Fertilizer Application Technology Research Articles

Perceived Influence of Communication Strategies on Agricultural Technologies Utilization among Farmers in Nigeria: A Study of NIHORT Adopted Village and School

This paper examined perceived influence of National Horticultural Research Institute’s (NIHORT) communication strategies on agricultural technologies utilization among adopted village commercial farmers in Awaye community, Egbeda local government area, and student farmers in Oba Abass Aleshinloye Grammar School, Eleyele in Ibadan North West Local Government Area Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria. A total enumeration sampling procedure was used to obtain a sample size of 51 commercial farmers and student farmers altogether. Structured questionnaire was administered to assess their exposure and perceptions of the communication strategies implemented by NIHORT and analyzed using descriptive and inferential deductions. The results indicated that the communication strategies deployed by NIHORT had a positive influence on the farmers’ utilization of agricultural technologies. Specifically, the majority of the farmers (X̅=3.12) indicated that they had developed a greater trust in NIHORT’s communication strategies and the agricultural information disseminated through them, which encouraged the adoption of fertilizer application technology introduced with resultant effect in farm production increase. Furthermore, majority (52%) of the farmers have access to the agricultural messages disseminated through NIHORT. However, the farmers’ extent of exposure to and perception of the communication strategies deployed by NIHORT has no significant influence on the level of utilization of the agricultural technologies (p=0.579). The study recommended the integration of farmers’ needs into communication framework by agricultural research institutes to provide agricultural technologies’ utilization within farming communities to enhance sustainable agricultural productivity in Nigeria. Keywords: Adopted school, adopted village, agricultural technologies, communication strategies, farmers, NIHORT, utilization

Coastal Acid-Sulfate Soils of Kalimantan, Indonesia, for Food Security: Characteristics, Management, and Future Directions

Coastal acid-sulfate soils are crucial for producing crops and thus, for food security. However, over time, these soil resources experience degradation, leading to higher agro-input, lower yields, and environmental hazards that finally threaten food security. The optimal use of this fragile resource is only attained by implementing vigorous integrated water–soil–crop management technologies amid the climate change impact. This study aimed to review the distribution, properties, use, and management of acid-sulfate soils in Kalimantan, Indonesia. Acid-sulfate soils cover about 3.5 Mha of the coastal area in Kalimantan and have high acidity, high-risk iron and aluminum toxicity, and low fertility, requiring precise water management, amelioration and fertilizer application, crop variety selection, and rice cultivation technologies. Lime, biochar, organic fertilizer, compost, ash, and fly ash are ameliorants that raise pH, reduce iron and aluminum toxicity, and improve crop yield. Rice cultivation has developed from traditional to modern but needs re-designing to fit local conditions. Depending on the soil nutrient status, rice cultivation requires 80–200 kg ha−1 of urea, 50–150 kg ha−1 of SP36, 50–150 kg ha−1 of KCl, and 125–400 kg ha−1 of NPK compound fertilizer, but is affected by CH4 and CO2 emissions. Good water management impacts the effective implementation of amelioration and fertilizer application technologies. The remaining challenges and future directions for water management, amelioration, fertilizer application, crop varieties, cultivation techniques, land use optimization, climate change adaptation and mitigation, technology adoption and implementation, and resource conservation are outlined. Acid-sulfate soils remain a resource capital that supports food security regionally and nationally in Indonesia.

Drip irrigation and new fertilizer application technology for cotton variety C-8286 in the condition of global climate change

