Methods of Applying Fertilizer

Chapter
7
What to consider when selecting an
application method.
 Rooting characteristic of the crop to be
planted.
 Crop demand for various nutrients at
different stages of growth.
 Physical & chemical characteristics of the
soil.
 Physical & chemical characteristics of the
fertilizer material to be applied.
 Availability of moisture.
 Type of irrigation system used if irrigation
is the only, or major, source of water.
 Frequency and rate of irrigation water to be
applied.
Pre-Plant Applications
 Broadcast – distributing over the top of
the soil.

 Dry or liquid form.

 May be mechanically worked into the soil

or incorporated by rainfall or irrigation.
Drop Spreader
 Simple Fertilizer spreader – inverted
triangle-shaped hopper mounted between
two wheels.
 -’s= small hopper size limits the load capacity
& field size it can be used on.

 +’s= small size lends itself well to vineyards

and orchards.
Spinning-disc spreader
 A small bulk spreader pulled by a tractor or
truck.
 Uses horizontal spinning disc to broadcast
fertilizer.
 20’ – 40’ swath

 -’s easy to have skips or overlaps of fertilizer.

Self-propelled spreader
 A large bin mounted on a large truck or a
special 3 or 4 wheel vehicle equipped with
floatation tires ( reduce soil compaction)
 Can have simple horizontal-spinning-disc to
air-flow applications
 Air-flow applicators have the capability to
apply more than one fertilizer material at the
same time.
Liquid Spreader
Liquid Spreader
 Tank, Pressure gauge, Regulator, Pump,
Pipes, Hoses, Fittings, Nozzles, and a
boom.

 Can be mounted on a truck, on a flotation

vehicle or trailer, or directly on a tractor
Organic Spreaders
 Similar to a spinning disc spreader.

 Normal to apply 5 – 20 tons per acre.

 Poultry waste is at a lower rate.
Pre-Plant Applications - Injection
 Injection refers to placing fertilizers
below to soil surface.

 All fertilizer that can be broadcasted on

the soil can also be injected.
How does injection take place?
 Drop pipes for liquids.
 Flexible tubes for dries.

 Channels are made by knives or shank openers

mounted to the tool bar.

 This is best done after the soil has been plowed,

disced or furrowed out and the soil is loose.
Advantages of injections.
 Eliminates N gaseous losses.
 Reduces fertilizer losses caused by rain or
wind erosion.
 Places the fertilizer directly in the root zone.
Disadvantages of injection.
 Power requirements are greater.
 Some specialized equipment is required for
some types of fertilizer. (Anhydrous
ammonia)
 May disrupt the integrity of the beds.
 Liquids are harder to apply than dry.
Applications at Planting
 Subsurface Banding (pop-up application)
 Appling fertilizer directly with the seed.
 Grain crops do well with this.
 Note** use low rates of starter fertilizers

 Look at chart 7-1 found on page 168.

Surface Banding
 Liquid fertilizers being applied to the soil
surface directly above the seed.

 Sprinkler or rainfall need to move fertilizer

down.

 Also used as an anti-crust. (acid serves to

dissolve calcium carbonate crusts that
impede crop emergence.)
Post-Emergence Application
 Sidedressing – refers to placement of
fertilizer beside crop rows & may be
combined with cultivation.
 Both liquid and dry can be used.
Topdressing
 Appling fertilizer to the soil surface after
the crop emergence.

 The same equipment is used in the pre-

plant broadcast applications
Water-Run Application
 Savings in time, labor, equipment, & fuel
cost.
 May be pre-plant or post-emergence.
 Disadvantage to this type of application is
uniformity of distribution and run-off water
containing fertilizer.
Irrigation – Open Systems
 Ditches (lined or unlined)
 Gated pipe (used for furrow or flood
irrigation)

 Both dry & liquid fertilizers can be used.

Irrigation – Open Systems
 High-pressure center pivot, linear, and
solid-set sprinkler systems.
 Low pressure drip, mist, & micro-sprinkler
irrigation systems.

 Not all dry & liquid fertilizers are suitable

for application in closed systems.
Examples
 Aqua ammonia & anhydrous ammonia due
to the precipitates that may be formed if
irrigation water high in calcium content.

 Plugging is a main problem in low pressure

systems.
Foliar Application
 Supplying nutrients during periods of peak
demand when an immediate response is
desired.
 Supplying certain nutrients, such as zinc,
when soil or crop conditions are conductive to
root uptake.
 Allowing precise timing of nutrient
application related to the quality
characteristics of the crop being grown.
 Reducing nitrate leaching in certain
cropping systems.
 Providing a source of nutrients to satisfy
crop demand temporarily until a soil
application can be made.
Factors that may improve the
effectiveness of foliar nutrient.
 Application during early morning or
evening hours.
 Application when temps. Are less than 850F.
 Relative humidity greater than 70%
 Inclusion of a high quality adjuvant.
(increases its effectiveness)
Cont.
 Wind speed less than 5 miles per hour
 Application to young, actively growing
tissue as compared to older, harden-off
tissue.
 Application to expanding buds in perennial
woody crops.
Calibration of Application Equipment.

 Look at tables 7-3, 7-4, & 7-5.