LandWISE has been granted funding to develop fertiliser application calibration procedures suitable for farmers applying nutrients with their own equipment. The two year Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Farming Fund project is co-funded by the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) and the Fertiliser Association of New Zealand (FertResearch). Work will begin in July.

Why have this project?

Intensive farming is under intense scrutiny as impacts on soil and fresh water are questioned. Nutrient budgeting is a critical aspect of fertiliser practice. Knowing what should be done is important. Knowing what is actually done is important too. This project will allow on-farm checks to ensure and demonstrate that their own or contracted application equipment is performing to expectations.

Recommendations and nutrient management plans from fertiliser and agricultural consultants assume the fertiliser material will be spread evenly and accurately over the target area at the target application rate. Poor spreading can negate the best management plans and result in significant production losses and pollution of waterways.

The Fertiliser Industry Code of Practice for Nutrient Management notes greater precision in fertiliser application is increasingly important if profits are to be lifted by more intensive farming.  Intensification brings a greater risk of negative impacts on farm profits and on the environment through errors and inefficiencies in fertiliser application. Fertiliser and its application is often the single biggest discretionary expense.

What will be done?

This project will deliver protocols, guidelines, templates and training modules for farmers doing their
own ground based fertiliser application. Calibration is familiar to farmers for agrichemical application. It is increasingly applied for irrigation, to achieve water use efficiencies and reduce the risk of drainage and leaching. The new aspect is applying to fertiliser placement, distribution uniformity measures as well as gross per hectare application rates.

Most fertiliser applicator manufacturers provide guidelines to calibrate equipment. However, usually only the bulk application per hectare is determined, not the uniformity of application. This is a critical omission, as poor distribution significantly impacts yield and increases risk of leaching losses.

Ground based application includes a wide range of application methods to apply a vast array of fertiliser products, requiring careful matching of equipment and technique to the fertiliser and production system.

The project will address the two broad types of ground based spreading equipment:

• equipment that spreads fertiliser beyond the width of the machine – e.g. bulk spinners
• equipment where the swath width is equal to or less than the width of the machine – e.g. boom sprayers, combine drills, pneumatic top dressers.

The key performance criteria will be defined and expected levels provided.
Clear calibration protocols will be supported with guidelines and templates to ensure their correct implementation and for record keeping.

A training module and resources suitable for delivery to farm fertiliser managers and staff will be developed. Training opportunities will be provided at various locations around the country.
Together the project outputs will enable farmers to suitably calibrate equipment and record data pertaining to efficient use of nutrients. Their records will support industry QA programmes and demonstrate regulatory compliance.

For more information, contact Dan Bloomer at LandWISE: