Fertilizer Application: NH, Opener Losses and Uniformity Issues

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2004-12-02
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Hanna, H. Mark
Boyd, Paul
Baker, James
Colvin, Thomas
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Hanna, H. Mark
Extension Agricultural Engineer
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Proceedings of the Integrated Crop Management Conference
Iowa State University Conferences and Symposia

The Iowa State University Integrated Crop Management Conference is Iowa's premier crop production education event. No other program in Iowa brings together the diverse range of topics, slate of expert presenters and results of the latest University research.

The ICM Conference offers workshops focusing on the latest in crop production technology. Experts from Iowa and surrounding states will provide research updates and results in soil fertility, soil and water management, crop production and pest management.

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Anhydrous ammonia (NH3) is injected below the soil surface during application to limit loss to the atmosphere. Application at a shallower depth may reduce tractor horsepower or allow greater speed which could increase field capacity of equipment if NH3 losses are held to acceptable levels. Losses of NH3 during, and for one hour after, field application were measured from a typical knife injector treatment operated at a 15-cm (6-in.) depth and 8 km/h (5 mi/h) travel speed and from a single-disc injector operated at shallower depths (5 and 10 cm (2 and 4 in.)) and a range of travel speeds (8, 12, and 16 km/h (5, 7.5, and 10 mi/h)). NH3 losses during application as measured with a hood over the single-disc injector were 3 to 7% in clay loam, silty clay loam, and loam soils and 21 to 52% in a coarser-textured fine sandy loam soil. Applying with a knife injector at deeper depth resulted in losses of 1 to 2% across all soil types. NH3 losses measured during an hour after application with stationary collection over the injection trench were 1% or less for all treatments. Losses during application were 5 to 55 times greater than during the first hour after application.

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