Row Cropping

Row Cropping commenced in 1999. It is an extension of controlled traffic. Controlled traffic needs matched equipment but Row Cropping needs specialised equipment. Row cropping seeding with the TPos Toolbar places the new crop rows in various positions relative to the previous crops without disturbing the straw. With row cropping the crop row or pair of rows are strategically placed to enable the crop zone to be treated separately to the inter-row space.

The Air seeder is equipped with 3 boxes to handle 3 products at the same time. A pair of tines are used enabling fertilizer and seed to be separated but in close proximity to each other. Following the tines a press wheel firms the soil around the seed to assist with seed to soil contact and assist fast and even germination.

Row Cropping enables the crop rows to be placed to avoid disturbing straw from the previous season and to prevent the straw from coming into contact with the seed. With controlled traffic and row cropping it is known in advance exactly where every set of wheel tracks is located so swaths can be sown in any order. Often alternate seeding runs are sown to make turning much easier for the equipment. Accurate GPS guidance simplifies accurate seed placement and accurate spraying - the wheels remain on the permanent tracks.

All equipment must be on common track widths and common swath widths or multiples of the swath width. The Broadacre Sprayer is 33 metres wide being 3 swath widths. This sprayer is fitted with a jets strategically placed at 1 metre centres directly above the crop rows. This provides the opportunity to treat 33 metres of crop row only and not spray the inter row space. This achieves a 50% reduction in fungicides and insecticides benefiting the grower and the environment.

The TPos shielded sprayer has two tanks and associated dual plumbing systems and has the capacity to spray the crop row and the inter row space with separate products at the same time. Thus the inter-row space may be treated independently using a shielded sprayer. This protects the crop rows from the chemical being applied to the inter row space.

Benefits of Row cropping

• Allows the treatment of crop row and inter-row space separately
• Allows banding of nitrogen anytime
• Allows inter-row cultivation or spraying
• Allows on-row treatments