A new direct seeding project has been initiated in the Dry Brown Soil Zone, located at Aneroid. It is looking at the effect of four single shoot openers on weed populations. This study is also a rotational study as it involves four crops in a zero-till rotation. The rationale behind this study is that in many areas within the dry brown soil, traditionally considered low disturbance openers, such as spoons, have not resulted in reductions of weed populations that have been observed in more moist areas of the province. The result has been that some farmers have been reverting back to a high disturbance system of direct seeding or even adding more tillage into the system. This study is therefore looking at what types of commonly used single shoot openers could be used to obtain the maximum benefit of weed reduction and just what can be expected from those openers being used. The study is also looking at how a zero-till situation, using this rotation, will work in this region.
This first year of the study is a collaborative effort with work being conducted by Wheatland Conservation Area and SSCA with funding from Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, SSCA, Southwest Regional Agriculture Council, and District #4 ADD Board. Funding to continue this study for another four years is presently being applied for.
The four openers the study is comparing are the Barton disc, a knife, spoon and sweep. The crops used in the rotation are yellow field peas, durum, desi chickpeas and barley. This rotation is a relatively low input one that many farmers in this area would incorporate into their system. The study is field scale with a 30 foot drill with the Barton openers and a 24 foot Bourgault using knock-on knives; spoons and sweeps being used for the other treatments. The plots are 100 feet in length and are replicated four times for statistical accuracy. The cereal crops will be fertilized according to recommendations, but no fertilizer will be added to the pulse crops, only inoculant will be applied. Any phosphate requirements for the pulses can be added during the cereal year. The crops will be seeded directly into stubble and a summerfallow treatment will be added in subsequent years for comparison.
A unique aspect of this study is that a specific opener remains in place for the life of the study. In other words, a plot that was seeded with a Barton disc will seed whatever crop on that plot with that opener through the study. In this way, any differences in weed populations can be observed over the short and long term. In addition, there is a burnoff treatment with Roundup and a non-burnoff treatment for all plots. This will also provide an indication of how this commonly used weed control method fits into the various opener treatments and what effect it has had on weeds. In the non-burnoff treatments, it should show the direct effect of the opener used on weed populations.
Weed counts on each plot will be taken as well as plant establishment counts, date of maturity and yields. The economics of each system will also be determined. The first weed count will be taken just prior to the in-crop herbicide treatment. The second count will be taken about four weeks later.
There are already some interesting initial results showing up with respect to weeds, their numbers and their occurrence. There are also some differences in plant establishments based on the opener used. More information on this study will be provided later in the year.
For more information on this study or if you are interested in a field tour of the site, please contact my office at 306-778-8290.