Prior studies have demonstrated that using furrow irrigation to develop the growing stage of upland cotton in Uzbekistan dictates when to schedule irrigation. The paper presents additional research on cotton irrigation timing variety C-8286 and how it affects irrigation crop water productivity and seed-lint yield as well as new fertilizer application technology under furrow and drip irrigation technology. Field research was carried out in silt loam soils of Samarkand province, Uzbekistan, in 2021 and 2022. When developing the irrigation schedule Fc with regard to field water content capacity (Fc), the stages of development from germination to blooming and from blooming to boll creation, and maturity were taken into consideration. The optimal development, growth, and output of seed lint for the. C-8286 cotton variety were achieved in drip irrigation technology with irrigation scheduling of 75-75-70% of Fc, wetting front layer of 50-50-50 cm during the abovementioned three growth stages, respectively where the seed-lint yield totaled 5.20 t ha-1. Irrigation scheduling of 75-75-70% Fc for cotton variety C-8286 and drip irrigation ought to be regarded as appropriate procedures for both aforementioned types of cotton grown on silt loam soils in Samarkand province and for comparable soil-climatic circumstances of Uzbekistan and Central Asia.

Modeling economic-environmental-ecological trade-offs for non-point source control strategies: A case study of Dianchi lake watershed, China

Non-point source (NPS) pollution has become a primary threat to the water environment. With the implementation of numerous control projects, striking a balance between economic costs and efficiency has become an urgent issue for decision-makers. To identify the optimization solutions for best management practices (BMPs) at the watershed scale, a genetic algorithm and the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model were combined to evaluate the trade-offs of NPS control strategies. The BMPs considered in this model included soil testing and fertilizer application technology, integrated pest management projects, conservation tillage, lakeside belt ecological construction, forest construction, and vegetation filter strips. The decision variables are the type and size of the BMPs, with the objective of minimizing costs while simultaneously maximizing both total phosphorus (TP) reduction and ecosystem service value. TP reduction was simulated usinga calibrated SWAT model that successfully assessed NPS pollution in the Dianchi lake watershed. Considering NPS generation and transfer, three NPS control scenarios were designed: source reduction, process retention, and integrated control. The upper limits of the costs for three scenarios were 157, 4921, and 5013 million yuan, respectively. It is suggested that the ecological benefits should be taken into account in the BMPs design. This finding is conducive to generating optimized control schemes that can effectively balance the trade-offs between socioeconomic costs and environmental sustainability.

Motivation of farmer group members in the application of balanced fertilization in maize (Zea mays) plant cultivation

Balanced fertilizer application technology aims not only to increase crop production but also to improve fertilizer efficiency and protect the environment from agrochemical pollution. However, its application in the field still faces several barriers, both technical and non-technical. This study aims to determine the level of farmer motivation to apply balanced fertilization in maize production, identify the factors that influence the level of farmer motivation, and develop effective strategies. In addition, the study aims to compare maize plant growth between farmers' habits and the application of balanced fertilization. The methods used in this study were descriptive and multiple linear regression. The descriptive quantitative method was used while the data were collected through observation, questionnaires, interviews, and literature studies. The population consisted of 181 maize farmers who were members of farmer groups. The respondents were 65 individuals selected through purposive sampling from 181 individuals who were members of farmer groups and engaged in maize cultivation. In addition, field experiments were conducted with two treatments: farmers' custom or P0, consisting of urea 400 + NPK 15-15-15 100 kg/ha + fertilizer scattered on the soil surface, and balanced fertilization or P1, consisting of urea 300 + NPK 15-15-15 300 kg/ha + fertilizer buried in the soil. The results of the study showed that the farmers' motivation to apply balanced fertilization was in the medium category with 67.7%. The study also identified two significant factors that influenced the farmers' motivation, namely the function of farmer groups with p = 0.004 and government support with p = 0.001. To increase farmer motivation, socialization programs should focus on the lowest indicator value, which was the ability of farmers to apply balanced fertilization. The field experiments showed that the growth of maize plants in the balanced fertilizer treatment was significantly better than that in the farmer's habit treatment. This was indicated by plant height, number of leaves, dry kernel yield, and cob+husk yield.

