A Point-Injector Applicator to Improve Fertilizer Management

Improved fertilizer management to decrease environmental losses, particularly for nitrogen, has become more important with emerging water-quality and energy-conservation concerns. Therefore, the concept of a rolling spoked-wheel, point-injector fertilizer applicator has been developed, refined, and field-tested. The applicator constructed was capable of injecting fluid fertilizer in rows of points about 10 cm (4 in.) below the soil surface with a 20 cm (8 in.) point-to-point spacing. The last design used one wheel per crop row, with an average wheel-to-wheel spacing of 76 cm (30 in.). Advantages of the system include fertilizer incorporation with low power requirements, minimum soil and residue disturbance and timing and placement options for efficient fertilizer management.