Dry Fertilizer Research Articles

A Computer Program for Spreader Pattern Analysis

A computer program for analysis of the distribution patterns from granular applicators has been developed. The program, originally a research tool, was revised to make it versatile enough to handle the full range of granular applicators and testing conditions, and easy for non-technical people to use. The program can be used for any size of applicator from lawn spreaders through large agricultural and aerial applicators. Although the program is most helpful in evaluating the pattern from rotary spreaders, it works equally well for other spreader types such as full-width drop-type spreaders. The program facilitates data analysis using ASAE Standard S341.1, Test Procedure for Dry Fertilizer Spreaders. The program is written in Advanced BASIC and runs on IBM PC or compatible computers. It provides a printed record of relevant data on the spreader, product tested, and test conditions. It prints out the distribution pattern and then a table of rate, coefficient of variation, and extremes in the overlapped swath at different swath widths. A plot of coefficient of variation as a function of swath width is provided. Plots of overlapped patterns at different swath widths are optional.

Dry fertilizer placement in conservation tillage: seed damage in direct drilling (no-tillage)

Placement of seed and dry fertilizer in separate bands within direct-drilled (no-till) seed grooves has been a difficult design parameter for direct-drilling openers. This paper reports the effects of dry fertilizer placement on seed damage and seedling vigour in direct-drilling systems for rape. Horizontal separation of ammonium sulphate and monammonium phosphate fertilizers and rape seed by 10 or 20 mm was found to be slightly, but significantly less injurious to seeds and produced larger seedlings than vertical separation by 20 mm, which was superior to vertical separation by 10 mm and direct mixing of the seed and fertilizer. Horizontal separation, in fact, resulted in no more seed damage (but larger seedlings) than where fertilizer was absent altogether. Horizontal separation was facilitated by a winged opener design which created an inverted T-shaped slot, although its effectiveness in this respect was diminished when used in a dry tilled soil. In an untilled silt loam soil, separation appeared to be most important at lower soil moisture contents.

Pneumatic Applicator for Uniform Distribution of Dry Fertilizer on Small Plots1

AbstractUniform distribution of dry fertilizer materials on small plot areas has been a problem for many years because most of the equipment has been developed for field application. Recent developments of pneumatic herbicide and fertilizer application equipment have been made which allow uniform distribution of these materials over various size areas. These developments made components available which were used to construct a small‐plot applicator to broadcast or inject dry fertilizer. This applicator accurately and consistently metered and distributed three fertilizer materials which varied in particle size. The use of air to distribute the fertilizer also permits various applicator widths with the same machine.

Influence of Date and Method of Metribuzin Application for Quackgrass Control in Alfalfa1

AbstractIn Wisconsin, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) occupies about 1.2 of the 1.6 million hectares of forage grown. However, quackgrass (Agropyron repens L.) causes deleterious effects on alfalfa productivity. In order to evaluate alfalfa tolerance to, and quackgrass control by, metribuzin [4‐amino‐6‐rert‐butyl‐3‐(methylthio)‐as‐triazin‐5 (4H)‐one] applied postemergence, established stands of ‘Vernal’ alfalfa at two field locations were treated at four growth stages during 1978‐1979 and 1979‐1980. Metribuzin was applied to Piano silt loam (finesilty, mixed, mesic Typic Argiudoll) in early fall and late spring (growing alfalfa) and in late fall and early spring (dormant alfalfa) at the rate of 1.12 kg/ha, using either water or dry fertilizer as the carrier. Weed control, crop tolerance, and influence of metribuzin on botanical composition and dry matter yield were evaluated. Alfalfa tolerance and quackgrass suppression depended upon the growth stage at the time of application. In both experiments, alfalfa tolerance, and. full season alfalfa and herbage dry matter yields were greater when dormant alfalfa was treated than when growing alfalfa was treated. In general, spring dormant applications were superior in controlling weeds and resulted in greater alfalfa yields than fall dormant applications. For both studies, spring treatments improved botanical composition of the forage harvested in the first cutting, as compared to fall treatments. Although differences in yields were found between methods of application, they were not constant throughout the dates. These data indicate that season or method of application were not as determinant as the growth stage at the time of treatment in providing consistent herbicidal response from metribuzin.

