In the 2025 season, an experiment was conducted at the demo site of the “Profitable Field” project in Vinnytsia region, at Illinetsky Agrarian College, to grow soybeans. The practical task was to test how the agronomic result and economics of soybean cultivation change depending on the type of soil preparation – from direct sowing after corn stubble to traditional plowing – and separately evaluate the performance of the BEDNAR OMEGA OO6000FL seeding complex in different scenarios.
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In the field after corn, five soybean demo sowings were formed:
Direct sowing BEDNAR OMEGA OO6000FL after stubble (without prior processing).
Discing + seeding BEDNAR OMEGA OO6000FL.
Discing + seeding BEDNAR OMEGA OO6000FL (second discing option as a different degree/quality of preparation).
Plowing + seeding SZ 3.6 (traditional grain drill with continuous seeding).
Plowing + seeding BEDNAR OMEGA OO6000FL.
The sowing was done quite late on May 23, 2025. During the season, 309 mm of precipitation fell at the location, with 112 mm since sowing. At the start of vegetation after emergence, a cold stress was recorded, immediately highlighting the difference between backgrounds in terms of warming and “manageability” of the seeding layer.
Why BEDNAR OMEGA in the study: rationale for choosing the unit
The OMEGA OO6000FL seeder in this trial acted as a “universal tool” under different backgrounds – from stubble to plowing – and this is crucial because soybeans are sensitive not only to timing but also to the quality of the seeding bed, stable depth, and seed-soil contact.
Key technical solutions of the complex that have agronomic significance (specifically for soybeans and spring conditions):
Plastic hopper with a 5000 l capacity under excess pressure – stable dosing, including for small-seeded crops and fertilizers.
X-shaped arrangement of the disc battery – uniform travel, clear tracking behind the tractor.
Offset placement of the compacting roller – passability in more complex conditions, less “clogging,” more stable compaction.
Parallelogram mounting of the coulter – maintaining the desired depth even at increased working speeds.
Front options: tire roller FRONTPACK / leveling bar CRUSHBAR (or together) – leveling, clod crushing, preparation of the seeding layer “in one pass.”
Results: yield and economics in numbers. Explanation of results
The research results showed that the best combination of yield and profit was achieved where the background after corn was prepared by discing and seeding was done by the BEDNAR OMEGA seeder. Moreover, the “better” of the two discing options provided both the maximum yield (3.55 t/ha) and the maximum profit ($1202/ha).
Direct seeding after stubble: the technology is possible, but the background must be prepared
Direct seeding with OMEGA after stubble yielded the lowest overall result (2.69 t/ha). This seeding was accompanied by a prolonged vegetation period, partial lodging of crops, and increased grain moisture at harvest, ultimately reducing the level of the final yield.
Agronomically, the logic here is simple: corn stubble + uneven residue distribution and a cold start to the season lead to risks in warming, initial growth, and row formation quality.
BEDNAR OMEGA on prepared agro backgrounds – more stable than traditional grain drills
On backgrounds of different soil preparation levels, OMEGA showed significantly better agronomic results than traditional grain drills. The reason lies in the design of the unit: additional residue shredding and leveling in one pass, precise seed depth adherence, better seed-soil contact, and more stable operation in non-uniform seeding layers.
A key point of the study: SZ 3.6 physically could not perform quality seeding in the presence of plant residues in the sowing zone. Therefore, its actual working “corridor” in the study was plowing + moisture retention + pre-sowing cultivation, without alternatives for lighter/surface preparation. Thus, in modern conditions with a large amount of corn residues, quality seeding can be done by a seeding complex that has the appropriate equipment for leveling the soil surface, residue shredding, compaction, and precise seed sowing in one pass.
Practical conclusion of the season: how to prepare the background for soybean seeding for maximum return
For the most effective soybean sowing in the soil conditions of the site, it is recommended to prepare the soil in advance by discing with the BEDNAR ATLAS disc harrow, which ensures shredding and mixing of corn residues to a depth of up to 18 cm.
The study showed that the BEDNAR OMEGA seeding complex is a universal solution that can provide quality seeding under different soil processing technologies. Considering the predecessor of corn to achieve the maximum result, it is recommended to prepare an agro background where a uniform seeding layer and control of plant residues are combined. In such conditions, BEDNAR OMEGA yielded up to 3.55 t/ha and up to $1202/ha of expected profit – the best result in the trial.