Demonstration Plan for Full Mechanization in the Double-low High-quality Rapeseed Protection Area from 2016 to 2017

Document No. 35 [2016] of Hubei Provincial Department of Agriculture Office

Agricultural (Agricultural Machinery) Bureaus (Committees, Offices) of all cities, prefectures, and counties (districts), relevant divisions of the Department, and relevant directly affiliated units of the Department:

In order to earnestly implement the spirit of the "Guiding Opinions of the General Office of the People's Government of Hubei Province on the Construction of Double-low High-quality Rapeseed Protection Areas" (Document No. 21 [2016] of Hubei Provincial Government Office), strengthen the integration of agricultural machinery and agronomy, and promote the accelerated development of full mechanization in rapeseed production, our department has formulated the "Demonstration Plan for Full Mechanization in the Double-low High-quality Rapeseed Protection Area from 2016 to 2017", which is hereby issued to you. Please implement it in light of local conditions.

Office of Hubei Provincial Department of Agriculture

July 18, 2016

Demonstration Plan for Full Mechanization in the Double-low High-quality Rapeseed Protection Area from 2016 to 2017

According to the spirit of the "Guiding Opinions of the General Office of the People's Government of Hubei Province on the Construction of Double-low High-quality Rapeseed Protection Areas" (Document No. 21 [2016] of Hubei Provincial Government Office), in order to accelerate the integration and demonstration of key technologies for rapeseed production mechanization and promote the integration of agricultural machinery and agronomy, this implementation plan is specially formulated.

I. Objectives and Tasks

Focus on creating demonstration areas for full mechanization of rapeseed production, each covering an area of 5,000 to 10,000 mu, respectively, in 35 key counties (cities, districts) where the rapeseed planting area exceeds 200,000 mu. In the demonstration areas, comprehensively establish a mechanized production plan with the core of mechanical direct seeding, mechanical harvesting, and straw crushing and returning to the field, and a technical route integrating agricultural machinery and agronomy featuring "seizing the soil moisture for early sowing, reasonable close planting, digging ditches for drainage, precise fertilization, and herbicide application for weed control before crop emergence". Through the radiation and driving effect of the demonstration areas, promote the integration of agricultural machinery and agronomy, reduce production costs, and improve comprehensive efficiency. Strive to make the comprehensive mechanization level of rapeseed cultivation, sowing, and harvesting within the protection area reach over 50%. Without increasing costs, reducing the unit yield, or lowering the quality, reduce the labor input per mu by more than 2 persons.

II. Demonstration Requirements

The demonstration areas should be selected in regions with convenient transportation, good irrigation and drainage conditions, medium soil fertility, and a relatively high level of mechanization. It is recommended to promote the demonstration area in an integrated manner in whole townships (towns). Select double-low rapeseed varieties suitable for mechanical harvesting, and implement the "five unifications" measures such as unified variety, unified mechanical tillage, unified mechanical pest control, unified management, and unified mechanical harvesting, and popularize and apply new varieties, new technologies, and new achievements.

(1) Optimally select fine varieties and provide seeds uniformly. According to the local ecological conditions and planting systems, the demonstration areas should select double-low rapeseed varieties suitable for mechanized operations, such as resistance to lodging, resistance to pod shattering, resistance to diseases, and compact plant types, such as the Zhongyouza, Huayouza, Zhongshuang, Huashuang and other double-low series varieties. All demonstration areas should adopt the method of unified seed supply to ensure high quality, high yield, and high efficiency.

(2) Optimally select direct seeding machines and sow in a timely manner. It is recommended to use the 2BFQ-6 type rapeseed precision combined direct seeding machine of Wuhan Huanghe brand, and support it with a wheeled tractor with a power of more than 70 horsepower for combined operations, which can complete a number of operations such as traction ditch digging, full rotary stubble removal, precision seeding, density control, fertilization, soil covering, and contour following at one time.

(3) Optimally select harvesters and harvest in a timely manner. According to the local actual situation, select combined harvesting and segmented harvesting according to local conditions. "Lishougu" and other desiccants can be sprayed 4-5 days before harvesting, and then a combine harvester can be used for one-time harvesting; or after manual cutting and drying, use machinery to complete the segmented harvesting technologies such as picking, threshing, and cleaning operations, straw crushing, and rapeseed packing.

(4) Optimally select drones and implement "one promotion and four preventions". It is recommended to use unmanned plant protection machines to spray a mixed solution of potassium dihydrogen phosphate, plant growth regulators, insecticides, and fungicides on the leaves, which can play the roles of promoting growth and development, preventing empty flowers, preventing premature aging, preventing sclerotinia stem rot, and preventing high-temperature forced ripening, and promote the work of "one promotion and four preventions".

III. Technical Key Points

(1) Remove stubble and prepare the land, and apply sufficient base fertilizer. After the previous crop is harvested, use a straw crushing and returning machine to crush the straw and then rotary till the stubble and return it to the field to ensure that there is no excessive residue on the surface of the field. Apply 40-50 kg of rapeseed special fertilizer per mu as the base fertilizer, and evenly apply it into the soil in combination with land preparation. It is recommended to apply the "Yishizhuang" brand long-acting (slow-release) rapeseed fertilizer (N-P2O5-K2O-microelements 25-7-8-5%) as the base fertilizer. Each region should determine the amount of fertilizer application according to the local rapeseed yield potential. For the target yield of less than 150 kg/mu, the amount of base fertilizer application per mu is 40 kg; for the target yield of 150-200 kg/mu, the amount of base fertilizer application per mu is 50 kg; for the target yield of more than 200 kg/mu, the amount of base fertilizer application per mu is 50 kg plus 20 kg of ammonium bicarbonate.