Comparison of Methods for Determination of Sulfur in Fertilizer: Collaborative Study

Abstract Methods with applications for total sulfur (sulfate, elemental sulfur) in dry fertilizers, for total sulfur (sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate, sulfide) in liquid fertilizers, for total sulfur (elemental sulfur) in sulfur-coated urea and elemental sulfur formulations, and for thiosulfate sulfur in ammonium thiosulfate liquid fertilizer (12-0-0, 26 S), and 7 samples with background and directions were submitted to 12 collaborating laboratories for comparison to official methods 2.160–2.161 and 2.162. The methods studied are simple and rapid, and recover the total sulfur in fertilizers containing high levels of elemental sulfur and thiosulfate sulfur. Method 2.160–2.161 does not recover total sulfur in these products. The first 3 methods have been adopted as official first action, and the present official methods for sulfur, 2.160–2.161 and 2.162, have been repealed, official first action.

Sampling Variances of Bulk-Blended Dry Fertilizers

Abstract Probe and stream samples were collected from 50 loads of dry bulk-blended fertilizer at 21 blending plants in central Iowa. The variances in N, P2O5, and K2O content attributable to sample collection were much larger than those used to compute the fertilizer Investigational Allowances recommended by the American Association of Plant Food Control Officials. Manufacturing conditions in this study were not controlled and could have inflated the sample collection variance, but no relationship was observed between the variance and a number of manufacturing parameters, including nutrient level and particle size mismatch of blending ingredients. Therefore, it seems that the sample collection variance used to compute the Investigational Allowance underestimates the inherent variability that occurs in sampling of physically blended fertilizers. Probe samples tended to be lower in N and P2O5 content and higher in K2O content than were stream samples. The use of materials poorly matched in particle size, coupled with slow blender discharge, tended to result in larger differences between probe and stream samples.

Effects of nursery seedbed density and topdressing fertilization on survival and growth of 3 + 0 red pine

Two experiments with red pine (Pinusresinosa Ait.) were established on 1 + 0 beds at Midhurst Nursery in 1966 and 1967 to study the effects on planting stock of two seedbed densities (160 and 320 trees/m2) and three fertilization levels of topdressing (superficial application of dry fertilizer: control (none), normal, and double). Observations were made as trees were lifted at 3 + 0 and also in the field 5 years after outplanting.Lower seedbed density produced heavier trees, larger stem diameters, and in most cases lower top–root ratios for outplanting. It also resulted in higher survival and taller trees at 5 years after outplanting. The normal 'N' fertilization did not significantly affect tree size in the nursery but was related to decreased survival rate and performance after outplanting.Comparisons with white pine (P. strobas L.) and white spruce (Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss.) are given.

SHORT-TERM FLOODING OF SOIL: ITS EFFECT ON THE COMPOSITION OF GAS AND WATER PHASES OF SOIL AND ON PHOSPHORUS UPTAKE OF CORN

A laboratory procedure and apparatus design are described for the sampling of the soil solution and dissolved gases below the surface of a flooded soil without disturbance of the soil or the normal diffusion process. Ethylene and CO2 concentration increased in the dissolved gases of a flooded Maryhill loam (Ortho Humic Gleysol) as the duration of flooding increased from zero to 17 days and the redox potential (Eh) decreased. Soluble Fe and Mn slowly increased as the Eh decreased. The addition of NO3-N depressed ethylene formation and the release of soluble Fe and Mn. The addition of sucrose rapidly eliminated NO3-N from the soil solution, reduced the Eh to −330 mV, stimulated ethylene and CO2 formation, and further solubilized Fe and Mn. The accumulation of dry weight, total P and fertilizer P concentrations in corn were reduced by flooding soil for periods up to 12 days. The measurement of Eh, gases and Fe and Mn in the soil solution suggest that ethylene accumulation and O2 depletion were involved in the reduction of fertilizer P uptake.

A Precision Dispenser for Dry Fertilizer Materials

AbstractEquipment for the rapid and accurate dispensing of dry fertilizer materials is described. The dispensers consist of acrylic plastic cylinders containing a cylindrical cavity and are powered by a combination of hydraulic cylinders and solenoid valves. Hydraulic and electrical power are supplied by the transporting tractor. Three dispensing cylinders of different sizes are assembled to form a unit. One such unit is used for each row. The cylinders are designed with adjustable volume and may be used in various combinations, thus giving a high degree of flexibility. The amount of material dispensed with this equipment, though less precise than obtained by weighing, is more precise than obtained by using hand‐manipulated containers. The use of this equipment has sharply reduced the time and labor required to apply treatments.With the system described, either three rates of the same material or three different materials may be dispensed for application to each of four rows. Because of the modular design of the system, adaptations for specific needs can be constructed.

