Results and agro-environmental perspectives of the CULTAN-method
Results and
agro-environmental perspectives
of the CULTAN method
Martin Kücke
Institute for Crop and Soil Science
Braunschweig
www.jki.bund.de
Content
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Available Injection Technique
Materials and Methods
Results
– Yields and quality
– Nitrate leaching
– NH3 and N2O volatilisation
– Other environmental aspects
• Summary and conclusions
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
2
www.jki.bund.de
Content
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Available Injection Technique
Materials and Methods
Results
– Yields and quality
– Nitrate leaching
– NH3 and N2O volatilisation
– Other environmental aspects
• Summary and conclusions
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
3
www.jki.bund.de
Fluid injection fertilization
• Fluid injection fertilization is widely used in Canada,
USA and Australia and became known in Germany
as CULTAN fertilization (Sommer 2000)
• Controlled uptake long-term ammonium nutrition
• SOMMER intention was the predominant nutrition of
crops with ammonium instead of nitrate, which
cannot be realised by broadcasting fertilization
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
4
www.jki.bund.de
Fluid injection
• Fluid injection fertilization is a subsurface placement
of any kind of liquid N fertilizer
• CULTAN fertilization is a subsurface placement of
NH4 containing fluids (preferably free of urea and
nitrate) (Sommer 2000)
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
5
www.jki.bund.de
Soil nutrient concentrations comparing
broadcasting, surface
banding, and subsurface banding
(Lohry 1998)
Concentration is ~ 600 times
increased
Early root contact
Minimized contact of
fertilizers with soil:
< 5% of plough layer soil has
contact with fertilizer
1 Lb acre-1 (pounds per acre) * 1,12 = Kilograms per Hectare
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
6
www.jki.bund.de
Whats new with
CULTAN?
• The efficiency of fertilizers placement is
known since long (esp. the combination of
P with NH4, starter application)
• New is not the placement of N in any N
form, but as NH4!
• New is to apply the whole crops N demand
in one single application
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
7
www.jki.bund.de
Maize root growth arround the N injection
point
(CAN = calcerous ammonium nitrate); UAN = urea ammonium nitrate)
•UAN inj.
•CAN surface
N Depot
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
8
www.jki.bund.de
150 kg N/ha
Appearance
Cereal
stems are shorter
and thicker
of
N0
winter
Deep
greenwheat
colour
(„blue-green“)
after different
More
elevated leaves
N application
(Ohrum
Elder
leaves 2001)
and the
stem basis are much
longer green and
physiologically avtive
„The CULTAN
effect“
Urea
surface
broadcast
UAN inj.
UAN = urea ammonium sulfate
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
9
www.jki.bund.de
Content
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Available Injection Technique
Materials and Methods
Results
– Yields and quality
– Nitrate leaching
– NH3 and N2O volatilisation
– Other environmental aspects
• Summary and conclusions
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
10
www.jki.bund.de
Spokewheel Injector
(Lensing, Lenatec)
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
11
www.jki.bund.de
Injection spokes
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
12
www.jki.bund.de
Spoke wheel injectors
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
13
www.jki.bund.de
Fluid Band Applicator
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
14
www.jki.bund.de
Injection knifes
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
15
www.jki.bund.de
Deep banding
knifes
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
16
www.jki.bund.de
High pressure Injector
(Agri technics Comp., NL)
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
17
www.jki.bund.de
High pressure Injector
(Agri technics Comp., NL)
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
18
www.jki.bund.de
Fluid injecton machinery in Australia
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
19
www.jki.bund.de
Fluid injecton machinery in Australia
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
20
www.jki.bund.de
• So see injection technology in field action,
look in www.YouTube.com and search
with keywords like
– CULTAN
– Liquid fertiliser/fertilizer placement
– Fluid fertiliser/fertilizer placement
• or look at fluid fertilizer Journal
http://www.fluidjournal.org/
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
21
www.jki.bund.de
Spoke wheel injectors
in Germany
•
•
•
•
•
Spoke wheel injectors are in use in all federal states of Germany
2004: ~ 10.000 ha with 10 injectors (>/= 12 m)
2010: ~ 70.000 ha with 44 injectors
2012: > 100 injectors
2 European companies produce injectors:
M&A Güstrow (GER), Duport (NL)
• M&A produced
– 2004: 2 injectors
– 2010: 6 “
– 2011: 9 “
– 2012: 10 “
• Number of injectors and injected arable land and grassland is
steadily increasing, especially in farm with minimum tillage
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
22
www.jki.bund.de
Content
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Available Injection Technique
Materials and Methods
Results
– Yields and quality
– Nitrate leaching
– NH3 and N2O volatilisation
– Other environmental aspects
• Summary and conclusions
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
23
www.jki.bund.de
3 m spoke wheel injector
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
24
www.jki.bund.de
Experimental Plan
Long-term CULTAN experiment
9 treatments x 3 repl.= 27 plots
Lat. Square ; since 2009: 2 varieties per treatment
Treatment
Nr.
