Not dribbling N down the tramlines.

Aceface · Jan 8, 2022

About 7 or 8 years ago I picked up a leaflet at either Cereals or Lamma (which may or may not have been produced by Omex). It gave the usual reasons why switching to the use of liquid had advantages over the use of solid N, such as no bags to dispose of, accurate dressing up to the outer edge of the crop, the freeing up of shed space etc, etc. However, I am sure one of it's points was that by blocking off the jets that are over the tramlines, that wasted N can be largely avoided. Each year I think about doing this, but I have never done it, because I like my boom high when using liquid N and you only need a slight breeze for the jets you have blocked to be off target. However this year, if I block 2 or perhaps 3 spouts per wheeling, (out of the 192 over a 24 metre boom), that will be over 2 or 3% of valurable N not wasted. Does anyone actually do this in practise?, or is it just a better idea on paper than in practise?.
Any thoughts will be appreciated, many thanks.

T C · Jan 8, 2022

I use white umbrella nozzles over the boom but put a brown one behind the wheels.

i dont belief it · Jan 8, 2022

Blocked off two outlets on the fert bars worked well, using nozzles now so not an option.

snarling bee · Jan 8, 2022

We have always done it. Why wouldn't you?
Strategically placed self tappers is all you need in some suitable nozzles (ie smaller)

Steevo · Jan 8, 2022

Surely the crop has roots underneath the tramlines so this nutrient won’t be wasted?

Aceface · Jan 8, 2022

Steevo said:
Surely the crop has roots underneath the tramlines so this nutrient won’t be wasted?

When I was a student 35 years ago, often crops of wheat on the fertile silts, would have crops of wheat, lodged flat to the floor due to too much N and weak straw, the only stems upright, were the ones immediately adjacent to the tramlines. This was explained to me as a student as evidence that those plants near the tramline having had their roots damaged by compaction and therefore were unable to take up excessive N. (Those plants would also have access to the prills in the tramlines). That explanation makes sense to me still.

Lincsman · Jan 8, 2022

Aceface said:
About 7 or 8 years ago I picked up a leaflet at either Cereals or Lamma (which may or may not have been produced by Omex). It gave the usual reasons why switching to the use of liquid had advantages over the use of solid N, such as no bags to dispose of, accurate dressing up to the outer edge of the crop, the freeing up of shed space etc, etc. However, I am sure one of it's points was that by blocking off the jets that are over the tramlines, that wasted N can be largely avoided. Each year I think about doing this, but I have never done it, because I like my boom high when using liquid N and you only need a slight breeze for the jets you have blocked to be off target. However this year, if I block 2 or perhaps 3 spouts per wheeling, (out of the 192 over a 24 metre boom), that will be over 2 or 3% of valurable N not wasted. Does anyone actually do this in practise?, or is it just a better idea on paper than in practise?.
Any thoughts will be appreciated, many thanks.

Some farmers are trying to use wider row spacing's, to the point its all tramlines, what happens then?

Aceface · Jan 8, 2022

Wide row widths are one thing, but growers will only run the sprayer and spreader down the same wheelings the whole season. Roots will be unrestricted between the widest of rows if they aren't used as tramlines, surely.

Lincsman · Jan 9, 2022

Aceface said:
Wide row widths are one thing, but growers will only run the sprayer and spreader down the same wheelings the whole season. Roots will be unrestricted between the widest of rows if they aren't used as tramlines, surely.

Not sure as some of these wide row farmers are now going to combine drilling fert to get it near the roots?

yellow belly · Jan 9, 2022

We did this when we used liquid n
the biggest advantage was the lack of green grains on the tramlines

Aceface · Jan 9, 2022

Are you saying that "top dressing" N will be injected into the soil using a drill in the spring?, even if this is done, each wide row will not be used as a tramline. With N being so mobile in the soil, I can't see the point and cost benefit of this, unless it is to trap urea under ground, and there are easier and cheaper ways to prevent volatilisation.

Lincsman said:
Not sue as some of these wide row farmers are now going to combine drilling fert to get it near the roots?

Lincsman · Jan 9, 2022

Aceface said:
Are you saying that "top dressing" N will be injected into the soil using a drill in the spring?, even if this is done, each wide row will not be used as a tramline. With N being so mobile in the soil, I can't see the point and cost benefit of this, unless it is to trap urea under ground, and there are easier and cheaper ways to prevent volatilisation.

No, combine drilling is drilling fert and seed at the same time, usually into the same slot.

Aceface · Jan 9, 2022

Yes, i appreciate that, but I am talking about the application of Nitrogen in the spring on autumn sown crops ( and top up N on spring sown crops).

PSQ · Jan 10, 2022

On 10” row crops it’s not worth doing as there’s very little waste, 0.5/24m tramlines = 2%

But with the current fashion for leaving 650’s on all year round it may be worth doing (with nozzles on 500 centres). 1.3/24=5%

Not dribbling N down the tramlines.

Aceface

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T C

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i dont belief it

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snarling bee

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Steevo

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Lincsman

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yellow belly

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