Cumulative trials data is showing improving yields for fields sown with the Claydon drill.
Trials conducted by Saaten Union have shown a 26 per cent increase in wheat yield, worth £333/ha, from crops that have been direct drilled compared to those established using conventional cultivation-based establishment techniques.
The ongoing HGCA oilseed rape and private winter wheat comparative trials compared plots and a cross section of varieties drilled with a Claydon direct drill with those that were conventionally drilled.
The trials, which have been conducted by Saaten Union at their trials centre at Cowlinge, near Newmarket, compared both oilseed rape and winter wheat, and have shown that in five of the past six years there has been a distinct yield benefit from the plots direct drilled using the Claydon drill.
In the wheat trial, a total of 31 trial plots and 16 different varieties were grown as second wheats, drilled into chopped straw stubble. In all cases these showed a yield benefit from the plots that were direct drilled using the Claydon drill, compared to those conventionally established.
Overall, the 31 plots that were direct drilled produced an average yield of 9.23t/ha as opposed to an average yield from all the conventionally drilled plots of 7.29t/ha. At current feed wheat values (£172/t Nov 2011), this 1.94t/ha (26.6 per cent) increase in yield would be worth £333.68/ha. The highest increase in yield came from the hybrid variety Hystar 100 with a 2.62t/ha increase.
The oilseed rape trials showed similar increases in yield. In all, a total of 24 different varieties were compared, which between them showed an overall average increase in yield of 0.28t/ha worth £106.68/ha. The greatest differential was for Castille, which when drilled with the Claydon yielded 5.84t/ha, a 15% per cent increase in yield that is worth an extra £293/ha (£381/t, Nov 2011).
In addition to these marked increases in yield, there is a further financial benefit to be gained from reduced cultivation costs as on-farm experience has shown that establishment time taken to drill the crop is considerably reduced. As a result, overall establishment costs are cut from about £261/ha for a full plough-based cultivation system on heavy clay (plough, three cultivations, drill and roll) to about £87/ha when direct drilling using the Claydon drill (spray, straw harrow, drill and roll).
"The results from the oilseed rape trial were no great surprise," Saaten Union's Richard Jennaway said. "The conventionally established trial suffered from the very dry conditions, but the Claydon drilled plot did not suffer nearly as badly because it had a better root structure.
"However, the wheat result was a huge surprise. Both trials were drilled in early October and it was noticeable that the direct-drilled trial established and tillered better, and again the eventual result was due to this crop having the better root structure."
By reducing the time taken to establish the crop, this makes it far easier to hit optimum drilling dates and by providing an ideal soil environment for the seed to germinate and grow, this potentially could also allow reduced seed rates to be used while still maintaining plant counts.
Unlike conventional direct drills that typically use discs to create a compressed slit into which the seed is placed, with the result that initial vigour is restricted, the Claydon drill uses a unique, patented combination of an initial 'breaker' tine, followed by a winged 'A' tine and seeding boot and finally a series of levelling 'ski' boards.
Typically working at 15cm deep for oilseed rape and 10cm for winter wheat, the front tungsten tipped chisel tines break up any compaction and create a free draining channel in which the plant roots can grow unhindered. Following directly in line with the breaker tine is the winged 'A' tine that lifts the soil and creates a 'Y' shaped 18cm wide cultivated band into which the seed is evenly distributed. Finally the levelling 'ski' boards serve to just gently cover and press the seed band.
Working at a row spacing of 30cm, the 12cm area between each band is left uncultivated to let light and air reach the plant. As a result, power requirement is kept to a minimum and only the immediate soil surrounding the seed is moved to ensure optimum seed-to-soil contact.
With Claydon drills now being operated over a wide range of farms and soil types in the UK, these trials results mirror the on-farm benefits that many farmers have achieved during the 10 years since the Claydon drill was first launched.
For more information visit: www.claydondrill.com.
