Double-row drilling increases yields

Following research carried out at the University of Osnabrück in Germany, the results showed a beneficial effect on maize silage quality, with a 7.9% increase in metabolisable energy and 5.4% increase in biogas production.

The research used a large-scale trial plot. Yield and quality was measured for three different sowing rates of seven, eight and nine seeds/m² (70,000, 80,000 and 90,000 seeds/ha) using the staggered twin-row DeltaRow technique on the Lemken Azurit 9 precision drill. Compared to single-row systems, improvements were recorded in each scenario, with the greatest improvement at the rate of eight seeds/m², where yields increased by 4.5%.

Researchers suggested that this technique offers plants roughly 70% more room to grow with improved access to moisture and nutrients.