Fertilizer technology based on optimized nitrogen release from urea‐loaded natural superabsorbent carriers

AbstractThere is a pressing need for advanced fertilizer application technologies that enhance crop yields, maintain soil health and reduce the environmental impact from agriculture. Here, we report on the optimization of nitrogen release profiles of urea‐loaded polysaccharide (starch) superabsorbent carriers, employing analytical techniques including UV–VIS, FTIR, EDX, SEM and GC‐FID for structural and phospholipid fatty acids PLFA analyses. We fitted existing kinetic models to the uptake and release profiles, providing a link between nitrogen release kinetics and carrier structural variables. The inclusion of zeolite microparticles in the starch‐based carriers accelerated the rate of nitrogen release and increasing the maximum amount released. Field tests of the technology on maize crops demonstrated improved plant parameters and enhanced the soil microbial population. These findings highlight the promise of urea‐loaded natural superabsorbent carriers as a sustainable alternative to core‐shell CRF fertilizers and urease inhibitors.

Variable rate fertilizer application technology for nutrient management: A review

Variable rate fertilizer application technology for nutrient management: A review

Impact of outsourced machinery services on farmers' green production behavior: Evidence from Chinese rice farmers

As an important part of agricultural socialization services, outsourced machinery services are of great significance for promoting the green development of agriculture. Using the field survey data of 1080 rice growers in Sichuan Province, this paper empirically analyzes outsourced machinery services' impact and role path on farmers' green production behavior. Further, it analyzes the difference in influence from the perspective of group heterogeneity. The research results show that: (1) The outsourced machinery services significantly impact farmers' adoption of no-tillage technology, organic fertilizer application technology, and straw returning technology. The conclusion is still stable after considering endogeneity. (2) The outsourced machinery services indirectly affect farmers' green production behavior by promoting off-farm employment and expanding the scale of farmland. (3) The impact of outsourced machinery services on farmers' green production behavior is not significant in the male group and the group whose households own agricultural machinery. In conclusion, the study proposes to increase assistance to outsourced machinery services providers and encourage service entities to actively publicize and popularize green production technologies while providing services, to play an influential role in guiding and educating farmers.

What Influences Farmers’ Adoption of Soil Testing and Formulated Fertilization Technology in Black Soil Areas? An Empirical Analysis Based on Logistic-ISM Model

Along with the increasing prominence of environmental risks such as soil surface source pollution and declining quality grade of arable land, the issues of how to address irrational fertilizer application and enhance the safety of agricultural products have attracted widespread attention. In this context, clarifying the main factors affecting farmers' use of soil testing and formulated fertilization technology (STFFT) can further improve the technology adoption rate and fertilizer utilization efficiency, promote standardized agricultural production and maintain the health and stability of soil ecology in black soil areas. This is of great significance to the construction of green agriculture, national dietary health and national food security. This study builds an "external environmental stimuli-perceived characteristics-adoption behavior" theoretical framework to investigate the decision-making and the dynamic influence mechanisms of farmers' adoption behavior of STFFT. Based on farmer survey data, the logistic-ISM model has been applied. The main findings are as follows. First, five types of influencing factors, namely individual characteristics, family characteristics, business characteristics, cognitive characteristics and external environmental characteristics, had significant "push" effects on farmers' STFFT adoption behavior. Among them, planting scale and technical training are the key factors influencing farmers' adoption of scientific fertilizer application technology. Second, both farmers' perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness play a significant role in farmers' decision-making process, and the easier farmers perceive STFFT to be to master and the greater the benefits it brings, the more pronounced the tendency to adopt the technology, all other influencing conditions being equal. Third, the main influencing factors of farmers' STFFT adoption behavior are intrinsically related and divided into four categories based on the magnitude of influence: deep-rooted, medium indirect, shallow indirect and superficial direct. In order to reduce further degradation of black soil caused by farmers' irrational production habits and to improve resource utilization efficiency, this study recommends the government to further regulate the land transfer market, strengthen the propagation of soil-conservation-type technologies in black soil areas, expand the breadth of agricultural technology training and enhance farmers' understanding and trust in STFFT. Thus, the maintenance of soil ecosystem in black soil areas, effective guarantee of food security and sustainable development of agriculture can be achieved.