Response of Corn to Small Amounts of Fertilizer Placed with the Seed: IV. Comparison of Dry and Liquid Forms1

AbstractPowdered and granular fertilizers containing 13.3, 23.1, and 11.0% N, P, and K, respectively, were prepared along with water solutions of the same material containing 10.5 and 4.4% P. These fertilizers were banded with the seed of corn (Zea mays L.) in greenhouse trials in which respiration rate, axis length, emergence, dry matter yield, and N, P, and K content were measured. No differences in nutrient availability were found between liquid and dry fertilizers studied. Granular and powdered materials were equal in toxicity. They were more toxic to corn seedlings, as measured by axis length, emergence, or dry matter yields, than the less concentrated liquid materials applied at rates providing the same total quantities of plant nutrients. Use of dilute (low‐analysis) fertilizers is probably not a practical way of reducing toxicity because of the amount of dilution required.

Applicator for Broadcasting Dry Fertilizer on Experiment Plots1

AbstractAn attachment for broadcasting granular materials from multiple‐cell, belt type fertilizer distributors is described. This equipment is economical and does not limit equipment use for banding granular materials.

Sampling Bulk Fertilizers in Railroad Cars and Piles

Abstract The AOAC official samplers (stream sampler, compartmental triers, and Missouri “D” tube) secured samples of ammoniated granular fertilizers at all locations in railroad cars and warehouse piles that were well within the AAFCO tolerances. Dry blended fertilizers in lots of this size could not be sampled as outlined in this study. Recommendations are made for the sampling of fluid fertilizers (in absence of free ammonia).

Sampling Bulk Fertilizers

Abstract An experimental "D" sampler, which encompasses a core of fertilizer in place, and a powered auger sampler are compared with official compartmented probe and stream samplers on dry mixed fertilizer from three types of blending plants in six states. Standard deviations reflecting variability and precision of the "D" tube indicate performance comparable or superior to the official samplers in both chemical and mechanical analysis. The powered auger compared favorably to the official samplers in chemical analysis, but comparison as to mechanical analysis could not be made because particle size reduction occurred. The official stream sampler failed to secure representative samples from baffle-type mixers when the discharge time was unusually short. Improved indexes of sampling accviracy and precision were secured for all samplers used. It is recommended that sec. 2.001(b), as expanded, be raised to official, final action status.

Influence of Primary and/or Adventitious Root Systems on Wheat Production and Nutrient Uptake1

AbstractSpring wheat (Triticum aestivum “Thatcher”) was grown under greenhouse conditions to evaluate the importance of individual root systems under two levels of P and two soil water regimes in the fertilizer zone. A technique was developed whereby plants could be grown with complete root systems (primary plus adventitious), with only primary roots, or with only adventitious roots.Plants that developed only primary or only adventitious roots initiated late tillers just before reaching maturity. Since plants utilizing both root systems failed to initiate late tillers, it appears that late tillering is related to root development rather than to a soil water or P fertility factor. Early tillering under P fertilization was significantly greater when plants developed both root systems than when only primary or only adventitious roots were utilized. Phosphorus fertilization did not increase tiller formation unless both root systems were present.Grain yields were significantly greater when plants developed both root systems than when either individual root system was utilized. Plants with only adventitious roots yielded significantly more grain than those with primary roots only. This suggests that adventitious roots are more physiologically active than primary roots. Phosphorus fertilization significantly increased grain yields, irrespective of root development. The dry fertilizer zone resulted in decreased wheat yields when plants developed both root systems, but yields from plants with only primary roots were not affected by the dry fertilizer zone.Nitrogen and P translocation into the grain was significantly greater when plants developed both root systems than when plants were grown with incomplete root systems.

Mechanisms of Sampler Bias

Abstract Possible mechanisms of sampler bias on dry mixed fertilizers were evaluated in an effort to develop better official sampling instruments and procedures. Three lots of dry mixed fertilizer (about 1 ton each) with known physical and chemical composition were prepared in the laboratory. Twelve vertical and 12 horizontal cores, arranged in a latin square sampling pattern, were secured from each lot with 3 triers: the AOAC double tube trier, a double tube compartmented trier, and an experimental double half-tube trier wherein the core was encompassed in place rather than being required to flow into a compartment as with conventional triers. Individual cores were analyzed physically and chemically. Only marginally significant differences were found between cores on the basis of tube opening size. The experimental double half-tube trier was less selective to particle shape than either the compartmented or AOAC triers, but differences were not statistically significant. All triers produced more representative samples from vertical cores than from horizontal cores. Cores drawn at a 60—75° angle from horizontal were not consistently different from vertical cores. Results of chemical analysis confirmed the sieve analysis findings quite closely. Horizontal cores secured with the experimental double half-tube trier confirmed that the bias observed in horizontal cores was due to downward drifting of small particles when the core area was disturbed by sampler insertion. Cores secured with the sample-retaining face upward contained an excess of fines, while cores secured with the sample-retaining face to the side or downward more nearly resembled vertical cores in composition.

