Effects of Furrow Opener Type and Press Wheel Configuration on Direct Drill Planter Performance in Wheat Cropping

The furrow opener type and press wheel configuration in no-till seeders can have a major effect on crop emergence in conservation tillage systems. This is particularly important in southern regions of Fars province where in annual double-cropping systems (winter wheat and summer maize) a large volumes of maize residue remain on the soil surface. A field study was conducted to determine the effects of furrow opener type and press wheel configuration on sowing performance and subsequent wheat yield in rotation with corn. The experimental design was a randomized complete block in four replications. The treatments consisted of four different configurations for no-till seeder: no-till seeder with tine opener without press wheel (Notill.1), no-till with tine opener and press wheel (Notill.2), no-till with disk opener without press wheel (Notill.3), no-till with disk opener and press wheel (Notill.4), and conventional planter with shoe opener, and press wheel (Con.Drill). The results showed that furrow opener type and press wheel configuration had a significant effect on planting depth, speed of emergence, depth uniformity and crop yield. The Notill.1 and Notill.2 treatments increased sowing depth by 36.4% compared to Notill.4 and Notill.3 treatments. The highest depth uniformity was observed in Notill.3 and then in Notill.4 treatments,. The findings revealed that upon removing the press wheel from the seeding unit, higher speed in emergence was found in both the disk and tine opener treatments (Notill.1, Notill.3), compared to press wheel treatments (Notill.2, Notill.4). A comparison of mean values wheat yield showed that when the press wheel was not used, the Notill.1 and Notill.3 treatments caused increasing in  crop yield by 11.7% and 14.2%  as compared to Notill.2 and Notill.4 treatments, respectively.