The Science of Seeding 5 Agronomic Principles That Are Proven to Increase Yields

GREAT PLAINS THE SCIENCE OF SEEDING 5 AGRONOMIC PRINCIPLES THAT ARE PROVEN TO INCREASE YIELDS

VERTICAL TILLAGE FALL VERTICAL TILLAGE SPRING NUTRIENT PLACEMENT PLANTER ACCURACY TWIN-ROW SPACING

# 1 VERTICAL TILLAGE

VERTICAL TILLAGE FALL FALLVERTICAL TILLAGE SPRING NUTRIENT PLACEMENT PLANTER ACCURACY TWIN-ROW SPACING

If you are transitioning from conventional tillage to of 6" below the surface. Point design that promotes vertical tillage or no-till, the first step is to remove all fracture without blowout is important as well. In REMOVE density layers. Density layers are caused by plowing, general, your depth needs to be half of your shank disking, and field cultivating (horizontal tillage). spacing (13" to 15" deep for 30" spacing). If your top LAYERS soil won’t allow 15" depth, consider 24" spacing with To achieve the desired results, you must shatter the 10" to 12" depth. ground horizontally between the shanks a minimum

PLOW

DISK

ROOTS CAN’T PENETRATE RESET PROFILE UNRESTRICTED ROOTS Great Plains no-till points shatter

FIELD CULTIVATOR better than competitive points with less surface disturbance.

MAINTAIN DENSITY & MANAGE RESIDUE Once you have removed all density layers, you need to maintain them from year to year. At times, you have to harvest or plant in less-than-ideal conditions. Fall is a good time to “fix” those issues for the next planting season. Turbo-Chisel® is a great tool to remove compaction layers up to 12" deep and horizontally fracture a minimum of 4" deep. It sizes residue, dislodges root balls, incorporates residue, and leaves a smooth, level surface for one follow-up pass in the spring. This is an excellent method for continuous corn-on-corn operations.

2 GREAT PLAINS SYSTEMS APPROACH

FALL RESIDUE MANAGEMENT Turbo-Till and Turbo-Chopper When density layers are not present but residue management is needed, a pass with work the ground vertically. a vertical tillage tool like Turbo-Till®, Turbo-Chopper®, or Turbo-Max® will not only size residue but also maintain a uniform density. These machines also work great in a no-till operation to manage residue without burying a lot of it. A shallow, vertical tillage Cupped tool needs to do several things well. It needs to: blades 1. Open up the soil profile to allow water to be absorbed instead fo running off. throw soil 2. Size residue into planter-manageable pieces. sideways. 3. Not add horizontal layers. 4. Get the residue in contact with the soil for faster decomposition. 5. Lace and anchor residue to the ground. 6. Work soil to a consistent depth across the entire width of the tool.

CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION JUST BECAUSE IT SAYS IT'S A lot of companies are now marketing tools claiming to be “Vertical Tillage”. Most are retrofitted disks with low concavity "VERTICAL TILLAGE" DOESN'T MAKE fluted disk blades. Basically they are high speed disks that IT VERTICAL TILLAGE. create density layers and ridges just like a disk.

YIELD RESPONSE In a five-year Farm Journal study, vertical tillage corn out-yielded conventional tillage corn by 12.7 bu/ac. Some soil types did better – some a little less – but all benefited from vertical tillage.

Source: Farm Journal July/August 2001

TOOLS TO USE SUB-SOILER TURBO-CHISEL® TURBO-TILL® TURBO-MAX®

VERTICAL TILLAGE FALL 3

# 2 NOT ALL VERTICAL TILLAGE TOOLS ARE EQUAL VERTICAL Tillage passes in the spring have to do three things correctly TILLAGE to achieve the most yields. They are:

VERTICAL TILLAGE FALL VERTICAL TILLAGE SPRING SPRINGNUTRIENT PLACEMENT PLANTER ACCURACY TWIN-ROW SPACING 1. MAINTAIN DENSITY 2. MANAGE RESIDUE As shown in the illustration below, the patented Turbo blade The second job of a spring vertical tillage tool is to manage flutes enter the soil perpendicular to the ground, cleanly residue. It should chop the residue into planter-manageable cutting the residue. As the blade rotates further, it fractures sized pieces that can be easily moved with a row cleaner to flow the surrounding soil. As it leaves the ground, it throws soil on through the planter. The image below shows how the Turbo- top of the residue, lacing it to the ground. Because there is no Chopper® slices residue in the direction of travel, then the concavity in the blades, there is no “back side” pressure to chopper reels chop it perpendicular to the coulters. Turbo-Till® change the density. and Turbo-Max®, on the other hand, size residue to 5" and 3.75" pieces respectively.