Namount
Time of
application
Application
1
N0
2
N1
as
recommended
broadcast
split
3
N2
as
recommended
broadcast
split
4
N1
early spring
Injection
5
N1
mid of tillering
Injection
6
N1
end of tillering
Injection
7
N2
early spring
Injection
8
N2
mid of tillering
Injection
9
N2
end of tillering
Injection
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
2 varieties
3 Seepage water samplers per treatment
seepage water collection once a week or
depending on weather conditions
25
www.jki.bund.de
Crops and fertilization 2006 - 2012
Year
Crop
N amount
N1
kg N ha-1
N amount
N2
kg N ha-1
(-25 % v. N2)
2006
w-wheat
130
170
2007
w-barley
140
190
2008
w-rye
100
140
2009
s-wheat
120
160
2010
w-barley
100
135
2011
w-wheat
130
170
2012
w-wheat
130
170
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
26
www.jki.bund.de
Content
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Available Injection Technique
Materials and Methods
Results
– Yields and quality
– Nitrate leaching
– NH3 and N2O volatilisation
– Other environmental aspects
• Summary and conclusions
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
27
www.jki.bund.de
Grain yields 2006 to 2012,
recommended N level (N2)
(dt ha-1, 14,5%)
Broadcast
Injection
year
Cereal
Variety
N0
Splitt
Early
Middle
late
2006
w-wheat
Dekan
32
69
61
68
71
2007
w-barley
Theresa
27
58
44*
55
62
2008
w-rye
Visello
30
74
67
70
64
2009
s-wheat
Kadrilj
30
56
47*
51
65*
2009
s-wheat
Taifun
34
52
44
49
51
2010
w-barley
Finesse
15
75
73
74
(30)
2010
w-barley
Fridericus
19
75
71
74
(38)
2011
w-wheat
Dekan
15
52
51
54
50
2011
w-wheat
Mulan
15
46
42
53*
46
2012
w-wheat
Dekan
17
77
83
83*
69
2012
w-wheat
Mulan
15
80
94**
89*
75
23
65
62
66
56
average
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
28
www.jki.bund.de
Grain yields 2006 to 2012,
recommended N level (N2)
rel. to broadcast splitt (=100)
Broadcast
Injection
year
2006
Cereal
w-wheat
Variety
Dekan
N0
45
splitted
100
Early
88
Middle
98
late
102
2007
w-barley
Theresa
47
100
77*
96
107
2008
w-rye
Visello
41
100
91
95
87
2009
s-wheat
Kadrilj
53
100
84*
90
115*
2009
s-wheat
Taifun
64
100
85
95
98
2010
w-barley
Finesse
20
100
97
98
(40)
2010
w-barley
Fridericus
25
100
95
99
(51)
2011
w-wheat
Dekan
29
100
98
103
96
2011
w-wheat
Mulan
34
100
92
115*
101
2012
w-wheat
Dekan
22
100
108
109*
90
2012
w-wheat
Mulan
19
100
118**
112*
94
36
100
94
101
89
average
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
29
www.jki.bund.de
Grain yields 2006 to 2012,
reduced N level (N1)
rel. to broadcast (=100)
Broadcast
Injection
year
Cereal
Variety
N0
Splitt
Early
Middle
late
2006
w-wheat
Dekan
50
100
94
108
98
2007
w-barley
Theresa
53
100
85
106
114*
2008
w-rye
Visello
48
100
104
112
93
2009
s-wheat
Kadrilj
68
100
107
122*
117*
2009
s-wheat
Taifun
77
100
102
112*
100
2010
w-barley
Finesse
24
100
108
106
(57)
2010
w-barley
Fridericus
28
100
98
101
(63)
2011
w-wheat
Dekan
35
100
110*
103
106
2011
w-wheat
Mulan
38
100
107
113*
111
2012
w-wheat
Dekan
29
100
140*
134*
107
2012
w-wheat
Mulan
24
100
126*
130*
103
43
100
107
113
97
average
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
30
www.jki.bund.de
% N in grains 2006 to 2012
recommended N level (N2)
relative to broadcast splitted (=100)
