Where sectional control shines

With the ability to reduce input costs and reduce economic losses and environmental impacts by preventing overlaps, sectional control can potentially make operations more productive and sustainable. Results from phase one and phase two of the “Evaluation of emission reductions and cost saving in sectional control air seeders, drills and sowing equipment across the Canadian Prairies,” project funded through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Canadian Agricultural Partnership, are featured on the Canola Research Hub at canolaresearch.ca.

Here are some highlights:

The most precise automatic sectional-control technology currently on the market is individual opener control, which allows for shutting off and/or varying the product (seed, fertilizer, etc.) and raising individual openers out of the ground over previously seeded areas.
Though it is difficult to measure precise savings due to field complexity (a perfectly square field will show less of a benefit than a misshapen field with many obstacles), the common result was that well-managed sectional control can result in cost savings.
Reducing excessive plant densities at the overlap reduces the risk of lodging, potentially improves stand and maturity uniformity, and makes spray and harvest timing decisions more straightforward. This could produce a higher-yielding and more profitable crop. Section control also limits negative environmental impacts that could result from over-application of products at overlaps.

The study tested three types of air seeder equipment in-field to determine actual product overlap on both a pea and canola crop. In most cases the monitor indicated a substantially lower overlap amount when compared to what is actually measured in the field. So, while this displayed data is helpful, it may not be entirely accurate when referring to actual in-field product overlap measurements. Farms that want accurate measurements will need to ground truth values.

Detailed conclusions include:

Depending on field size, shape and obstacles, overlap ranges from 1.3 to 2.5 per cent.
Overlap was greater in canola (a small seed crop example) than in peas (a large seed crop example), though the results varied between the headland and obstacle measurements.
Irregular fields with more obstacles have an increased risk of overlaps. The greater the implement size and/or obstacle diameter also resulted in a greater overlap.
Draft force measurements differ greatly with equipment type, size, and speed as well as soil properties, field topography, and many other variables. Decreased draft load can be related to fuel and emission savings.
Decreased overlap can reduce total input costs. According to calculations in the Saskatchewan 2020 Crop Planning Guide, a two per cent overlap in a 160-acre field growing canola can cost growers $578, $599 and $637 in the Brown, Dark Brown and Black soil zones, respectively.