16 minute read
Boosting crop nutrition application accuracy
Technology is contributing to enhanced precision with nutrient applications, but gains can also be made by changing working practices too. Geoff Ashcroft reports.
Boosting nutrition application accuracy
When it comes to applying crop nutrition inputs accurately, growers have a range of options.
Most application work continues to be undertaken using twin disc spreaders, which have seen significant improvements in terms of application precision.
Output
With advanced electronics linked to GPS, spread pattern management has been improved to boost output without compromising accuracy.
Similarly, those handling liquid fertilisers have seen sprayer developments offering impressive levels of accuracy through individual nozzle control and auto-section control.
Whether solids or liquids are being applied, both can benefit from variable rate application maps and many application systems are able to integrate drone technology by using aerial crop imagery to identify areas for attention.
To find out more, we caught up with three growers to find out more about their approaches to boosting application accuracy.
Continues on pages 68-69.
In the field Graham Potter, Thirsk, North Yorkshire
JOne grower making the most of multi-layered application technology is Graham Potter, who has recently added a 24-metre, 3,500-litre Mazzotti MAF3580 self-propelled sprayer to his fleet to increase application accuracy.
Mr Potter, based at 200-hectare Topcliffe Grange, Thirsk, says: “Variable rates hold the key to profitability on our farm. We cannot afford to make blanket applications, nor can we apply sprays and fertilisers to areas where we will not see a benefit.”
In addition to individual nozzle control, Mr Potter’s Mazzotti sprayer is also fitted with the latest N-Sensor, allowing application management to contribute to more cost savings across the business.
Making the most of application accuracy, he also uses drones to provide an aerial view of crops. These include a DJI Phantom equipped with a second camera for NDVI imaging and also a DJI Mavic Air. The latter is a sub250g drone and is free of the restrictions imposed on his larger aircraft, given the farm’s location within a no-fly, military air traffic zone.
“It takes too long to get clearance to fly the Phantom, so the smaller Mavic lets me analyse immediately with the help of the Skippy Scout app.
The Mazzotti MAF3580 features individual nozzle control and an N-Sensor. Inset: Drones play an integral part in all spray-based applications for Graham Potter.
Autonomous
“It can fly autonomously to any flagged points I have chosen in-field and provide basic data that lets me create a treatment plan through Drone Deploy.
“We only use the drone selectively, as a management tool to target immediate issues,” says Mr Potter.
“And if we cannot bring up the under-
performing areas of a field, we will simply take them out of production and sow bird and bee mixes where cereal production just will not pay. “Variable rate had already reduced our costs, though individual nozzle control means we are now more precise with all our liquid applications,” he says. “Investing in precision farming systems is a long-term plan, but I believe it is the best investment a farm could make. “More so when you consider the savings on offer from reducing overlaps, adopting variable rates and spot tool to target immediate treatment plans.” issues,” says Mr Potter.
“And if we cannot bring up the undertreatment plans.”
In the field Hamish Stewart, Alcester, Warwickshire
JFertiliser applications by disc spreader continue to dominate and advances in GPS control systems have contributed to reducing overlaps through startstop technology.
Additionally, the ability to vary spread width through automatic section control is recouping the cost of sophistication in just a few years for Hamish Stewart, at Ragley Home Farms, Warwickshire.
With about 400 tonnes of bagged fertiliser to apply each year, farm manager Mr Stewart makes the most of his Kverneland Exacta TL fitted with the firm’s Geospread system.
“We tray test with SCS and buy reputable fertilisers to ensure we spread correctly at 32 metres,” Mr Stewart says.
The 2,400-hectare Warwickshire estate operates across 1,600ha of arable cropping, with a mix of winter and spring cereals, plus linseed and poppies, with grass and parkland accounting for 280ha.
Until six years ago, Ragley Home Farms only used liquid fertiliser, but the workload proved too much for just one self-propelled sprayer.
“With the introduction of an accurate fertiliser spreader, it is logical to share the workload across the farm,” he says.
HAMISH STEWART
Exact
“While we can now spray and spread at the same time, albeit on different areas of the farm, perhaps more importantly we now apply exactly the right amount of fertiliser, in all the right places.
“We have found our crop canopies have evened out and we have eliminated lodging at headlands from auto start/stop and section control. Headlands
In the field Clive Wreathall, Romney Marsh, Kent
JAway from advances in technology, one Kent grower has adopted a more simplistic viewpoint, which focuses on maintaining the spreader’s working height to boost accuracy. This is because Clive Wreathall chooses to carry his fertiliser spreader on a bogie.
