Chapter: Six

Fertilizer Applicator
The role of fertilizers in the agriculture industry is to supply essential plant nutrients to
improve crop production. There are 16 essential elements or nutrients necessary for plant
growth, three of which (carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen) are supplied from the atmosphere
or water. The other 13 elements (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium,
sulfur, copper, zinc, boron, manganese, iron, chlorine, and molybdenum) are principally
supplied through the soil medium. Concentrations of some of these elements are limited
in most soils and must be supplemented by fertilizers.
Fertilizers are produced by the following types of industries:
Fertilizer plant foods;
Nitrogen and organic fertilizers; and
Phosphate potash and other fertilizers.
Fertilizers are distributed through agricultural supply retailers, farmers' cooperatives, and
fertilizer dealers. Application is performed by farmers and by fertilizer dealers using
specialized application equipment.
Fertilizer Materials
The term "fertilizer material" means a commercial fertilizer containing one or more of the
recognized plant nutrients, which is used primarily for its plant nutrient content. Fertilizers
are derived from a wide variety of natural and manufactured materials and are sold in
solid, liquid and gaseous form (anhydrous ammonia). These materials are designed for use
or claimed to have value in promoting plant growth or increasing plant-available nutrient
levels in soils.
6.1. Types of Fertilizers
Soil amendments are made by adding fertilizer to the soil but there are different types of
fertilizers. Type of fertilizer is divided into different groups according to the manner in
which the Nitrogen combines with other elements. These groups are:
Sodium Nitrates,
Ammonium Sulphate and ammonium salts,
Chemical compounds that contains Nitrogen in amide form, and

 Animal and plant by products

6.2. Application Methods

There are different methods of fertilizer application depending on the kind of fertilizer
material, the cropping system and equipment used by the producer.
Broadcasting: A recommended rate of lime or fertilizer is spread over the growing area
and left to filter into the soil, or is incorporated into the soil with a cultivator. Broadcasting
is the application method generally used for large field areas, when time or labor are
limited, or when it is important to obtain a uniform distribution of the soil amendment, as
with a liming material.
Banding: This method is primarily used to apply small amounts of fertilizer as a plant
starter. Starter fertilizer applications may stimulate early plant growth and increase yield.
This is especially important in no-till cropping systems where crop residues or winter
covers result in lower soil temperatures and higher moisture levels that may reduce plant
vigor. Narrow bands of fertilizer are generally applied in furrows 2 to 3 inches from and 1
to 2 inches deeper (commonly called a 2 X 2 application) than the seeds or plants are
planted. Starter materials have also been successfully applied in-furrow (in direct contact
with the seed) or in about a 4-inch wide band over the surface of the planted furrow after it
are sealed. Careless placement of the fertilizer band too close to the seeds and/or excessive
application rate can often reduce germination rate, burn seedling roots and result in loss of
stand. It is difficult to make a general statement about application rate. This depends on
the type of fertilizer material, method of placement, soil texture and the sensitivity of the
crop. Be familiar with what others have successfully done under soil and environmental
conditions similar to those found in your farm fields. Get into the program only one step at
a time. Try a small area for the first couple of years to be sure that the materials and rates
of application do not adversely affect seed germination or yield in your soil type. Infurrow application of starters (in direct contact with the seed) is a less costly but much
more risky method than the surface band or 2 X 2 applications. Anhydrous ammonia must
be applied as a band injected into the soil either at planting or as a side dress application.
This is simply because of the chemical characteristics of that fertilizer material. Liquid
nitrogen materials are often applied in a surface or injected band.

Side dressing: This term generally refers to those fertilizer materials applied to the soil,
(after the crop is up), during the early to mid-growth period of the crop. Side dressed
fertilizer materials can be either broadcast on both sides of the row about 6 to 8 inches
from the plants or banded down the row middles. Nitrogen fertilizers are more often side
dressed than phosphorus or potassium materials. This is usually to supplement nitrogen
needs, but also to ensure more efficient use under cropping conditions that may favor
nitrogen loss (sandy soils, wet soils, irrigated soils)
Fertigation: Nitrogen and potassium are sometimes side dressed by application in the
irrigation water that is applied to crop production systems at intervals during the growing
season. This is termed Fertigation. Phosphorus is not normally applied in this manner
because it forms many insoluble compounds with other elements present in the irrigation
water. This tends to clog up the irrigation system unless special care is taken to maintain
the water pH at a level where most of these compounds will stay in solution. It is usually
best to take care of phosphorus needs (if any exist; many soils contain more than adequate
levels of phosphorus for crop production) by a broadcast application of concentrated super
phosphate fertilizer prior to crop establishment.
Foliar Feeding: Foliar-applied nutrients are absorbed and used by the plant quite rapidly.
Absorption begins within minutes after application and is completed within one to two
days with most nutrients. Foliar nutrition can supplement soil nutrition at a critical time for
the plant (i.e., to maintain iron nutrition for an established acid-loving plant during the
time period of soil pH adjustment with acid forming fertilizers), but it is not a substitute
for soil application. This is especially true for the primary and secondary nutrients. In
agronomic cropping systems, University of Tennessee research has shown benefit from
foliar application of potassium in some cotton fields. Foliar feeding with potassium is
indicated for cotton during the first two years of beginning soil potassium fertilization for
those fields testing low in potassium.
Chapter: Seven
Chemical Sprayers
Sprayer Types equipment
Sprayer is a machine to apply fluids in the form of droplets.

