Liquid nutrients are applied to a first group of rows of standing crops by pulling a drag hose from a reel located at one end of a field and between two crop rows with the drag hose connected to an applicator pulled by a tractor or track units. The hose provides a liquid supply to the applicator. At the opposite end of the field, the applicator is turned 180°, and in one embodiment, a boom pivots to project from one end of the applicator to the drag hose. The applicator returns down adjacent crop rows back to the first end of the field with the applicator connected to the drag hose while the reel simultaneously retracts the drag hose between the two crop rows. The reel is moved axially to a third group of crop rows along with the applicator, and the steps are repeated.

A distribution orifice system for a dry product applicator with a pneumatic conveyance system is provided which redirects product that drags along a surface(s) of a delivery line's wall(s) back into a main central or primary airflow portion that carries the product downstream through the pneumatic conveyance system. The distribution orifice system may deflect the agricultural product's particulate material radially inward away from the delivery line's wall while longitudinally advancing it in a downstream direction. The system may include a ring ramp that can be renewed by uninstalling the ring ramp, flipping it 180-degrees, and reinstalling it to present an intact ramp surface facing upstream and the wore ramped surface facing downstream.

A method and pneumatic spreading machine control/regulate a metering element. A transfer chamber downstream of the metering element transfers metered material to a conveying line for spreading. A blower charges the conveying line with an air stream. Spreading elements are downstream of the conveying line. Calibration includes actuating metering elements, charged with a particular type and of material, over a predetermined test duration with a predetermined operating parameter. A mass of material metered during calibration is gravimetrically detected downstream of the metering element and upstream of the transfer chamber or in the transfer chamber, following which the material is transferred to the conveying line and dispensed. A functional relationship between the operating parameter of the dosing element and the actual mass flow of material for spreading, metered by means of the metering element, is calculated. The metering element is controlled/regulated to a setpoint depending on the functional relationship.

In one embodiment, a vehicle platform comprises a central body that can support one or more implement configurations, such as sprayer booms, or planting row units. A plurality of adjustable legs extends downward from the central body. Each adjustable leg has a corresponding leg actuator to adjust a respective vertical height of each adjustable leg. Each adjustable leg supports the central body. Planting row units are supported by or suspended from the central body.

An autonomous vehicle platform and system for selectively performing an in-season management task in an agricultural field while self-navigating between rows of planted crops, the autonomous vehicle platform having a vehicle base with a width so dimensioned as to be insertable through the space between two rows of planted crops, the vehicle base having an in-season task management structure configured to perform various tasks, including selectively applying fertilizer, mapping growth zones and seeding cover crop within an agricultural field.

A system for automatically controlling fertilizer application during the performance of a planting operation includes a row unit of a planting implement, the row unit being configured to deposit seeds within soil and having a fertilizer applicator configured to selectively dispense fertilizer. The system further includes a first sensor that generates first data indicative of a first nutrient-related parameter(s) within a field, and a second sensor supported on the planting implement that generates second data indicative of a second nutrient-related parameter(s) within the field, rearward of the row unit. A computing system determines an initial amount of the nutrient(s) within the field based on the first data, controls an operation of the fertilizer applicator to dispense the fertilizer onto the field, and determines an updated amount of the nutrient(s) within the field based on the second data.

The invention relates to the use of phycobiliproteins or of an extract containing same as fertilizer, a method for stimulating tillering and/or root development and/or the yield of a plant, as well as fertilizer compositions comprising phycobiliproteins or an extract containing same and (i) an amendment and/or (ii) a fertilizer other than phycobiliproteins or an extract containing same.

A method for treating plants comprises estimating a growth state or maturity state of a plant based on a planting date, a current date and the crop type of the plant. A root zone estimator or data processor estimating a size, diameter or radius of a root zone of the plant based on the determined growth state or maturity state. The data processor adjusts a lateral offset of a distribution pattern of a crop input or nutrient from at least one nutrient knife based on the size, diameter or radius of the root zone and safety zone about the root zone, where the at least one nutrient knife tracks a path outside of or bounded by the root zone.

A pressure gradient or differential in a product distribution line for conveying granular particulate material, including at least one of a seed or a fertilizer, in an air flow to an agricultural field consistently decreases as air speed and velocity in the product distribution line decreases until a critical air speed is reached. Below the critical air speed, the particulate material is susceptible to falling out of the air flow to potentially cause a blockage in the system. A control system efficiently determines an optimum operating velocity for an air flow that is above the critical air speed yet below a maximum air speed associated with inefficient operation. The control system retains the air flow setting in a data structure for later retrieval.

This invention discloses a method for treating sand or sandy soil in desert or desertified land, comprising spreading water and a solid organic substance in any order or by directly spreading an adhesive and cohesive solution containing the solid organic substance onto the surface of desert or desertified land, and then stirring the solution containing the solid organic substance or mixing water and the solid organic substance with sand on the surface of desert or desertified land in a uniform way by a stirring device to finally form a modified sand material. This sand treatment method can be directly implemented on the surface of desert or desertified land without transporting and discharging the mixture onto the surface of desert or desertified land, and thus saving cost and time.