The allocation of the necessary resources is of particular importance in order to achieve not only a good yield but also economic success. This requires very specific management of the grain crop, both through seeding rate and sowing time. Both parameters can significantly influence the yield and the quality of the harvested product.
While reducing seeding rate leads to higher protein content, which is important for marketing grain as consumer crops, it can also result in increased weed or grass infestation within the field. Farmers therefore face the difficult decision of choosing the appropriate seeding rate for each type of grain. For feed grains, narrower row spacing is certainly a more effective way to address weed infestation than for consumer grains, which must maintain a minimum protein content to achieve an economically viable price. Various institutions have conducted projects in this area, all aiming to increase protein content in wheat by reducing seeding rate. In these projects, the problem of increased weed infestation was typically solved by wider row spacing through mechanical cultivation and/or undersowing. Clear results demonstrating a significant increase in protein content in wheat are already available. However, the climatic conditions at the various locations used for this scientific activity differ considerably. Therefore, it can be assumed that with increasing rainfall, the problem of weeds and grasses will become more prominent.
The sowing time is of great importance, especially with regard to susceptibility to disease, which can have a particularly negative impact on quality.
As part of this scientific activity, trials with cereals will be conducted at various locations, varying both the seeding rate and the sowing time. These trials, each involving a small number of plants, will record yield data as well as quality, and will also include all observational data concerning plant diseases or pest infestations.
