Producers are always looking for ways to cut costs in their farming operation. Inputs tend to make up a very large, if not the largest portion of a producer's production costs. An idea initiated a few years ago suggested that there might be a market for grains produced without pesticides during the growing season. This production would not be organic, but there may be a niche market for this type of production in the marketplace. Pesticide free production (PFP) allows a pre-seeding burnoff with a glyphosate, fertilizing with commercial fertilizers, but no residual granular herbicides or in-crop pesticides. Wheatland Conservation Area undertook a study at Swift Current, starting in 2002, that compared the effects of increasing seeding rates of three crops (wheat, field peas and flax) while eliminating in-crop pesticide treatments to traditional seeding rates with an in-crop herbicide application with respect to weed densities and crop yields. Crop competition with weeds becomes essential for this system to work. While higher seeding costs occur as a result of increased seeding rates, it was hoped that equivalent yields and no in-crop pesticide costs, as well as the potential for a premium price for the PFP would make this system a viable option for part of a producer's operation.
The study used a randomized complete block design with four replications. Treatments included peas seeded at 180 and 220 lbs/ac, flax seeded at 45 and 56 lbs/ac, and wheat seeded at 90 and 113 lbs/ac. The wheat and flax received 60 lbs/ac of actual nitrogen and 20 lbs/ac of phosphorus. The peas received 5 lbs/ac of actual nitrogen and 20 lbs/ac of phosphorus and were inoculated with a peat stick-on type. The seed and fertilizer were double-shooted using Stealth sidebanding openers seeded with Wheatland's Flexi-Coil 5000 16 foot plot drill on 9 inch row spacing. All treatments had a pre-seed burnoff with Roundup Transorb at 0.5 l/ac rate. The lower rate of peas and flax was sprayed in-crop with Poast Ultra at 0.35 l/ac rate. The low seeding rate of wheat was sprayed in-crop with Achieve Extra Gold at recommended rates.
Results from 2002 showed a definite increased canopy of all crops with the higher seeding rate. In addition, the yields of the PFP treatments of wheat and flax showed a significant yield increase over the traditional seed rate treatments with in-crop herbicide applications. There was no significant difference in pea yields. All crops established well and developed good canopies, particularly the PFP treatments. It should be noted that 2002 had unusually high summer precipitationand the field had a history of good weed control previously. However, in drier years, the higher seed rate PFP crops may have much greater competition for moisture and if the pre-seed burnoff is ineffective, the result may be lower yields in the higher seed rate crops.
Table 1: Mean yields and crop densities of the three crops at Swift Current, 2002.
|
Crop & Seeding Rate lbs/ac |
Yield bu/ac |
Crop Density Plants/m2 |
|
Wheat 113 |
37.2 a |
178 a |
|
Wheat 90 |
34.6 b |
131 b |
|
Flax 56 |
27.7 a |
354 a |
|
Flax 45 |
23.27 b |
284 a |
|
Peas 220 |
54.5 a |
85 a |
|
Peas 180 |
55.6 a |
73 a |
Values with different letters indicate there is a significant difference.
Assuming commodity prices of $9.80/bu for flax, $5.50/bu for wheat, and $7.00/bu peas, we can compare some economics of the various treatments. Since the burnoff and fertilizer costs are the same for all treatments, only the seed and in-crop herbicide costs will be used to compare the net return. Table 2 indicates that with the exception of peas, there was a significantly higher net return with the PFP treatments. The results could be even more attractive with a price premium for the PFP crops.
Table 2: Net return comparisons of treatments, 2002, Swift Current.
|
Seed Costs/ac |
In-Crop Herbicide Costs/ac |
Gross Yield Return ($/ac) |
Net Return ($/ac) |
|
|
Wheat 90 |
12.00 |
18.95 |
190.30 |
159.35 |
|
Wheat 113 |
15.07 |
- |
204.60 |
189.53 |
|
Flax 45 |
12.86 |
20.45 |
228.05 |
194.74 |
|
Flax 56 |
16.00 |
- |
271.46 |
255.46 |
|
Peas 180 |
39.00 |
20.45 |
389.20 |
329.75 |
|
Peas 220 |
47.67 |
- |
381.50 |
333.83 |
It is important to note and caution producers that that these results are from only one year of the study and that the land this study was located on had a long history of very good weed control. There was only a grassy weed herbicide used in-crop because of the low level of broadleaf weed problems and even the grassy weed densities were low. Land with higher weed populations could reduce the yield advantage observed in the PFP treatments in 2002. The results may be quite different in a dry year as well with greater in-crop competition for moisture. In addition, practicing PFP on the same land for consecutive years may lead to increased weed seed production and reductions in crop yield. However, PFP may have a fit for part of a producer's production, especially if there is a market premium for the production.