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Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What Monitors/Controllers
are supported?
A. All Monitors/Controllers
Supported. On the Register
page you will select your Monitor/Controller
brand from a dropdown, or select Other and list your Monitor/Controller, and we will
find the file type you need!
Q.
What is an ideal field for variable rate planting?
A. Extremes in soil characteristics; sands to clays, light soils to heavy soils
in the same field. Also, extremes in topography – slopes to flat ground.
Q.
For these extreme fields containing poor, marginal, fair, good and excellent
soils, what might I expect for differences in populations?
A. It is common to see a difference of 7,000 to 11,000 seeds per acre
depending on soil type. With
hybrid seed typically over $3.00 per thousand, this is $24 to $33 per acre.
Q.
What about fields that aren't so extreme?
A. Unlike fields with extreme differences in productivity where
studies support changing populations, there is limited research
supporting plant population changes where soil productivity is narrower. The
increasing price of seed has been a game changer, so logic and supposition is
now the basis for minor changes in populations. Typically, dropping from
excellent producing soils to good producing soils may save you 1-2,000 seeds
per acre ($3-$6 per acre). Dropping further to fair producing soils will often
save you another 2,000 seeds per acre (4,000 total, over $12 per acre savings).
Q.
Other considerations?
A. If you are already practicing some other aspect of Precision Ag, moving to
variable rate seeding is the next logical step. This may include assisted
steering, yield monitor with GPS, grid/zone soil testing and/or
variable rate fertilizer applications.
If you have fields with a
lot of point rows, this may be a back-door approach to moving to variable rate
planting. The equipment and capabilities needed for electronically turning rows
on and off for point rows are more than what is needed for simple variable rate
planting.
Q.
What about the equipment expense to start variable rate planting?
A. Every individual will have different starting points and different
expectations. Both the initial expense and cost per acre will depend on
individual circumstances.
Q.
Why do we ask for yield history and yield goal?
A. Simple algebra is used to assign yields to all soils (zones) in your field,
according to their ability to produce. Yield potential is a major consideration
when assigning populations.
Q.
Your default maps use NRCS soil surveys. Are they accurate?
A. Most soil surveys in the corn-belt are quite adequate for this purpose.
NOTE: – It’s a tool that’s probably better than what you are doing now. You can fine-tune the
accuracy of your soil survey by creating an Electrical Conductivity (EC) map of
the field. EC mapping is a one-time expense.
Q.
VRTrx uses NRCS derived, soil types ability to produce in the recommendation. Is this
soil data accurate?
A. The statistical branch of the NRCS is very confident in their figures.
Q.
Where do you get population recommendations for your “Standard” recommendation?
A. They are an average of recommended populations of all hybrids produced by
the leading seed companies in the northern corn-belt.
Q. Will all seed companies have similar population
recommendations?
A. Will they all match perfectly? Not a chance! Will they be close?
Probably! Can they differ greatly? No doubt!
Breeders from different
seed companies may focus on different genetic families. These genetic families
can vary widely in their characteristics. Also, seed companies may either be
philosophically aggressive or conservative in their recommendations.
Q. Regarding populations – What’s the greatest
concern?
A. Under-planting – not enough population to take advantage of an excellent
growing year, which caps yield potential.
Q. Why not push all populations to the 40-41,000 we
read about in some farm magazine articles?
A. Not all hybrids are created equal. Some will maximize yield at 32,000 and
decline in yield as populations increase over 32,000. Some hybrids will be barren if
drought stress is added to population stress at pollination time. Rain makes
grain – if we had a crystal ball and knew we’d get plenty of moisture, pushing
to extreme populations could be justified. As is – we have to play the odds – we have
to consider what is typical. All agronomic recommendations, from fertilizer
applications, tillage decisions, seed selection and seed population are based on an “average”
year.
Some hybrids require high
populations to maximize yields; these typically need high fertility and highly
productive soils to support the higher populations.
Q. What method is best for creating zones? Is it by
soil types, yield history, bare soil imagery, foliage zones?
A. All have their advantages and all have their deficiencies. If you have
generated your own preferred map, we will use that map for creating your
prescription planting plan.
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reserved.
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