Liquid manure as a grassland fertilizer: II. The response to winter applications

1. The effect of applications of liquid manure during the winter months was studied and compared with the application of dry artificial fertilizers on six different swards in two experiments in each of the years 1960, 1961 and 1962.2. The liquid manure supplied an average of 69 lb. N and 114 lb. K/acre at each application and plots received one dressing only applied in November, December, January, February or March. Further treatments consisted of applying conventional dry fertilizer supplying the same weight of nitrogen and potassium as the liquid manure and applied on the same day. A control plot received no added fertilizer or liquid manure.3. All plots were cut in May and a second cut was made 8–10 weeks later to measure residual effects of treatments.4. The maximum increase in dry-matter yields at cut 1 occurred with the February application although the January and March applications gave only slightly lower yields. The dry-matter yield/lb of N applied even from some November applications was comparable to the response obtained from applications of inorganic nitrogen made in summer in earlier experiments by other workers.5. The production of crude-protein followed a similar pattern to that of the dry-matter, and the maximum increase was from the March application.6. With similar rainfall conditions but different winter soil temperatures a mixture of Italian and perennial rye-grasses under average fertility conditions gave the highest response to liquid manure. This was followed by the later growing cocksfoot sward and the permanent pasture, on both of which yields were increased by all the monthly applications. The two swards containing grass and clover mixtures showed a response to the later dressings whereas a vigorous Italian rye-grass ley in the mild winter of 1961 was unaffected by treatment.

Liquid manure as a grassland fertilizer. I. The response to liquid manure and to dry fertilizer

1. A small-scale plot experiment was conducted for a 3-year period, 1958–60, to study the comparative effect of applications of liquid manure, water and dry fertilizer on the yield and quality of an established meadow fescue and white clover sward.2. The liquid manure was collected from a cowshed and contained on average 0·23% N, 0·003% P2O6 and 0·48%K2O.3. The treatments applied each year were: (1) control, no fertilizer; (2) and (3) a low and a high rate of water equal in weight to the liquid manure applied in treatments (4) and (5) respectively; (4) a low rate of liquid manure supplying 75 lb. nitrogen and 159 lb. K2O; (5) a high rate of liquid manure supplying 150 lb. nitrogen and 318 lb. K2O/acre; (6) and (7) liquid manure as in (4) and (5) plus 82 lb. P2O6/acre; (8) a low rate of normal dry fertilizer supplying 87 lb. nitrogen, 82 lb. P2O6 and 84 lb. K2O/acre; and (9) a high rate supplying 174 lb. nitrogen, 82 lb. P2O5 and 168 lb. K2O/acre.All treatments were applied in five equal dressings each year, one for each cut, except the P2O5 which was applied twice a year.4. The yields of herbage dry matter and crude protein were not affected by the water treatments, but both the liquid-manure and dry-fertilizer treatments caused significant increases in yield. The application of phosphate on the liquid-manure treatments had no significant effect on yields.5. The crude-protein contents of the herbage on the different treatments did not show any large or consistent differences.6. The botanical compositions of the swards were significantly different at the end of the third experimental year. On the liquid-manure treatments the content of clover had increased and the meadow fescue and dicotyledonous weeds decreased compared with the control. The mean content of clover in the swards at the end of the trial was 32, 18 and 15% on the liquid-manure, dry-fertilizer and control treatments respectively.7. There were no major differences between either the pH values or the contents of P2O5 in samples of soil on the different treatments after 3 years, but the average K2O value on the control and two water treatments was almost half that on the high liquid-manure treatment.8. The mineral contents of the herbage were determined. In 2 of the 3 years the liquid-manure treatments produced herbage with high K and lowered Ca, Mg and Na contents. The Mg content of the herbage on the four liquid-manure treatments averaged 0·26%.

A Soil‐Column Study to Compare the Chemical Availability and Movement of Phosphates from Liquid and Dry Fertilizers

AbstractThe chemical availability and movement of phosphates from liquid fertilizers and highly water‐soluble dry fertilizers were compared using four widely different California soils. Comparisons of the chemically available phosphate and migration of the phosphates were made at various time intervals after fertilizer application. The method used in determining chemically available phosphate was chosen because it has been reported as one of the best methods for correlating chemically available phosphate with plant growth.The availability of phosphate from liquid fertilizers was either equal to or greater than the phosphate availability from dry fertilizers having a highly water‐soluble phosphate source. The movement of the phosphate from the liquid fertilizer was essentially the same as that obtained from the dry fertilizers. While it is true that the quantity of applied phosphate remaining on the soil surface was greater from the solid fertilizers than from the liquid fertilizer, the amount of surface phosphate was only a small fraction of the total applied phosphate.