U.S. patent application number 12/126343 was filed with the patent office on 2008-12-18 for method and apparatus for seeding canola and flax.
This patent application is currently assigned to Bourgault Industries Ltd.. Invention is credited to Gerard Bourgault, Mark Cresswell.
Application Number | 20080308025 12/126343 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40120368 |
Filed Date | 2008-12-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080308025 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cresswell; Mark ; et
al. |
December 18, 2008 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEEDING CANOLA AND FLAX
Abstract
A method for seeding flax seeds and canola seeds includes: with
a plurality of side banding furrow openers, depositing seeds into a
corresponding plurality of seed furrows; with each side banding
furrow opener, depositing phosphate fertilizer in a corresponding
side band in proximity to the seeds in the seed furrows; with a
plurality of mid-row banding furrow openers, depositing nitrogen
fertilizer, and optionally sulfur fertilizer, in fertilizer furrows
where each fertilizer furrow is located substantially midway
between adjacent seed furrows. An apparatus for practicing the
method is provided as well.
Inventors: |
Cresswell; Mark; (St.
Brieux, CA) ; Bourgault; Gerard; (St. Brieux,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FROST BROWN TODD, LLC
2200 PNC CENTER, 201 E. FIFTH STREET
CINCINNATI
OH
45202
US
|
Assignee: |
Bourgault Industries Ltd.
St. Brieux
SK
|
Family ID: |
40120368 |
Appl. No.: |
12/126343 |
Filed: |
May 23, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
111/188 ;
111/186 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01C 21/00 20130101;
Y10S 111/90 20130101; A01C 7/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
111/188 ;
111/186 |
International
Class: |
A01C 7/06 20060101
A01C007/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 12, 2007 |
CA |
2591384 |
Claims
1. A method for seeding flax seeds and canola seeds, the method
comprising: with a plurality of side banding furrow openers,
depositing seeds into a corresponding plurality of seed furrows;
with each side banding furrow opener, depositing phosphate
fertilizer in a corresponding side band in proximity to the seeds
in the seed furrows; with a plurality of mid-row banding furrow
openers, depositing nitrogen fertilizer in fertilizer furrows where
each fertilizer furrow is located substantially midway between
adjacent seed furrows.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein each fertilizer furrow is located
substantially midway between pairs of seed furrows such that two
seed furrows lie between successive fertilizer furrows.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein each side band is located between
the corresponding seed furrow and a fertilizer furrow.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the rate of phosphate fertilizer
to be applied is a desired rate and the desired rate of phosphate
fertilizer is all deposited in the seed furrow and the side
band.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the rate of phosphate fertilizer
to be applied is a desired rate and the desired rate of phosphate
fertilizer is all deposited in the side band.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising depositing potassium
fertilizer in one of the side band and the fertilizer furrow.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the rate of potassium fertilizer
to be applied is a desired rate and the desired rate of potassium
fertilizer is all deposited in the fertilizer furrow.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the furrow openers are mounted on
a seeder apparatus, and wherein the seeder apparatus comprises: a
first product tank carrying a blend of nitrogen and sulfur
fertilizer, and a delivery system operative to deliver the blend of
nitrogen and sulfur fertilizer to the mid-row banding furrow
openers; a second product tank carrying phosphate fertilizer, and a
delivery system operative to deliver the phosphate fertilizer to
the side banding furrow openers; and a third product tank carrying
seeds, and a delivery system operative to deliver the seeds to the
side banding furrow openers.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein at least one of the phosphate
fertilizer and the blend of nitrogen and sulfur fertilizer is in a
liquid form.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein at least one of the first and
second product tanks carries a fertilizer blend that includes
potassium fertilizer.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising depositing sulfur
fertilizer in the fertilizer furrows.
12. A seeding apparatus comprising: a plurality of side banding
furrow openers laterally spaced along a seeder frame; a plurality
of mid-row banding furrow openers laterally spaced along the seeder
frame such that a fertilizer furrow made by each mid-row banding
furrow opener is located substantially midway between two seed
furrows made by the side banding furrow openers; a delivery system
operative to deposit seeds through the side banding furrow openers
into a corresponding plurality of seed furrows, and operative to
deposit phosphate fertilizer through the side banding furrow
openers into side bands in proximity to the corresponding seed
furrows, and operative to deposit nitrogen fertilizer through the
mid-row banding furrow openers into the fertilizer furrows.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the fertilizer furrow openers
are located substantially midway between pairs of seed furrow
openers such that two seed furrows lie between successive
fertilizer furrows.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the side banding furrow
openers are configured to place the side band between the
corresponding seed furrow and a fertilizer furrow.