Broadcast
Injection
year
Cereal
Variety
N0
Splitt
Early
Middle
late
2006
w-wheat
Dekan
68
100
98
102
102
2007
w-barley
Theresa
72
100
100
93
104
2008
w-rye
Visello
88
100
108
113*
114*
2009
s-wheat
Kadrilj
56
100
102
114*
98
2009
s-wheat
Taifun
50
100
103
100
106
2010
w-barley
Finesse
65
100
94
101
110
2010
w-barley
Fridericus
63
100
93
103
117
2011
w-wheat
Dekan
75
100
93
96
109
2011
w-wheat
Mulan
66
100
93
89
104
2012
w-wheat
Dekan
84
100
104
100
108
2012
w-wheat
Mulan
82
100
95
99
115*
70
100
98
101
108
average
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
31
www.jki.bund.de
% N in grains 2006 to 2012
Reduced N level (N1)
rel. to broadcast splitted (=100)
Broadcast
Injection
year
Cereal
Variety
N0
Splitt
Early
Middle
late
2006
w-wheat
Dekan
73
100
102
94
105
2007
w-barley
Theresa
73
100
95
90
101
2008
w-rye
Visello
99
100
108
105
124*
2009
s-wheat
Kadrilj
51
100
83
83
87
2009
s-wheat
Taifun
57
100
103
105
115*
2010
w-barley
Finesse
74
100
90
104
123*
2010
w-barley
Fridericus
72
100
92
103
117*
2011
w-wheat
Dekan
73
100
92
86
104
2011
w-wheat
Mulan
69
100
93
84
104
2012
w-wheat
Dekan
89
100
91
94
115*
2012
w-wheat
Mulan
92
100
95
98
127*
75
100
95
95
115
average
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
32
www.jki.bund.de
Yield difference after 25 % reduction of
N fertilisation, relative to broadcast
fertilization (N2)
% grain yield difference
-30
-20
-10
0
10
2006
2007
2008
2009
2009
2010
2010
2011
2011
2012
2012
N reduction by 25 % is to high
for this experimental site:
We are actually testing - 20 %
average
broadcast
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
CULTAN
33
www.jki.bund.de
Relativ Potatoe tuber yield increase by
different N application systems with
increasing N fertilization
(average of 4 field trials 1998 – 2003, Oppenheim, Rheinhessen) (Beck 2004)
% 30
28
26
24
22
20
18
16
14
12
10
UAN band 10 cm
below planting tuber
28
26
26
(CULTAN)
21
22
CAN surface
applied
The lower the N level, the
bigger is the yield difference
between CULTAN and
broadcast
12
1
2
decreased N amount
(-30%)
3
common N
amount
increased Namount
(+30 %)
Ø N fert. (kg N/ha): decreased = 82; common = 124; increased 169
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
34
www.jki.bund.de
Content
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Available Injection Technique
Materials and Methods
Results
– Yields and quality
– Nitrate leaching
– NH3 and N2O volatilisation
– Other environmental aspects
• Summary and conclusions
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
35
www.jki.bund.de
NO3—N concentrations in leachates of
leachtes from the plots broadcast N2 (blue),
CULTAN late N2 (red) and N0(green)
Broadcast
N2
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
Date
CULTAN
N2
36
N0
www.jki.bund.de
NO3—N concentrations in leachates of
leachtes from all plots with N fertilization
and with no N fertilization (N0, green)
(average of 4 years and month, with standard deviation between years)
Ø fertilized
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
N0
37
www.jki.bund.de
Difference of the nitrate concentration in leachates with
different fertiliser application
(broadcast conventional fertilisation N2
