Research targets crops row spacing preferences

摘要

WIDER crop rows enable growers to use more cost-effective weed control between rows. They fit with precision agriculture and tramline farming systems and can help different crops maintain more consistent production under yield stressing conditions. However, the system also has its flaws, including disparate performances from different crops, which means some cereals do not meet their potential in good seasons. Why is it that lupins can perform better when sown in wide rows, while cereals usually do not? Supported by growers and the Federal Government via the Grains Research and Development Corporation, Department of Agriculture researcher, Dr Bill Bowden, is using crop modelling to establish how the physiology of different crops affects their response to wide row spacings.