Effect of Seed Distribution and Population on Maize (<i>Zea mays</i>L.) Grain Yield

Chim, Bee Khim; Omara, Peter; Macnack, Natasha; Mullock, Jeremiah; Dhital, Sulochana; Raun, W. R.

doi:10.1155/2014/125258

Cited by 20 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…This results in multiple seeds that emerge, non-uniform germination, seed rotting due to deep planting and loss of viable seed due to improper covering (Aikins et al, 2010). Chim et al (2014) reported that placing 1 instead of 2 or 3 seeds per hill could increase yields by 40%. Planting maize with the hand planter was advantageous, when compared to traditional planting practices.…”

Section: Hand Planter Importancementioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of drum cavity size and planter tip on singulation and plant emergence in maize (Zea mays L.)

Dhillon

Figueiredo

Aula³

et al. 2017

Journal of Plant Nutrition

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Average maize grain yields in developing countries are 1.8 Mg ha -1 compared to 9.9 Mg ha -1 in the USA, with much of this due to planter technology. Thirty million hectares in the world are planted by hand, where 2 to 3 seeds are placed per hill at uneven spacing resulting in heterogeneous plant stands. A hand planter was built to deliver single seeds with each strike (singulation) and to improve low grain yields encountered in developing countries. This study was conducted to evaluate drum cavity size and planter tip on singulation and plant emergence in maize, using the OSU hand planter. Two drum cavity sizes, two planter tips and four different seed sizes were used in a two-year study, started in 2014. On all four site years drum cavity 450S resulted in significantly similar emergence as those checks planted by hand and a John Deere vacuum planter. Over site years 17% better emergence was achieved with 450S vs 260-20 drums. Drum 260-20 was better at delivering singulation than 450S however, over four site years 27% misses (no seed delivered) were recorded with drum 260-20. No significant difference was seen with different tips on emergence, singulation and final grain yield. This data suggests that maize producers in developing world could use the OSU hand planter with drum 450S and the conventional tip. This planter can be used as a side-dress N-fertilizer applicator by simply changing the internal drum, that incorporates urea into the soil, minimizing volatilization losses. It also removes chemically treated seed from producer hands thus reducing health risks.iv

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Section: Hand Planter Importancementioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of drum cavity size and planter tip on singulation and plant emergence in maize (Zea mays L.)

Dhillon

Figueiredo

Aula³

et al. 2017

Journal of Plant Nutrition

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“…Limited resources, terrain and precedence largely dictate farmer practice of planting density throughout the developing world but current practice in many regions of SSA, Central and South America and Asia is to hill seed (2-4 seeds per hill) at an average of 35 cm apart (Chim et al, 2014). As such, an objective of this study was to compare grain yield to differences in established plant populations from single-seed planting.…”

Section: Experimental Site and Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Finding the Technological Sweet Spot: The Smallholder Conservation Agriculture Maize Seeder

Harman¹,

Eash²,

Morrison³

et al. 2017

JSD

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The seeder is integral to smallholder agricultural production. This technology seeks to lessen farmer labor requirements, meter seeds accurately, and minimize excessive soil disturbance. Hand seeders play a central role in conservation agriculture (CA) for the smallholder farmer as a means to plant through residue cover and penetrate non-tilled soil surfaces. Two trials in maize (Zea mays, L.) residue and soybean (Glycine max, L.) residue were conducted to test seven seeders of increasing mechanization levels: five hand operated, one mechanized, and one tractor-drawn control. The experiment site was in Mt. Gilead, Ohio, at the Eastern end of the US "Corn Belt" that had been under continuous no-till production for seven years. Experimental conditions at the site sought to mimic smallholder conditions through seeding and hand harvesting. Seeders were evaluated based on plant population establishment, crop growth stage, crop heights and final maize grain yield. The hand seeders were further evaluated based on their economic viability and usability -key challenges to the ultimate adoption of new seeding technologies. The study found that the seeders tested performed equally to the control, the John Deere MaxEmerge Conservation planter, the crop-seeding capacity and price evaluation identified the Haraka rolling planter ill-suited for smallholders while the OSU Greenseeder proved highest qualitative performance. In conclusion, all evaluations indicate that a medium level of mechanization is appropriate and necessary to be successful in a smallholder CA system although continued research is necessary.

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“…While demand for corn in developing countries remains high (Borlaug, 2007;Shiferaw et al, 2011), its yields in developing countries are lower than in developed countries (Cairns et al, 2013;Chim et al, 2014). For example, since 1961 corn yields in the top five corn producing countries in the world (U.S.A., China, Brazil, Mexico, and Indonesia) have increased three-fold (from 1.84 Mg ha -1 to more than 6.10 Mg ha -1 ) while in developing regions of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, corn yields have stagnated at less than 2 Mg ha -1 (FAO, 2011;Cairns et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Economics of the Greenseeder Hand Planter, Discrete Choice Modeling, and On-Farm Field Experimentation

Ng’ombe¹

2019

Preprint

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Corn yields in developing countries are lower than in developed countries partly due to planting methods that involve hand dropping of multiple seeds per hill. Researchers from Oklahoma State University (OSU) recently developed the Greenseeder Hand Planter (GHP) to replace such methods. The first essay determines economic breakeven levels of seed and labor savings, increases in corn yield, and reduced loss of N through reduced ammonia volatilization. Results suggest a $50 GHP used to plant 3 hectares per year would need to increase corn yields on average by about 1.12%, use 12.19% fewer seeds, or reduce labor man-days by 38.66% to equal expected net returns from traditional methods.In the second essay, I conduct Monte Carlo experiments to measure bias in the conditional logit (CL) and independent availability logit (IAL) when there is no choice set formation and when choice sets are stochastically formed. I also compare the performance of the two models using empirical data on paddlefish angler preferences collected in Oklahoma. Both the CL and IAL work well when their own assumptions hold, but not under the alternative’s assumptions. However, the IAL produces unbiased and less efficient parameter estimates when individuals actually choose from the full set of alternatives. Empirical results suggest the IAL is able to predict the attribute-cutoff.To avoid limitations from small-scale agronomic trials, there has been a movement toward large-scale, on-farm field trials but questions remain as how best to conduct them and when it is most profitable to quit them. The third essay addresses these questions by using a fully Bayesian decision-theoretic approach. Data are from Monte Carlo simulations assuming a corn-input stochastic plateau production function. Results suggest the best way to conduct such experiments is to allocate to each of the 10% of the plots, 0 lb. of N, half of N*, and 150% of N* under a 30-plot experimental design. Results further indicate that it optimal to quit such trials in year 2. Sensitivity analysis confirms the optimal quit period but suggests such experiments are most profitable by allocating unalike N levels to all of the 30% of experimental plots.

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Effect of Seed Distribution and Population on Maize (Zea maysL.) Grain Yield

Cited by 20 publications

References 22 publications

Evaluation of drum cavity size and planter tip on singulation and plant emergence in maize (Zea mays L.)

Evaluation of drum cavity size and planter tip on singulation and plant emergence in maize (Zea mays L.)

Finding the Technological Sweet Spot: The Smallholder Conservation Agriculture Maize Seeder

Economics of the Greenseeder Hand Planter, Discrete Choice Modeling, and On-Farm Field Experimentation

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