Simulation Analysis and Test of Pneumatic Distribution Fertilizer Discharge System

Precision fertilizer application technology is necessary to improve the utilization efficiency of fertilizers in agricultural production. Traditional mechanical fertilization systems risk blockages and uneven application when working in multiple crop rows. Pneumatic fertilization systems have improved efficiency and fertilization quality, however, fewer studies have characterized their designs in regards to the motion of the fertilizer particles. Here, we design and evaluate the parameters of the key components of a pneumatic fertilizer discharge system. Numerical simulations were conducted using a coupled EDEM-FLUENT and gas-phase models together with bench tests to examine the effects of inlet wind speed on the efficiency and consistency of the pneumatic fertilization system. The EDEM-FLUENT simulations showed that the number of fertilizer particles in the grid box set by EDEM was 60 particles in the range from t = 0.275 s to t = 0.5 s, and there was no blockage or cut-off in the pipe. The gas-phase simulation showed that there were tiny vortices in the fertilizer conveying pipe, and the maximum flow rate of its backflow was lower than 3.59 m/s, which had little effect on the fertilizer conveyance. The bench test showed that the inlet wind speed was 35–40 m/s, and the fertilization efficiency was 0.29–0.41 kg/s when the maximum variation coefficient of the row discharge consistency of the pneumatic distribution fertilizer discharge system was 5.55%. The coefficient of variation of the average row discharge consistency was 3.93%, and the average fertilizer discharge met the design requirements. Therefore, the pneumatic distribution system achieves stable operation and meets the requirements of fertilization operations.

Single-Neuron PID UAV Variable Fertilizer Application Control System Based on a Weighted Coefficient Learning Correction

Agricultural unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are a new type of fertilizer application technology, have been rapidly developed internationally. This study combines the agronomic characteristics of rice fertilization with weighted coefficient learning-modified single-neuron adaptive proportional–integral–differential (PID) control technology to study and design an aerial real-time variable fertilizer application control system that is suitable for rice field operations in northern China. The nitrogen deficiency at the target plot is obtained from a map based on a fertilizer prescription map, and the amount of fertilizer is calculated by a variable fertilizer application algorithm. The advantages and disadvantages of the two control algorithms are analyzed by a MATLAB simulation in an indoor test, which is integrated into the spreading system to test the effect of actual spreading. A three-factor, three-level orthogonal test of fertilizer-spreading performance is designed for an outdoor test, and the coefficient of variation of particle distribution Cv (a) as well as the relative error of fertilizer application λ (b) are the evaluation indices. The spreading performance of the spreading system is the best and can effectively achieve accurate variable fertilizer application when the baffle opening is 4%, spreading disc speed is 600 r/min, and flight height is 2 m, with a and b of evaluation indexes of 11.98% and 7.02%, respectively. The control error of the spreading volume is 7.30%, and the monitoring error of the speed measurement module is less than 30 r/min. The results show that the centrifugal variable fertilizer spreader improves the uniformity of fertilizer spreading and the accuracy of fertilizer application, which enhances the spreading performance of the centrifugal variable fertilizer spreader.

Improvement of differentiated fertilizer application technology in the forest-steppe of Novosibirsk Priobye

