Evaluation of box-added seed treaments vs. coated seed in notill corn

        Date    
          1/31/2005    
             
Project Title              
  Evaluation of box added seed treatment versus coated seed treatments in no-till corn.
 
             
Investigator 1       Investigator 2      
  Dietrich Kastens  RR 2 Box 80, Herndon, KS  67739   Lucas Haag  Bartley Nebraska
   
   
   
Phone 7856269284     Phone (308) 340-1041  
               
Email       Email      
  dietrich@kastensinc.com     lhaag@ksu.edu  
             
Statement of Problem            
               
As long term 100% no-till becomes more common, cold soils at optimal planting time are delaying seedling emergence.  Box-added seed treaments are cheap, but sloppy and rarely result in uniform coated seeds.  This past year a reduction in population was observed on both the Kastens and Haag farms in soils with heavy wheat residue and thus cold soils and slow emergence.  Coated seeds increase per acre costs by $4/ac when compared to box-added treatments, however that might easily be overcome through increased yield that results from increased population
             
Project Objectives            
               
The goal of this research is to observe yield differences between box seed treatments and coated seed treatments and then determine if increased costs associated with coated seeds can be justified.
             
Methodology              
               
On both the Kastens and Haag farms in NW Kansas/SW Nebraska, a split planter approach will be taken for evaluation.  A minimum of 50 acres (preferrably at two geographically separate sites per farm) will be planted with half of the row units containing coated seeds and half that are treated with box treatments such as Kernal Guard(c).  All acres will be harvested with yield monitors and the data will be organized and analyzed in a GIS program.
             
Expected outcome / Benefit to KARA          
In our area, planted populations of corn are targeted to maximize yield potential.  However, as these rates are low when compared to other corn producing areas, a signficant yield hit can result from only small percentages of stand reductions.  As more farmers adopt notill, this information will be critical for making economically optimal decisions at planting time.