NEW crop input products that offer important production gains may only be as good as particular application systems allow and when it comes to seeding systems, there are endless configurations.
It was this premise that has prompted a close working relationship between spray adjuvant and soil wetting agent technology company, SACOA, and liquid delivery solutions business, Furrow Management Systems Australia (FMSA), for the successful application and effectiveness of the unique soil moisture attraction and retention agent, SE14.
SACOA WA regional manager Damon Fleay said early trials with SE14 banded with liquid nitrogen in the traditional way, with separation from the seed, did not achieve the desired crop responses and resulted in subsequent trials to look at different liquid placement and, ultimately, different liquid kits.
Mr Fleay said this quickly confirmed the need to place SE14 with the seed, directly behind seeding boots and in front of press wheels, for best effectiveness.
"Trials and numerous commercial applications over a number of years have proven UAN can be used as the carrier for SE14 when the liquid stream is placed with the seed," Mr Fleay said.
"UAN at 30 litres per hectare and 20L/ha of water can safely be applied with canola, and up to 50L/ha of UAN can be used with cereals."
Mr Fleay said placement and rates of compound fertiliser used were critical factors to consider when using UAN as the carrier.
"Growers are looking at this and the ability to make adjustments to allow for the opportunity to put SE14 plus UAN with the seed," he said.
"No matter what seeding system growers may have, they need to have the SE14 moisture band with the seed.''
SACOA has collaborated with FMSA to develop systems for the successful application of SE14 for growers.
"Upon confirming the critical placement, the next step was getting systems and hardware on growers' bars to ensure they get the best bang for buck," he said.
"FMSA specialises in setting up liquid kits on seeding bars or altering the placement of liquid delivery to ensure SE14 placement is correct to optimise efficacy.
"They have the knowledge, are local, have all the hardware and spare parts in their warehouse in Bellevue and can get onfarm quickly.
"When fielding various enquiries from growers regarding SE14, often the subject of fitting liquid systems to old or new bars comes up.
"We can confidently refer these on to FMSA, knowing their systems work, so it's been a great working relationship.
"Their systems with the Friction Flow tubing are proving to be very popular and are simple to set up.
"Growers applying SE14 with FMSA systems have been getting good results.
"It's good to help growers achieve the right outcome for the optimum result they are after.''
Mr Fleay said in addition to the various brands and ages of bars fitted with the liquid systems, some of the sowing kits used included single/double shoot compound fertiliser options and both single and paired-row set-ups.
"All these variations need to be considered when looking at setting up a seeding boot for SE14 delivery," he said.
Jason Young, FMSA, said the introduction of SE14 and the results it had achieved in recent years had opened up a new horizon for growers.
"The majority of our enquiry in the past 12 months has been due to the explosion of SE14 in the market and in the past six months it has been really strong and focused on 'how can we adopt SE14, how do we get it to where it needs to be, how can we use it - what is the best way?','' Mr Young said.
He said when liquid delivery systems were first developed for applying liquid nitrogen on broadacre farms, the focus was largely on banding it as deep as possible to keep it away from the seed.
"Now with the advent of SE14 coming on to the market, we need to ensure we are getting the liquids into the right zones," he said.
"We are looking at two main methods.
"The first where growers are using UAN as the carrier for SE14 and are placing it in the seed zone, and, the second option, where growers can't separate higher rates of compound fertiliser from the seed and are looking at a second line on the tyne with a tap to determine where the liquid stream goes - either below the seed or with the seed.
"This has been adopted quite broadly by growers using SE14 when dry-sowing lupins and canola, and then switching back to deeper banding of UAN when SE14 is not being used in their programs."
Mr Young said some growers were setting up a second liquid system if they can't separate any of their compound fertiliser away from the seed; or if they are wanting to use SE14 only when needed based on soil prescription maps; and/or if they want to apply other products such as trace elements or fungicides closer to the seed across their whole program.
"We are open to all options and can generally cater for whatever outcome the grower is after,'' he said.