In the article, the authors presented the results of the experimental work (2019-2021) to study the application of differentiated fertilizer application on cereal crops. Western Siberia is a region with risky conditions for stable grain crop production. Soft spring wheat and spring barley are the primary crops for food and feed. Soft spring wheat and spring barley are also characterized by a high demand for the most important environmental factors, which are highly variable. Current trends in precision farming imply the need for different technological operations. These operations are differentiated both in time and by individual crop rotation fields. At the same time, operations take more fully into account the bio-resource potential of cultivated agricultural enterprises. And these operations also take into account soil and terrain features, which are controlled by the aggregates and their links to technological operations. In the field, the authors used aggregates with differentiated application rates of fertilizers or crop protection products. The yield mapping is an element of precision farming technology. This technology is achieved by signal sensors on combined and onboard computers and GPS receivers during the harvesting period. An accurate map of the field, showing the characteristics of each field section, enables rational resource allocation and increases yields from each section of the field. The availability of digital maps ensures the optimization of fertilizer, seed, and water application to each section of the field. Under the conditions of the JSC Livestock Breeding Farm Irmen, Ordynsiky district, Novosibirsk region, the data are entered into the on-board computer of agricultural equipment going into the field, and innovative control of technological processes in crop production is carried out through GPS navigation. The work aims to improve the technology of the application of differentiated fertilizers to grain crops in the precision agriculture system under forest-steppe conditions in the Novosibirsk region Priobye. The research was carried out in 2019-2021 in the soil and climatic zone of drained forest steppe on leached chernozem at JSC Livestock Breeding Farm «Irmen» on spring wheat varieties Novosibirskaya 31, Licamero, as well as the spring barley variety Paustian. The use of differentiated fertilizer application contributes to an increase in grain yield parameters of spring wheat by 36% and of spring barley varieties by 28%. The study showed that differential fertilizer application contributes to the improvement of grain quality parameters of soft spring wheat.

SPATIAL TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION AMONGST AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK COMMUNITY BASED AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME BENEFICIARIES IN NIGERIA

Improved technology adoption for agricultural transformation and poverty reduction is critical in modern day agriculture. The study examined spatial distribution of technology adoption among African Development Bank-Community Based Agriculture and Rural Development Programme (AfDB-CBARDP) beneficiaries in Nigeria. Multi stage sampling procedure was employed where a total of 1020 farmers/Project beneficiaries across the 5 project implementing units (PIU) were selected. The data was estimated using descriptive statistics. The result obtained indicated that the mean value across the states for improved seed, post-harvest, dry season and fertilizer application technologies adoption stood at 83.7%, 81.9%, 75.8% and 51.8%. Similarly, the mean adoption rates for improved livestock, and fisheries technologies were reported to be 68.7%, and 50.6%, respectively. On a state-by-state basis, the weighted mean rates of adoption for all the agricultural technologies indicated that Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna and Kwara have 58.0%, 70.2%, 66.9%, 67.7 and 50.0% respectively. The findings of the study revealed that the mean adoption rate among females Project beneficiaries for post-harvest technologies like multi-purpose threshers, rice dehaulers, rice milling, groundnut extractors, hammer milling machines and grinding machines were appreciably higher having percentage values of 66.3%, 56.2%, 70.1%, 60.1%, 59.1% and 54.9% respectively. In the same vein, distribution of technology adoption reveals that adoption of seed, fertilizer and post-harvest technologies ranked highest than fishery technologies across the Project implementing units. Technology adoption on gender basis further revealed that Groundnut, cowpea, and soybean technologies were highly adopted among participating male than female farmers. Concurrently, the study indicated an appreciable level of agricultural technology adoption across the Project implementing units. However, the mean adoption rate of Artificial Insemination technologies was low (25.5%) having fell short of the 40% before a farmer is considered to be an adopter. The study recommended among others that where the overall adoption rate is lower, further research is required to identify the key constraints to adoption so that corrective measures can be found which can be used to improve adoption of future AfDB-CBARDP supported technologies.

Interactive effect of irrigation and blend ratio of controlled release potassium chloride and potassium chloride on greenhouse tomato production in the Yellow River Basin of China

