Opinions on variable rate seeding and fertility in canola?

[SASKFARMER3]

Yea we did variable rate fertilizer for the first time in 1981 till 1986. Since then no more.

Great system, you still need rain.

[bucket]

You need the right amount of rain at the right time.

I have grown better more valuable crops with 2 inches of rain than those years with 10 plus inches.

[fjlip]

And 20" like last few gives you average crop...the biggest variable is weather. Now soaked right to the surface from subsoil, no place for oxygen for roots, lucky to get an average again.

[blackpowder]

My private agronomist has clients he does it for in another district. Works well for them evening out the crop. Different conditions entirely than mine. No head office margins to pay for either. We have discussed it for my fields and believe it could only be worthwhile on 2 or 3 fields. What level of equipment and husbandry are you at now?
What are you vr ing and how? What info and methodology are you using? Notice Klause does his own. Read between the lines. It can pay. But not for every field or management style.

[MBgrower]

No need for vr in my area, all fields 160 acres , and uniform across. Drainage is number one priority in these parts.

[jamesb]

We have been slowly ramping up vari rating seed and fert. we use 5 zones on most fields. We are using the same fertilizer as before but putting it on the more productive areas. For canola we have vari rated fert more than seed. Lentils we lower seedig rates in low spots and have higher rates on the higher ground. We have ramped up soil testing quite a bit so we know what we need for fertilizer and not guessing. I don't like the outfits that rely on imagery only and don't verify whats in the soil. Soil testing and imagery go hand in hand imo.

[food4u]

Les Henry has a very good article in the last Grainews about variable rate technology.

[tweety]

Plowboy, did they show you a solid ROI, and if so, how?

[Grahamp]

I realize this is a canola discussion, but just heard Wheat Pete speak a few days ago. The biggest surprise to me was his data that showed wheat seeding rate had far less impact on yield than I would have thought.

I was expecting VR seeding etc etc. and that wasn't case at all.

Biggest takeaways for me were seed early as possible, two fungicides (flag and fusarium)and higher N Rates but split applied, and higher background rates of Phos. (That is tough one for us, don't seem to be able to build. He predicted tougher times growing wheat if people continue to grow soybeans as it drain phos levels especially if guys are replenishing.

[tknilsso]

This post was created +4 years ago. With almost half a decade in hindsight, where are your thoughts and experiences on this topic? Is vrt the "silver bullet", what works so far and what doesn't work well? Thanks

We attended a Farmers edge session this week and are thinking about trying some variable rate in canola on some farms to test it out. Seems logical.

They say a lot of farmers are doing it already.

Any one generating results you can share?