From all these trials, I will later also provide longer overviews where I will write in more detail about how and why.
- Winter Rapeseed
My cross and misery, and Achilles’ heel. Will I finally be able to grow decent winter rapeseed?
Trial objective: To grow a yield of at least 3 tons/ha with a nitrogen use restriction (120 kg/ha per year) in the field. I am testing different seed treatments and sowing densities. Throughout the growth period, I will try to follow the instructions I prepared together with Rene Brand.
Variety: “Texas” from Rapool
Seed treatments: Integral Pro (standard), Lumiposa, Lumiposa + sulfur
Sowing density: 50 seeds/m² (standard), 40 seeds/m², 30 seeds/m²
Sowing date: August 19, 2024, Horsch Focus, 30 cm row spacing.
Fertilizer: 200 kg/ha YaraMila NPK (S) 14-14-21 (6)
Previous crop: Winter barley
Trial size: 13 ha
- Hybrid Winter Wheat
In 2023/24, I tested hybrid winter wheat cultivation on 4 hectares and achieved a yield of 6.3 t/ha using 79 kg/ha of nitrogen in the spring (total 136 kg/ha).
Rapool/Saaten Union offered me to test some brand-new and slightly more well-known early hybrid winter wheat varieties. I selected 5 varieties and decided to compare them with KWS Ahoi.
Trial objective: To compare different hybrid varieties with each other and with a conventional line variety. Despite the higher price, is hybrid winter wheat so much more productive that it’s worth it?
Varieties: Hyvega, Hyreal, Hyacinth, APBH 6270-527, APBH 6409-554 + KWS Ahoi
Sowing density: Hybrids 160 seeds/m², KWS Ahoi 375 seeds/m²
Sowing date: September 5, Horsch Pronto 6DC
Fertilizer: 200 kg/ha NPK 10-26-26+2S
Previous crop: Winter rapeseed
Trial size: 11 ha
- Winter Wheat “Perenaise”
My small personal project—to grow an Estonian variety by an Estonian farmer, in Estonia. Document the work done in the field. Hope that it will become food-grade grain and be milled into flour.
Trial objective: To give Estonian-bred winter wheat a platform. To introduce people to how grain grows and how it becomes flour. To sell Estonia’s first flour with fully documented origin from start to finish.
Variety: Perenaise
Sowing density: 400 seeds/m²
Sowing date: September 7, Horsch Pronto 6DC
Fertilizer: 200 kg/ha NPK 10-26-26+2S
Previous crop: Red clover and dandelion 🙂
Trial size: 8 ha