Soil water and fertilizer are two main factors affecting tomato yield and quality, and their optimization management is crucial for sustainable production. There are many studies about the response of tomato growth and fruit yield formation to irrigation level and potassium (K) fertilizer, but few studies have been conducted on the responses of irrigation level and controlled release potassium chloride (CRK), not to mention the different irrigation levels and CRK to KCl blending ratios. In this study, two consecutive growing seasons (2020–2021) tomato pot experiments were presented with three irrigation levels (W100, W80, and W60) and three blending ratios of CRK to KCl (100%, 80%/20%, 60%/40%) under the condition that the amount of potassium fertilizer was reduced by 40% compared with conventional application rate. The results revealed that under W80 water conditions, 80% CRK mixed with 20% KCl application led to a significant increase in tomato yield by 4.1–11.9% and 4.6–18.9%, K use efficiency by 11.5–34.2% and 6.1–32.3%, fruit vitamin C content by 9.3–25.3% and 5.6–28.3%, fruit soluble sugar content by 10.2–20.0% and 10.2–24.1% in 2020 and 2021, respectively, compared with the other K fertilization treatments. Meanwhile, the water use efficiency and fruit soluble solid content of W80K80 treatment were also maintained at a high level. Molecular analysis shows that the W80K80 treatment had a higher photosynthetic rate, rubisco content, cytokinin content, and osmotic regulation substances content, and lower abscisic acid (ABA), malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) contents. Our results indicated that 80% irrigation level and 80% CRK-20% KCl blending ratio were the optimal water and K supply mode for tomato production in this study. The result provided useful information regarding greenhouse tomato production that would allow the achievement of higher fruit yield, quality and resource use efficiencies, and provided theoretical and technical support for greenhouse tomato irrigation and K fertilizer application technologies.

Development and Performance Evaluation of a Precise Application System for Liquid Starter Fertilizer while Sowing Maize

At present, liquid starter fertilizer (LSF) application technologies experience problems with low fertilizer utilization efficiency. In this study, we adopted a method of precise application of LSF near the seeds on seed bed in point form during sowing. A precise application system that can detect seed information in real time and control the solenoid valve to open automatically was developed for this method. The LSF supply system and detection control system were studied in detail. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of the precise application system in terms of operation quality (qualified index of the length of the LSF, QIL; the amount of the LSF, FA; and qualified index of the distance between the seeds and the LSF, QID) at forward speeds of 4, 6, and 8 km/h and pressures of 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25, and 0.30 MPa. The results indicated that QIL was 96.4%, the range of FA was 1.34 to 13.86 mL, and QID was 82.6%, which signifies the developed system meets the demands of precise LSF application. This method achieves the target of improving fertilizer use efficiency and provides a reference for developing fertilization devices for precisely applying LSF.

Ефективність застосування технології внесення добрив Культан

The goal of researchis todetermine the efficiency of application of urea-ammonia mixture (UAM) on winter wheat in the steppe zone with injection feeder using Cultan technology compared to the use of traditional spraying technology. Research methods: experimental-field, computational, statistical. Results. To assess the yield of winter wheat, experiments were set up in three plots. In the first plotUAMwas applied with MaxiMarinIP 1230 injection feeder. In the second plotUAMwas applied with a mounted beam sprayer. In the third plotUAMwas not applied. The yield was harvested on each plot separately. An objective assessment can be made taking into account such indicators as quantity (c / ha) and grain quality. The cost of grown grain of winter wheat with the introduction of UAMby spraying was 27560 UAH, of which the cost of UAM, taking into account the cost of processing the site - 520 UAH. The cost of grown winter wheat grain with the introduction of UAMby injection feeder MaxiMarinIP 1230 using Cultan technology was UAH 23,850, of which the cost of UAM, taking into account the cost of processing the site - UAH 520. Therefore, we found that the application of UAMby injection feeder MaxiMarin IP 1230 using Cultan technology is more effective than the application by spraying. The percentage was 15.5%. Conclusions. The use of Cultan fertilizer application technology with the use of MaxiMarinIP injection feeder increases the efficiency of winter wheat yield by 15.5%. Among the advantages are the following: - high efficiency of application in any climatic zones; - uniform application and accurate dosing of the area distribution; - fast penetration into the soil without the need for wrapping; - duration of action and quality of food; - there is no risk of burns to the leaves of plants; - disclosure of the full potential of the plant; - cost optimization and higher profitability; - there is no need to plan the application of CAS and other fertilizers depending on weather conditions, as the application is directly into the soil. Due to the active development of Cultan technology in the world and the significant demand for it from consumers, including domestic ones, it is advisable to conduct further research to study its impact on the efficiency of growing other crops.

