SEEDS ON SOIL SURFACE
Seeds will be present on the soil surface when the opening disk cannot penetrate the soil. This is commonly observed when drilling grains.
Seeds will be present on the soil surface when the opening disk cannot penetrate the soil. This is commonly observed when drilling grains.
Agronomic Impacts
- Uneven and poor germination due to seed exposure or dry soil conditions.
Causes
- Not enough down pressure
- Compact and/or dry soil
- Dull/worn opening disks
Solutions
Plant a Cover Crop the Year Before. A cover crop will soften the surface of most soils; cover crops prevent crusting and many farmers will plant cover crops specifically for this benefit during the transition to no-till.
Add Down Pressue. It can be difficult to achieve adequate down pressure, particularly on drills and older planters. Consider retrofitting a down pressure system or adding weights to row units.
Remove or Adjust Coulters. Coulters, particularly wide and wavy coulters, can use up a lot of the total downpressure available to the row unit. Consider (1) sharpening coulters, (2) replacing wide coulters with narrower coulters or (3) removing the coulter altogether.
Replace Opening Disks. Opening disks should have a long, well defined bevel; as they become worn, they lose their bevel and will have difficulty penetrating the soil surface. Opening disks need to be replaced as needed.
Wait for Wetter Soil Conditions. It is important to be aware that dry soils are difficult to penetrate. This is often a problem when planting small grains and cover crops in the late summer and fall.
SIDEWALL SMEAR
Sidewall compaction includes all soil compaction & soil smearing in & around the seed slot.
Sidewall compaction includes all soil compaction & soil smearing in & around the seed slot.
Agronomic Impacts
- Compacted soil around the seed reduces seed to soil contact and makes it difficult for the seedling roots to penetrate the soil. This causes reduced or uneven germination and stunted plants with restricted root masses.
Causes
- Under wet soil conditions, the seed slot will not close properly and the sidewalls of the slot will smear, causing sidewall compaction. This can reduce seed to soil contact or develop a hard sidewall which is difficult for young roots to penetrate.
- Furthermore, the seed trench can be difficult to adequately close when wet; producers will sometimes compensate by adding extra pressure on the closing devices, potentially causing sidewall compaction above the seed.
Solutions
Wait for Drier Soils if Possible. Pay close attention to soil moisture content to determine if your soil is dry enough to plant.
Adjust Closing Wheels. Consider adding spiked closing wheels to shatter the sidewall rather than increasing down pressure. One popular closing wheel configuration staggers one spoked wheel with one solid closing wheel, with the spoked wheel leading.
Reduce Down Pressure. Reduce the down pressure on both the gauge wheels and the closing wheels to reduce the potential to over pack moist soils.
Increasing Blade Rotation. When opening disks or coulters are dragged through the soil, they will smear the sidewall, rather than rotating freely. Notched or toothed coulters and opening disks will improve blade rotation and fracture sidewalls.
HAIRPINNING
HAIRPINNING. Coulters & disk openers are supposed to cut through crop residues. However, during certain conditions, they will push the residue into the bottom of the seed slot.
Coulters & disk openers are supposed to cut through crop residues. However, during certain conditions, they will push the residue into the bottom of the seed slot.
Agronomic Impacts
- Residues in the seed slot impede seed-to-soil contact resulting in poor and uneven germination.
Causes
- Wet residues (from previous crop or cover crops)
- Dull coulters and worn opening disks
- Too much surface residue
- Ineffective row cleaners
Solutions
Wait for Residues to Dry. Residues are much easier to cut when they are dry and “crispy.”
Wait at Least 2 Weeks After Terminating Cover Crop with Heribicide Before Planting. Drying cover crops can be incredibly tough and difficult to cut. Most farmers recommend waiting to plant at least two weeks after terminating, when they are completely brown. If that is not an option, farmers can consider “planting green.”
