Development and evaluation of a residue management wheel for hoe-type no-till drills

Adoption of conservation tillage in the Pacific Northwest lags that of the U.S. in part due to the lack of reliable seeding equipment for planting into the high residue densities encountered in this region. To overcome this problem, a drill attachment was developed to manage heavy residue next to the furrow opening tines of hoe-type no-till drills. The U.S. patented device consists of a fingered rubber wheel, a rubber inner ring, and a spring-loaded arm that pivots about vertical and horizontal axes. The performance of the device was evaluated in terms of stand establishment and yield in Oregon and Washington. Test site locations varied significantly in the amount and condition of crop residue and were planted to a variety of different crops. As compared to the standard no-till drill without the attachment, use of the residue management wheel was found to increase the stand establishment of small seeded crops such as canola and mustard by over 40% and large seeded crops such as wheat and barley by approximately 17%. Increases in stand establishment were attributed to fewer piles of residue covering the seed row. Use of the device also significantly increased crop yield by up to 12% in 8 of the 20 trials conducted (P ≤ 0.10). Although the residue management wheel costs $300 per unit to fabricate, using the device may be economically feasible if it results in significant improvements in both stand establishment and yield.