水稻机插同步侧深一次性施用缓释肥料技术应用探究

水稻机插同步侧深一次性施用缓释肥料技术应用探究

The development of fertilizer application technology and the structure of the fleet

Intensive and industrial technologies are based on the effective use of chemicals. However, its capabilities are far from being fully utilized. The shortage of grain crops cultivated by intensive technologies was largely predetermined by the low level of organization of agrochemical work. A successful increase in the effectiveness of the use of all types of fertilizers and chemical plant protection products is possible only on the basis of an integrated quality management system for technological processes (IQMS TP), which includes interrelated organizational, technological and social activities. The technological process of using solid organic fertilizers is a set of technological operations for the preparation of fertilizers (composts), their loading, transportation and incorporation into the soil, i.e. complex system. The efficiency indicators for it are the uneven distribution of nutrients over the entire cultivated area and the dose of fertilizers. Given that the complete identification of the technological process is a complex task, in this paper authors restrict themselves to establishing functional relationships between indicators of the second, third, and fourth levels. The need to establish a connection between these levels is due, first of all, to the fact that the quality of the technological process of using fertilizers in a production environment is determined mainly by the operations of their preparation and application, which can be controlled and managed. To justify the technological tolerances for performing these operations, authors first established a functional relationship between indicators characterizing the quality of distribution of nutrients in the mass of fertilizers and the distribution of their physical mass throughout the field to be processed, and complex indicators of the quality of distribution of nutrients in the same field. According to the compost preparation operation, dependencies are established between such input indicators as the quality of the initial components (humidity, density, fractional composition), their ratio, and the output: humidity, density and fractional composition of the obtained fertilizer, quality of distribution of nutrients in the mass. As technological constants and parameters the dependence should also include the preparation time, energy consumption for preparation and other indicators. These data are necessary to optimize the preparation operation and the entire technological process.

Technical devices used for differential fertilizer application

The purpose of this article is to describe new technical devices for differential application of fertilizers taking into account heterogeneity of the thickness of the humus horizon. Modern fertilizer application technologies are based on information obtained from agrochemical soil surveys, space monitoring data and the NDVI index. At the same time, all these technologies do not take into account physical and mechanical properties of the soil which influence soil fertility and productivity. The article presents data on the relationship between soil hardness and thickness of the humus horizon which have a strong inverse correlation of the -0.7-0.85 order. Based on these data, technical devices used for differential fertilizer application were designed taking into account power of the humus horizon.

Sosialisasi Pemupukan Berimbang Spesifik Lokasi Untuk Tanaman Jagung Di Kabupaten Dompu

Farmers' understanding of how to fertilize efficiently and effectively is not yet fully mastered. Most farmers often fertilize crops beyond the recommended dosage. This community service aims to (1) increase farmers' understanding and knowledge of the quality of fertilizers and balanced fertilization technology to achieve the use of fertilizers that are relatively efficient, (2) disseminating balanced fertilization technology with the correct rules. This activity was started with an explanation of fertilizer and balanced fertilization technology, then continued with a balanced fertilization demonstration in Mumbu Village, Woja Subdistrict Dompu District in the planting season of MK 1 in 2018. As the target partner was the Bina Baru Farmer group, Mumbu Village, Woja Subdistrict, Dompu District and as a working partner is a local agricultural extension agent (PPL). The community service team acts as a facilitator, while the local PPL is tasked with assisting the farmers' demonstration activities. This community service activity uses a participatory approach starting from the beginning to the end of the activity in making decisions. The results of community service activities show as follows (1) there is an increase in farmers' understanding of the quality of fertilizers and determination of fertilizer application based on fertilizer quality in applying the site-specific balanced fertilization concept and (2) mastering the application of balanced fertilizer application technology with the 5 T. rule. The application of proven balanced fertilization technology can increase yields from 9 tons per ha (how to fertilize farmers) to 12 tons per ha