The topic of soil compaction often comes up when talking about the heaviest agricultural machinery, such as four-wheel-drive tractors, grain carts/buggies, and fertilizer spreaders, but sprayers also do well when it comes to minimizing compaction. We need to be on the front lines.
After all, some sprayer tanks now exceed 2,000 gallons, with booms extending up to 160 feet and narrow tires for moving between rows and minimizing the amount of crop trampled. It’s carrying a lot of weight.
Timing is also an issue, as the narrow spray window typically does not allow for the risk of compaction.
So how can you minimize compaction from your sprayer? That’s the topic of this discussion with RealAg’s resident agronomists Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson and Sean Haney.
Peter points out that the rule of thumb is that 80 percent of compaction occurs on the first pass, so ideally the sprayer should stay on the same trajectory throughout the year. Axial loading must also be considered, as some sprayers are designed to distribute the load evenly at the front and rear. There is also a central tire inflation system available to lower and compress tire pressure when the sprayer is not on the road.
Check out the conversation below, first heard on RealAg Radio.
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