When Canadian farmers, Strang Farms, made the shift to strip tillage and RTK guidance, it also led to the need for more precise seed placement.
It started when they purchased a 16-row strip-till machine without the traditional markers on it, Mike Strang said.
That’s when they were also introduced to precision farming. Today, Strang Farms operates with the aid of three Topcon mid-range auto-steering packages, which include a full-colour LCD monitor, as well as the AGI-4 receiver.
Although the receiver features standard support for WAAS and EGNOS networks, it is easily upgraded to RTK correction services including 900 MHz, 450-470 MHz, UHF and GSM.
Mr Strang said they used RTK guidance via Topcon’s real time GNSS reference network service, which delivers GNSS correction data and expansive coverage.
“RTK guidance is the key component in our precision farming operation,” Jeff Strang said. “Without RTK, we wouldn’t be able to achieve the type of accuracy we need to take our operation to the next level.”
That next level includes variable-rate seeding twin–row corn and twin-row soybeans into a 25 cm strip that has been tilled into stubble from the previous crop. While tilling they are also applying variable-rate fertilizer based on a prescription derived from yield history and field soil tests.
According to Mike Strang, preparations for corn begin in the fall when they till the soil about 200 mm deep, while applying a variable rate application of potash. The following spring, the family comes back with a shallow strip tillage pass and applies variable rate phosphate and a straight rate of nitrogen.
“We normally put on about half our target rate of nitrogen with the spring strip till pass,” he said. “We’ll then come back with the Spra-Coupe and variable rate the rest of the nitrogen using a crop-sensing system to measure leaf color.”
Soybeans are planted into strips that have been prepared by splitting the old cornrows. Potash and phosphate are variable rate applied according to a prescription based on past yield history and soil samples.
Both crops are planted with a Kinze Twin-Row planter. Originally designed for planting soybeans in 38 cm rows, the unit has simply been modified to plant two rows about 19 cm apart within the 25 cm strips, which are spaced on the traditional 76 cm centers.
“Without the accuracy of RTK guidance, it would be nearly impossible to plant two rows into that size of a strip,” Jeff Strang said.
