DESIGNED “by farmers, for farmers” the Fast liquid fertiliser applicator range is now available through Sprayerbarn.
Sprayerbarn director Daniel Szymkow said they are now distributing both the 8000 and 8200 Fast liquid fertiliser applicators across Australia.
Mr Szymkow said the system is designed to be used in-crop.
“It only cuts a very fine slot, so there is no crop damage.”
“Fast has toolbar flex and hydraulic wing kick, these features mean ease of operation in all terrain and all soil types,” he said.
Mr Syzmkow said he said liquid injection was a good fit for cropping systems.
“It’s the difference between throwing a rock at something and placing the rock there – its much more accurate, it just makes sense.”
“Most people put their in-crop nitrogen on as foliar applications, whereas with this you are injecting it right beside the plant inter-row, it’s much more efficient.
“There is minimal distrubance so it’s pretty easy to go out in-crop, and we are doing every second row so then every row feeds off it, he said.
Mr Syzmkow said the Fast system could run on a standard rate controller but was also compatible with all GPS or ISOBUS units.
“This gives the farmer the choice on how they want to run it, they're not stuck on one type of GPS system.”
“They can load all types of maps, this allows farmers to go full variable rate if they want,” he said.
Mr Syzmkow said the Fast system would allow more flexible timing as it would reduce reliance on rain events.
“The farmer can put the fertilser where it can be accessed rather then relying on rain to water in spread urea,” he said.
Mr Szymkow said other uses for the equipment outside of nitrogen applications include other macro-nutrients, trace elements and crop protection products.
Sprayerbarn delayed importing the Fast liquid applicators until they were comfortable that the system provided a benefit to farmers.
“We’ve been sitting on it for four years until the wheat trials were finished in Kansas and Canada.”
They had a 14.5% increase in yield.
- Daniel Szymkow
“They had a 14.5% increase in yield.
“Until we had those results we hadn’t brought them, we waited until we had the hard evidence,” he said.
As well as overseas trials, anecdotal evidence suggests they are a fit for Australian conditions.
“A couple of units are running around and so far the feedback is they are seeing an increase in yield over foliar applications,” said Mr Szymkow.