Get straight to the root

The sales representatives of AgroCentre and its clients have visited Deula-Nienburg agricultural educational centre in Germany to gain some useful knowledge. The facility was chosen as the venue for CULTAN fertilisation training organised by Güstrower. Doctor Martin Kücke (PhD in Agronomy) made a presentation to the Russian guests. Our team turned back home with a broadened experience of the topic and was ready to share it.

By CULTAN technology stands for the controlled uptake long-term ammonium nutrition. For a few years now, it has successfully been used by the western farmers. This application method is implemented with the use of innovative Güstrower GFI injection machines for three times longer soil nutrition. However, for the Russian agricultural producers, it is only an impressive know-how.

'Every specialist knows that nitrogen is the key element that plants need during their vegetation period’, says Vladimir Polozkov, Head of Lipetsk branch of AgroCentreLiski. ‘Inorganic fertilisers contain nitrogen in the nitrate, amidic and ammoniacal forms. It’s worth mentioning that lower temperatures are preferable for ammoniacal nitrogen uptake. For this reason, fertilisers can be placed in the soil at an earlier stage. Besides, the Güstrower GFI injection machine allows application of liquid fertilisers to the roots of plants.’

A liquid fertiliser is injected into the ground under the pressure of up to eight bars to a depth of 6 cm by means of hard-alloy spokes located on every injector wheel of the machine. The distance between the injection points is 13 cm, while the distance between the rows of wheels can be adjusted independently, which is the distinguishing feature of the Güstrower GFI. The working width of the injectors is between 3 and 27 metres. The unit is equipped with a speed sensor which ensures even fertiliser application when the speed changes.

'The concentration of the active ingredient in a liquid fertiliser is higher than in its granular counterpart’, continues Vladimir Polozkov. ‘CULTAN technology treatment implies that a depot – a place for an injection – is made underground. The fertiliser is stored in it throughout the entire vegetation period, which allows longer and more homogenous plant nutrition. Morning dew is enough to dilute the necessary dose of fertiliser in a certain period in accordance with the plant growth requirements.’

If you have a Güstrower, you can go out in the field only once in a season, while granular fertilisers require triple application. The specialists of Glava KFKh Vasiliev farming enterprise (Penza oblast, Belinskiy district) have already evaluated the effectiveness of the machine. AgroCentre delivered it to the farm last year.

‘Like many other farmers, we used to go for surface application of mineral fertilisers’, says Kamil Bareyev, Head of the farming enterprise. ‘Losses were considerable because the material was washed away and evaporated. Güstrower helps to avoid it. Last season, we used CULTAN technology to treat a part of our spring wheat. As a result, the average yield per hectare increased by 1 tonne.’

In the coming season, the plan is to utilise Güstrower in all the fields of the farm and the expectations are high. According to the western experts, the injector helps to considerably increase yields and reduce fertilisation costs.

'We are going to sell about ten Güstrower GFI machines to our clients in the short term,’ says Vladimir Polozkov, Head of Lipetsk branch of AgroCentreLiski. ‘The contracts have already been signed and the farmers are looking forward to the delivery. CULTAN technology will help to increase production and enhance the efficient use of resources.’