Stephen Loss and Jacky Desbiolles* Diversified and Sustainable Production Systems, ICARDA

*University of South Australia

Zero-tillage Seeders for the

Middle East and North Africa

Dr Jacky Desbiolles – Uni of South Australia

Outline

Tillage terminology

Seeder sizes

Seed furrow environment

ZT seeders for Middle East

Conversion and manufacture

Maru seeder comparison trial

Please interrupt!

Chinese Proverb

"He who asks, is a fool for five minutes,

but he who does not ask, is a fool for ever.“

So don’t be a fool forever…

please ask.

Importance of Seeding

Factors that influence grain yield

(for a given crop/field)

1. Time of sowing

2. Established plant density

3. Season rainfall

4. Nutrient access in season

5. Weed/pest/disease management

6. Harvest losses

7. Others…

The Main Point of the Presentation!

“Mistakes from the seeding operation

last the whole cropping season”

Tillage Terminology

Conventional tillage (CT) Multiple cultivations before sowing

Minimum Tillage A full disturbance cultivation before sowing

‘One pass’ tillage systems (sowing into undisturbed ground)

Direct Drill: full soil disturbance at seeding (duck foot openers)

No-Till (NT): reduced soil disturbance (narrow point openers)

Zero-Till (ZT): minimal soil disturbance (disc blade openers)

Please don’t use Conservation Tillage!

Seeder Scale: Small

Seeder Scale: Medium

Seeder Scale: Large

Seeder Scale: Massive!

Multi-Farming System (Qld) – up to 65m modular, end-tow planter

Guinness World record: 905ha sown in 24 hours = 38ha/hr

The “seeding system” is the most

important element of the seeder.

Seed Furrow Environment

No-till seeding system

challenge:

“to create an optimum furrow

environment in one pass,

able to promote:

- early seed germination

- complete and uniform crop emergence

- good early crop vigour”

Seed Furrow Environment

Adequate loosening below the seed zone Fertiliser proximity

Accurate seed placement Soil/seed contact and seed zone consolidation

Furrow closing and uniform depth of soil cover

Inter-row mulch protection

Pre-emergence herbicide concentration & incorporation

Seed row profile

under no-till seeding

(southern Australian context)

Pronounced furrow profile

Problems with CA

Herbicide contamination within the seed zone

Furrow boundary smearing

Over-consolidation above seeds

In-furrow residue clump

Additional challenges

& limitations Stubble-seed contact

Lower soil compaction (critical depth)

Furrow re-opening upon drying

Purpose of Seeding System

The seeding system fulfils 5 main functions….

1. Residue handling

2. Furrow opening

3. Fertiliser placement

4. Seed placement

5. Furrow closing

Seeding system research

covers the interactions between

row seeding units and soil, crop,

and residue.

Simple Tine System

1. Residue handling

2. Furrow opening

3. Fertiliser placement 4. Seed placement

5. Furrow closing

Complex Triple Disc System

1. Residue

handling

2. Furrow

opening

3. Fertiliser placement

4. Seed

placement

5. Furrow closing

Narrow Point & Press Wheel System

Typical features include:

• 16mm wide “knife” opener

• Dual banding (seed/fertiliser) ability

• Independent press wheel

Cornerstone of Australian Zero-tillage

ZT Seeders for Middle East

Simple & affordable: tines, not discs

Minimal soil disturbance: narrow points

and wider rows.

Increased “breakout force”: soil strength

Press wheels – not essential and add cost,

but more work required.

Small to medium.

ZT Seeders for Middle East

Crop residues are often light (usually grazed).

Features to allow flow of crop residues:

1) wider spacings between rows: 20-30cm

2) spread tines over more ranks

3) tine design (angle, height, shape, etc)

Tine Layout

12 rows (17cm) over two ranks

8 rows (25cm) over three ranks

Rank Spacing and Seed/Fertiliser Box

John Shearer Conversion

Syrian ZT Seeders

Seeder features: all spring tines, wide-spaced rows, narrow points, seed/fertilizer

delivery, 2 - 4m wide, 3PL or trailed, low cost ≈ $2000-6000.

A

B

Rama ZT Prototype

Mosul ZT Seeder Prototype

Seeder features: Rama tines, but otherwise made in Iraq. 11 tines x 2 ranks.

Separate seed/fertiliser boxes (rates) but placement not separated.

Maru Seeder Comparison

Vence Tudo Gaspardo under ZT

Maru Seeder Comparison

0

2

4

6

8

10

Baldan GaspardoZT

GaspardoCT

Rama Rama+ PW Vence

Seed

dep

th c

m

Seeder

Seeding Depth

Maru Seeder Comparison

50

100

150

200

250

300

12 16 20 24 28

Em

erg

ed

Pla

nts

/m2

Days After Sowing (2 December)

Crop Emergence

Baldan

Gaspardo ZT

Gaspardo CT

Rama

Rama+ PW

Vence

Summary

The seeder is a critical element in crop management

especially conservation agriculture - mistakes from the

seeding operation last the whole cropping season!

The “seeding system” must manage - residue, furrow

opening, fertiliser & seed placement, furrow closing.

In Middle East, ZT seeders need to be small affordable

but effective.

A number of companies are manufacturing or

converting ZT seeders in the region.

More Information

Australian No-Till Farmers Associations

WANTFA www.wantfa.com.au

SANTFA www.santfa.com.au

VNTFA www.vicnotill.com.au

CANFA www.canfa.com.au

CFI www.cfi.org.au

Useful references on Australian no-till farming

www.caaanz.org.au