High performance tool for liquid manure injection

Injection has been recognised as the most effective method for land application of liquid manure, in terms of reducing nuisance odour and nutrient losses. A high performance liquid manure injection tool (prototype) was designed, based on a number of pre-set design criteria, including minimising the draft force requirement and soil surface disturbance, and maximising the manure-soil mixed zone. The range of manure application rates sought was up to 100 m(3) ha(-1). The prototype featured an open sweep, leading tip, manure deflector and manure delivery tube. Tests of the prototype with different tool cutting widths (200, 300 and 400 mm). were performed at different injection depths (50, 100 and 150 mm) in both field and laboratory conditions. To reduce the draft force and soil surface disturbance, a tool cutting width of 200 or 300 mm should be used and injecting should be performed as shallow as practical. As compared with two commercial injection tools, the prototype required lower draft force, caused less soil surface disturbance and produced a larger manure-soil mixed zone. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.