= 25 mg NO3-N = 0) (Ø 2007-2010)
N0
18 mg NO3-N
broadcast N1
21
CULTAN late N2
27
CULTAN early N2
23
CULTAN early N1
16
CULTAN late N1
23
-15,0
Martin Kücke
-10,0
-5,0
Plantekongres 2013
0,0
mg NO3-N L-1
5,0
38
10,0
15,0
www.jki.bund.de
Content
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Available Injection Technique
Materials and Methods
Results
– Yields and quality
– Nitrate leaching
– NH3 and N2O volatilisation
– Other environmental aspects
• Summary and conclusions
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
39
www.jki.bund.de
Test arrangement
to measure
ammonia losses
after different
fertiliser
application
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
40
www.jki.bund.de
Ammonia volatilization in relation to
kind of UAN application (sprayed on soil
surface vs. point injected)
(N applied = 190 mg N)
mg NH3-N % of
loss
applied
• Sprayed
on surface
• Point
injected
Martin Kücke
rel. to
sprayed
19,6
10
100 %
0,33
0,2
2%
Plantekongres 2013
41
www.jki.bund.de
Experimental setup
N2O fluxes after point injection
Site:
Loamy sand; winter wheat
Fertilized with (NH4)2SO4 by:
• point injection (24x17cm grid)
• surface application (spraying)
• unfertilized control
N2O fluxes
measured weekly using
static chambers
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
Point
injection
1st surface
application
kgN ha-1
applied
130
60
2nd surface
application
30
3rd surface
application
40
42
www.jki.bund.de
Total (a) and fertilizer derived (b) fluxes of
N2O from March 2011 until March 2012.
fertilizer-derived
N2O-N emission [µg m-2h-1]
total
N2O-N emission [µg m-2h-1]
Error bars: standard deviation (n=3); vertical arrows: dates of fertilization
120
(a)
fertilisation
surface application
point injection
100
80
60
Fertilizer derived
emission of N2O after
point injection of
15N enriched
ammonium sulfate
40
20
0
M. Deppea, R.Wella,
A.Giesemanna, M.Kückeb,
and H. Flessaa
-20
8
irrigation
harvest / tillage
(b)
6
4
2
0
Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
43
www.jki.bund.de
• Contribution of fertilizer N to total N2O
emissions:
− 18% after surface application
− 1% after point injection
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
44
www.jki.bund.de
Content
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Available Injection Technique
Materials and Methods
Results
– Yields and quality
– Nitrate leaching
– NH3 and N2O volatilisation
– Other environmental aspects
• Summary and conclusions
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
45
www.jki.bund.de
Risk of surface runoff in surface waters
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
46
www.jki.bund.de
Risk of surface runoff in surface waters
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
47
www.jki.bund.de
Disadvantage
• Costs for the techniques
• Injection technique for field experiments is not widely used
• Therefore no official fertilization recommendation based on
field experiments is available
• No ideal N solution available: N/P/S with low urea and N/P/S
ratios in relation to plant nutrient demand
• The discussion about late N fertilisation on baking quality and
baking quality in relation to protein content of grains?