“We have moved away from buying technology that does not have a benefit,” says Mr Wreathall, who farms 1,200 hectares on Romney Marsh with his brother Andrew.
“It can be a very costly exercise.”
Their rotation includes winter wheat, winter and spring barley, oilseed rape and peas. But with land on two units located around seven miles apart, the emphasis is on minimising downtime and maximising productivity.
A 40-metre tramline system is in place and the farm’s Hardi Alpha sprayer is used exclusively for crop protection products – all fertiliser applications continue to be applied using a twin-disc spreader.
“We run a KRM Bogballe machine, but we do not carry it on the tractor’s three-point linkage. It is pointless at this width,” he says.
“Firstly, it is very heavy and would need a heavy tractor with ballast to maintain balance and composure.
“Secondly, to successfully apply over a 40m tramline width, the spreader’s discs need to sit at a perfect ride height all the time. And to achieve that, we need to avoid influencing the spread pattern from the tractor bouncing and pitching around.
“The only way to achieve this is with a bogie system towed by the tractor. This means we can also use a smaller, lighter tractor, which also helps maintain tramline condition.”
Mr Wreathall says 130hp is all that is required, because the tractor only has to pull, not carry, the Bogballe spreader.
CLIVE WREATHALL
Ride height
“The spreader now sits at the prescribed ride height all the time, no matter what the tractor does.
“There is no bouncing from the tractor, so the spread pattern is maintained. This is important when you want to throw fertiliser over such a wide width. The smallest movement at the disc becomes amplified when you look at the outer edges of the spread pattern.”
Fertiliser applications are carefully targeted using variable rate application to suit crop and soil types.
account for 33% of the land we farm, so this area demands closer scrutiny.”
Average field size is just 6.5ha, with inputs carefully targeted using variable rate applications to suit crop and soil types. Operating efficiency is helped by a high-tip trailer, into which fertiliser bags are emptied, to speed up turnaround times when the spreader needs refilling.
“Using a trailer to fast-fill has created a huge efficiency gain and given the accuracy of weigh cells and RTK-guidance, we can cover around 600 acres/day, spreading at speeds of up to 20kph.”
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For one Staffordshire farm, reducing its reliance on chemicals has seen a change in mindset and the purchase of a super-sized comb harrow to combat weeds. Alex Heath finds out more. Harrow helps hybrid plan
Reducing the input costs of growing cereal crops is the aim for Simon Bayliss, farm manager at Wincote Farms, based near
Eccelshall, Staffordshire. The business operates across 667 hectares of owned, contract farmed and stubble to stubble rentals, farming medium to light soils.
Of particular interest to Mr
Bayliss and operator Rhys Edwards is the farm’s historic reliance on chemical means to control weeds, pests and diseases, an approach they believe can be to the detriment of the crop. As a result, for the last few seasons, they have been looking at ways to reduce reliance on chemicals by adopting a more natural means of crop protection and implementing a hybrid system.
The farm traditionally grew oilseed rape, but this year the cropping rotation revolves around wheat and spring and winter barley.
Mr Bayliss says: “We are still a conventional farm, but look to incorporate as many regenerative practices into our methods as possible. One of our biggest expenses in the past has been chemicals, however, we have come to the realisation that often they do the crop more harm than good, with crops becoming reliant on sprays to fix small issues.
Intensive care
“Chemicals, especially fungicides, are like intensive care; the plant becomes reliant on them. They strip the protective layer of wax off the leaf to treat the initial problem, leaving the plant susceptible to other diseases that have an easy entry. I would rather give the plant all the nutrition it needs to fight the challenge itself, giving a more robust plant. We regularly take leaf samples that are analysed for deficiencies in trace elements.
“We are now taking a much more considered approach to our spray use, in particular herbicides and fungicides. Last year we trialled cutting our chemical use for two fields of wheat totalling 20ha. A pre-emergence herbicide was used and half-rate fungicide at T2, with two broad-leaved herbicides also used. The fields averaged 13 tonnes/ ha with lower input costs. That made us think about the use of herbicides and I started looking for something that would match our tramlines, but eliminate the need to spray.”
After research and seeing what other like-minded farmers were doing, Mr Bayliss purchased a Hatzenbichler comb harrow from importers Opico. Arriving on the farm earlier this year, the harrow is thought to be the largest in the UK at 24 metres. It was put straight to work with the first flush of spring weeds in March, showing immediate results, according to Mr Bayliss.
Mr Edwards, who is one of the operators to use the rake, says the farm is still learning to use the harrow optimally, including which conditions, weed burden and stage of the crop are best.
