STAFF – There are a few pitfalls for farmers who don’t do adequate research before switching to direct seeding.
More weeds are common for farmers who don’t alter crop rotations when they begin direct seeding. Using more herbicides to control them might seem like the unavoidable trade off, but it doesn’t have to be, said Blair McClinton, assistant manager with the Saskatchewan soil conservation association in Indian Head.
New crop rotation can assist in weed control and reduce the need for herbicides.
“If you keep with existing crop rotation you’ll have to increase use of herbicide,” McClinton said, suggesting fitting pulse or oilseed crops into a cereal/fallow rotation.
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“What it means is changing the competition of crops in the soil.”
Managing crop residue is another issue to consider, he said.
“We’ve seen many people run into lots of trouble after making a management decision to switch to direct seeding and then they have to find a way to deal with crop residue in the fall,” McClinton said.
Uneven crop residue can lead to patchy drying and uneven germination that can lower yields and grades at the end of the crop year.
Hairpinning, or seeds planted in thick crop residue rather than the soil, is another pitfall.
“Farmers need to make sure the straw and chaff is spread uniformly over the field.”