TURBO-CHOPPER® TURBO-TILL® TURBO-MAX®

3. CREATE THE PERFECT SEEDBED Only Great Plains has the patented rolling spike harrow and reel combination. It is arguably one of the most important parts of a vertical tillage tool and one that is overlooked by most competitive vertical tillage tools. The rolling spike vertically works the ground between Turbo blades, creating a smooth, level surface on top AND at seeding depth to ensure even emergence. TOOLS TO USE TURBO-TILL® Source: Farm Journal 2002

4 GREAT PLAINS SYSTEMS APPROACH

NOT ALL VERTICAL TILLAGE TOOLS ARE EQUAL CONCAVE (CUPPED) INDIVIDUAL TURBO-TILL/TURBO-MAX/ BLADES SPRING COULTERS TURBO-CHOPPER The backside of concave fluted disk Straight coulters on coil springs These units vertically cut residue, blades create compaction layers work soil vertically but create an fracture the soil, and create a perfectly similar to a disk blade. They also inconsistent seedbed because they smooth seedbed at planting depth for create ridges because they move are forced up in denser soil and excellent, uniform emergence. Without dirt horizontally. tough stalks and work deeper in compaction layers, roots are allowed light soil. to reach nutrients and moisture.

RUMBLE STRIP RUMBLE STRIP SMOOTH TOOLS TO USE ULTRA-TILL® TURBO-CHOPPER® TURBO-TILL® TURBO-MAX®

VERTICAL TILLAGE SPRING 5

#3 NUTRIENT PLACEMENT VERTICAL TILLAGE FALL VERTICAL TILLAGE SPRING NUTRIENTTIMING PLACEMENT IS EVERYTHINGPLANTER ACCURACY TWIN-ROW SPACING All applied N fertilizer sources eventually convert completely to the One strategy to manage the risk of nitrate-N loss is to apply the fertilizer nitrate-N form. It is in this form that it is taken up by the plant. It is in the spring just prior to planting (pre-plant), or side-dress N fertilizer also in this form that nitrate-N is at risk of leaching and denitrification. after planting. The main reason that pre-plant and side-dress N appli- Application timing, temperature, and the amount of rainfall influence the cations are more efficient is that there is a shorter “window” between rates of both leaching and denitrification. application and plant needs. The shorter time period means there are fewer opportunities for heavy rainfall events and nitrate-N loss.

Potential For N Loss - Fall-Applied Anhydrous* *Based on “Fate of Anhydrous Ammonia in Iowa Soils” computer simulation model. Warmer-than-normal scenario. Iowa State University OCTOBER 1ST APPLICATION APRIL 1ST APPLICATION - 0% STILL IN AMMONIUM FORM BY MAY 1ST (No Inhibitor) - 50% STILL IN AMMONIUM FORM BY MAY 1ST (No Inhibitor) - 35% STILL IN AMMONIUM FORM BY MAY 1ST (With N-Serve Inhibitor) - 70% STILL IN AMMONIUM FORM BY MAY 1ST (With N-Serve Inhibitor) NOVEMBER 1ST APPLICATION - 0% STILL IN AMMONIUM FORM BY MAY 1ST (No Inhibitor) - 50% STILL IN AMMONIUM FORM BY MAY 1ST (With N-Serve Inhibitor) HIGH-SPEED COULTER SEALERS The high-speed anhydrous coulter revolutionizes the Anhydrous losses at time of application can be minimized with knife sealers. application of anhydrous Great Plains has designed three different sealer attachments designed to seal ammonia with a 22" coulter the knife slot to improve Nitrogen retention. blade for precise, high-speed placement. These new models apply and seal anhydrous ammonia up to 6" deep at a speed of 8 miles per hour, ANHYDROUS providing unmatched speed and productivity with minimal loss CONCAVE SPIDER ROLLING COULTER and maximum efficiency. WHEELS BASKET

6 GREAT PLAINS SYSTEMS APPROACH

A TOTALLY NEW APPROACH A new approach to fertilizer application is the 3-coulter option with a double row cleaner. This option allows the producer with RTK to pre-apply liquid fertilizer in the spring prior to planting, do mild vertical tillage in the row, and clear the residue with a row cleaner. The result...precision-placed fertilizer in a clean, warm, fast-emerging seedbed for the planter to precisely plant the seed in relationship to the fertilizer. Nutri-Pro® is configured as a 2-point with lift assist. This 3-coulter system is available with or without 600-gallon liquid tanks.

