Page 21 - Ebook_CoverCrops2022_Final

Probably .the .number .one .reason .for .the .popularity .for .aerial .
application .of .cover .crops .is, .it .can .occur .before .the .cash .crop .

has .been .harvested .”

— .Scott Bretthauer
Director .of .Education .& .Safety .
National .Agricultural .Aviation .Association

Weil, the University of Maryland professor, said choice. Airplanes can drop seeds in a variety of
no-till drills are very common among farmers in conditions, including when soils are wet after
the Northeast. rain or when cash crops are sitting in fields.
“It’s reliable, you’ll get a good stand,” Weil said. According to a 2019 industry survey by the
“Drilling works, but it means you have to wait National Agricultural Aviation Association,
until after harvest.” aerial applicators use planes to seed about
956,000 acres of cover crops every year.
However, using a drill often requires more time
than other methods, which can be difficult for “Probably the number one reason for the pop-
producers who are more focused on harvesting ularity for aerial application of cover crops is, it
their cash crops. Additionally, it may be hard can occur before the cash crop has been har-
for producers to effectively use their window of vested,” Scott Bretthauer, the director of edu-
time for seeding if they are seeing rain or wet cation and safety for the National Agricultural
conditions. Aviation Association, told Agri-Pulse.
Airseeders, which blow seeds through hoses to the The most common airplane hopper size is 500
ground, are also commonly used for seeding cover gallons, though others can range from 200 to
crops. Noah Wendt, who co-owns an Iowa farm 800, depending on the model. One potential
with Caleb Akin, has previously seeded using an challenge can present itself if applicators run
air seeder mounted on a neighbor’s vertical tillage out of seeds. To reload, they often need to go
tool. The airseeder blew seed in front of the tillage back to their airstrip.
tool, which worked it into the ground. However, if the airstrip is located far from the

“We got two benefits out of that,” Wendt said. fields they are seeding, seeding will take more
“We got the cover crop seeded and it also tilled time and producers may need to pay extra.
the soil.” Additionally, some light seeds can catch the
wind when being dropped from the air and drift
Wasson, the Montana wheat producer, has
70-foot air seeders that he uses to plant brassi- away from the intended location. Others might
cas. He normally tries to get them at least ¾ to land on top of large cash crops like corn and
never fully reach the ground.
1 inch deep in the ground.
Drones are an emerging technology and
“We seed it just like we would wheat, only a little like planes, they have been adapted to plant
bit shallower,” he said.
cover crops aerially. They can be completely
For producers who need more flexibility, aerial remote-controlled, but the downside is that they
seeding options might be a more appealing are small and can’t hold very much seed.

www.Agri-Pulse.com 21