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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Auburn, Alabama » Soil Dynamics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #324718
Title: Evaluation of seeding depth and guage-wheel load effects on maize emergence and yield

Author
item PONCET, A - Auburn University
item FULTON, J - The Ohio State University
item MCDONALD, T - Auburn University
item KNAPPENBERGER, T - Auburn University
item SHAW, J - Auburn University
item Balkcom, Kipling

Submitted to: ASABE Annual International Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/11/2016
Publication Date: 7/22/2016
Citation: Poncet, A.M., Fulton, J.P., Mcdonald, T.P., Knappenberger, T., Shaw, J., Balkcom, K.S. 2016. Evaluation of seeding depth and guage-wheel load effects on maize emergence and yield. ASABE Annual International Meeting. CDROM.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Planting represents perhaps the most important field operation with errors likely to negatively affect crop yield and thereby farm profitability. Performance of row-crop planters are evaluated by their ability to accurately place seeds into the soil at an adequate and pre-determined depth, the goal being the achievement of uniform emergence and minimal seed loss. The objectives of this study were to 1) investigate the effect of planter settings selection and soil physical properties on planter performance, and 2) evaluate the impact of non-uniform planting performances on the quality of crop establishment. This study was conducted in Alabama for corn and cotton. Row-unit behavior was monitored in real-time during planting using a data acquisition system. Planter performance was determined through measurement of achieved planting depth along with the quality of crop establishment (live population and emergence %). Day of emergence and emergence rate index were used to characterize time and uniformity of emergence. Soil electrical conductivity and soil moisture were measured at planting to characterize field spatial variability and correlate to planter performance. Data analysis revealed that planter settings selection and soil properties were significantly affecting row-unit behavior and planter performances, with non-optimum planter performances resulting in significantly poorer crop establishment. Results identified a threshold amount of variability in planter performance above which non-optimum planting performance significantly affect the quality of crop establishment.