Modify Row Cleaners. Consider floating row cleaners which will more closely follow the soil surface. Some trash wheels are also more aggressive than others; backward-sloping tooth and swept-back toothed wheels will move a greater quantity of residue from the seed trench.
Sharpern Coulters and Replace Opening Disks. Sharp coulters and opening disks are much more effective at cutting through tough residues.
Improve Residue Management. Retrofit the combine with an aftermarket head to cut residue into smaller pieces. Raise combine height to leave taller corn stalks standing.
Consider Planting Green. Green cover will cut easier than any other residue.
UNEVEN DEPTH
Seeds within a field should be planted at a uniform depth to encourage even emergence.
Seeds within a field should be planted at a uniform depth to encourage even emergence.
Agronomic Impacts
- Uneven planting depth is the main cause of uneven emergence. Competition from the larger, early-emerging plants will decrease the yield of smaller, late-emerging plants; this effect is particularly pronounced for corn.
Causes
- Improper levelling of the planter
- Inadequate down pressure
- Planter speed is too fast
Solutions
Slow Down! Traveling too fast is the number one cause of uneven seed depth, skips and doubles. Keep the planter speed below 5 mph, especially during the transition from conventional to no-till management.
Adjust Parallel Arms. Make sure bolts are tight on parallel arms. There should be no wiggle on row units. Replace bushings and bolts if there is any wear. Adjust the parallel arms until they are completely level with the soil surface.
Add Down Pressure. When the planting equipment cannot supply adequate down pressure, disk openers may not be able to penetrate deep enough — particularly in areas of the field with drier soil conditions or more residue.
The ideal solution is using pneumatic down pressure units that can supply variable rates of down pressure depending on soil conditions, however, they may be cost prohibitive. Adding weights or heavy duty springs will also add down pressure.
POORLY CLOSED SLOT
CAPTION HERE
Ideally, the seed slot should be barely visible after planting. When poorly closed, a narrow trench is clearly visible.
Agronomic Impacts
- Open side slots cause poor seed-to-soil contact.
Causes
- Planting too wet: When planting during wet conditions, the slot may sometimes appear closed, but as the soil dries the soil will shrink and open.
- Improper closing wheels for soil conditions
Solutions
Wait for Drier Soil Conditions. Trouble closing the slot is a primary symptom that the soil is too wet for planting.
Adjust Down Pressure on Closing Wheels. Although farmers can increase down pressure on closing wheels, the practice is generally not recommended as it can compact the soil above the seed. Experts often advise retrofitting the planter with different closing wheels.
Retrofit Planter with Spiked Closing Wheels. Changing closing wheels from steel or rubber to spiked wheels helps close the slot and break up the sidewall, even in marginal planting conditions.
SEED NOT REACHING BOTTOM
Seeds should be firmly pressed into the bottom of the seed slot with substantial seed-to-soil contact on either side.
Seeds should be firmly pressed into the bottom of the seed slot with substantial seed-to-soil contact on either side.
Agronomic Impacts
- Seeds hung up on the sides of the seed slot will be planted at an improper depth with poor seed-to-soil contact and an air pocket beneath.
Causes
- Narrowing of the seed trench
- No or poorly functioning seed firmer
- Worn seed tube guard
Solutions
Adjust and Shim Seed Openers. Seed opening blades should be able to turn with resistance by hand. Check the blade contact distance using 2 business cards; place one card at the top and one card at the bottom of the two blades, and then pull in until they can go no further. The distance should be 1.5 - 2 inches with heavy blades.
Replace Bearings On Seed Openers. Modern seed openers, particularly openers with a leading blade, place a huge strain on opening disk bearings. These bearings may need to be replaced more frequently than opening disks. Consider purchasing double bearings, which will have a longer life.
Add or Replace Seed Firmers. Most no-till farmers rely on seed firmers to supply a few pounds of pressure to push seeds into the bottom of the trench. Seed firmers typically need to be replaced annually.
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