No-tillage farming can improve crop productivity and the reliability of cropping compared with conventional tillage. The effects of three different seeding system configurations on surface residue handling, sunflower emergence and stand establishment, yield, and gross income were investigated over three cropping seasons. The seeding system configurations comprised of (1) turbo coulter blade, (2) notched disc row cleaner before turbo coulter blade, and (3) no residue handling unit installed in front of a double-disc opener. For all three seeding system configurations, crop residue cover on sown rows (after seeding) was greater than the minimum recommended value of 30% for no-tillage. Residue cover was best with the notched disc row cleaner in front of the turbo coulter blade compared to the other two seeding systems. Furthermore, the notched disc row cleaner in front of the turbo coulter blade produced the highest plant emergence counts and the most uniform stand establishment. Sunflower yield and gross income were highest with the notched disc row cleaner in front of the turbo coulter blade (3.16 Mg·ha−1 and 902 USD·ha−1) compared to when only the turbo coulter blade (2.38 Mg·ha−1 and 680 USD·ha−1) or no residue handling unit (1.69 Mg·ha−1 and 482 USD·ha−1) was used.
Crop establishment depends mostly on the soil preparation and sowing methods used. Our main goal was to evaluate soil compaction and its effects on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) yields and seedling emergence with two different tillage methods: no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT). The study was done in the Western Pampas Region during three cropping seasons. The soil of the study site is a Mollisol. The variables measured were: (1) cone index (CI), (2) dry bulk density (DBD), (3) seedling emergence (SE), and (4) crops yield (CY). For both crops, seedling emergence was slower in NT than in CT, but results were similar 22 days after sowing. After 3 years, the results show that in NT the DBD and CI reached values of 1653 kg m−3 and 3210 kPa, respectively (between 275 and 300 mm). While in CT the values of DBD and CI reached were 1540 kg m−3 and 2300 kPa respectively at the same depth. The highest yields were found in CT (3.31 and 4.10 tons/ha−1, for soybean and wheat, respectively) compared to NT (2.91 and 3.53 tons/ha−1). Topsoil horizon has to be tilled to improve crop yields. In spite of the high number of equipment passes in CT, both tillage systems caused subsoil compaction.
Corn is the most cultivated and consumed cereal in the world. The overall objective of this review was to study the methodologies to measure and evaluate the in-row seed spacing for precision planting as well as to determine the technological alternatives that would allow obtaining information about seed mapping for corn crop planting in precision agriculture applications. As a conceptual synthesis about the electronic measurement system, there are two strategies for determining in-row seed spacing in the precision planting. Indirect methods correspond to the measurement before the seeds reach the furrow, while direct methods correspond to the measurement with the seeds placed in the furrow. The indirect measurement strategy is the most widely used in research publications and commercial planter monitors. Within this method, the seed spacing measurement systems use optical or radio wave type seed sensors. Corn seed counting accuracy through electronic measurement systems with optical-type seed sensor is at least 96%. The microwave seed sensor is used commercially by a few companies whose technologies are patented. The direct measurement strategy is under development and requires further research. The main limitation of these technologies is the seed detection in the furrow, which limits the planter travel speed and the equipment cost. The conceptual proposal for the term ‘seed mapping’ is to provide integrated and geo-referenced information on in-row seed spacing and depth for precision planting.
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