Optimising Plant Establishment 2019 Hart Lentil Experiment

Full description

Data from the 2019 crop establishment trial at Hart, SA. The trial compared the establishment of lentil at different seeding rates, under a conventional cone seeder and under a precision seeder, and at two different row spacings (a narrow row spacing of 22.9cm and a wide row spacing of 30.5cm). The experiment was run under the UOA1803-009RTX GRDC research project led by the University of Adelaide, and the experiment and data collection were managed locally in Hart by the Hart Field-Site Group.

Files:2019 Hart Lentil.xlsx

Experiment setup:Experiment managed locally by the Hart Field-Site Group. The trial was organised as a split plot design, with 4 whole plot treatments (conventional seeder: wide row spacing, conventional seeder: narrow row spacing, precision seeder: wide row spacing, precision seeder: narrow row spacing), and 6 subplot treatments (40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140 seeds/m2). The design was arranged spatially in 3 columns with 32 rows, 4 replicates, for 96 total plots.

Variables recorded:establishment count (plants/m2), soil moisture (%), seedling depth (mm), interplant distance (cm), NDVI, stubble rating, GS65 biomass dry weight (t/ha), harvest biomass dry weight (g), harvest index, yield (t/ha), 1000 grain weight (g), seeds/m2

Data collection and assessment:The paddock was seeded on 14/05/2019 (with the wide-row spacing precision seeder plots sown on 15/05/2019). Plant emergence counts and soil moisture readings (via handheld probe) were made across rows 2 and 3 in specified plots on 24/05/2019, 27/05/2019, 31/05/2019, 06/06/2019 and 21/06/2019. A final emergence count and the interplant distances in all plots were made on 09/07/2019. Seedling depth was measured and recorded on 24/07/2019, and NDVI readings were made on 18/07/2019 and 02/08/2019. A stubble assessment of the paddock was made on 06/08/2019. The Growth Stage 65 flowering biomass cuts were made on 23/09/2019 and the dry weight recorded in t/ha. The harvest index biomass cuts were made on 18/10/2019. At harvest on 29/10/2019, the yield (t/ha) and 1000 grain weight (g) were recorded.