TWIN-ROW SINGLE-ROW APPLICATION NEW APPROACH APPLICATION LEGEND STARTER PRE-PLANT FERTILIZER APPLICATION PRE-PLANTPRE-PLANT FERTILIZERFERTILIZER FERTILIZER APPLICATION APPLICATION PRE-PLANT FERTILIZER APPLICATION PRE-PLANT FERTILIZER APPLICATION PRE-PLANTPRE-PLANT FERTILIZER FERTILIZER APPLICATION APPLICATION PRE-PLANT FERTILIZER APPLICATION PRE-PLANT FERTILIZER APPLICATION PRE-PLANTPRE-PLANT FERTILIZER(10-34-0, FERTILIZER APPLICATION9-18-9) APPLICATION PRE-PLANT FERTILIZER APPLICATION

HIGH-RATE FERTILIZER (28% or 32%)

TILLED/CLEANED PRECISION PLANT OVER FERTILIZER PRECISIONPRECISION PLANT PLANT OVER OVER FERTILIZER FERTILIZER PRECISION PLANT OVER FERTILIZER PRECISION PLANT OVER FERTILIZER PRECISIONPRECISION PLANTZONE PLANT OVER OVER FERTILIZER FERTILIZER PRECISION PLANT OVER FERTILIZER PRECISION PLANT OVER FERTILIZER PRECISIONPRECISION PLANT PLANT OVER OVER FERTILIZER FERTILIZER PRECISION PLANT OVER FERTILIZER

SIDE-DRESS FERTILIZER APPLICATION SIDE-DRESSSIDE-DRESS FERTILIZER FERTILIZER APPLICATION APPLICATION SIDE-DRESS FERTILIZER APPLICATION SIDE-DRESS FERTILIZER APPLICATION SIDE-DRESSSIDE-DRESS FERTILIZER FERTILIZER APPLICATION APPLICATION SIDE-DRESS FERTILIZER APPLICATION SIDE-DRESS FERTILIZER APPLICATION SIDE-DRESSSIDE-DRESS FERTILIZER FERTILIZER APPLICATION APPLICATION SIDE-DRESS FERTILIZER APPLICATION Anhydrous losses at time of application can be minimized with knife sealers. Great Plains has designed three different sealer attachments designed to seal the knife slot to improve Nitrogen retention. TOOLS TO USE NUTRI-PRO® LIQUID NUTRI-PRO® ANHYDROUS

NUTRIENT PLACEMENT 7

#4 PLANTER ACCURACY VERTICAL TILLAGE FALL VERTICAL TILLAGE SPRING NUTRIENT PLACEMENT PLANTER ACCURACY TWIN-ROW SPACING KEYS TO PLANTER ACCURACY Planter accuracy plays a major role in achieving even emergence. Without even emergence, plants that sprout days after the rest basically become a weed that robs nutrients and light from good plants, reducing the yield potential of both the late plant and the good neighboring plant. Six keys to good planter accuracy are: 1. SEED SINGULATION 2. SEED TUBE DESIGN 3. PLANTING SPEED FOR “DEAD DROP” 4. DEPTH CONTROL 5. SEED-TO-SOIL CONTACT 6. TRENCH CLOSURE Source: Farm Journal 1. SEED SINGULATION Singulation is the job of the seed meter. Meters need to consistently drop seed one at a time with no deviation in spacing. Meters that drop “doubles” and/or “skip” some seed pockets, quickly reduce yield potential (as illustrated in the above chart).

Air-Pro® Meters bring spacing accuracy to new levels with:

• Improved cell design, which nearly eliminates skips and doubles. • “Positive Air” technology (instead of vacuum) reduces torque for greater accuracy and reduced wear. • Large-diameter meter reduces meter speed to enhance filling and spacing. • Static cling-eliminating brushes ensure the seed doesn’t “hang” in the pocket. • Pressureless seed drop for “Dead Drop”. 2. SEED TUBE DESIGN You can have the best meter in the world, but you can ruin the spacing COMPETITIVE CLEAR-SHOT® accuracy delivered to it by using a poorly designed seed tube. Inferior seed tubes do not provide a smooth, consistent ride to the bottom of the seed trench; instead, their hook mouldings and seed-sensor eyes create bumps and ledges within the seed tubes, disrupting the seed’s path.

