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Exploring fertiliser injection at establishment

May 28, 2010

Comparing low-cost rape seeding systems is popular at Cereals, but last year visitors were shown the option of applying liquid fertiliser at establishment. Jane Carley looks at development of the systems and initial verdicts.

Combining operations to reduce the number of passes is becoming popular during establishment.

Oilseed rape lends itself well to this approach, and broadcast systems mounted on cultivators have become almost standard for low-cost rape establishment.

Opinion, however, is polarised on the best combination of tines and rollers and their positioning relative to seed outlets.

Autumn conditions vary, and in a difficult season, results can be disappointing. Fertiliser gives rape a kickstart and helps battle competition from weeds and volunteers, but regulations restrict the amount which can be used.

Several manufacturers are looking at systems to incorporate this application at seeding, using liquid applicators to add nutrients in a band in the seed row and make more efficient use of lower fertiliser doses, while cutting out a pass with the spreader.

Chafer Machinery has developed the Quickstart applicator. Commercial manager Rob Starkey says: “Band application offers the opportunity for reduced fertiliser application without yield penalty. It produces strong crop establishment with reduced weed pressure, as no fertiliser is applied between the crop rows, and a saving from reduced passes.”

However, he recognises a potential issue for many systems is where to mount the fertiliser tank. 

“Most cultivators are pulled by high horsepower tractors, often on tracks. This limits tank mounting options.

“One solution is to mount the tank on the cultivator, but many do not have the room and it can cause problems with weight distribution and the weight on the three-point linkage. 

“We have engineered two solutions which could help. The fir st is a mid-mounted tank frame for trailed cultivators, removing the need to mount the tank on the cultivator or tractor. The alternative is a front-mounted frame to go on the tractor’s front linkage, complete with a mounting point for a front weight. This offers improved weight distribution, especially for mounted cultivators.”

Incentive

David Armstrong, who farms at Bardney, Lincolnshire, was given the incentive to look at liquid fertiliser placement for 63ha (155 acres) of potatoes and for OSR by rising fertiliser costs. “We were already using a five-leg Cousins V-form subsoiler with a Techneat seeder to establish the rape, but found the results varied on different soils. The chance to inject fertiliser on rape and potatoes justified the equipment cost,” he says.

A Chafer Quickstart tank is mounted on the front linkage of the tractor with nitrogen and phosphorous fertiliser pumped to a dribble bar in front of the subsoiler leg at 20kg/ha (8kg/acre), while seed is dropped behind.

“Most crops established well last autumn, so it was initially hard to see the benefit,” says Mr Armstrong. “By spring we could see a significant difference, especially on low phosphorous soils. Seedlings were 60-90cm, compared to 30cm for those which had not received the fertiliser.

Opico’s James Woolway, a pioneer of low-cost rape establishment systems, says applying fertiliser at sowing increased oilseed rape yields by 4.7 per cent, from 4.73t/ha (1.9t/acre) to 4.95t/ha (2t/acre) in a trial at Masstock’s Lincoln SMART farm.

Banded application

Banded fertiliser application produced an average yield 4.1 per cent higher, at 5.05t/ha (2.05t/acre) - an increase of 0.2t/ha (0.08t/acre) over the broadcast method.

“Applying fertiliser at seeding, where it is immediately available to the emerging crop, concentrates the nitrogen and results in an overall yield advantage of 0.32t/ha,” says Mr Woolway. “Research is continuing this year with 14 trials on different soil types and with different varieties.

“While yield benefits are the ultimate aim, it’s also a ‘belt and braces’ approach to ensure good autumn establishment of oilseed rape crops.”

Initial Nitro-Jet models from Opico were designed to be fitted to He-Va subsoilers, but a ‘skid unit’ model designed to be fitted on to any make or model of cultivator has since been added.

“Using the Nitro-Jet system, liquid fertiliser is applied in a precise band via narrow flat-fan nozzles positioned behind each subsoiler leg,” says Mr Woolway. “This allows reductions in application rates as nitrogen is only applied down the rows and not in between where establishing plants are unable to use it.

“Since fertiliser is mixed with soil before seed placement, it is not concentrated enough to cause seedling scorch.”

Techneat will launch a new machine at Cereals, combining a base unit with flexible options for band spraying on the seeding leg and surface incorporation with the seed, or directly behind a cultivator leg to variable depth.

Applications can be GPS controlled with Techneat’s variable rate controller, or land wheel driven. The company says the single GPS signal can control both the TerraCast seeding unit and the fertiliser unit.  

Fertiliser manufacturer’s view

Fertiliser supplier Yara is conducting ongoing trials of liquid fertiliser placement at establishment in 2010.

Agronomist Mark Tucker (pictured) says: “The technique is already proven in other crops, increasing the efficiency of the use of nutrients, although this has been with phosphorous rather than nitrogen.

“ We need to look at whether optimum results can be gained from applying nitrogen, phosphorous or both.”

Mr Tucker says there is little firm data as yet, although crops clearly look good, with strong roots and even development. He suggests three years of data will be needed before clear conclusions are drawn.

“We have yet to define whether the main benefit is increased yields or reduced fertiliser use. By accounting for the levels on nitrogen in the crop canopy, spring applications can be reduced.

“For farmers in NVZs who are restricted to 30kg/ha of N, it is an advantage to be able to use less fertiliser to get the same results.”

The choice of products is another dilemma, he says: “If using both phosphorous and nitrogen, the percentage of nitrogen is less, so volumes need to be increased, slowing down the operation. It is much quicker to use just nitrogen, so farmers need to decide on their crop needs.”

Investment into nutrient-banding system pays off

Fred French grows 700ha (1,730 acres) of rape at Clements Farm, Meopham, Kent, and in 2009 established 275ha (680 acres) with a Simba Flatliner subsoiler, Opico Variocast and Nitro-Jet combination for the first time.

“I have always used a Discordon and Vaderstad Rapid drill to establish rape, and still did a lot with that combination in 2009, as the output is much greater than a subsoiler-based system -100ha a day compared with 20-23ha,” he says. “But NVZ regulations are restricting the amount of autumn fertiliser which can be used, so it makes sense to use the Nitro-Jet to apply nutrients in a band.”

Opico transferred an existing Variocast from a cultivator to the Flatliner and fitted the fertiliser tank, but Fred says the set-up represented a significant investment.

“Volunteers are a major issue and the less soil that is moved, fewer come up, so using a subsoiler is the best option.

“The seeder works from the tractor radar, and an implement switch automatically turns the fertiliser off when the subsoiler is lifted, so it is easy to operate.”

Using Omex Ferti N, Fred applied 80 litres/ha with the 1,000 litre tank giving 12.5 hectares (31 acres) per fill.

He says there is a noticeable difference in the appearance of the crops which were established in this way.

“They are bigger, healthier plants and fertiliser costs should come down a little as we are using less spring N.

“Weed pressure is less, which may lead to using less herbicides. We will do as much of the rape as we can with the subsoiler and fertiliser system this year.”

 

 

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