15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the seeder apparatus
comprises: a first product tank carrying a nitrogen fertilizer, and
wherein the delivery system is operative to deliver the nitrogen
fertilizer to the mid-row banding furrow openers; a second product
tank carrying phosphate fertilizer, and wherein the delivery system
is operative to deliver the phosphate fertilizer to the side
banding furrow openers; and a third product tank carrying seeds,
and wherein the delivery system is operative to deliver the seeds
to the side banding furrow openers.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein at least one of the phosphate
fertilizer and the nitrogen fertilizer is in a liquid form.
17. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the nitrogen fertilizer is
blended with sulfur fertilizer.
18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein at least one of the first and
second product tanks carries a fertilizer blend that includes
potassium fertilizer.
Description
[0001] This invention is in the field of agriculture and in
particular a method and apparatus for seeding and fertilizing,
particularly canola and flax.
BACKGROUND
[0002] It is well known in agriculture that the location in the
soil of seed relative to fertilizer is an important factor in
maintaining healthy plants. With many crops it is often beneficial
to have a relatively small amount of most types of fertilizer very
near the seed, however excessive amounts of fertilizer are known to
damage seedlings. Safe fertilizer application rates depend on the
proximity of the seed to the fertilizer. If the seed and fertilizer
are spread over a wide band, the safe rate is much higher than if
the seed and fertilizer are placed together and concentrated in a
narrow band.
[0003] The simplest seeding implements deposit seed from one tank
and fertilizer from another into a single delivery tube that
carries the mixture of seed and fertilizer from the tanks to the
furrow openers and deposits it in a single furrow made by a furrow
opener. Where the mixture is spread over a wide band using a wide
furrow opener, quite high rates of some fertilizers may be safely
applied however, in the minimum tillage agriculture common today,
it is generally desirable to disturb the soil as little as
possible, and so narrow openers on wider row spacings are popular.
The wider row spacing requires that, in order to achieve a desired
application rate of pounds of fertilizer and seed per acre, more
product must be placed in each row. These narrow openers spaced
farther apart concentrate the seed and fertilizer in a narrow band,
greatly limiting the amount of fertilizer that can be mixed with
the seed.
[0004] The amount of fertilizer that can safely be deposited with
the seed varies dramatically depending on the type of fertilizer.
Some fertilizers, notably nitrogen in its various forms, cause
significant seedling damage at application rates much lower than
those typically desired to maximize yield. For this reason nitrogen
has historically been deposited in or on the soil in a separate
operation prior to seeding, or sometimes after seeding. Granular
nitrogen fertilizer is available in an ammonium nitrate form and a
urea form, and for many crops the safe application rate of the
ammonium nitrate form is somewhat higher than for the urea form.
Liquid nitrogen often contains both ammonium nitrate and urea.
Nitrogen moves readily through the soil and so can be placed a
considerable distance from the seed and still be effective.
[0005] Sulfur fertilizer is commonly provided in the form of
ammonium-sulphate, and contains a significant proportion of
nitrogen in addition to the desired sulfur. Ammonium-sulphate can
also damage seedlings when applied at commonly desired rates. Safe
rates of application are generally determined by adding the
nitrogen content of the ammonium-sulphate to the amount of nitrogen
being applied. Similar to nitrogen, sulfur also moves readily
through the soil and so can be placed a considerable distance from
the seed.
[0006] Fertilizers to provide phosphate are also commonly applied,
typically at substantially lower rates than nitrogen. These are
generally less damaging to seedlings than nitrogen and safe
application rates of these fertilizers for most crops is thus
higher. Phosphorus fertilizers are also typically applied at lower
rates than nitrogen. Phosphate does not move readily in the soil
and thus, for satisfactory results, should not be placed too far
away from the seed.