He says: “I will walk crops each X
At 24m, the Hatzenbichler harrow matches the farm’s tramlines with outputs of up to 113ha/day. From left: Operator Rhys Edwards and farm manager Simon Bayliss are looking at ways to reduce reliance on chemicals.
The harrow has tines spaced 30mm apart and is being used for weed control in cereal crops. Not only does the harrow disturb weeds, but it breaks any capping on the surface and removes dead leaves from the crop.
week and look out for weeds as part of my checks and make a decision on the burden. We do not want to knock out everything as some can be beneficial, such as speedwell for pollinators. However, I have to balance the number of weeds and their size, ensuring the timing of each pass to maximise the amount removed, while keeping them small enough to be vulnerable to the tines.
“The harrow is designed to run in between the rows, but the odd tine does make contact with the crops. This is not an issue though as the harrow’s aggressiveness can be altered relatively easily. What we have seen is the harrow will knock off dead leaves that have been challenged by septoria, with the leaves getting put in the middle of the rows, further away from healthy leaves. The brushing action seems to stimulate the plant to grow more.
Work rates are impressive, reports Mr Edwards.
“The ideal speed to work at is about 12kph. This enables the 6mm tines plenty of momentum to oscillate, covering all the ground. We tend to pull the harrow with a 190hp tractor and the best day we have had saw 113ha covered.
Flexibility
This change of approach is seen throughout the decision-making process on-farm, with a commitment to reducing input costs for the benefit of the crops and the farm’s soil structure.
The plough is reserved only for the dirtiest of fields the farm takes on, but is likely to be used as a garden ornament in the future, says Mr Bayliss. Likewise, glyphosate is rarely used and only as a last resort.
The drilling strategy employed on-farm has changed in recent years and is still being adapted. All straw is chopped, which acts as a weed- suppressing mat, while providing nutrition to soil dwelling organisms.
The cultivation method of choice is a He-Va nine leg subsoiler and 5.5m-wide short disc combination which works at about 15mm deep. Mr Bayliss says the structure of soils has improved sufficiently in recent years to the extent that subsoiling will be done in rotation going forward.
Drilling is carried out with a Pottinger Terrasem C8, fitted with wavy discs, that just cultivate and clean the strip being drilled. Mr Bayliss reports the drill offers flexibility in terms of how much cultivation is done and can be used when he wants as a direct drill, reducing soil disturbance.
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SIMON BAYLISS
He is also drilling crops earlier (wheat at the start of September and barley in the second half of the same month), enabling them to go into winter in a stronger position. As part of his philosophy, chemical seed treatments are not used, relying on biostimulants to offer protection and a kickstart.
Digestate is applied in April, with nitrogen requirements topped up with liquid fertiliser, one of the only jobs the sprayer is reserved for.
Both Mr Bayliss and Mr Edwards are convinced that applied ecology is the way forward.
Open minded
Mr Bayliss says: “Yields have stagnated in recent years, with more work and inputs put into the crop just to stay on the same tonnes per hectare. We need to be open minded and adaptable about what we are doing, finding ways to cut costs while enhancing soil health and crop viability. The path we have committed to is flexible and is working for us and other farms across the country that are using similar principles.”
Mr Edwards adds: “There is a symbiotic relationship between the soil, microbes and the plants growing. Soil wants cover, hence weeds grow. The microbes within the soil feed off the carbon exudates given off by growing plants, enhancing the health of the soil. Getting the plants we want to grow The harrow
JThe harrow is manufactured by Austrian firm Hatzenbichler and imported by Opico. At 24m wide, it matches up to Wincote Farm’s existing tramlines.
The trailed harrow is made up of four folding sections. Each section has four 1.5m-wide beds of tines, totalling 16. There are 10 aggressiveness settings for the 48 tines on each bed, which is done via a pin and quadrant assembly on each bed. Tines are spaced at 30mm centres.
Alterations
Mr Bayliss says the harrow has done a stellar job so far, however, being one of the first produced and used in the UK, he has some alterations he would like making for conditions in the UK.
Larger tyres underneath would be an advantage he says, with the 3,950kg weight at the limit of what the existing rubber can carry in the field.
He would also like to see some form of section control added, enabling gangs of beds to be lifted out of work, when approaching angled headlands.
However, so far he says the work rate and quality of the job done by the harrow is better than initially expected, with other benefits also seen in addition to the removal of weeds.
off to a good start reduces the amount of space for weeds.”
Mr Bayliss concedes that in certain situations sprays are unavoidable, with pre-emergence herbicides still a vital tool. However, the hybrid approach taken has already seen savings and he reports crops are looking as healthy as ever.
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