Pressure and angle of the seed-fertilizer drill press wheel on corn emergence

Abstract

In precision seed-fertilizer drills, the soil compaction mechanism is responsible for closing the furrow, pressing the soil over the seed. Among the available models, the most used is the V-type wheel system, with several options to regulate the wheel opening angle and pressure exerted on the soil. This study was carried out in the experimental area of the Federal University of Fronteira Sul - Campus Cerro Largo, in an clayey Red Latosol. Parameters related to corn emergence and the seedbed characteristics were evaluated at different regulations of opening angle and pressure of the compaction mechanism. The results indicate that mechanism regulations had no influence on emergence speed, emergence speed index and population of corn plants, under the studied conditions. However, the treatment with highest load and parallel alignment of the wheels caused lower values of elevated area and swelling. Treatments with 15° opening angle caused accumulation of soil in the center of the row, affecting the elevation height.