[0007] Potassium fertilizers are also commonly used typically in
the form of potassium chloride. While potassium fertilizer moves
more readily through the soil than phosphorus, it is generally
accepted that proximity of the chloride to the seedlings is
beneficial, perhaps because of an anti-bacterial effect, and so it
is desirable to place a portion of the potassium fertilizer with or
at least near the seed.
[0008] Cereal crops are much less susceptible to seedling damage
from fertilizer than are canola and flax crops. Canola and flax are
very susceptible to damage from nitrogen especially. Canola
generally requires sulfur fertilizer as well, which also contains a
significant proportion of nitrogen and so can also cause
damage.
[0009] Thus the consideration of the optimum placement of
fertilizer relative to seed requires consideration of a fairly
complex set of factors. In addition, safe application rates also
vary significantly with soil type, soil temperature, and soil
moisture. Fertilizers may be blended together for placement, and
are available in both liquid and granular forms.
[0010] Air seeders have become a common implement for seeding and
have been adapted to both seed and provide fertilizer in a single
pass. Air seeders typically comprise a cart carrying two, three, or
more holding tanks for holding particulate agricultural products
such as seed and fertilizer. Liquid fertilizer is also often
carried in a tank on the same cart or on a separate cart. The
agricultural products are delivered through delivery tubes to one
or more sets of furrow openers in separate or combined streams.
Other types of seeders could also be used to provide the furrows
and deposit the appropriate agricultural products in the
furrows.
[0011] Seeders have taken two distinct routes in their methods of
providing both seed and fertilizer in a single pass. In the first,
double shoot and triple shoot side banding machines deliver two or
three separate streams of agricultural products to a furrow opener
assembly. Typically one of the streams will contain all the seed
and possibly a small amount of fertilizer, typically phosphate, and
the other streams will contain the balance of the fertilizer which
may be either a single fertilizer or a blend of the desired
fertilizer. The furrow opener assembly is configured to place the
streams into closely adjacent bands in the soil, generally about
one to two inches apart. In some machines the seed stream will be
divided into two separate bands with a band of fertilizer between
and below the bands of seed. The bands are separated vertically and
horizontally sufficiently to assist in reducing fertilizer damage
to the seedlings, but close enough to allow the fertilizer, and
particularly phosphate fertilizers, to be readily available to the
seedling plants.
[0012] Typical arrangements for these side banding seeders include
furrow opener assemblies with a single furrow opening member that
has a separate port for receiving each stream and is configured to
deliver each stream to a separate location so that the streams are
placed in the soil in separate but closely adjacent rows or bands.
An example of this arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
6,952,998 to Summach et al. Other furrow opener assemblies have two
separate furrow opening members mounted on separate legs extending
down from an arm. One of the streams is directed to each furrow
opening member, and the streams are again placed in separate but
closely adjacent bands. An example of this arrangement is disclosed
in U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,851 to Beaujot.
[0013] Mid-row banding seeders provide the second route for
dispensing seed and fertilizer in substantially separated
locations. These seeders comprise two sets of furrow opener
assemblies attached to the frame, one set to deposit a stream of
fertilizer and the other to deposit a stream containing the seed
and generally some phosphate fertilizer. The phosphate fertilizer,
which does not move readily through the soil, is thus positioned
near the seed, while the more readily moving nitrogen and sulfur
are located farther away to avoid damage to seedlings.
[0014] An example of this type of mid-row banding seeder is
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,616 to Bourgault. The Bourgault
system uses one set of furrow opener assemblies to deposit the seed
stream in laterally spaced seed furrows. The second set of furrow
opener assemblies deposits the fertilizer stream in separate
fertilizer furrows. Each fertilizer furrow is located about mid way
between adjacent seed furrows, such that seed in each seed furrow
draws nutrients from the fertilizer between them. While an equal
number of fertilizer assemblies and seed assemblies can be provided
it has been found to be effective to reduce equipment costs by
providing only half as many fertilizer furrows as seed furrows,
with the furrows arranged such that there are two seed furrows (SF)
between successive fertilizer furrows (FF). Thus moving across the
path of the air seeder the arrangement of furrows would be
SF-FF-SF-SF-FF-SF-SF-FF-SF. Thus seed in each seed furrow draws the
mid row banded nutrients from one direction only. The spacing
between seed furrows in such machines is typically 10 to 12 inches,
so the seed and fertilizer separation distance is about 5 to 6
inches.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method
and apparatus for seeding and fertilizing canola and flax that
overcomes problems in the prior art.
