Researchers at the V. Ya. Yuriev Institute of Plant Production of the NAAS have launched a unique experiment on sowing winter wheat in December. On December 15, seeds were planted directly into frozen soil at an air temperature of -4°C, reports “ProAgro Group.”
“The purpose of the experiment is to test my assertion that, in theory, wheat can be sown even up to the New Year under favorable weather conditions and soil state. This is the first experiment of its kind in the 117-year history of the Institute,” said Doctor of Agricultural Sciences Serhiy Avramenko.
The initial sowing was planned for late November–early December, but heavy rains delayed the operation. Over the past three days, frost was observed on the field: temperatures dropped to -9°C at night and ranged from -3°C to -5°C during the day. The experiment tests the effect of various seed treatments — single-component, two-component, three-component, as well as insecticidal, fungicidal, and insecto-fungicidal treatments.
For comparison, on neighboring plots sown at the end of October after peas, the wheat is already at the three-leaf stage.
“About 5–10% of the seeds remain on the surface, but most are placed at a depth of about 3 cm. The seeder presses through the crust, and the seeds are well-aligned in rows. Winter thawing, wind, and snow will cover the seeds with soil, so they will still germinate,” Avramenko explained.
The scientist emphasized that late sowing requires the soil not to be too frozen, so the seeder can operate properly. Another important factor is the previous crop and the amount of crop residues: the more residues, the lower the quality of sowing. The worst results so far are observed after sunflower and green manure plots, where 10–25% of the seeds remain on the surface.
The results of the experiment will be published later, and the scientist promised to share them with the public.
As previously reported, the winter sowing campaign is already nearing completion, even though it’s only December on the calendar.
Source: SuperAgronom.com
