Direct drill contractor gives blueprint for success
UK, Brazilian and Australian experiences of no-till establishment were presented at the second No-Till Alliance grower day in Kent. Mike Abram reports
Direct drilling improves soil structures, reduces establishment costs, minimises soil erosion problems and improves timeliness, both of drilling and when putting inputs on later in the season.
Yet only 6% of the land in the UK was direct drilled at most, Simon Chiles said at the second No-Till Alliance farmer open day, held on land he establishes using the method.
Fear was the main reason for the low adoption rate, he suggested. “Growers are worried about lower yields, particularly in the second and third years, increased slug problems, weed control and coping with residues.
“So here is my blueprint for success,” he said.
Getting soil structure right before starting direct drilling was crucial, he said. “You cannot afford to have any low yielding years. So before direct drilling do any remedial work to get soil structure right and level the field.”
Once in a position to start, harvest management was a priority.
“It all starts with the combine. Make sure the straw is chopped and spread evenly. If you’re baling then make sure the chaff is spread evenly.”
During drilling closing the slot to get good seed to soil contact was critical. It was something he initially struggled with using his John Deere 750A drill. But the addition of a Guttler wheel helps by punching soil over the slot to close it, as well as breaking the little bit of compaction of the side of the slot made when drilling with either tine or disc drill.
Diverse cropping was an important part in Mr Chiles’ success with the technique, he reckoned. “It is no good trying this with a winter wheat/oilseed rape rotation.”
Among the crops he grew were niche crops, such as vetch, lupins, millet and, this year, soya beans, along with winter wheat, barley, oats, beans and linseed. Triticale was a particular favourite though. “Inputs cost £11/ha plus 100 unit/acre of nitrogen, and we get 3t/acre yields.”
The range of crops allowed him to use different chemistry to control weeds. “Weed control starts with the previous crop,” he said. Provided a minimum amount of soil was then moved when drilling to prevent secondary weed flushes, a good level of weed control in the previous crop would be carried over to the following crop.
But growers had to be aware of chemical residues from previous crops, he warned. “It is the number one reason for crop failures when direct drilling in my experience as a contractor.”
Added nitrogen
Extra nitrogen may be needed in the initial years of direct drilling, John Landers, a consultant who had worked extensively with Brazilian farmers, told growers.
“Up nitrogen by 25% for the first three years to help [overcome any yield drag],” he suggested.
It was a technique South Australian grower, Steve Ball, had used when converting to no-till establishment.
“We found more nitrogen was tied up in breakdown of residues, so we had to apply more to maintain yields. We also had to increase seed rates.
“But as the system starts to work better, the plants are able to extract more nutrients, and you get more cycling of nutrients in the soil.”
Chemical use in those first years had also increased, but he was now using fewer inputs, he said. That was down to a combination of reasons: Pre- and post-emergence herbicides working more effectively; lower germination of weeds because of the alleopathic effects of stubble residues and ultraviolet light degradation of ryegrass and wild oat seeds being left exposed on the surface, he suggested.
Rotation was another tool he used. “We grow two grasses followed by two broadleaved crops. The main earners are durum wheat for pasta and faba beans – the rest of the cropping is to build the rotation. It helps to keep the weeds and pests guessing.”
The ability to still use gramoxone in Australia, unlike in the UK, was a major advantage, he felt. “On the major weed problem, bifora, which smells a bit like coriander, we go twice with non-selective herbicides, so we don’t need in-crop weed killers.”
Other benefits included a huge decrease in fuel usage. Across all operations he now only used 44 litres/ha of fuel compared with 85 before direct drilling.
But preventing soil erosion had been a key factor in the uptake of direct drilling in Australia, he stressed. “Dust storms were a common occurrence in Australia. After the last big one we had a big increase in membership of our no-till club.”
Read more from the No-Till Alliance farm day
• No-till technique should draw government support, says consultant
