Effect of Phosphorus Placement and Rate, Seeding Rate, and Row Spacing on Canola
Paul Hendrickson, North Dakota State University - $9,000

The adoption of direct seeding and the desire to apply seed and fertilizer in a one-pass operation has led to the development of new fertilizer application techniques, such as mid-row banding. Mid-row banding usually involves adding an independent opener between every seed row or every second seed row. Some no-till drills with 7.5 or 10 inch row spacing have the capability to direct the seed to every other row, while placing the fertilizer in the openers between the seed rows. The large distance between the seed and fertilizer allows any rate of fertilizer to be applied with no risk of seed damage. Since phosphorus is relatively immobile, the distance from the seedling root could be a problem.

Objectives:
1. Evaluate the effectiveness of mid-row banding phosphorus fertilizer between every seed row.
2. Evaluate the yield response of canola planted in wider rows.