Fifteen more feet required | Grower says a 165-foot boom would better fit the dimensions of his quarter-section fields
FARGO, N.D. — Ron Sylte is ready to up-size his year-old 150 foot self-propelled Sprayflex to a more convenient 165 foot sprayer. The combination of a 3,100 US gallon tank and 150 foot boom width allows Sylte to spray 600 acres in four to five hours non-stop. He seeds 10,000 acres, but many of the […] Read more
Ron Lyseng
Stories by Ron Lyseng
Great Plains has great plans for corn, canola
Twin row seed singulation | It might be one of the best options for improved corn and canola yields
Nine years of replicated research by nine organizations gave twin row spacing with singulation and precise seed placement an 8.1 to 33.5 bushel per acre benefit in corn. That’s a significant increase, regardless of corn prices in any given year, because it comes without additional input costs. The only additional cost is the price of […] Read more
Kit makes dry fertilizer work in corn planter
Aulari aftermarket attachment | It’s a fit for corn growers looking to use granular fertilizer to improve yields and stay off the juice
Corn growers who want to put granular fertilizer through their planters have been out of luck for two decades. Planter manufacturers decided in the early 1990s that granular fertilizer was going out of style and that the sector was switching to liquid fertilizer. As a result, they discontinued their granular options. As one dealership sales […] Read more
Slope sensor’s quick response to pitch speeds tile drainage
HARWOOD, N.D. — Tile draining a quarter section, only to find it doesn’t work as expected, is a heartbreaking and budget busting experience. A ballpark figure for tile drain on the Prairies is $400 to $600 per acre. With the pipe buried one to two metres below the surface, digging and correcting thousands of metres […] Read more
Here’s a researcher who will always give you his two cents
If Rigas Karamanos is remembered for only one thing, it would probably be his strict adherence to a stringent scientific approach to research. This dedication is reflected in his famous quote: “In God we trust. All others bring replicated data.” The soil scientist is also known for a lot of other contributions to fertility management […] Read more
‘In one word, his major contribution is knowledge’
The story of winter wheat on the Canadian Prairies is really the story of plant breeder Brian Fowler. Fowler entered the prairie winter wheat scene when he was designated head of that program at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre upon its opening in 1971. Winter wheat was virtually unknown at that time, with […] Read more
Agco’s new line has long heritage
WAHPETON, N.D. — The evolution of brand names and ownership of farm equipment factories can be as confusing as seeing three paint schemes on the same implement. For example, seeding and tillage equipment rolling out of the factory in Wahpeton, North Dakota, might have a connection to Fargo Products, Amity, Agco, Wil-Rich, Wishek, Challenger or […] Read more
Concord flies again under Sunflower wing
Agco-Amity team up | The Sunflower 9700 is designed for small grain and features a five inch wide seedbed
WAHPETON, N.D. — There’s good news for farmers who shook their heads when the Concord air drill was pulled from the market. The Sunflower 9700 Air Till Drill, which will be available for the 2013 seeding season, is a Concord drill with serious upgrades, said Mark Wyrick, global product manager for the Agco-Amity joint venture. […] Read more
Spiral slows seed speed
Brian Cruson wanted a seed brake to equalize the pressure and flow in air seeder seed runs. But it had to be adjustable. Such a system would also let farmers set up their air carts with the right air for each opener and cart . His design is a black, ultraviolet-protected spiral device that quickly […] Read more
Agco’s single disc drill runs at higher speeds
Australian design | Heavy, high speed drill enables farmers to seed at 10 m.p.h.
WAHPETON, N.D. — The Sunflower 9800 Single Disc Drill introduced by Agco this summer is designed to work at speed. “If you don’t have the power to seed at a minimum of 5.5 m.p.h., then you need a bigger tractor,” said Mark Wyrick, global product manager for Agco-Amity. He said seven to nine m.p.h. is […] Read more