[0016] A significant problem with the side handing seeders is that
it can be difficult to maintain separation of seed and fertilizer,
especially in certain soil and moisture conditions, for example
drier clay soils that tend to lump. Also as the furrow openers
wear, the precision of product placement, and thus the separation
of seed and fertilizer, is adversely affected as well. Even with
the best achievable separation using side banding seeders,
substantial damage to the seeds can occur, especially in dry soil
conditions or with more volatile fertilizers.
[0017] While the wider separation provided by mid-row banding
machines avoids the problem of seed damage caused by proximity to
fertilizer, the amount of phosphate that can be deposited in the
seed furrow to be readily available is limited. For cereal grains
the desired application rate for phosphate will typically be within
the allowable limit, so that all the desired phosphate can be mixed
with the seed and delivered into the seed furrow. The safe
application rate of phosphate with canola or flax seeds, however,
will often be less than the desired application rate, such that
some phosphate must be placed in the mid-row band remote from the
seed and thus reducing efficiency. Since seed damage from proximity
to phosphate varies with soil type, soil temperature, soil
moisture, and the like, applying the maximum rate for average
conditions can result in seedling damage and lost yield when
conditions change from one field area to another, and with weather
or like changing conditions.
[0018] Thus, although flax and canola make up a significant
proportion of the total crops seeded in many agricultural areas,
prior art seeders have limited the amount of phosphate fertilizer
that can effectively be applied when seeding these crops.
[0019] In a first embodiment the present invention therefore
provides a method for seeding flax seeds and canola seeds. The
method comprises: with a plurality of side banding furrow openers,
depositing seeds into a corresponding plurality of seed furrows;
with each side banding furrow opener, depositing phosphate
fertilizer in a corresponding side band in proximity to the seeds
in the seed furrows; with a plurality of mid-row banding furrow
openers, depositing nitrogen fertilizer in fertilizer furrows where
each fertilizer furrow is located substantially midway between
adjacent seed furrows.
[0020] In a second embodiment the present invention provides a
seeding apparatus comprising a plurality of side banding furrow
openers laterally spaced along a seeder frame. A plurality of
mid-row banding furrow openers is laterally spaced along the seeder
frame such that a fertilizer furrow made by each mid-row banding
furrow opener is located substantially midway between two seed
furrows made by the side banding furrow openers. A delivery system
is operative to deposit seeds through the side banding furrow
openers into a corresponding plurality of seed furrows, and
operative to deposit phosphate fertilizer through the side banding
furrow openers into side bands in proximity to the corresponding
seed furrows, and operative to deposit nitrogen fertilizer through
the mid-row banding furrow openers into the fertilizer furrows,
[0021] Much higher rates of phosphate fertilizer can safely be
placed in the side band which is slightly removed from the seed in
the seed furrow, than can be placed in the seed furrow. The
phosphate nutrient is readily available in close proximity, but far
enough away to avoid damage to seedlings. If desired, a portion of
the required amount of phosphate fertilizer may be deposited with
seed as well.
[0022] Advantageously the fertilizer furrow openers can be located
midway between pairs of seed furrow openers such that two seed
furrows lie between successive fertilizer furrows. Also it is
contemplated that efficient use of fertilizer may be enhanced by
configuring the side banding furrow openers to place each side band
between the corresponding seed furrow and a fertilizer furrow by
providing right and left directing side banding furrow openers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions
hereof, preferred embodiments are provided in the accompanying
detailed description which may be best understood in conjunction
with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in each of the
several diagrams are labeled with like numbers, and where:
[0024] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of an embodiment of a seeding
apparatus of the invention for seeding flax seeds and canola
seeds;
[0025] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the distribution of
agricultural products into furrows and side bands made by the
apparatus of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
[0026] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a top view of an embodiment
of a seeding apparatus 1 of the invention particularly adapted for
seeding flax seeds and canola seeds and moving in an operating
travel direction T. The apparatus 1 comprises a plurality of side
banding furrow openers 3 laterally spaced along the seeder frame 5.
