Abstract
We evaluated an air-assisted strip seeder, developed by the Hokuriku research center, in farmers’ fields for four years. Plantings using the seeder had more panicles and a higher yield than those using a shooting hill-seeder. The early growth of planting using the air-assisted strip seeder was promoted by increasing the rate of seedling establishment because the seeding depth of plantings using the air-assisted strip seeder was shallower than that of plantings using the shooting hill-seeder. Tillering in this planting was also promoted, which boosted the yield, while simultaneous seeding with fertilizer application using the air-assisted strip seeder was also compared with conventional practice over two years in a field at the Hokuriku research center. During simultaneous seeding with fertilizer application, the rate of seedling establishment was equivalent to that in conventional practice. After seedling establishment, growth and yields in the simultaneous seeding with fertilizer application were equivalent to or exceeded those in conventional practice.
