. Average tiller numbers 5-8 tillers /plant, 14-18 spikelets per head.
The 9 inch rows had 3-5 tillers per plant. The low density planting rate allowed some barley grass and ryegrass to establish in the furrow, head size 12-18 spikelets per head, more variable than
the wider rows.
Trial Summary
There was some furrow fill from the heavy opening rains which did reduce plant density slightly.
There was no obvious differences in spikelt numbers across the row spacing treatments. Yield may have been a function of grains per spikelet and grain weight.
This is the second year this project has shown that low density wide row spacing wheat is effective in the low rainfall zone.
There were no significant differences in screenings or hectolitre weights
The 9 inch - 18 inch - 9 inch row configuration was the highest yielding treatment in 2008 and also in 2009 (on fallow), although not significantly different in 2009.
Photos overleaf -
Figure 1: Wide Row spacings wheat on wheat – foreground wheat on wheat smothered with volunteers, rear on fallow, maintaining desired density.
Figure 2: Paired Rows (9 inch 18 inch 9 inch row configuration) – highest yielding in 2008, equal highest in 2009.
Figure 3: Paired Rows – seems very effective on clean paddocks with no volunteer cereals to affect density. Weed control must be excellent!
Acknowledgements –
Mr Andrew Thomas – Boolara Farms – NEFF Group President and trial site host.
Darren Chitty – Research and Product Development Agronomist Landmark WA.
Clayton Dennis and Bernie Quade, Landmark Agronomy Geraldton – for technical support.
Dr Paul Blackwell – DAFWA Geraldton
GRDC – For funding the project.