N Ramp Project Robbie Peterson Oklahoma State University

N Ramp Project Robbie Peterson Oklahoma State University Plant and Soil Sciences robbie. peterson@okstate. edu

Fall 2008 n n Farm Visits Educational events n n Wheat-Millet project n n n Southern Plant Nutrient Conference OSU career fair Deer Workshop Pre-plant and planting Harvest and data collection Fall Management Meeting

What is N Ramp? § Nitrogen fertilizer § Ramp Calibrated Strip (RCS) § Variable rate sprayer

“The Sprayer” n n n 100 gallon fertilizer tank 35 gallon water tank 5 hp motor Centrifugal pump 12’ fold down boom n 10 nozzle points n Three different nozzles

“Sprayer cont. ” n 3 Solenoids 3 Different Nozzles Increase in Pressure Decrease in Pressure n 12 Rates n n n

“The Brains” n Two control boxes n Trailer Box Solenoids n Pressure n Rate of spray n n Vehicle Box Settings n GPS n

Settings n 4 Programs GPS n Rinse n Flat rate n n N Rich strip Ramp Calibration n 28 -0 -0

Ramp Settings n 15” Spacing n n All ten nozzle sets 300 lb/ac – 30 lb/ac 12 Rates n 30” Spacing n n n 5 Nozzle sets 150 lb/ac – 15 lb/ac 12 Rates 15’ – 50’ increments n n n Rate Length GPS start n n n 180’ – 600’ Ramps N 33 -55. 7549’ W 97 -23. 2709’ GPS stop n n N 33 -55. 8354’ W 97 -23. 2768’

Flat Rate (N Rich strip) n 15” Spacing n Length n n 30” Spacing n n n Rate n n 15” (300 -30 lb/ac) 30” (150 -15 lb/ac) 100 ft-1, 000 ft 25 ft increments GPS n n Start Stop

Cooperators n Contact cooperators n n Pitched the project Got the Okay Winter pastures Farm Maps n n Locations Soil maps

Time to Spray n n Found the Field Soil Survey map Pick Landmarks Recorded Data into Spread Sheet Date and time n Field n Treatment rate and length n GPS n Landmarks n CONTINUED TO SPRAY!!! n

Soil Samples! • Every Field – 15 Cores – 0 -6 inches – Around the ramps

Totals n 13 Cooperators n 43 Fields 82 Ramps 30 N Rich strips n 112 Strips n n

Binder n Cooperator binder n n Maps Soil tests Ours n Theirs n soil test spread sheet. xls n n Field spread sheets

Field Spread Sheet n Ramp data n n n Date and time Field Treatment rate and length Landmarks GPS n Field data n n n Planting date Seeding rate Variety Fertilizer applied RCS Cooperators. xlsm

Why Apply N Ramps? n Mid-Season Nitrogen n n Visual Sensor based (Green Seeker) Fertilizer Efficiency Save $$

N-Rich n Green Seeker n Senses plant greenness n n NDVI Calculates Nitrogen use efficiency N-Rich n Farmers practice n n http: //nue. okstate. edu/

Sensing • Drought conditions – Poor growing – Visual differences • NEED RAIN

Sensing n Green Seeker n 3 Cooperators n Keith Varner n n Jim Murphy n n 3 fields Stan Kimble n 4 fields

Keith Varner NDVI Readings Field Soil test Farmer practice N Rich strip N Rate recommendation #N Hoover 0. 54 0. 61 0 20 Brittain 0. 47 0. 64 0 80 Hefner 0. 57 0. 65 0 29

Jim Murphy NDVI Readings Field Soil test Farmer practice N Rich strip N Rate Recommendation #N Herbold 0. 62 0. 74 0 91 E. Delashmut 0. 81 0. 83 0 31 W. Delashmut 0. 71 0. 79 0 1

Stan Kimbell NDVI Readings Field Farmer practice N Rich strip Soil Test N Rate Recommendation #N Loving #1 0. 38 0. 40 0 11 Black #1 0. 25 0. 32 0 7 Black #3 0. 25 0. 32 0 7 Black #4 0. 22 0. 30 0 7

Goals n Objective? n Effectiveness of N Ramp and N Rich

Special Thanks n n n n n Noble Foundation and Ag Division Jim Johnson NF Teams and Team Assistants Jagadeesh Mosali Shawn Norton Rodney Pierce, Waylon Bamburg, Brian Preston Tresa Runyan Billy Phelps Toni O’Brien

QUESTIONS? GO POKES!