• Width of field tracks?
• Injection is not offered in all regions
• Regionally and sometime problems with fluid logistics
• Competition with big solid fertilizers industries
• Failure of the technique?
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
48
www.jki.bund.de
Content
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Available Injection Technique
Materials and Methods
Results
– Yields and quality
– Nitrate leaching
– NH3 and N2O volatilisation
– More environmental aspects
• Summary and conclusions
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
49
www.jki.bund.de
Summary
CULTAN benefits compared to N fertilizer broadcasting
Agronomically
• equal or even higher yields and grain qualities at high N levels
• Benefits increase with decreasing N fertilization, in dry seasons/areas
and in minimum tillage/mulching soil cultivation systems
• N and water use efficiency is improved
• Reduction of N fertilization (~15 - 20 %) is possible without yield and
quality loss
• Improved plant availability of P and some micronutrients
Environmentally:
CULTAN decreases
Martin Kücke
nitrate leaching (up to 50 %)
N2O release
ammonia volatilization
surface runoff
Plantekongres 2013
50
www.jki.bund.de
Conclusions
With regard to
• the requirements of EU frameworks,
• the rules of good agricultural practice,
• the adaptation of fertilisation to new climatic conditions and
• the adaptation of fertilisation to minimum or non tillage soil
cultivation,
a subsurface placement of fertilisers such as the CULTAN
technique is superior to broadcast fertilizer application (N and
P).
less than 5 % of the plough layer soil comes into contact with
fertilizer nutrients,
we assume favourable effects on
soil organic matter stability
soil biology/microbiology
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
51
www.jki.bund.de
Many thanks
for your attention
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
52
www.jki.bund.de
Video
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
53
www.jki.bund.de
Fertilizers application
Location Application
Soil
surface
Subsurface
Nutrients
Type of
fertilizer
Broadcast
Homogenious
N,P,K,S, Mg
Solid, liquid
Banding
Concentrated
stipes
N, P, (K)
Solid, liquid
Dribble
Concentrated
strips
N, P,
Solid, liquid
Broadcast and
plowdown
Homogenious in
cultivation layer
N,P,K,S, Mg
Solid, liquid
Band
Concentrated
stipes
N, P, (K)
Solid, liquid
Point injection
Contentrated
points
N, P, S,
liquid
Dual band
Concentrated
stipes
N, P
together
Solid, liquid
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
54
www.jki.bund.de
Liquid or solid
fertilizers?
• Subsurface placement of solids is
technically only possissible before or
together with seeding in crops with a high
plant density
• Liquid injection allows subsurface
placement in growing crops
• Liquid fertilizers can easily be formulated
and modified
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
55
www.jki.bund.de
Nitrate concentrations in leaching water
(Kamrath & Kücke 2012)
• Data from 2007 – 2010
• Leachate collection with passive capillary samplers
in our CULTAN long-term experiment
• 3 sampers per treatment
• Sampling once a week
Martin Kücke
Plantekongres 2013
56
www.jki.bund.de
Cumulative N2O emission
Errors bars: standard deviation
N2O emission [kg N ha-1a-1]
1
SA fertilizer
derived
0,9
0,8
PI fertilizer
derived
0,7
0,6
0,5
0,4
Fertilizer derived
emission of N2O after
point injection of
15N enriched ammonium
sulfate
M. Deppea, R.Wella,
A.Giesemanna, M.Kückeb, and
H. Flessaa
0,3
0,2
Derived from
actual fertilization
0,1
0
surface
application
Martin Kücke
point injection
Plantekongres 2013
unfertilized
57
www.jki.bund.de