A. Based on the size of sprayer types:

(1) High volume spray (more than 400 litres spray/ha)
(2) Low volume spray (5 to 400 litres, per hectare)
(3) Ultra low volume (ULV) spray (less than 5 litres spray/ha).
High volume spray
The dilute liquids are applied by hydraulic machines. It consumers more time and labour.
Low volume spray
It uses air steam from a fan as a pesticide carrier with small quantities of liquid. There is
saving of material spraying.
Ultra low volume sprayer
The sprayer has a motor powered by 6 to 12 volt battery and is attached with a spinning
disc, having grooves or teeth and rotates at a very high revolution per minute (40009000).
The spinning disc receives the concentrated chemical from a plastic container having a
capacity of 1 litre (approx). Average droplet size varies between 35-100 micron. It is used
for application of weedicide and for spraying small trees and crops.
B. Based on operation types of sprayers are:
i) Knapsack Sprayer:
It is manually operated equipment having a pump, a large air chamber with a tank. The
sprayer is mounted on the shoulder by the operator. The operator pumps with one hand.
The knapsack sprayer is useful for spraying small trees, shrubs and row crops.
ii) Mist blowers:
These machines are carried on the shoulders by means of straps in a similar manner with
knapsack, but they have engines which provide power. The engine replaces the hand and
assists in generating a fast flow of air for carrying the dust or liquid insecticide to the tip of
the nozzle. Mist blowers are also found useful in spraying shrubs and row crops.

iii) Tractor Operated Boom Sprayer

A boom is operated with the tractor. It has a tank that consists of a pump for the provision
of sufficient pressure for the sprayer. The pump is operated through the tractor PTO shaft.
When the tank is filled with liquid insecticide, it is pressurized with the pump and the
liquid is transferred to the long boom having nozzles at adjustable distances for spraying.
iv) Aircraft Sprayers
Pesticides could be sprayed onto crops with the use of specially designed air craft.
Spraying principles are similar with the boom sprayer except that much greater quantities
of pesticides distances are involved. Specialists operate the system
7.2.

Application of sprayer equipment

Sprayer is used for the following purpose.

Application of herbicides to remove weeds.

Application of fungicides to minimize fungus diseases.
Application of insecticides to control insect pests.
Application of micro nutrients on the plants.

The main functions of sprayer are:

To break the liquid droplets of effective size.
To distribute them uniformly over the plants.
To regulate the amount of liquid to avoid excessive application
7.3. Components of Spraying Machinery
BASIC COMPONENTS OF SPRAYER
Components of a sprayer are as follows:
(1) Nozzle body
(3) Filter

(2) Swirl plate

(4) Over-flow pipe

(5) Relief valve

(6) Pressure regulator

(7) Cut-off valve

(8) Spray boom

(9) Drop legs

(10) Nozzle boss

(11) Nozzle disc

(12) Nozzle cap

(13) Nozzle tip

(14) Spray lance

(15) Spray gun

Fig, 1.sprayer components

Nozzle body - It is the main component on which other component of a nozzle fit (Fig.
1a).
Swirl plate - It is the part of a cone nozzle which imparts rotation to the liquid passing
through it (Fig. 1b).
Spray gun - It is a lance from which spray is readily adjustable during the operation.
Spray boom - It is a spray lance with spray nozzles fitted to a head, mounted at right
angles to the lance (Fig. 1d).
Filter - It is a component to remove suspended matter larger than a predetermined size
from fluid.
Over-flow pipe - It is a conduit through which excess fluid from a pump is by-passed by
the action of a relief valve or pressure regulator.
Relief valve - It is an automatic device to control the pressure of fluid or gas within range
a predetermined value.
Pressure regulator - It is an automatic device to control the pressure of fluid or gas
within a range of settings.
Cut-off valve - It is a mechanism between the pump and the nozzle to control the flow of
liquid from the sprayer. This is operated by hand.
Nozzle disc - It is component containing the final orifice of a nozzle usually a cone nozzle.
Nozzle boss - It is a lug on spray boom or spray lance to which a nozzle body or cap is
screwed.

Nozzle tip - It is component containing the final orifice of a nozzle usually a fan nozzle.
Spray lance - A hand-held pipe through which the liquid reaches the nozzle mounted at
the free end.
d