The Perfect Stand

By Greg Guderyon

Spring is close. Is your planter ready? Have you gone through your row units and replaced brushes, fingers, plates, drop tubes, sensors, wire harnesses… Do you see the $ signs like me? Where do you start and where do you stop? I know, when your checkbook is empty you are done Right? Wrong! If I were to prioritize what to do first to have a good spring, it would be get that planter checked over with a fine toothcomb. Here is why…

In the January issue of Agronomy Journal, a study was released on plant-to-plant variability in corn production. A total of 46 individual replicated trials over a 3-year period in South America, Mexico and the United States resulted in yield variations of between 44 and 67 bushel per plant. The corn grain yields vary from plant to plant due to factors such as variable depth, wheel compaction, location of seed within the furrow, surface crusting, random soil clods, soil texture differences, distance between seeds, seed germination, insect damage, moisture availability, surface residue and seed furrow closure. This is only a partial list but most of the factors are related to the planter. So how important is your planter. 

Scouting fields last summer raised questions on stand uniformity and population. Last fall a local study was done with a vacuum planter and a finger pickup planter to compare seed placement and emergence. The planter speed was varied. Plant population was set at 32000, and there were replicated trials comparing round and flat grade sizes too. Seed firmers were tested and we ran on no-till wheat stubble. Yes, heads were turning to see the planter in the field but as for the resulted they were as follows.

The finger planter was the best on uniformity and emerged population.. Although the air planter could be adjusted, and did a better job on speed, it still was no help when it came to seed placement.

Now take into consideration the seed costs, and what the plant to plant variability showed for yield toward planter readiness, what would you do? Below is a study showing seed response to grade and shape.

	Effect on Seed Size and Shape on Performance
	Average of 4 Hybrids - Iowa State University
Performance Measure	Large Rounds	Small Rounds	Large Flats	Small Flats
Emergence (%)	67	74	77	75
Height (in.)	111.8	114.3	121.9	11.8
Tassel Date	July 9th	July 10th	July 9th	July 10th
Silking Date	July 10th	July 10th	July 10th	July 11th
Yield (Bu/Ac)	137	140	144	134

 

Seed companies have yet to standardize the seed grading system and what is labeled as medium rounds will vary. This makes it hard to calibrate when you plant different grades from different hybrids.

When was the last time you sharpened your pencil and took a close look at your input costs? With the changing costs in fuel, equipment, labor, as well as fertilizer, seed, pesticides, and land, what is your bottom line? In today’s farming, we have become less of a Farm Worker and more Farm Manager.

Years ago, farmers were diversified in livestock, and crops. It was common to see pigs, chickens, cows and horses all on the same farm. Farmers were general contractors knowing a little about everything. And for the times, that was all they needed. Yet today growers are changing with the timers and are becoming less diversified and more specialized.

By focusing on less, farmers are able to concentrate more on their operation and their bottom line to maximize their use of time and be more profitable. Growers must become better marketers of there commodities, weather it is grain or livestock. More and more, farmers are able to compete in the business world due to fewer distractions, which have limited them in the past.

Now, I don’t want to get into an input cost comparison. But what I want to show is some findings that the universities have determined to be used as guides to help fill in the blanks on some of the fixed costs that growers have every year. Granted, costs will vary because there are many different combinations of inputs.