A plurality of mid-row banding furrow openers 7 are laterally
spaced along the seeder frame 5 such that a fertilizer furrow 11
made by each mid-row banding furrow opener 7 is located
substantially midway between two seed furrows 13 made by the side
banding furrow openers 3.
[0027] A delivery system 10 is operative to deposit seeds through
the side banding furrow openers 3 into a corresponding plurality of
seed furrows 13, as further illustrated in FIG. 2. Typically the
apparatus 1 will include packing elements operative to pack the
seed furrows however for clarity of illustration these packing
elements are not illustrated. The delivery system 10 is also
operative to deposit phosphate fertilizer through the side banding
furrow openers 3 into side bands 15 in proximity to the
corresponding seed furrows 13, and is operative to deposit nitrogen
fertilizer through the mid-row banding furrow openers 7 into the
fertilizer furrows 11.
[0028] In the illustrated apparatus 1, the fertilizer furrow
openers 7 are located substantially midway between pairs of seed
furrow openers 3 such that two seed furrows 13A, 13B lie between
successive fertilizer furrows 11A, 11B. Also it is contemplated
that efficient use of fertilizer may be enhanced by, as shown in
the illustrated apparatus 1, configuring the side banding furrow
openers 3 to place the side band 15 between the corresponding seed
furrow 13 and a fertilizer furrow 11 by providing right and left
directing side banding furrow openers 3R and 3L.
[0029] In the illustrated apparatus 1 the furrow openers 3, 7 are
spaced laterally and fore and aft on the frame 5, as is usual in
seeding implements to allow crop residue to pass between the shanks
on which the furrow openers are mounted. Although other
configurations would work as well, in the illustrated apparatus 1
the mid-row banding furrow openers 7 are mounted on the front frame
member 5A, left directing side banding furrow openers 3L are
mounted on the middle frame member 5B, and right directing side
banding furrow openers 3R are mounted on the rear frame member
5C.
[0030] The result of the illustrated configuration of the apparatus
1 is that each side band 15 is located between the corresponding
seed furrow 13 and a fertilizer furrow 11, as illustrated most
clearly in FIG. 2. With the illustrated configuration the flax or
canola seedlings in each seed furrow 13 will draw fertilizer
nutrients from both the corresponding side band 15 and the
corresponding fertilizer furrow 11 on the same side.
[0031] The illustrated seeder apparatus 1 comprises a first product
tank 21A carrying a nitrogen fertilizer. The delivery system 10 is
operative to deliver the nitrogen fertilizer to the mid-row banding
furrow openers 7 through conduit network 23. A second product tank
21B carries phosphate fertilizer, and the delivery system 10 is
operative to deliver the phosphate fertilizer to both the right and
left side banding furrow openers 3R, 3L through conduit network 25,
and a third product tank 21C carries flax or canola seeds, and the
delivery system 10 is operative to deliver the seeds to both the
right and left side banding furrow openers 3R, 3L through conduit
network 27.
[0032] The delivery system schematically illustrated is of the type
that would be used where the delivery system uses an air stream to
deliver the agricultural products, or where one or more of the
fertilizer products is in a liquid form and is pumped through the
conduit network from the tank where it is carried. It is
contemplated however that other delivery systems could be used as
well.
[0033] It is also contemplated that the first product tank could
carry a blend of nitrogen and sulfur fertilizers for depositing
sulfur as well as nitrogen in the fertilizer furrows. Further, one
or both of the first and second product tanks 21A, 21B could carry
a fertilizer blend that includes potassium fertilizer where it is
desired to provide a potassium nutrient to the crop.
[0034] The figures thus illustrate an apparatus suitable for
practicing a method of the present invention for seeding flax seeds
and canola seeds where the method comprises: with a plurality of
side banding furrow openers 3, depositing seeds into a
corresponding plurality of seed furrows 13; with each side banding
furrow opener 3, depositing phosphate fertilizer in a corresponding
side band 15 in proximity to the seed furrows 13; with a plurality
of mid-row banding furrow openers 7, depositing nitrogen fertilizer
in fertilizer furrows 11 where each fertilizer furrow 11 is located
substantially midway between adjacent seed furrows 13.
[0035] The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous changes and
modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is
not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and
operation shown and described, and accordingly, all such suitable
changes or modifications in structure or operation which may be
resorted to are intended to fall within the scope of the claimed
invention.
* * * * *