Clear-Shot Seed Tube Accuracy - Lab Test Data sensors see through the (28,000 seeds/ac planted; 4-run average) translucent seed tube material so TOOLS TO USE Clear-Shot® Seed Tube Results there is no sensor to disrupt the Seed On-Target = 99.10% seed path

Industry-Standard Seed Tube Results Seed On Target = 90.27% Clear-Shot uses a steel-formed hook to attach the seed tube to the opener, eliminating protrusions or bumps in the seed tube Clear-Shot has a rounded tip to place the seed in the middle of the trench 8 GREAT PLAINS SYSTEMS APPROACH Cut-away View

3. PLANTING SPEED FOR “DEAD DROP” Planting speed can greatly affect planter accuracy. Today’s farming environment has fewer people EFFECTS OF PLANTING SPEED Great Plains’ patented Clear- ON SEEDING ACCURACY ® covering more acres so farmers want to plant 1.5 Shot Seed Tube takes the Standard excellent spacing delivered faster. If the seed tube is not designed for faster Deviation speed, reduced yields will be the result. 1.4 at 4 mph to it by the Air-Pro® Meter and transitions it to the 1.3 seed trench with unmatched

1.2 accuracy. It performs better at its designed “dead-drop” 1.1 Standard speed of 5.6 mph than most Standard Deviation in Inches Deviation Standard Deviation at 5.6 mph competitive seed tubes 1.0 GREAT PLAINS COMPETITIVE perform at 4 mph (see chart CLEAR-SHOT SEED TUBE at left). 4. DEPTH CONTROL Seed depth cannot be overlooked when addressing a planter’s overall accuracy. All seeds have a planting depth range in which they need to be planted. Seeds planted at inconsistent depths emerge at different times, causing uneven emergence that adversely affects overall yields. Control of residue, as well as choosing and maintaining good side-depth wheels on the planter, are essential. Side-depth wheels ride on a “Walking Beam” that reduces opener movement when one wheel runs over an obstruction. SIDE-DEPTH GAUGING WHEELS 5. SEED-TO-SOIL CONTACT Seed-to-soil contact is also important in getting all plants to germinate at the same time. If seed is suspended in an air cavity, it will not germinate at the same time as seeds in direct contact with the soil.

Great Plains Seed-Lok® Wheels or Keeton Seed Firmers® press the seed into moist soil.

SEED-LOK® WHEEL KEETON SEED FIRMER®

6. TRENCH CLOSURE Great Plains’ Spider Closer Wheels are excellent for Proper seed trench closure is getting a consistent stand by just as important as the other closing the seed trench and planter accuracy keys. An breaking up the sidewall. unclosed seed trench will dry out the seed and cause uneven emergence. GOOD CLOSING BAD CLOSING “SPIDER” WHEEL TOOLS TO USE 12-, 16-, & 24-ROW YP-30, YP-40 4-, 6-, & 8-ROW 2025A, 2525A, & 3PYP

PLANTER ACCURACY 9

#5 TWIN-ROW SPACING VERTICAL TILLAGE FALL VERTICAL TILLAGE SPRING NUTRIENT PLACEMENT PLANTER ACCURACY TWIN-ROW SPACING TWIN ROW WORKS 1. Promotes vigorous root development. 2. Allows higher planting populations. 3. Works for a wide variety of crops. 4. Utilizes sunlight better. 5. More efficient use of water. 6. Works in all areas and soil structures. 7. Can be side-dressed. 8. Increases stalk diameter, improving plant stand. 9. Increases tonnage and relative feed value in silage. 10. Harvestable with 30" corn head.

Source: Farm Journal, “Narrow-Row Corn Report 2009”

TWIN-ROW CORN

TWIN-ROW BEANS

*based on 38,000 plants per acre

TWIN-ROW MILO

TWIN-ROW WHEAT

10 GREAT PLAINS SYSTEMS APPROACH

LARGER ROOT MASS Twin-Row row spacing creates plants with bigger stalks and larger root mass.

30" ROWS TWIN ROW WORKS TWIN ROWS

BETTER LIGHT UTILIZATION At V7: (Approx. Knee High) 30" Corn uses 30% of the available sunlight 20" Corn uses 68% of the available sunlight Twin-Row Corn uses 90% of the available sunlight TWIN ROWS 30" ROWS

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