(2) Seize the soil moisture for early sowing and conduct precision direct seeding. The suitable sowing period for rapeseed in our province is from the end of September to the beginning of October. Early sowing within the suitable sowing period is likely to obtain high yields. Under the condition that the crop rotation allows, all regions should try their best to seize the soil moisture for early sowing and cultivate strong seedlings. Before sowing, use "Painuoke" for seed dressing, and the amount of seeds used per mu is 250-300 g to ensure that the reserved seedling density in the field reaches about 30,000 plants per mu; preferentially select a combined seeder that is matched with a large or medium-sized tractor and can complete multiple operations such as shallow tillage, stubble removal, sowing, and fertilization at one time for precision seeding. For the fields where mechanical direct seeding is not possible, manual no-tillage direct seeding and mechanical ditch digging and soil covering can also be used for sowing. Dig the "three ditches" well to prevent waterlogging, rotten seeds, or waterlogging damage to the seedlings after sowing.

(3) Apply pesticides by classification and conduct chemical weed control. Within 3 days after rapeseed direct seeding, use acetochlor and glyphosate diluted with water to evenly spray for herbicide application for weed control before crop emergence. For the fields where the weed control effect is not good, conduct chemical weed control during the period when the rapeseed has 4-5 leaves and the weeds have 2-3 leaves. For the fields mainly infested with gramineous weeds, when the weeds reach the 3-4 leaf stage, select quizalofop-p-ethyl herbicide for stem and leaf treatment. For the fields mainly infested with broad-leaved weeds, before the weeds reach the three-leaf stage, 25% haloxyfop-P-methyl or 50% carfentrazone-ethyl can be selected for spraying per mu. It is generally advisable to use herbicides only once to prevent the phytotoxicity of the drug residues to the current and next crops.

(4) Conduct chemical regulation according to the seedling situation. Chemical regulation is an important technical means for direct-seeded rapeseed to prevent freezing, resist lodging, and achieve high yields. In the early ten days of December, the average daily temperature is generally above 10°C. For the vigorous seedlings with a plant height exceeding 40 cm, chemical regulation should be carried out in a timely manner. Commonly, 100 g of 15% paclobutrazol wettable powder or 40 g of 5% uniconazole can be diluted with 50 kg of water and evenly sprayed, which can promote the root growth of rapeseed during the overwintering period. At the same time, it can dwarf the plants, increase the number and thickness of green leaves, enhance the freezing and cold resistance of rapeseed, be conducive to the strong seedlings overwintering, and facilitate future mechanical harvesting.

(5) Implement "one promotion and four preventions" and prevent diseases and pests. Mainly do a good job in the prevention and control of aphids, diamondback moths, and sclerotinia stem rot. Spray "New Meizhouxing" during the bud and bolting stage to supplement fertilizer and prevent diseases, with a dosage of 90 ml/mu, diluted with 30 kg of water for spraying. During the flowering period, spray a mixed solution of potassium dihydrogen phosphate, plant growth regulators, insecticides, and fungicides on the leaves to achieve the comprehensive effects of preventing empty flowers, preventing premature aging, preventing sclerotinia stem rot, and preventing high-temperature forced ripening. In the prevention and control of sclerotinia stem rot, adhere to two applications of pesticides. Depending on the weather conditions, the first application of pesticides can be made during the early flowering period, and then another application of pesticides should be made for prevention and control after an interval of 7 days.

(6) Harvest in a timely manner according to local conditions. If the rapeseed is harvested too early by machine, the green pods are not easy to be completely threshed, the grain moisture content is high, the quality is poor, and it is not easy to store and transport; if it is harvested too late, the pods will burst and the grains will fall off, resulting in serious losses. When using mechanical combined harvesting, 4-5 days before harvesting, spray "Lishougu" desiccant on the upper and middle parts of the rapeseed; for segmented harvesting, when 70%-80% of the pods in the whole field have an appearance color of loquat yellow, they should be harvested manually or by machine, and after drying and ripening for about 1 week, a combine harvester should be used for threshing.

IV. Main Measures

(1) Strengthen leadership and promote coordinated development. In order to ensure the smooth progress of the demonstration work of full mechanization in rapeseed production, the agricultural and agricultural machinery departments in all regions should cooperate with each other, actively strive for the attention and support of the local government and relevant departments, establish a target responsibility system, and coordinately promote the full mechanization work of rapeseed production to ensure the demonstration effect.

(2) Make scientific plans and promote overall development. The demonstration counties (cities, districts) should plan well, select the demonstration sites properly, formulate plans, and do a good job in implementation. Adhere to standardized and standardized operations, promote the full mechanization of production operations, and ensure that the effect of "showing the farmers and leading the farmers to work" is achieved.

(3) Conduct training and summarization and do a good job in publicity. The demonstration counties (cities, districts) should adopt various forms such as on-site training meetings and observation meetings to improve the level of rapeseed production mechanization of the farmers in the demonstration areas and the surrounding areas; timely summarize the achievements and experiences of the demonstration and promotion work, analyze and solve the difficulties and problems; widely use the media, newspapers, and other means to publicize the advantages of cost reduction and efficiency increase of mechanized production, improve the popularity rate of production mechanization, and create a good working atmosphere.